"Now more than ever, people really need music," Dagny tells PRIDE. The 29-year-old just released her stunning debut album, Strangers/Lovers, a sleek collection of glittery pop tracks that practically push you out of your chair to get up and dance.
Pop isn't dead, and Dagny is the latest to carry the torch.
PRIDE linked up with Dagny over Zoom to dive into the ins and outs of Strangers / Lovers. It's pop in it's purest form; the first half of the album documents the blossoming stages of a new love while the second examines the fall out of that relationship.
"Somebody" is the album standout, just over three minutes of euphoria as she details the rush of falling head over heels for someone. She lets her guard down in "Let Me Cry", a vulnerable ode to allowing her partner to see the mushy bits, and in "Bye Bye Baby", Dagny dances through the absolute devastation of forcing yourself to move on.
Dagny also recalls what it fell like when her 2017 track "Love You Like That" was interpolated by Katy Perry and Zedd for their global hit song "Never Really Over."
"I was like, 'ohmygod this is insane.' That just shows how music travels over such large distances," she recalls. "It's fun because I obviously had been inspired by her when I was growing up and just started songwriting. For this one track, I got to be a part of inspiring her."
Dagny goes on to talk about how pop music is recalibrating to fit into a hip-hop dominated Top 40, rolling out an album during a pandemic, finding peace with handwork, and loving her gay fans.
"It's a very supportive community," she smiles. "I'm so happy that's how it is. I wish I could travel much more because I would come to meet you all."
Strangers/Lovers is available to buy and stream wherever you listen to music. Watch the full interview below:
