Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Dolgova.
Hi Daniela, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I was 5-6 years old, my mother found me playing the melody to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” (her favorite song at the time) on the piano at my grandmother’s house. She took that as a sign that I have a musical inclination and put me in piano lessons. I took lessons on and off for about 6 years, so that was the foundation of my musical background. As a teenager, I became more interested in rock and metal music, so I stopped playing piano and picked up electric guitar and after that bass guitar. Music has always been a cathartic escape for me – even when I felt completely misunderstood by the world I knew that I could put on my headphones and feel like what I am hearing captures what is inside my head. The electronic music part came later. Since I spent much of my childhood in Eastern Europe, I was influenced by the early European trance scene – some of my best lifelong memories include running around on the beach with uplifting beautiful trance music. As I grew up, every time I heard a sound that was reminiscent of that, it brought me back to those moments so I kept seeking it out. Eventually I found a variety of friends who were DJs and they were kind enough to teach me. I started learning to produce in 2018, switching genres a couple of times before landing on dark, groovy and driving techno. Now I am back to playing classical piano as well, and am thinking about how to fuse my two musical paths – techno/electronic and classical.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While I am grateful for the support I’ve had along the way from my friends, family, and community, the path has not been without challenges. I’ve struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues throughout most of my early twenties, and it was thanks to music that I was able to overcome them. I wanted this to work so badly that I did everything in my power to become the best version of myself, start taking better care of myself, and develop the right skills. This is a lifelong process and I still have a ways to go before I achieve my dreams, but luckily I’ve built a strong foundation.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I produce dark minimal and peak-time techno, but my distinct sound is shaped by the more melancholy and dramatic universe of classical music. I also spent quite a bit of time gathering inspiration from fantasy novels and worlds, so when I create I like to immerse the listener in some sort of dark mystical and cinematic world. I walk the line between club-ready grooves and deep, emotional soundscapes that make people think and feel something. While most of electronic dance culture right now is focused on energy and intensity, I am happy to contribute something a little more introspective. I am known for bringing the darkness, but in a very beautiful way.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I know that the qualities that has helped me along the way have been persistence and perseverance. Despite this being a long and winding road with countless setbacks and rejection, I keep going because this is who I am. I’ve even had promoters and label owners eventually give me a chance because they “like my persistence”. It is much easier to create something that is guaranteed to work, something that is trending. I couldn’t do that even if I tried, and learned long ago that I am not someone who “fits in”. And if you are not born to fit in, clearly you are born to stand out – so I am going forward with that, even if it is the slower and more challenging path.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://solo.to/dianthe.ofc
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianthe.ofc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianthe.ofc/
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dianthe-ofc
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7sVIK4JuYY35ckWjwRMHLv?si=x7U1ZBAxQUGnqfCzzkZfVg
