With the release of the new single This Far Along, Deja Who takes a fresh approach to some classic genres to give the record a life all its own. Lush with addictive progressions, a passionate indie vocal approach, and grunge overtones, the song boasts the aesthetic of alternative rock anthems.
This Far Along, immediately grabs you with it’s infectious rhythm, followed by it’s building arrangement giving way for a powerful chorus that allows it to breathe as it plays on.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Deja Who about the latest release, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
I am from Springfield, Delaware County in Pennsylvania. I’ve been independently writing and composing a series of music that bounces around different types of Rock. It’s mostly alternative but the concept and meaning behind the series I’ve been writing is not meant to be restricted to a specific genre or style. I need heavy music in my life just as much as I need the soft. Both are equally important to me for all sorts of reasons.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
I grew up loving what I heard on the radio. From Foo Fighters, Linkin Park, Red Hot Chili Peppers to Outkast. It’s like when a kid watches wrestling and wants to be the champion that people look up to; or wanting to be a superhero. I loved theatrics growing up. One day when I was in the fifth grade at a catholic school called St. Alice, three nuns made our entire class sing together to practice for our upcoming confirmation. I never sang before, and didn’t know if I could. When the class started to sing, everyone else seemed too shy and their voices were soft. I didn’t hold anything back and sarcastically started belting out the words and immediately the nuns looked at me and stopped the class. The nuns asked me to stand in front of the class and sing. So I did. Then the nuns asked me to sing a song at church during our confirmation. When that day came, I never stood in front of a large audience before and I was so nervous that I sang like the class did that day…soft and shy. So my parents didn’t get to really hear how my voice was at the time. So about two years later when we moved from Upper Darby to Springfield, I told my parents I was interested in playing guitar. I wanted to play guitar because I had so many ideas for songs to write, I didn’t have any other method or help for composing them. 15 years later and here I am. Supportive parents and not giving up on what I love keeps me going.
How is this new release different than previous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
My latest record called, “The Cartoon Leader,” is more of an alternative rock album. The first record, “Living A Daydream,” has more of a classical feel from certain types of scales and patterns I used. The second record, which is self-titled as “Deja Who,” is more of an experimental album, using keyboard effects and synthesizers. My goal with the third album was to make something that felt new, yet familiar. I’m always trying to find a better and faster way to record. By the time I started to write, “The Cartoon Leader,” I created a template on Pro-Tools that made life much easier since I’m using older software/technology. Then I spent each day writing just one guitar riff. Each riff was a good start for a new idea and song. After a few weeks of making one riff per day, I began to expand my sessions and they turned into songs.
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this over saturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
As someone who’s been working on music alone for such a long time there’s definitely a number of challenges I face. Musically, a couple challenges I face is that I don’t play drums so I program them, which at times can be tedious. I also have to keep up with everything else like singing, guitar, bass, and piano, which I’m always trying to learn and improve. Another musical challenge is that I’m restricted to my own decision making when it comes to being creative and productive. Sometimes indecisiveness can get in the way and once in awhile causes a writers block. I think at this point the biggest challenge I face as an indie musician is just getting a foot in the door and being heard. There’s so many ways for people to be heard these days and there’s so much music out there that I sometimes feel like Beetlejuice at the end of the line. Having tools to record helps make my ideas tangible so that’s how technology helps me the most.
What was the last song you listened to?
Actually, the last song I just listened to was one that I recorded vocals on for a friend. We are collaborating to make an EP, which I have two songs left to write lyrics for.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I grew up collecting CDs and still buy CDs because I like to hold something physical like an action figure. Thanks to seeing Circa Survive so many times and going to their VIP shows, I’ve started to obtain a small collection of Vinyl, which is awesome for really getting to appreciate album artwork. Plus Vinyl has better sound quality compared to a CD. If I flipped a coin between choosing Vinyl or CDs, I’d be okay with either.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
When I was a kid, the only ways I could hear a song is if it was on the radio, on television as a music video, a concert performance or buying a CD. When I buy a CD, it makes me feel the ownership of it. It makes sense that streaming services like Spotify or Pandora exist. I think there’s pros and cons to steaming services from the perspective of the audience and the artist. I’m definitely not opposed to streaming services, because now people need every way to push themselves out there.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
Since I use Distrokid to put my music online, thankfully people can discover my music on just about any online store and streaming service. There are some websites that I still need to post my music. I have social media accounts for my music like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Anything else before we sign off?
Thank you very much for the questions and especially sharing what I do with others! I can’t emphasize enough how much it means to me.
