In this interview spotlight, I chat with Dyan Valdés about the latest music, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
I have been playing in bands for nearly the past two decades – I’m a founding member of The Blood Arm (indie rock) and Mexican Radio (synth punk), and I’ve been playing with German indie band Die Sterne for the past ten years. Before that, I had studied classical piano from the age of 5 and grew up in a very musical household. I’ve got very eclectic taste when it comes to music, and have played and written in a few different styles. I was a bit surprised at how poppy my own music as a solo artist turned out to be, but I just kind of went with it and wrote the songs how they wanted to be written!
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
After playing in bands for nearly 20 years, I never thought I would be putting out my own solo album. I’ve always thought of myself as a co-writer and supporting player. But at the beginning of the very first lockdown, I was attacked by a man in the street in broad daylight. I was OK, but definitely rattled – I realized that during these times, my own already precarious safety as a woman was even more vulnerable. Usually when I am upset, I meet up with friends or play loud music in a room with my band, but because of the lockdown, I couldn’t do any of these things. So, to cope with what happened, I went into my music room and wrote the song “Stand,” which would later become the title track of my album. “Stand” is a feminist call to arms, an in-your-face heavy synth stomper calling on women everywhere to get on their feet and rise up against all of these forces holding us down, blaming us for our own victimization and in particular, exploiting us even more in the course of the pandemic. It lit a fire under me, and I decided to keep writing. The project turned into a way to find and amplify my voice and elevate the female experience – that is why I decided to work exclusively with women during the production, marketing, design and promotion of the album.
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
With this album in particular, I felt really inspired by powerful female artists who haven’t been afraid to forge their own path (even if that means not everybody likes what they do). Peaches was a big influence – and it helped that her live drummer Maya Postepski was one of the producers on my album! – as well as artists like PJ Harvey, Stevie Nicks, Courtney Love, Madonna, Siouxsie Sioux and newer acts like Amyl and the Sniffers, Surfbort, Special Interest, etc. I wanted to go really deep into how inequality and male violence against women play out both on a structural and a personal level, so I did a deep-dive into feminist literature to try to sharpen my perspective on what I was writing about. I read a lot, thought a lot and challenged a lot of my assumptions.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
Well, at the beginning, I just wanted to write music that my girlfriends would like! I had a core group of supporters who really encouraged me along the way – first by pushing me to successfully apply for funding at Initiative Musik (a German organization that allocates arts funding), and then by being by my side through the ups and downs of actually writing the album. I wrote with just a few people in mind, which made it easier to stop worrying about watering down my music so that a broader audience would like it. That forced me to be really honest. I wanted to write a feminist album, and then about midway through the process, I realized that another part of the journey was for me to confront my debilitating impostor syndrome and really find and embrace my voice. Allowing myself to be vulnerable was necessary – and incredibly difficult!
What was the last song you listened to?
“Today I Choose Violence” by Christin Nichols – she’s a German musician and actress as well as a friend who also lives here in Berlin. The song is a fierce critique of the stupid shit that men (particularly in the music industry) say to dismiss women all the time – right up my alley!
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I wish I could say vinyl because it is obviously cooler, but my record player has been broken for ages and so I just stream everything!
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
I listen to music and make playlists mostly on Spotify, but I think Bandcamp is the best way to support artists directly.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
Well, the pandemic certainly hasn’t made it easy to reach new audiences! I think the best way to build a bond between performer and public is in the context of live music – it can be a transformative experience for both parties. With that being so limited right now, it is hard to create that visceral connection. I am confident things will get better though!
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
Website: https://dyanvaldes.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dyan.valdes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dyanvaldes/
Bandcamp: https://dyanvaldes.bandcamp.com/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dyan-valdes
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
Smash the patriarchy!
