by martina rexrode
With her latest single, Dela Kay is presenting a side of herself that is eager to show the vulnerability and complexities of modern dating. “Let You Down” is her first release since last December and one that you aren’t sure to forget. Dela is gradually becoming an emerging voice in the world of alternative-pop music, and we had the pleasure of talking with her about this new single, the inspiration behind its lyrics, and her biggest goal moving forward! Keep up with Dela on social media (@delakaymusic) to be the first to know about new releases.
Your newest single “Let You Down” is officially out! What was the inspiration behind this song?
Dela: “‘Let You Down’ originally began with me imagining the perspective of the other person in a previous relationship of mine, but quickly turned into a reflection of my own feelings. It’s about the trust, vulnerability and fear of self-sabotage that comes up when dating someone new and the process of navigating through that. It’s the first single I’m releasing off of my new project and one of the very first songs I wrote with my producer and co-writer, Stefano Pigliapoco. It’s a very upbeat song and one of the more pop driven songs I have. I’m so excited for my fans to hear it and think it’s one a lot of us can relate to.”
Did the process of writing “Let You Down” differ in any ways from past releases? Do the lyrics touch on any subjects you’re tapping into for the first time?
Dela: “I think writing was a little different because it was one of my first few writes ever with Stef, so we were both still getting in the groove of writing together. But honestly once we wrote the chorus, writing the rest came together super quickly. I touched on a similar subject in an older song, ‘The Worst Part,’ as far as working through self-sabotaging tendencies and insecurities. ‘Let You Down’ is definitely a different vibe–although it touches on the fear of self-sabotage, it is also really hopeful and the struggle of trusting something new when it feels good.”
This is your first release of the year! What kind of growth have you seen in yourself as an artist and a songwriter since the release of “Daughter” almost a year ago?
Dela: “I’ve grown a lot! ‘Daughter’ was a very one-off song specifically done for my dad, so it wasn’t my typical sound, much like ‘The Worst Part’ or ‘Old News.’ They always say you have to find the right producer, and I genuinely feel like Stefano and I collabing was a perfect fit. He had been doing a ton in the alt/emo scene and that’s stylistically more so where I wanted to go. I had been developing my sound with producer and friend, Ryan Dulude, and so when Stefano joined in, it really felt like I had a strong team officially locked in.”
Does “Let You Down” hint at themes or stylistic choices fans can expect in future releases?
Dela: “I think it’s the perfect first song for my fans to hear to gear them up for my upcoming singles. I have a lot of songs that are even more in the alternative lane moving forward, and I’m just super excited to show my fans everything as a whole project.”
How has your Nashville upbringing influenced the ways in which you go about songwriting and creating music?
Dela: “I grew up in a very musical household, so songwriting and storytelling was always at the forefront of all of my music, making sure everything I was creating had a strong foundation. I’m really strong with finding melodies, so I typically like to make something melodically first, and then seeing what feelings it evokes and then moving forward writing lyrics.”
Which artists have had the biggest impact on the evolution of your sound throughout the years?
Dela: “Paramore, Avril Lavigne, The Maine, Green Day, Blink-182, Maggie Lindemann, Charli XCX, Kim Petras, The Story So Far, and WILLOW to name a few.”
What is your biggest goal after having released this new single?
Dela: “I honestly just want to gain momentum, gain more fans, and have it open up more opportunities for me business wise, and also hopefully allow me to be able to tour more! I’m excited to keep it moving forward with all of this new music from this project — so many songs coming that I absolutely love and think my fans will enjoy, too. :)”