Lia D'Sau
Israeli artist Lia D’Sau recently released her debut single “Manboy”. Produced by Midi Jones, the r&b/soulful single came after a breakup.
"I wrote this song when I was 17 and had broken up with this guy I was seeing. My friend and I were talking about how I needed to start dating men and not boys, so that how I came up with the term "Manboy". I was hurt from what had happened in our relationship and just laid out our entire timeline for the verses of the song. Writing it ended up becoming a therapeutic way to have closure around what happened, and doing that on my own, she explains.
It is clear that Lia D’Sau already has a distinct vocal signature and a true musical identity. Her debut single “Manboy” is promising and I’m pretty sure the world will hear a lot more about Lia D’Sau in the next couple of years. A gifted artist for sure.
The 18 year old artist will be releasing her debut EP later this year.
“Manboy” is now available worldwide :)
Photo credit: Ariel Bendet
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
I'm Lia, an 18 year old singer songwriter from Israel. I make rnb inspired indie music and I just released my debut single “Manboy” ! I've been making music from ever since I can remember, and Manboy is the first song from my first EP. I am very passionate about the environment and truly believe that every action, no matter how small, can help. Which is why I compost, and thrift all my clothes among other things.
When did you start writing songs? What made you want to write in the first place?
Growing up I thought I couldn't write songs, which was true, I couldn't, but I had so much to say, and I knew I wanted to make music, I couldn't wrap my head around singing something that someone else wrote and calling it mine, someone else's story. So I started trying to write. My first songs were horrible haha.
You grew up in Tel Aviv - how did it impact the music you are making today?
Tel Aviv and specifically the areas I grew up in, the south and Jaffa, have always been very open. I grew up in a democratic school from kindergarten up until 11th grade. We were taught to think for ourselves and be in charge of our decisions. So nothing was ever “wrong”. I have no knowledge of music theory, and I make mistakes in my music, but my upbringing taught me that there is no such thing as a mistake. I experiment with my music which is what makes it so special to me. It's mine.
When did you decide to become an artist and release your original music?
It was never a decision actually, I always knew. It's what I've been doing since I was about 6 years old. There were years in school where I wouldn't go into class at all unless it was music related.
Who was the first person to ever believe in you?
My dad. I know a lot of artists/musicians that never had their parents' support when they were first starting out, and I've been so lucky to have my mom and dad with me. My dad used to be in the music industry before I was born, so he understood that I wasn't messing around and that I'm serious about this.
How would you define Lia D'Sau, the artist?
I would say no different than lia the kid. I'm very new to everything and this whole world. I have so much to learn and experience, but i'm also very true to myself, and know who I am going into this, just like in day to day life.
"Manboy" is your debut single - how's it like to release your first single?
Surreal. I've been dreaming of this forever, and for it to finally be happening is pretty crazy. I can't wait for more.
What's the inspiration/story behind "Manboy"?
Manboy is me understanding what my relationship with my ex was. I wrote it for me about me and then when I played it for my friends and they found it similar to each of their relationships I realized that there's something there, and this song speaks to more than just me.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this particular single? How was it like to collaborate with Midi Jones?
It was great. We worked for a week on zoom, writing a new song every day, and when i wrote Manboy like 10 minutes before our session, and played it for him, I felt like the song was special, more than the others we wrote that week.
What can you tell us about the music video?
I came up with the idea after watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, that's where the ending of the video came from. I wanted it to be with my friends, so everyone that you see in the video are friends of mine. Filming it was crazy. We filmed from 4pm till 4am and there were so many people on set and working to make it.
What's your goal for this debut single?
My goal was to put it out and see from there. I think I need to start from something. I loved the whole experience of making the song, but now that it's out I don't have a specific goal for it.
What can you tell us about your upcoming EP?
We did the whole thing on zoom, so these are songs I wrote throughout last year. I got to work with some amazing producers and people along the way. definitely not how I thought my first steps in the music world would go. But I am super grateful at the end, because being able to make all this music in my room and city being surrounded by friends and family and people who I love made my music authentic and true, and I don't know if this would have happened if I left here and made the EP in a studio in LA.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
Industry is the key word here. I think it is wayyy beyond music, especially in the last 7 or so years. Social media has become an inseparable part of being an artist, which is something I struggle with. Wanting my music and me as an artist to be authentic, navigating that in a world dominated by social media is a challenge. So if I could change anything it would be the role of social media in art.
Besides music, what are you passionate about?
I care deeply about the environment and my generation's role in fixing what damage the previous generations caused. Which is why I only buy second hand clothing, we compost in my house and I keep a vegan diet, which is the most sustainable. I also keep learning and educate myself on things and behaviors I can change in order to live more sustainably
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
Not to live in the past, and to not take anything personally. When I was 15 I read a book called the four agreements. It's about the beliefs of the ancient toltec people, and it talks about how to live a truly happy life. It has helped me a lot.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
Female energy. The world and it's leaders act out of ego far too much, and I think that if we as a society realize that things as they are aren't working, and that we need to change the way we operate, as leaders and as people to each other, we will see that we need to let women and female energy take charge.
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