We first discovered her at BIGSOUND 2019, dishing up delectable neo-soul morsels like Sushi and Looking Like A Snack (we love songs about food), and now Gold Coast's DVNA is geared to drop her debut EP All My Friends, impressively written, produced and recorded entirely by herself as the EP's creative director. If you love the groove of Anderson .Paak, the warmth of Nao or the playfulness of Ravyn Lenae, you'll love this EP from DVNA.
The nine-track EP kicks off with a cheeky, sax-filled intro called The Sax Man, really setting the scene that DVNA's here to get deep. The songs are glistening with wit, jewel-toned influences from ska, jazz and neo-soul and warm organs that back lyrics about 2020's many struggles - from ravaging bushfires to our new pandemic reality, all underscored with voicemails from her friends that offer a nod to how much we've had to rely on technology to stay connected this year.
DVNA tells us, "My process going into this EP was to make sure that the core of the songs were well written and each told their own separate story. From there, making sure the production sonically captured my personality and reflected/respected the story it was carrying. I wanted to make a fairly live sounding album, incorporating a lot of live samples and structuring it in a way you would hear it in a live setting. Forming the narrative using ambient sounds and voice mails throughout its entirety, everything - bar two songs - I wrote and produced in my family home on the Gold Coast keeping me both busy and insane (in the best way) during the global pandemic.
"I recruited the talents of Fractures - a producer from Melbourne - to help bring Half Past Sober and All My Friends to life after feeling a little stuck on production direction. I think it's safe to say he nailed it. I'm excited for the world to dive a little deeper in my musical mind and I'm hoping it can service someone else as it did for me while creating it."
DVNA's a bright and unique light on the Australian neo-soul arena, and the fact that she's created a fleshed out, conceptual body of work entirely by herself is testament to the breadth of DVNA's ability as an all-rounder. We've got eyes on DVNA.
