Q&A: dacelynn Reflects on Transition from Adolescence to Adulthood in Debut EP, ‘nine lives’
To grow up is to experience a whirlwind of emotions that’ll shape you for the rest of your life, and indie singer/songwriter dacelynn is no stranger to that. In her debut EP, nine lives, she explores the chaotically delicate balance between innocence and maturity, turning grief into growth with each track. nine lives isn’t just a collection of songs, it’s a series of diary entries that capture the transformation dacelynn undergoes to find a place of healing.
PHOTOS BY LANE BUOEN
“For me, music is one of my main ways to process traumas and heavy emotions. When I was writing the record, I felt like I was the only person in the world experiencing some of these things. I just hope this music can resonate in any way you deem necessary,” dacelynn said in a press release prior to the release of the EP.
nine lives’ visual identity has connected fans more to dacelynn compared to her previous works, too. Her new DIY approach has resonated with the new stage of life she’s in, and her eagerness to learn has inspired the cover art and visualizers for the EP.
Pleaser spoke with dacelynn about the evolution of her sound, lessons learned during the creative process, her DIY take on her visuals and more.
PLEASER: You mentioned that when you were writing the EP, you felt like you were the only person in the world experiencing these feelings. Can you elaborate on this?
DACELYNN: I think that no amount of warning can prepare you for the transition from your teenage years into adulthood. A lot of this transition felt like I was spinning out of control and making all of the wrong decisions, in love and life and within my career. I also struggle deeply with my mental health, and I have spent the past couple of years unpacking and trying to understand the way that I work, which is a painful and isolating process in itself. I wished so badly for guidance or someone who understood me, and it wasn’t until I wrote with full honesty that I found people who resonated with the way that I felt.
Your sound is constantly evolving. What inspires you at the moment?
D: Just living life inspires me the most. I try to find inspiration and beauty in things overlooked, and in things that challenge me. I'm just as inspired by a dead bug at my feet as I am by pain from my past or a short-lived, tumultuous relationship. Slowing down and noticing the smaller details in life has really changed my writing process. I used to be a perfectionist when it came to music, but as of late, I’m really appreciating the honesty in raw and imperfect songs.
This EP is a beautiful exploration of healing and growing pains. What was the first song that was written for the EP, which may have been the snowball for the rest of it?
D: I would probably say “porcelain.” It was one of the earlier songs written, and it features all of the aches and pains around growing up. It definitely set the tone for the rest of the songs and made me more comfortable with getting vulnerable in my writing. On the other hand, some of the more lighthearted and upbeat songs on the EP felt healing to me, too. It was healing for my creative process to write just for the sake of creating a fun song. Realizing that not every song I wrote had to be profound, and that I was killing my creativity by refusing to just have fun was a hard pill to swallow.
"dog eat dog" was an emotional whirlwind for me! I've never heard a song dedicated to the loss of a pet before, but it's also a universal song for whoever needs it. At any point, did the songwriting for this one ever feel difficult to articulate? Or did it flow naturally?
D: “dog eat dog” took a few months for me to write. I had begun writing it shortly after the passing of my dog, Little Girl, as a way to cope with her death, but it wasn’t finished until many months later. I had written the chorus and knew that I wanted the lyric “little girl” to honor both my dog and myself, but I couldn't figure out what the verses needed to say. So in a teary-eyed session, I brought this song to my dear friend Sophie Truax, and we finished it in a way that I felt honored Little and myself best.
PHOTOS BY LANE BUOEN
What's your favorite track from the EP and why?
D: My favorite song is “moat”! “moat” was not a long or grueling process. It happened quickly, and it clicked almost immediately for me. I wrote this song in my bedroom and brought it to an artist and producer I had been a fan of, Noah Weinman (Runnner), and through doing so, I found a collaborator and friend who understood a lot of my creative instincts without me having to say anything. That kind of dynamic is hard to come by. I have spent a long time searching, and I'm so grateful to have found it!
Since this is your debut EP, what are some lessons you've learned throughout the creative process?
D: The biggest thing I learned was to trust my own creative instinct! I had gotten so used to asking around for second and third opinions, looking for any validation that the music I was making was any good. It threw a major wrench in my writing process, and it no longer felt genuine to myself and my taste, because it was so diluted by the opinions of other people. I started to dread writing and sharing my songs. I’m learning to make what feels right, instead of what is more likely to be perceived well. There is already an unimaginable amount of music out there, and it doesn’t do you any good to chase what is working for other people. I’m getting closer to figuring out my sound by my standards!
The sound of "rip you open" kind of feels like spinning in the rain for me. What do you envision when you hear the song?
D: What I envision is not nearly as cute! I wrote this song after watching countless hours of Grey's Anatomy, so for me I visualize surgery. I see myself tucked into the abdomen of the person I loved, blowing wind into their lungs. But I can also see the ending of a coming-of-age movie, which feels a lot closer to spinning in the rain!
I've been loving the visuals for this EP, and specifically the covers for the released singles. What sort of creative elements do you hope fans associate with the EP and this chapter?
D: Thank you! I am going DIY on a lot of these visuals, which has been a learning curve, but fun! I’m having a blast trying different mediums of art and figuring out what my taste is visually. I hope that fans associate this chapter with it feeling homemade. Some of my previous visuals felt too polished for my taste and didn’t feel like the best reflection of myself. So I’m embracing the messiness of what I can make with my own hands, with the help of my lovely roommate Sophie behind the Polaroid and camcorder, and Sabra Binder, who shot the “russian doll” and EP cover! You don't have to spend thousands of dollars to create meaningful art.
Lastly, what motivates you to make music?
D: I am motivated by the connection and community music brings. I think it might be the only thing that will ever truly fulfill me in life. I love and cherish the connection I feel through collaborating with other creatives, and the connection I build with the people who listen to my music. To feel seen and heard is an indescribable feeling that I feel so lucky to get to experience.
