#IMMusicMonday: Getting To Know DOA

IndustryMe sat down with R&B Newcomer DOA, to discuss the release of his new EP ‘The Journal and more.

First of all congratulations on the EP, how does it feel to finally of put it out?

Thank you. It’s a surreal feeling to be honest. When I first started this journey in music, I didn’t know much about recording and even my songwriting wasn’t at the level it is now. To see the growth from where I started to now makes me really proud and to say I have a body of work out there is amazing to me.

If you had to pick, which is your favourite song and why?

Asking this question is like asking which one of your children is your favourite. I nurtured all the ideas from the very beginning to fruition so it’s tough to pick one. I will say that when I wrote ‘Affection’ it felt like a song that people would take to and was a cathartic release for me so that was a bonus.

So your project is entitled ‘The Journal’, what’s the meaning behind the title?

Growing up and becoming more and more aware of myself and my surroundings, I always seemed to be someone that was trusted with people’s dilemmas. More often than not these dilemmas tend to be ones that pertain to the heart. Through my spur of the moment therapy sessions I got to take mental notes on the various predicaments that we often find ourselves in, which a lot of the time is done knowingly. As we all know “the heart wants what the heart wants”.

Through the various songs on the project I was able to look inwardly at my forays in love and see myself in the stories that I was told and in the stories I was telling and thus ‘The Journal’

Songs like ‘Havana’ are quite different to ‘Deep’ for example. Is this an indication that you hope to remain versatile in the future?

Yeah for sure. A lot of people are looking forward to hearing more upbeat songs and I’m looking forward to exploring that side of R&B even more. Thankfully in R&B, artists are able to slow it down and speed it up as they see fit. Might even pull out some dance moves for you guys.

Will we be getting a music video for any of the tracks from the EP?

Hopefully. I really want to bring a lot of the ideas and pictures that are bouncing around in my head to life. It would also be my first dive into the world of music videos and I enjoy a challenge.

Okay so I have to ask, Is ‘Already Know’ a Male response to Ada B’s version?

I hadn’t heard of Ada B so I’ll definitely check her out. I just remember looking for an instrumental that could convey the message that I was trying to portray at the time.

Your music is undeniably poetic, what is your usual songwriting process like?

Thank you. It all starts with the instrumental which dictates the melody. Then the words come next. I can decide to have a dialogue between the verses or a monologue throughout the song all depending on the message I’m trying to get across and how I feel at that point in time. Already Know is an example of a dialogue within a song, where the first verse was a proposition between from the male and the second verse detailed the potential partner’s response. The be all and end all is that I try to make sure that I’m intentional with every line that I write.

What did the writing process of this EP teach you about yourself as an artist?

The process was humbling. It taught me how disciplined you have to be as an artist if you truly intend on being around for the long haul. It taught me how much work I have to do to become the artist I envision myself to be. It also showed me how important having a team behind you can be because doing so much work outside of the creative process can be exhausting.

As an R&B artist what are your thoughts on UK R&B right now?

R&B in the UK is in such a great place. There are so many talented man and women in the scene doing the genre justice. I just hope I can play my part in putting this country on the map and help garner the much needed and deserved respect that this country should receive when it comes to R&B.

What are you currently working on?

The plan is to get my name on the tip of people’s tongues. Live shows, radio interviews and music videos are all on the agenda for the rest of the year.

Any final shoutouts or plugs?

I’d like to thank every person that’s played and shared my music, every writer that has written a review and every person behind the scenes that has helped me on this journey.

Make sure you follow me on the socials for all the latest on this musical journey:

Twitter: @_doamusic

Instagram: @_doamusic