Daria V Talks Sounds, Style And What Goes Down At 2 A.M.

An exclusive interview with a musical powerhouse…..

Walking into a room, it’s easy to mistake Daria V for a bonafide supermodel: Statuesque, killer style and an effortlessly cool vibe that is almost intimidating, But don’t expect her to just stand there and pose. Whether she’s slaying behind the decks or showcasing her sultry vocals, it’s clear this boss babe is loaded with depths of raw musical talent.

Hailing originally from Russia, the multi-facted artist is part powerhouse pop star, part DJ and all around badass who plays several different instruments. Now living in L.A., we recently caught up with Daria to chat about her musical origins, what she considers her “soul project,” what really goes down at 2 a.m. and more.

Check out our exclusive interview with Daria V.

LM: Take us back to your origin story! Where are you from? When did your passion for music and performing come from?

DV: Originally I am from a small town in Russia, Snezhinsk. I believe my passion for music came from my dad and my early childhood activities. My dad is a vocalist, songwriter and a multi-instrumentalist. He was a frontman in multiple bands, they performed around our area, until he had me. I started attending dance classes at the age of three and piano classes at the age of five. That’s where it all started.

When did you come to Los Angeles and what was that experience like?

I came to L.A. in 2016 by myself to see what it’s like. It was definitely a major turning point
in my life. It changed my whole perspective, it shut me down, but then it opened me up. I went through the whole spectrum of phases in this city.

Fun fact, I stopped doing music for the first six months that I was here, I stopped singing completely. I was so shocked by the level of talent here, I thought “I am not good enough!” After the inner struggle I managed to get back to myself and started fighting for my place in the industry. It also took a couple of great friends from the past to remind me how far I’ve gone! So so grateful!

Unlike most pop music artists, you don’t just sing. You play several instruments, you write your own music. What are the biggest advantages to being a multi-faceted artist these days?

This is a great question. Despite the fact that I can do these things on my own, it’s collaboration that brought my artistry to the next level. I always say that yes, you can wear multiple hats and if you’re lucky to have enough time to constantly upgrade your skill set – great. But it’s really priceless to be able to work with a team of people who each spent more than a decade on their craft. It’s like bringing forces together. So in this case, I would say being a multi-instrumentalist helps with communication and navigating
the process, the sound. It’s like having musical empathy. You navigate the room of professionals better. But also it gives you a certain power and freedom. People come and go, team changes, and you’re on your own at the end of the day.

Describe your personal sound, what moves you?

Oh, this is a tough one. I’ve had two main playlists I’ve listened to for the past few years. One is high energy deep house music, another one is r’n’b and soul. This is my ultimate vibe and inspiration, still working on crafting and finding my own branded sound.

This summer you released your new single “Keep You Running” along with a fire music video. Tell us about that track and the message/vision behind it.

Ah, yes. This one is a fun one! We wrote it two years ago with my amazing team of producers. We wrote two songs in one session, and it was just like catching a wave. It just came to us nice and easy! This song highlights that girly and sassy side of my
personality that I’ve never shown in my music before. I did go through way too many
heartbreaks in my personal life. And you know, after a few, you learn to stop taking things way too seriously and you start having fun, I guess that’s the vibe. Music video came together pretty great as well, I am very lucky and grateful to collaborate with crazy
talented people!

Your EP “Wicked Games” features a house version and a downtempo version of Chris Isaac’s famous song of the same name. What drew you to track and how did you put your Daria V mark on it?

Ah, one of my favorite pieces of music I’ve ever made, even though I did not write it technically. I posted a reel on IG, and my friend Corey (Dear Humans) loved it. He DMed
me right away saying we should make a fully produced version of this one. I said YES. Dear Humans is a house music band, but Corey makes incredible downtempo jazz music as well. We couldn’t pick one, so we decided to make both versions and release it as a EP. Corey also asked his friends Sarkis and Dekado to contribute their part on the production. I feel like both productions gave me enough space to fully express my vocals, highlighting the authenticity of my vocal tone. And again it’s house music and soul/ r’n’b. This legendary piece of work by Chris Isaac is one of these songs “I wish I wrote.”

On your YouTube Channel, you started doing “Deep Talks” where you share some words of wisdom and open a dialogue about various emotions and feelings. Why did you feel compelled to share that side of you and what has the fan response been like?

This is a soul project, a soul calling definitely. It comes and goes though, it’s very hard to stay consistent with this one. The need to share this side of me came out of questioning my mission these days. I love making art, I love making music. But it’s an illusionary escape world we all go to. Real life hits different, and in order to move you have to stop escaping and start facing your reality. I know what it’s like to be completely alone and go through the hardest darkest times. When you cannot share and you don’t really feel like sharing with anyone, but you still want help and you still seek connection. That’s where the internet could be that safe space, if you find a friendly face speaking on Youtube, but you don’t have to support the dialog. You can pause, shut down, rewatch if you want to. I’ve always been a person friends come for advice to, I have that empathy and calming presence. That’s why I decided to maybe become that one friend for the people on the internet. The reality is when some information is channeled through you, it’s hard to not share, when you know it can help. In fact it’s your mission to share.

How do you harness your self-confidence on the challenging days?

You know, I never have those days where I lack self-confidence. Just because I was able to feel and know my value as a human being, which is not connected to my achievements. So regardless of me succeeding or failing, I am pretty confident, as I know my heart is in the right place. More often, I question my mission and am I on the right path.

Visually your style is also really cool. What are three things in your closet you can’t live without?

Hmm… Black top, black purse, wide boyfriend jeans, golden earrings. I guess that’s four!

If you could describe L.A. nightlife in three words, what would they be?

Sexy, fun, short! 2 a.m. closing time is very odd to me. In Europe you can party ’til
morning!

As a female music artist and DJ, what have been some of the biggest challenges in making your
mark on the industry?

As a female… I have to be honest, it’s hard to be seen for your talent right away. It’s hard
to be seen in general. You sort of have to prove yourself first and be very careful with your professional connections and reputation. But if you have pure intentions, you will attract great people in the industry, who will have your back and become your brothers. I know it’s not an easy industry for guys as well, they have their challenges.

Beyond creating music, you are also a businesswoman. Tell us about your platform 2HZ
Projects.

This is another passion project, which is on pause for now. But I hope I will get back to it in the near future. This is basically a live music platform, just like “Colors” show, NPR’s “Tiny Desk,” “Scary Pockets,” etc.

What’s up next for Daria V?

I have to keep this one a secret for now! All I can say, some changes are coming!

Where can fans check you out?

You guys can check out my music everywhere if you time in Daria V, it’s available on all
platforms! Follow me on IG @itsdariav for daily updates 

XO Thank you Loop Mag Team!