It has been said that many things in life are not linear, though we wish they would be: grief, relationships, and careers, among other trials and events. Los Angeles alt-pop songwriter Dela Kay is no stranger to that truth. Following a brief hiatus from her musical career, she re-emerged stronger, admirably more vulnerable, and with a different musical sound than she began her journey with. Far from her beginnings as a folk-Americana and house music artist, the release of Dela Kay’s debut EP “Falling Into Place” tells her story of how all good things and positive change come with patience and in due time. In an interview with Punkaganda Press, she opens up about her musical career: the good, the bad, and the hopeful.
Listening back through your Spotify I noticed that there is a nearly 180-degree difference between the music that you released in the late 2010s compared to now. It also seems like you have been pursuing music for quite some time. How has your career developed over these years?
I started out making music that was more in the genre of deep house music. Back then, I had started wondering if this was exactly what I wanted to be doing. I liked that genre as a fan and I enjoyed it as a listener, but I felt like I was not being true to myself. I took a hiatus around August of 2019 and it lasted for two years. At that time, I was also going through a bunch of personal issues in my life. In 2021, I dipped my toes back in and put out the single “The Worst Part”, which was my first “alt” single and transitioned towards the music that I make currently. I realized that I wanted to transition more into the punk and emo scene. I started working with my friend Stefano and we wrote so many songs together. I have debated taking down my older music that I don’t relate to musically anymore, but I think I might keep it up for fans to see my journey and to listen back if they enjoy that type of music.
What pushed you to write this EP?
In the industry right now people are just popping out singles over and over again because it’s more difficult to keep people’s attention, especially with things like TikTok and other social media platforms. I was leaning towards continuing to release singles, but when Stefano and I started writing and making more music I had gotten to a point where I loved it all so much that I could not decide on which to put out. We picked our favorites out of this bunch and decided to go forward with an EP. I wanted this to be sort of a bookend that marks the beginning of this new era that I am coming into.
I love that metaphor of a bookend; it’s very fitting. I know that the EP is just not coming out, but do you have any plans for future releases?
I am writing my next project now, and I am planning for more to come out in the Fall. I do want to keep promoting this EP for a little while, but I think I will definitely be releasing more singles into this time next year. But after that, will it be another EP? An album? Who knows.
What is your favorite song off of the EP and why?
That’s really difficult. As of right now, I want to say “Falling Into Place”, the title track of the EP. It’s one of my favorites. During the session that song was written in, I had too much caffeine and ended up having a panic attack. If you listen to the intro and the outro, that was actually Stefano and Nick trying to calm me down and convince me to keep playing and singing. So, I am actually having a panic attack on that track, and towards the end of it, you can hear us laughing about it. I decided to leave all of that audio in it. I really like that song and the story behind it. I also really love the track “I Don’t Want to Think About You”. It has a fast tempo and it;s really in your face, and, originally, the lyrics were just something we came up with when we were messing around. We paused for a moment and realized that it sounded like a hopeful song for people that deal with depression, which made me think of myself. So we started having an honest conversation about my experiences with mental illness and tried to figure out how we could honor and utilize that while making a more generalized message of hope for people who are also struggling. Honestly, writing that song was like a therapy session for me, and it was great. Every time I listen to it I cry. One day I will get to a point where that;s not the case, but I had never written about anything so personal such as that, so it means a lot. A lot of my songs are about romantic relationships and how fun they can be, so it was a very healing experience and helped me to discover myself as an artist. I ended up calling the EP “Falling Into Place” because it encompasses everything that I have been through with my music career and personal journey. I hope that it can help anybody else who is struggling in any capacity. I want to be an advocate for mental health, women, and anybody who is struggling in any way.
That’s a wonderful answer, thank you so much. Now for a lighter question: What or who would you consider to be your musical influences for the music you are making now?
I love Green Day, they were my favorite band growing up. I don’t sound anything like them, obviously, but I love their high-energy music. Avril Lavigne, too, and Willow Smith is iconic. I saw her at Coachella and she blew me away. So many others too: The Maine, Maggie Lindemann, and even Fleetwood Mac. I grew up 20 minutes south of Nashville, so I think that has influenced my vibe in some way. There are so many more that I can’t think of at the moment.
Do you have any upcoming shows or performances?
Nothing as of right now, but I am working on it. I am putting my band together at the moment. I have not played any of this new music yet, though I played shows with a full band up until 2019, before my hiatus. I have done a couple of acoustic things since then, but I am really looking forward to playing this new music soon. I am trying to get out and play more shows this upcoming Fall.
Where to Find Dela Kay
