Q: I love your fresh yet timeless R&B sound! Who are some of your influences? Can any in particular be heard on “Would You Still?”
DIANA: Oh definitely, there’s riffs towards the end of “Would You Still” that were directly inspired by the 90’s R&B boyband 112. I also think the style in which I wrote it, the recklessness of the melody not being so common or expected was inspired by a bunch of powerful female songwriters of the last decade.
Q: Did any event in particular inspire “Would You Still?”
DIANA: I think this was always a topic I wanted to write about, because feeling like the middle man is something I’ve always felt. But yeah, there was an incident that was the catalyst to this song. It was one entire week of feeling like familiar doors, of friends and family, were just slammed in my face over and over again. It left me feeling like “why do I always have to clean up everyone’s mess, but no one can give me an ounce of their time”. It took asking myself the hard questions of what I was doing wrong to allow me to write this song.
Q: You have a myriad of musical experiences. How has your relationship with music evolved over time?
DIANA: I think as my own independence has grown, so has my music’s. I am not worried of not fitting into a mold, or a style or genre, as I think I previously have been. Just like myself, I know I am many things. I also started singing in choir, then musical theatre and then Opera, so I think that when you follow other people’s rules and music for so long, it’s inevitable to want to create your own.
Q: You’re heavily involved in your local music scene. As live performances are starting to become a reality, revitalizing local music scenes is so so so important. What is one thing you want our readers to know about any New York City local music scene?
DIANA: Just go. It’s that simple. Just GO. Musicians and Artists have been locked up for a year without playing in front of live audiences, so they are going to give you a SHOW. The NYC music community has a lot of outgoing characters, but also a lot of soft, introverted souls, who’s livelihoods depend on playing for people and feeling that energy. So go, pay for as many tickets as possible. It’s going to be so worth it.
Q: And of course, I really enjoyed “Would You Still.” Musically, what can we expect next from you?
DIANA:I’m currently focusing on making music that really fits the style of my voice. Diving deep into the more soulful parts of my voice, and expanding more into music that highlights my lower register. I’m working with a ton of amazing songwriters and producers right now that I just know are going to bring my next set of songs to life. So I am really truly so excited.
Interviewed by Sarah Scott
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