A Quick Chat with Daeui

Can We Pretend feels incredibly intimate. What moment or feeling first sparked the song?

Not gonna lie, I was filming a TikTok for my friend Lachlan.

But in all seriousness, I was in a sentimental mood after watching Past Lives and decided to paint my own version of it.

The track has such a dreamy, late-night atmosphere. How did you go about creating that mood?

I am a sucker for anything simple and stripped down. I think that’s what made the “dreamy, late-night” mood of the song.

The lyrics are balanced, the melody is comfortable to listen to, there are lots of atmospheric elements, and a single lead motif.

And I think it helps that I made it late at night.

You wrote Can We Pretend in just 30 minutes. Do songs that come quickly usually end up being the most honest?

I say this all the time, but when you listen to really polished pop music, you can smell the money and it’s offputting. They were manufactured so they can never fail. It’s a one-time good listen, but that’s about it.

A good litmus test is if you want to revisit a song because it indicates its impact on you. Those songs, I find, are made quicker and have backbone which predicates on honesty, not money.

This track may fail in an “industry” point of view. But I’m proud of it.

SHAM explores everything from digital overload to unrequited love. Where does Can We Pretend fit into that story?

SHAM is narrative-driven, like a coming-of-age film.

If the first half was hopeful, bright, youthful, energetic and romantic, the last track ties the entire EP together with a maturing conclusion.

Compared to the rest of the EP, Can We Pretend does not carry the electronic and noisy sonic elements that represent digital distractions of everyday lives. This is a focused song disclosing the ever-hungry and longing hearts that seek eternal affections.

You've described this song as the clearest expression of your artistic voice. What makes it feel different from your earlier releases?

Honestly, I think I’ve found my sound. SHAM was a big experimentation and had lots of genre types. Producing this song was the most joyous and I want to do more “band” sounding music with real instruments. (P.S. I’m doing more projects. Keep an eye out)

With SHAM now out in the world, what do you hope listeners take away after hearing the EP from beginning to end?

Not a takeaway, but a list of actions: Cry. Text your ex. Write a letter to God. Sing a cover. Tag me. Follow me. Get slim. Get fat. Get rich. Repeat.

Other than that, I wish people would explore more local music and shows. There’s a lot of good talent that I wish made billions.