Davidda: Interview + New Single ‘Bear’
KATIE BROWN - 10 MAY 2023
ARTWORK BY RUBY JONES
“Tongue-tied in a bulletproof vest, emotions tied to the ceiling
You don’t have to try and impress, stress me out, I need Jesus”
Tāmaki Makaurau-based, Paeroa-born wahine Davidda is on an internal journey in cathartic new single “Bear”.
Like a slow-motion rollercoaster ride through the mind and its abstract thought processes, the track is introspective, wry, gentle and frank, and through it we soar with Davidda through the ups and downs of what it is to be a human incorporating countless contradicting shades of self. In the track, Davidda’s musical and lyrical prowess joins with fellow Tāmaki Makaurau artist Anna Coddington’s songwriting and production mastery, forming the second in a series of demos the pair have been collaborating on over the past year with help from NZ On Air’s New Music Development funding. The track follows on from 2022’s single “Slow Turn”, also a collaboration with Anna Coddington, and Davidda’s debut single “Kindle”, released in 2019.
It’s a unique gift to be able to put words to common experiences in a refreshing and original way, and it’s a gift that Davidda has in abundance. Over on her Instagram account, she regularly concocts musical magic off the back of a string of words, her guitar and an omnichord in a matter of moments, capturing those moments on video. For those of you who dabble in songwriting, you’ll know this is no mean feat! And the beauty of these videos — and Davidda — is that they’re uncontrived, delightfully honest, pithy and astute. Watching them, you feel like you’re in the room with her; that she’s singing to you and for you, with words that connect and resonate in an “oh thank goodness, somebody else feels like this too” sort of way.
The essence of this gift translates through into “Bear”. In the track, a laid-back, looping bass line care of Mike Hall holds hands with a simmering drum beat, providing the perfect backdrop for conga and farfisa boogie by Caleb Nott and a shimmer of synth flourishes supplied by Lips. Davidda’s effortless vocals dance over top with her clever introspective lyricism, and her voice is earthy at the same time as it is dreamy. This duality grounds the single as it simultaneously allows it to soar — like letting a kite fly far up in the skies while both feet are firmly fixed on solid ground — and this plays out rather perfectly in the melody sung across two octaves. The vocal production and harmonies are lush, and every element of the track sits in perfect complement to what is around it.
Ultimately, “Bear” is tight, it’s funky, and it’s relatable. It’s a cathartic (and gentle) rollercoaster ride you’ll want to experience on repeat.
Read our short and snappy interview with Davidda below.
Stream and buy “Bear” on Bandcamp:
KATIE: SO - FIRST THINGS FIRST, WHAT SORT OF BEAR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IN THE TRACK’S TITLE?
DAVIDDA: Bear is a mixture of your habits, familiarities and comforts. He looks tall and cuddly, and takes you by the hand gently; leading you through a smoky dreamscape of the internal dialogues. Internal dialogues that bubble to the top when you're feeling chaotic, ruminating on every single thought you've ever had. Sometimes he is a friend, and sometimes he is a foe. In this instance, he is both! This song speaks to what it's like to have conflicting ideas and trying to change patterns and thoughts about things. It looks at how we sometimes hold on to the stuff we grapple with, even if we have an opportunity to let go and be free.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN SONGWRITING FORCES WITH ANNA CODDINGTON IN THE WAY YOU DID WAS PRETTY SPECIAL. HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?
I still can't quite believe all of this happened! This was the most wonderful collaborative experience. Anna and I connected over Instagram and started chatting in response to songs and stories we would share. Anna caught wind of a New Music Development initiative by NZ On Air which offers funding for an artist and producer to write some demos together, and asked if I wanted to throw my hat in the ring with her! The rest is history.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO WRITE COLLABORATIVELY, AND THEN TO TAKE THAT COLLABORATION A STEP FURTHER AND INVOLVE OTHER ARTISTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE SONG?
This was one of the best writing experiences I've ever had. We learnt early on in our first session that we could comfortably share thoughts and ideas, and meet each other right in the middle of some very fun and fruity realms.
Watching Anna pop her producer wizard hat on and sound out our thoughts was like watching a mad scientist pour out every beaker into one giant tea cup, and then carefully sieve out the sparkliest bits into one small capsule; so precise and magnificent!
This was already quite an unreal situation, and then to top it all off we had some musical giants jump on the track! Anna cranking guitar and production wizard duties, Mike Hall handing out bass stabs on a platter, Caleb Nott tipping out a tasteful amount of conga and farfisa boogie, and just the right amount of synth magic courtesy of Lips. I have a stupid smile and twinkly eyes when I think about working with such artists! A dream.
My brother Kristian Bennett mixed the song too, which is super special to me! It means a lot to have my family involved as they are pretty much the ones who introduced me to music and showed me how to love it as much as they do.
(Cont’d below)
PHOTO SUPPLIED
WHERE DID YOU FIND YOURSELF IN THAT PROCESS? DID IT CHANGE YOUR SONGWRITING APPROACH?
I think that my songwriting takes on a brand new life when I am working closely with others, it's something that helps me grow as a writer. Talking through what we see or feel, and condensing or enhancing what we are trying to convey is a really fun part of the process because you get a front row seat to someone else's brain cogs turning and firing away. I learn so much from hearing how others think and reason. Sharing ideas and kind of throwing around combinations of words that we liked, or sounds we wanted to try and execute, was a bit of a thrill! Did I answer the question? I feel like I am all over the place.
FROM THESE SESSIONS, SO FAR YOU’VE RELEASED THE SUPREMELY CATCHY SINGLE “SLOW TURN”, AND NOW THE EQUALLY WONDERFUL “BEAR”. CAN WE START GETTING EXCITED ABOUT A FULL ALBUM?
Oh, thank you so much! I keep dreaming up new songs and ideas, I just need to get those demos down so I can start to build them up to their fullest potential and send them off into the ether. I can't promise anything just yet, but I can say that I'm hustling to get something fun out soon!
WHAT ACTS OR ARTISTS ARE CURRENTLY ON YOUR RADAR?
I cannot go past the following artists. I've taken the liberty of adding one song each of theirs that you must pop in your ears:
John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts
Buzzy Lee - When Can I
Donny Benet - Negroni Summer
Erny Belle - Island Time
Remi Wolf - Hello Hello Hello
BEST PIECE OF ADVICE AFTER A SUMMER (AND AUTUMN, LET’S BE HONEST) OF GREY SKIES AND RAIN?
Honestly, I'm trying to encourage myself more! Words of affirmation is one of my love languages and I realised that I don't just need to hear it from others, I can speak into my own life and remind myself. It seems a little bit simple, but it's actually something that I have found quite difficult to do in the past. I'm switching it up now and bringing some figurative sunshine into my days, and I think you should give it a go if you need some too.