Interview: Los Angeles Based Songbird dove vega Talks About Her New Song "Nightcap"
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“I always write my name “dove vega” in lower case letters, in homage to powerful, black writers such as bell hooks and dream hampton. Both sistas have inspired me throughout my life to speak truth and to seek truth. ”
What are some things that inspire your creativity when developing new songs, both production wise and songwriting wise?
I’ve always seen myself as a child of hip-hop and RnB. I also really got a thing for jazz and good old fashioned 80’s arena pop. Generally, anything with a melody is my cup of tea.
Fun fact: I find I get really inspired watching anime. Always have. Specifically Toonami (90’s babies will know) and Avatar the Last Airbender (90’s babies will also know).
What does your name “dove vega” represent?
Thanks for this question! I always write my name “dove vega” in lower case letters, in homage to powerful, black writers such as bell hooks and dream hampton. Both sistas have inspired me throughout my life to speak truth and to seek truth.
If there’s one last thing I’d like to share about me, it’s that I want to shift the focus from my identity to my ideas, to my truth, and to my music.
Congratulations on the release of your new single “Nightcap”. Tell us about your creative process for its development and was it self produced?
Thank you so much!! 🙏🏽 I love this question, wow. So, with this song, things were a lil different tbh. Usually I’ll be chillin - might already have a fire beat, or I might be on the hunt for one (because I do love to produce my own beats, but I also L-I-V-E to collaborate with other artists), and I’ll just start to play around laying down different melodies or vocal inflections until something good emerges, then I’ll work at it until it sticks.
But with this song, things moved much quicker. It was a Saturday night (obviously lol), and I had had this beat from my dude, from years ago. I remember sippin’ my drink while my incredibly talented sister, Symonne, and I were just having fun while the instrumental played on loop. She came up with the first part of the hook and I was just like yooooo that. is. fresh. ...and honestly it’s super cool to think about that original demo for “Nightcap”, and how it sounded completely different from the finished single - whole different vibe. I love to see art grow.
“Nightcap” ended up becoming what it is today after I was blessed to find my engineer, Ryan Whyte Maloney. As far as I’m concerned, he took that track from one hundred percent to two hundred percent. I live for guitars wailing in that 90’s midnight way. He absolutely killed the instrumentation and the mix; when I heard it for the first time I cried. No lie.
Would you say that “Nightcap” from a sonic and thematic standpoint is indicative of what we can expect from your upcoming album “Kristiana”?
It’s hard for me to say, since ‘Kristiana’ is currently in development and she is growing and maturing every day. This album - as my first full-length release - is special to me for many reasons. What I want to give to my fans (love you, #vegabonds) is a mosaic of sounds that leads you through the jungle of my songwriting...sometimes it’s beautiful and fun and teaming with life; sometimes it’s scary and hard to hear.
I want my art to tell you the truth about me, and, given the past year of my life, I need to explore themes of uncertainty, betrayal, vindication, and the meaning of ‘love’ in my work. Not only do I feel the need to explore these themes in my album, I need to deal with these issues as a person, and I know I can’t be the only one. And at its core, ‘Kristiana’ is about finding yourself risen from the ashes of the bullsh*t that tried to take you down. If you listen to this project, I want you to feel like a freakin’ phoenix. 🔥💯
I’d like to think of “Nightcap” as a cute lil snack-size introduction; a lil piece of me. She’s a bubbly lil song, we’re playful now, but - just as we all are - expect the album to be multi-faceted.
Speaking of “Kristiana”, do you have a release date in mind for it, and will there be any features artists or producers contributing to it?
When it comes to features and collaborators blessing the album, I’m going to play that pretty close to the chest - for now 😏... don’t want to spoil any big surprises.
And as for the release date? Yaas! 🙌🏽 Fall 2020.
As a producer, what software/hardware do you use? Also, how did you get started with producing?
Another dope question, thank you!! I love being asked about production because, admittedly, it’s not something that comes naturally to me, not like writing (especially when it comes to mixing vocals), and I find I really have to work extra hard at it. I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to create up to this point.
I record most of my music in my home studio, using Logic Pro X on my trusty Apple Macbook. Don’t need much, just a mic (Bluebird SL - can’t go wrong), interface (Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB Audio Interface - classic), and my studio headphones (sorry I don’t know the brand - I’ve had them foreva), and, when I make beats, my absolute favorite toy is my AKAI MPK Mini mkII. Again, I’ve had that thing forever, and I know there’s fancier stuff out there, but hey, it just gets me... Very, very simple setup, but she works like a charm. Every time.
I first started making my own beats after I first built my home studio, and I did it all for the same reasons:
In my personal experience, as a young woman, I have found that many producers I tried to work with in the past would be interested in more than a business relationship. Frankly, there were too many times where certain opportunities or instrumentals were dangled in front me, and then ripped away, because that producer had hoped to get something more than my vocals on the track. It was discouraging, and humiliating most times.
Tbh, I started producing my own beats out of defiance, and I’m still learning. I can honestly say, I see it as the best investment I’ve made in myself thus far - and super fun. It’s like painting with sounds. Even if, like me, you’re self-taught/not God-tier at production, but you can get a rough mix that sounds even 80% like what you want it to, that’s a WIN. Cuz you know what? You can collaborate with someone who has the production experience, and then together you bring your complete vision to life. And you know what else? You get better every time.
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