"My parents always encouraged creativity."
Dana Naidu doesn’t arrive in the spotlight with noise; she emerges with intention.
Drawing from her Tamil and Russian roots, and shaped by her upbringing in Dubai and Pondicherry, Naidu’s debut single ‘Sometimes’ introduces an artist unafraid to let emotion lead.
Her music blends the sweet sensuality of alternative R&B with the introspection of neo-soul and the shimmer of pop, creating a sound that feels both grounded and ethereal.
Released at a pivotal moment of self-discovery, ‘Sometimes’ began as a love song but evolved into something more personal.
Following the single’s release on April 24, 2025, Dana Naidu exclusively spoke to DESIblitz about her music journey and the making of a song that became a statement.
How did your multicultural upbringing shape your early musical influences and aspirations?
Honestly, even though it sounds multicultural on paper – Tamil dad, Russian mom, growing up in Dubai – to me, it just felt like home.
My dad used to DJ at one of the only nightclubs in the city back then, so I was constantly surrounded by music.
We had stacks of CDs and cassettes everywhere. I wouldn’t say my cultural background directly shaped my sound, but it definitely shaped my values and perspective.
My parents always encouraged creativity.
I was never denied the freedom to explore, to play, to express – and that freedom is what really shaped me as an artist.
What experiences in Pondicherry and upon returning to Dubai in 2020 influenced your decision to pursue music professionally?
I moved to Pondicherry in 2011 for school and spent five years there, from eighth grade to the end of high school. It was a small school, which meant I had the space to fully explore music, arts, crafts, and even sports.
That freedom to create and express really helped me grow into myself. It shaped my confidence and gave me a clearer sense of what I had to offer the world.
I came back to Dubai in 2016 for university. Even then, I stayed close to the arts, I was on the basketball team, in the music club, and did shows here and there.
The whole environment felt like a continuation of what I had in Pondy, very High School Musical in the best way.
“But it was during the 2020 lockdown that something clicked.”
I know that time was painful for so many, but for me, it became a kind of turning point. I had the time to sit with myself and really ask, “What if I just went for it?”
So I did. I wrote songs, played guitar ALL THE TIME, sang every day, and started connecting with other musicians in Dubai.
My world just opened up. And in that quiet, I made the decision – this is what I’m meant to do.
Can you describe the moment you realised that music was more than a passion for you?
I don’t think there was a single moment where it hit me, it was more like a bunch of tiny, quiet moments across my life.
Music has always been my first love. Singing made me feel free in a way nothing else ever did.
It gave me a space to feel everything I couldn’t always say out loud, the emotions I kept bottled up, the things I didn’t have words for. Somehow, music just knew how to hold it all.
Being around music, whether it was listening, learning, performing, or just being around other musicians, lit something up in me. It still does. It makes every cell in my body feel alive.
I’ve never experienced anything else that connects with me in that way. Music and I… we’re not separate. We’re kind of one and the same.
And honestly, I’ve always felt like passion is enough of a reason to pursue something.
That’s how I’ve lived my whole life. If something excites me or moves me, I chase it. I let it teach me, shape me, grow me.
I don’t think you need anything more than that spark to go after what you love.
As the creative director of The Tasty Biscuits, how has leading a band influenced your approach to your solo music projects?
I don’t lead the band alone. Edenojie and I do it together, so it’s very much a shared responsibility.
Being part of a collective like The Tasty Biscuits takes a lot of the fear out of the creative process.
When you have people you trust to bounce ideas off and build with, it becomes less overwhelming and a lot more exciting.
Working with the band has shown me how to move through creative decisions with more clarity and confidence.
“So when I dive into my solo work, I carry that experience with me.”
I know how to take an idea, talk it through, shape it, and bring it to life, because I’ve done that over and over again with the band.
Being a creative lead has also helped me tap into my other artistic strengths, like sketching and design.
I get to pour those into everything we do as a band, and now I naturally do the same in my own music.
When I imagine a project, I don’t just hear it, I see the whole world around it, and I know how to build that world from scratch.
Your music blends neo-soul, alternative R&B, and pop elements. Which artists or genres have most significantly shaped your sound?
Yes, I have a sound, but I’m still figuring it out. I’m still building it, still discovering it, still learning how to accept it as mine.
Artists like Yebba, Annie Tracy, Jade Novah, Umi, Kehlani, and Jeremy Zucker have really shaped how I think about music.
Mostly women artists, to be honest.
They’ve taught me so much, not just about vocal technique or tone, but about storytelling and about giving yourself permission to write about things that aren’t always talked about.
I don’t just listen to music casually. I’m always absorbing something when I listen.
I’m drawn to artists who experiment and push the edges of their genre. That kind of creativity excites me. It feels like they’re carving out a space that’s fully their own, and that inspires me to do the same.
That’s why I love alternative R&B so much, especially UK R&B. It’s so expansive, its boundaries are always tested.
That’s the kind of sound I’m chasing. It’s rooted in R&B/soul, but there’s a whole lot of me in it, too.
Can you delve deeper into how your debut single ‘Sometimes’ mirrors your personal journey and growth as an artist?
Growing into the artist I am today took a lot of self-discovery and acceptance.
When I was younger, I used to think I had to sound a certain way to be taken seriously.
I believed that the way I wrote or sang was too “cute” or cringey, and I’d try to fight that. I wanted to be perceived as powerful and sexy, not soft or sweet.
But when I was writing ‘Sometimes’, I hit a point where I had to stop fighting it. I had to admit that maybe this softness, this vulnerability, is a part of who I am.
And that it doesn’t make me any less powerful. That shift of letting the song be what it wanted to be instead of what I thought it should be was a big step for me.
It was also the first time I worked with a full team.
“I had writers, producers, engineers, background vocalists, and people helping me plan the release.”
That was huge for me, because I’ve always worked alone.
Learning to trust others with something so personal was scary, but it ended up being beautiful. Letting people in helped the song grow, and it helped me grow too.
I learned so much from that experience, and I’m excited to do it again, with even more clarity and confidence next time.
Can you share more about how ‘Sometimes’ evolved into a self-reflective piece?
‘Sometimes’ didn’t shift during the songwriting process at all. It was only after the song was finished that I realised it had changed meaning for me.
I remember standing in the bathroom, listening back, just staring at myself in the mirror thinking, this song isn’t even about that person anymore. It’s about me.
It’s about my sound. It’s about falling in love with myself, accepting who I am, and really seeing her clearly.
That truth didn’t hit me while writing, it only came after I sat with it.
That happens to me a lot.
I get so into the process of making something that I don’t always know what it’s trying to say until the very end.
But when that meaning finally surfaces, it’s powerful. And a little scary. But it’s always worth it.
What are your aspirations for the single and how do you envision it resonating with listeners?
I just hope the song finds the people it’s meant to find. That it reaches the ones who are supposed to be part of this community I’m building.
I know they’ll get it. I know they’ll connect with the message and feel seen.
I really just want us to share a moment in time together, one where we both understand each other in this beautiful way.
And honestly, it already feels like that’s happening. People have told me which lines spoke to them. It’s wild. It’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to do.
How do you see your music evolving in the future, and are there any new directions or collaborations you’re excited to explore?
I honestly don’t know how my music is going to evolve. That’s something I’m excited to experience for myself, and for people to discover alongside me.
Right now, I’m just trying to become the best artist I can be in terms of skill, and I trust that everything else will fall into place.
In terms of direction though, I kind of just got here.
This sound feels like home to me, so I want to stay in it for a while and really live in it. I’ve got so many songs that sit in this same little universe and I can’t wait to share them.
As for collaborations, I have so many incredible friends all over the world who I’ve been wanting to make music with.
Some of the BEST musicians, and I’m really looking forward to creating something that feels like ours. That’s something I’m genuinely excited about.
What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away after experiencing ‘Sometimes’?
I think what I’d like everybody to take away from my song is that it’s totally fine for you to be a person who has deep, deep feelings, and it’s totally okay to be a person who falls in love fast and hard, and it’s okay to be a simp!
And it’s okay to daydream about a person, or a thing or a life!
There’s nothing wrong with you.
“Like we’re here, experiencing this life in its physical form to experience love.”
So love, love hard. Share it with everyone all the time and be kind. You’re allowed to feel, always feel, don’t ever stop feeling.
As Dana Naidu carves her path through the layered soundscapes of neo-soul and alternative R&B, ‘Sometimes’ is more than just a debut; it signals the arrival of an artist who knows exactly what she wants to say and how to say it.
Rooted in emotional honesty and shaped by a rich cultural background, her music offers a rare kind of intimacy that lingers long after the final note.
With her eyes fixed on artistic growth and her voice only just beginning to rise, Dana isn’t chasing the spotlight; she’s building something far more lasting: a space where vulnerability is power, and connection is everything.
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