DRIIA - "there’s nothing more satisfying than saying ‘nah, I did it all myself’"
DRIIA TALKS WITH US ABOUT HER NEWEST RELEASE "AFTER DARK" AND THE THOUGHTS AND EXECUTION BEHIND HER MUSIC.
"Hey! I’m DRIIA, a 22-year-old producer and songwriter from London, UK. I’m currently in my final couple months of my degree at University of Surrey, studying Creative Music Technology. I’ve been producing for around 8 years alongside classical training in vocals and piano. After making my DRIIA debut in Feb 2022, I aim to solely write and produce everything I release. I suppose this is to make a point that having full creative control over your music as a woman is possible - you don’t need to rely on expensive studio time and paying male producers to make your music for you. Obviously there is nothing objectively wrong with this, you do you - but I wanted to show that if you give it enough time and practice, you’ll cultivate enough skill to execute everything independently, and you’ll find your sound naturally and authentically. "
WHERE DID THE NAME DRIIA COME FROM/ORIGINATE?
Yes I did! When I was 17, I used a different alias called ZANDI. You can still find the music online and it’s really hard to listen to because this is when I used to use an online algorithm to mix and master my music. The levels are completely off and it’s genuinely unlistenable yet kind of hilarious because I was really convinced I was doing something. I’ve learnt that it’s more humbling to view that project as a milestone on this whole journey rather than berate myself for the quality of the music. Both ZANDI and DRIIA derive from my full name ‘Alexandria’ - I wanted something strong and impactful but still part of me. It helps to infuse that ‘Alex’ side of me whilst still engaging in an alter ego.
WHAT INSTANCE SPARKED THE IDEA OF “AFTER DARK”?
I tend to shy away from writing about personal experiences as I find it creates a block, which is quite annoying considering song-writing is such a useful way to therapize life. So for this track I decided to write in the 1st person about being hidden away as a secret by the person you’re dating, either because they’re embarrassed of you or because they don’t want to be exclusive. There’s a push-pull between being a simp and being a badass bitch, which is exactly how you feel when someone isn’t being transparent with you and you feel in the dark about a relationship.
HOW DID IT FEEL TO GET ON BBC RADIO?
It felt amazing to be played on BBC Introducing Radio 1 only 2 weeks after my debut release. It really affirmed to me that the track is resonating and being enjoyed on a larger scale. I uploaded it to the BBC Introducing Uploader on their website a few days prior to the release date - it got played on BBC Radio Sussex & Surrey a few hours before it came out whilst I was at the pub with my mates!
WHAT INFLUENCES YOUR MUSIC?
There’s been a plethora of influences that have manifested themselves in what I produce today, notably unlikely inspirations like Frederic Chopin’s compositions and Clara Schumann’s piano trios. One of my core memories is a 6-year-old me sitting on my bedroom floor for hours on end spinning the Rubber Soul CD by the Beatles on repeat, memorising all the different harmonies. Along with my dad playing The Beach Boys and my mum rinsing the Dirty Dancing soundtrack in the car, I had a pretty solid introduction to 50s and 60s soul and pop. That’s when all the chord progressions you hear in the charts today derive from.
I THINK IT”S SO IMPORTANT FOR THERE TO BE A LIGHT SHINED ON FEMALE PRODUCERS. HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN THE COMMENT, “YOU MADE THIS?”, OR SHOCK THAT YOUR PRODUCING YOUR OWN MUSIC. HOW DO YOU HANDLE THOSE TYPES OF COMMENTS?
Luckily I haven’t faced any ignorance like this thus far which is probably due to the fact I’m very selective on who I show my music. Only recently have I sent labels/publishing demos, up until then it was solely my friends and family, all of whom were aware of my work ethic and how I’m the sole creator of my tracks. I’ve had the ‘you made this?’ or ‘so who helped you out with the music?’ which honestly doesn’t really bother me. Only 3% of all producers are women/non-binary/trans, so it’s understandable why people would presume a man helped produce and write my music. And there’s nothing more satisfying than saying ‘nah, I did it all myself’.
YOUR FEED IS LOOKING VERY PINK AND BLUE, DO YOU THINK THOSE WILL BECOME YOUR ARTIST COLORS. DO YOU BELIEVE IN ARTIST COLORS?
Whilst producing during lockdown I noticed that each song had a distinct colour scheme in my mind’s eye. I’m not sure if this is synesthesia but I definitely get it with songs that I have an emotional attachment to. So ‘After Dark’ was always a dark magenta and electric blue which has become that song’s specific colours. My next single is orange, red and pink, and the one after that is dark green and deep red. It helps me separate the different sound worlds and moods within the song. For example, I made a track yesterday that had a real industrial vibe to it and all I can see is silver, red and black. I guess it helps me channel specific imagery I want to be associated with the tracks.
I’M GETTING DEFINITE 90’S VIBES WITH YOUR RECENT RELEASE “AFTER DARK”. WHAT GENRE WOULD YOU PLACE YOUR SONG IN?
‘After Dark’ is produced in a UK Garage style. UKG originated in the 90s and has always been around, but has recently been given a bit of commercial limelight by artists like Pink Pantheress and AJ Tracey. I wanted the track to have pop-py elements but with a nod to the 90s UKG scene. One of my good friends called the track ‘bubblegum garage’ which I’m absolutely obsessed with. Genuinely might have to coin that as a subgenre.
WHAT WAS THE PROCESS OF PRODUCING YOUR FIRST SINGLE “AFTER DARK”?
I first wrote it in summer ‘21. As is the same with most of my tracks that I deem good enough for release, ‘After Dark’ was written and produced in one day. I entered such a flow state and bashed it out in like 4 hours. I kept re-mixing it and adding production along the way - the bass line was completely different up until a few months before release and it completely transformed the track. I’m a big believer in waiting until things fall into place naturally rather than forcing it.
WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR MUSIC TO STAND FOR?
Like pretty much every other artist, I honestly want nothing more than for my music to resonate on some level with people. Whether that’s a 45-year-old ex-raver who feels nostalgic or a 16-year-old who discovers garage for the first time. I’m set on being an artist who isn’t suffocated by confinement - I’m painfully aware of not inadvertently pigeon-holing myself. I want to create music that I feel in the moment. This sends the message that you can keep surprising people whilst you evolve and discover parts of yourself as a person. There’s a lot to be said for keeping people on their toes. I think that’s the key to sustainability in this industry - my worst nightmare is being a one-hit wonder for 5 months then swept under the carpet.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO PRODUCING AND THE INTEREST OF MAKING MUSIC?
I entered classical training for singing and piano around 9 years old at school which sparked my interest in musical theory and composition. I produced my first track when I was 14 when I found out my dad had Logic Pro on his work computer. It was an awful deep house track but a moment that I’ll remember forever. I became addicted to that floating feeling of thinking about nothing but creating a track. It’s akin to meditation or mindfulness - I enter a complete flow state and just exist. So up until the present day, the production tricks and skills I’ve accumulated come from years of trial and error.
I LOVE YOUR TEACHING VIDEOS OF DIFFERENT GENRES. WHAT GENRES DO YOU THINK YOU'LL RELEASE IN THE FUTURE?
Thank you! They were a really fun thing to do during lockdown when I found myself with completely free days. At the moment, I’ve been producing UK garage but I’m slowly moving into other genres like drum and bass, drill, RnB etc. Again, it’s just whatever I feel challenged enough to create in the present moment. I always aim to create coherence between the tracks even if they’re in completely opposing genres/styles. I’ve also written a few acoustic piano ballads which I am super excited to showcase as it’s such a different art to electronic production.
YOU PRODUCE YOUR OWN MUSIC. WHAT SOFTWARE DO YOU USE AND HOW DID YOU LEARN HOW TO PRODUCE?
I use Logic Pro X currently but I’ve been toying with making the switch to Ableton… I guess we’ll see. When I started out in 2014, I always found Youtube tutorials quite difficult to connect with so I decided to spend my time exploring the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) by myself. Although it means occasionally I’ll accidentally discover a trick that would’ve saved me hours of time in the past.
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