Deza
I’m always so happy to feature Deza on my blog :) Her stuff has been getting better and better, and I must say I am pretty impressed by her amount of talent as well as her commitment to her craft. Deza is one of the most promising artists out there and I’m sure big big big things are coming her way.
She’s just released her debut EP i don’t do drugs and it’s one of the best projects you will ever hear. This EP fuses elements of alternative, pop and electronic. One thing I really love about Deza is the vocal production. I live for dope harmonies and Deza is a queen at these things. I love how she likes to play with her own vocals - she makes music sounds fun, interesting, and refreshing.
I strongly believe in Deza and I’m sure this EP will do great. In my opinion, i don’t do drugs could make a huge difference in her career.
i don’t do drugs is now available worldwide - go stream it and tell your friends ! :)
Hi Deza !! How are you?
Hi!! It’s so good to chat again. I’m doing so good - overwhelmed & thrilled & thankful all at once.
You’ve just released your debut EP - how does it feel like to release your first project?
Oh man, it’s been the epitome of a roller coaster. To be honest, it feels like I just threw myself out into the ocean and had to teach myself to swim on the same day. It’s been a long time coming (it’s the longest I’ve ever planned something, period) so I’m more anxious than I’ve ever been to drop a project. I’ve put more energy, blood, sweat, tears, and time into this than I ever have. I’m so proud of it.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this project? What was the inspiration behind it? Who helped you create it?
The stories behind each of these songs are so interesting, I could talk about each for hours. (But I’ll try to condense it!)
LEMONADE!, I recorded in my aunt and uncle’s house on a weekend vacation after my (loving) boyfriend had ghosted me for a few hours. It’s why the vocal is whispered - I didn’t want my family to hear. Once it was in there, I was too attached to rerecord it.
I was just pissed and stressed in general - it was the last weekend before I moved to LA. So I wanted to really materialize that feeling. So, I started with that plunky, icky, dissonant bass you hear at the beginning and then built out the brass structure, etc etc. After building the rest of the track bare bones, I shipped it off to my brilliant co-producer and best friend, Alton Sato, who made it absolutely stunning.
High, written by myself and Elvira Lundahl, and the oldest song out of the 5. Written back in Lillehammer, Norway, after a girls night talking about love and sex after a few bottles of wine. Produced by Elvira, an incredible woman and friend!
I produced both All of My Systems are Nervous & Worth Loving. The first, inspired by a tweet, the second, good love. Both heavily based around vocal production, which is my strongest area, I think.
Money and Weed, written shortly after landing in Los Angeles. Was inspired by this annoyingly in-tune car horn that goes off on my street ALL the time… that intro is a voice memo of my balcony door opening out to hear it. This one is also co-produced by Alton!
All in all, it’s a hodgepodge of my current ‘coming-of-age’ story. Couldn’t have done it without Alton, Elvira, Ryan Hartnett who mixed and mastered, Maheen who creative directed… I am so lucky!!
What different topics are you talking about on this EP?
I love this EP because I feel like I’m telling my story no holds barred. Nothing feels off limits this time. It’s love, it’s mental health, it’s growing up, it’s sex, it’s anger, it’s relationships, it’s my new life chapter. It’s all the parts of me I might’ve been too scared to talk about a year ago.
What made you want to release "Money and Weed" as a single?
Dead honesty? Tik tok. I love Money and Weed dearly, it really encompasses this new chapter in my life in a way that no other song I’ve written has. But I wasn’t sure people were gonna connect to it like I had. But, when I posted a snippet to tiktok, and other people reacted positively to it, that’s when I really felt confident in it being the leadout for this new era.
What did you feel when writing "Worth Loving"?
Ugh, so many things. But mostly this overwhelming sense of security. Of belonging. I wrote this back in November, when I had only been in LA for about a month. My boyfriend and I, at the time, were on month 5 of long distance, and I remember thinking: “This is the only thing that matters to me right now.” Being loved well is such a mystery, that kind of love when someone holds space for all your shortcomings.
I had just signed the publishing deal of my dreams, and I had kinda come to this realization that, wow, what if this feeling of love holds more joy than my career ever will? What if, my whole life, all my passions and ambitions and drives, were just leading me to the moment of being loved by you? It’s daunting as someone who is as career driven as I am - my world revolves around my work. But when I was writing this song, it’s as if all of that could crumble in an instant, and I really wouldn’t even flinch - because it felt like my purpose was to be loved and love this person.
What was the hardest part about making this EP? And what was the best part?
Holding onto these songs for like 8 months!!!! Normally, I’m dropping a song MAX 2 months after I make it. It’s been difficult for me to keep these songs fresh in my mind, to keep loving them. Once I finish a song, it doesn’t really feel like mine anymore, so to be holding onto these almost vestigial songs feels awkward. But I keep reminding myself they’ll be as fresh to everyone else as they were to me the day I wrote them.
The best part is definitely how much I got to see myself grow, and how much I got to push myself. I planned, shot, and edited the artwork. I made 5 lyric videos. I designed merch and put together a merch site. I got to actually prep more than 2 months for the release! I’m just really proud of myself. And for the first time, I don’t feel a need to minimize that.
What did you learn about yourself after finishing this project?
I think I learned that I’m really that bitch. And maybe a bitch. (lol) I put so much of me into this project, at every stage, on every level. I DIYed so much and had such amazing support from a select few people who mean a lot to me. I did more than I really thought I could, and I surprised myself because of it. And I really fought for each aspect of it.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
I’m really excited to say that everything you see in the artwork is my doing! I set up the shot in my apartment with an orange paper backdrop, my iphone, a tripod, and a bluetooth shutter clicker. I had this idea in my head of wanting to gem my hand up like Thanos - so that’s exactly what I did. I rolled an orange peel into a blunt, gorilla glued it closed, I gemmed my hand, and starting shooting. Then, after about 1,000 pics later, I sifted through them all, picked my favorites, and got to editing. I went through about 10 versions before landing on this final artwork you see, with the goopy swoopy text & border, ahahah.
What made you want to name your EP i don't do drugs?
Maheen Ukani, who creative directed this entire project, helped me fine tune the idea, pick the songs, and create this whole package. While planning, we were laughing about how many of my songs include drug references, despite myself being fairly sheltered to that kind of thing, and Maheen came up with the EP title which I absolutely LOVE.
What's your goal for this EP?
The goal, firstly, was making it happen. For so long, it didn’t look like it was going to. Beyond that, I’m not sure I’ve thought that far ahead. I just want it to exist!! And I want that to be enough for me, cause it’s truly the only thing I can control.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
I love this twisted beast of a thing. It really is the best job ever. It’s a bizarre thing with no boundaries, but most of us prefer it that way, I think. Like I said before, rarely does anything ever surpass this in terms of prioritization in my life. My music, my life, my work, my purpose, are all so inextricably connected and threaded that pulling them apart is impossible at this point.
If I could change one thing, it would be that songwriters need to get paid more, for sure. It’s the most underpaid and undervalued job in the entire music industry. For songwriters to often get NO points on the master is asinine to me. Asinine.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
The older I get the more I feel like I know literally nothing. At all. Ever. But, cynic aside, I think the importance of community/relationship/connection. You can’t do it alone, and it’s not fun to. We’re meant to be together - creating, learning, failing, all of it. It’s the best part. Lean into the risk of that! It’s a beautiful thing.
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