Daya (singer)

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Daya
Daya performing in Los Angeles in 2016
Daya performing in Los Angeles in 2016
Background information
Birth nameGrace Martine Tandon
Born (1998-10-24) October 24, 1998 (age 25)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OriginMt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active2015–present
Labels
Websitetheofficialdaya.com

Grace Martine Tandon (born October 24, 1998),[1] better known by her stage name Daya (stylized DΛYΛ; pronounced /ˈd.ə/), is an American singer and songwriter from Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania.[2][3] She is signed to Sandlot Records and AWAL, and released her self-titled debut extended play (EP), Daya, on September 4, 2015, which includes the song "Hide Away", which has peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4][5] She released her debut studio album Sit Still, Look Pretty on October 7, 2016.

Early life[edit]

Daya was born in Pittsburgh and grew up in the suburb of Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Her paternal grandfather was a Punjabi Indian immigrant from Punjab, India. She has four siblings, Lou, Mariana, Celia, and Avery. Her stage name Daya ([dɐˈjaː] ) is the Sanskrit word for "compassion" or "kindness".[6] In grade school she attended St. Bernard School and later she attended Mt. Lebanon High School,[7] where she graduated.[8] At the age of three, Daya began to learn the piano, and started jazz piano at the age of eleven. By this time, she had also learned to play the guitar, ukulele, saxophone, and flute.[7] Daya also spent a summer studying songwriting at Interlochen Arts Camp.

At eleven, Daya enrolled as a student at the Accelerando Music Conservatory, owned by Christina Chirumbolo,[9] in Pittsburgh. There, she met songwriter and producer Gino Barletta,[2] a colleague of Chirumbolo who visited the school as a lecturer. Chirumbolo and Barletta founded INSIDE ACCESS, a music camp, the two worked with Daya eventually inviting her to Los Angeles in February 2015 to work on her original material.

Music career[edit]

Daya's professional career began when her parents accompanied her to Los Angeles to work with Christina Chirumbolo and Gino Barletta, founders of INSIDE ACCESS by Accelerando, Brett McLaughlin, Britten Newbill and Noisecastle III at Paramount Recording Studios. It was during one of these writing sessions that her debut single "Hide Away" was written and recorded, and Barletta consequently introduced Daya to Steve Zap of Z Entertainment. Daya, who was a junior in high school at the time, said she didn't think anything would happen for a while, and went back to school the next day.[8] A radio promotions veteran, Zap liked the song and was interested in helping to promote the singer, leading to forming an independent label with Barletta called Artbeatz.

Daya performing in Chicago

Daya released her song "Hide Away" on April 22, 2015.[10] The song was well-received online, enjoyed support from a number of notable bloggers including Tyler Oakley and Perez Hilton, the latter commenting "There is something very special about Daya's voice".[11] Jason Lipshutz of Billboard also featured the single on their official website, labelling it "a gorgeous debut".[12]

Daya made her television debut performing "Hide Away" on Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda on August 21, 2015, as Elvis Duran's Artist of the Month.[13] She returned to Today for their summer concert series on June 28, 2016.[14]

Following a successful debut, Daya released her self-titled EP, Daya, which features six songs, including "Hide Away", on September 4, 2015.[5] The EP was premiered in full a day early by Billboard, and debuted at number 161 on the Billboard 200, propelling "Hide Away" to number 40 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart.[15][16][17]

On October 30, 2015, Daya released the physical version of her debut EP through Target.[18]

In 2016, Daya was the opening act for American pop-rap duo Jack & Jack's US tour.[19] In February 2016, she was featured on The Chainsmokers' song "Don't Let Me Down", which eventually peaked at number 3 on the Hot 100, becoming her second top 40 entry and her first top 10. This was the only song by Daya that reached the Billboard Hot 100 Decade-End Chart. She also released the second single from her self-titled EP, "Sit Still, Look Pretty", which debuted at number 100 and peaked at number 28, her third top 40.

Daya singing at a concert in San Francisco

Daya was invited to perform at the 2016 White House Easter Egg Roll, where she and her family met President Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama.[8] On November 15, 2016, Daya released her song "Words" as her third single from her debut album Sit Still, Look Pretty.

On December 6, 2016, it was announced that "Don't Let Me Down" had been nominated for the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.[20] On February 12, 2017, it won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording making it the singer's first Grammy Award.[21]

In March 2017, she worked for Gryffin's song "Feel Good" along with Illenium.[22] On October 11, 2017, she released a new single, "New", through Interscope Records.[23]

In March 2018, Daya was featured on RL Grime's song "I Wanna Know" which was released on March 16, 2018.[24]

On June 22, 2018, Daya released her single "Safe".[25] On July 18, 2018, she released the video for the single.[26]

Daya released five singles in 2019. Two of the singles, "Insomnia" and "Left Me Yet", were originally intended to be on her second studio album. "Forward Motion" was intended for the movie Late Night. "Keeping It in the Dark" is on the soundtrack of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. "Wanted" is a collaboration with Swedish music production duo NOTD.

On October 9, 2020, she released "First Time", which was rumored to be related to a new album.[27] It ended up being on her EP The Difference, released on May 14, 2021, together with "Montana", which she released a little earlier, on April 30 and "Bad Girl", which already charted on the Mainstream Top 40.[28] She released her next EP In Between Dreams on September 16, 2022.[29]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

EPs[edit]

  • Daya (2015)
  • The Difference (2021)
  • In Between Dreams (2022)

Personal life[edit]

Daya came out publicly as bisexual in October 2018 for National Coming Out Day.[30] On April 2, 2021, Daya went public on Instagram with her girlfriend of three years, Clyde Munroe, after releasing the single "Bad Girl" about her.[31]

Filmography[edit]

Television roles
Year Title Role Note
2016 School of Rock[32] Herself "I Put a Spell
on You"
(Season 2: episode 5)

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Award Category Work Result
2016 Radio Disney Music Awards Best New Artist Herself Nominated
MTV Video Music Awards Best Electronic Video "Don't Let Me Down"
Latin American Music Awards Favorite Dance Song
American Music Awards Collaboration of the Year
2017 Grammy Awards Best Dance Recording[21] Won
iHeartRadio Music Awards[33] Dance Song of the Year Nominated
Best Collaboration
Best Music Video
Best New Pop Artist Herself
Kids' Choice Awards[34] Favorite New Artist
WDM Radio Awards[35] Best Electronic Vocalist
Best Trending Track "Don't Let Me Down" Won
Radio Disney Music Awards Best Dance Track (Best Song to Dance To) Nominated
Song of the Year "Sit Still, Look Pretty"
Breakout Artist of the Year Herself
Billboard Music Awards Top Hot 100 Song "Don't Let Me Down"
Top Selling Song
Top Radio Song
Top Collaboration
Top Dance/Electronic Song
2020 Spotify Awards[36] Most-Streamed EDM Female Artist Herself Nominated

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Daya - Biography | Billboard". Billboard.com. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Daya 106.9 The Q". 106.9 The Q. Archived from the original on October 7, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  3. ^ "Daya – Hide Away – CBS Pittsburgh". CBS Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "Z Entertainment Management". Archived from the original on October 6, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "iTunes (U.S.) – Music – Daya – Daya – EP". iTunes (U.S.). September 4, 2015. Archived from the original on September 1, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  6. ^ Mervis, Scott (October 29, 2015). "Music preview: Mt. Lebanon singer Daya has shot at pop fame". post-gazette.com. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  7. ^ a b "A Lebo Pop Princess". Lebo Mag. June 4, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c Kelly Washere (September 20, 2016). "Mt. Lebanon's Daya is a rising pop star who remains grounded". South Hills Living. Archived from the original on October 6, 2016. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  9. ^ "Accelerando". Accelerandopittsburgh.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  10. ^ "Daya's 'Hide Away' on iTunes! www.theofficialdaya.com - YouTube". YouTube. April 22, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  11. ^ "Listen To This: Fly As A Mother – Perez Hilton". Perez Hilton. June 5, 2015. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  12. ^ "Pop Playlist Summer 2015: 15 Awesome Songs You Might Have Missed – Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  13. ^ "Daya Performing "Hide Away" on The Today Show". YouTube. September 11, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  14. ^ "Daya - Sit Still, Look Pretty - Live on Today Show". YouTube. June 28, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  15. ^ "Daya EP Premiere: Stream – Billboard". Billboard. September 3, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  16. ^ "Billboard – Daya – Chart History – Billboard 200". Billboard. September 26, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  17. ^ "Daya's "Hide Away" Debut On Billboard". Headline Planet. September 9, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  18. ^ "Daya – Daya (Only at Target)". Target. October 30, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
  19. ^ "Q92". facebook. November 13, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  20. ^ "Daya Reacts to First Grammy Nomination: 'This is Insane'". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  21. ^ a b Wilson, Winston-Cook (December 6, 2016). "Grammys 2017: Adele, Beyoncé, the Chainsmokers Dominate the Nominations". Spin. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  22. ^ "Gryffin Talks New Track 'Feel Good' With Illenium & Daya, Dream Collabs & What's Next". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  23. ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases - Mainstream Hit Songs Being Released and Their Release Dates". AllAccess Music Group. October 17, 2017. Archived from the original on October 11, 2017. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  24. ^ "RL Grime Goes Pop With Daya on 'I Wanna Know': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  25. ^ Rearick, Lauren. "Listen to Daya's Powerful New Song "Safe"". Teen Vogue. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  26. ^ "Daya Seeks Comfort and Stability in New Music Video & Campaign for 'Safe'". Billboard. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  27. ^ Das, Shaoni (October 17, 2020). "A New Relationship Has Got Daya Falling Hard In "First Time"". Music Talkers - Latest Music News & Artist Exposure. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  28. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (April 30, 2021). "Allow Daya To Reintroduce Herself: Pop Singer Releases New Song 'Montana' & Prepares For 'Era of Rebirth'". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  29. ^ Major, Michael (September 16, 2022). "Daya Releases New EP 'In Between Dreams'". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  30. ^ "Pop singer Daya comes out as bisexual". Pinknews.co.uk. October 16, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  31. ^ "Daya Introduces Girlfriend of 3 Years Clyde Munroe: 'She's My Best Friend and My Whole World'". People.com. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  32. ^ "Daya Studies Up for 'School of Rock' Acting Debut: Exclusive". Billboard.
  33. ^ "2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards: Complete List of Nominations". E! Online. January 3, 2017.
  34. ^ "2017 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards". Archived from the original on February 5, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  35. ^ "WDM Radio Awards 2017". LOS40. Archived from the original on March 7, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  36. ^ Reyes, Van (February 19, 2020). "Conoce a todos los nominados a los Spotify Awards 2020". nacionrex.com (in Spanish). Retrieved February 22, 2020.

External links[edit]