An Unlikely Breakthrough: Hideaway’s Meteoric Rise

Daya’s career-defining moment started almost by chance. As she explains, her debut session in L.A. came through a connection with her Pittsburgh voice teacher, who introduced her to songwriters in L.A. After convincing her parents to let her attend a weekend session, they wrote and recorded “Hideaway”—her very first real studio experience.

What followed was an unconventional but determined campaign: with no label, no social media following, and a nascent team, Daya and her mom embarked on a boots-on-the-ground radio tour. They personally visited stations across the country, performing acoustic versions of the song, hustling it into rotation market by market. Each play, even in small-town stations, was a hard-earned victory. Eventually, as the track started picking up local radio support, it exploded nationally, cementing Daya as a new voice in pop.

“We just started to like do a little caravan tour of the US and, like, knock on radio station doors… I was doing like acoustic performances of Hideaway and somehow it just started like catching on and people started playing it.” — Daya

The Chainsmokers, Don’t Let Me Down, and a Grammy Moment

Not long after her introduction to the pop world, another serendipitous moment arrived: a call from The Chainsmokers’ team, inviting her to be the vocalist on their track “Don’t Let Me Down.” Still in her teens and never having collaborated before, Daya recorded her vocal in L.A., unaware of just how massive the song would become. It skyrocketed across charts worldwide and eventually won a Grammy—an accolade Daya had never dreamed of so soon in her career.

“I thought that maybe 10 years into my career, like, I’d start to think about making something that would maybe lead to a Grammy.” — Daya

These successes catapulted her into high-profile gigs, including a standout performance at Coachella with The Chainsmokers for packed festival audiences.

Finding Her Team, First Tours, and Growing in Public

Throughout these rapid changes, Daya admits to “building the airplane while flying it.” Her first tours were managed with modest resources, often figuring out live logistics as she went. Key to her growth was assembling a supportive, all-female band—including future stars like Taylor “Pocket Queen” Gordon (drums) and Nicole Row (bass).

The pressure of balancing high school life with skyrocketing fame was immense—Daya’s senior year finished online due to touring, and her teachers and classmates came out as unexpected fans.

“My teachers all hated me. I was, like, so checked out… But they were supportive. My English teacher would play Hideaway when I walked into class.” — Daya

Creative Struggles Inside the Major Label System

The conversation doesn’t shy away from the industry’s tougher realities. After several years of independence, Daya signed to Interscope, hoping to expand with major label resources. Yet, as she retells, the process introduced new challenges:

• Constant “speed dating” with producers and writers, often feeling transactional and creatively exhausting
• Struggling to assert her songwriting voice in a system that sometimes felt assembly-line
• Balancing her artistic instincts with the commercial pressures and expectations of her team and audience

Daya underscores the importance of trusting her creative gut and seeking team members who truly support her vision—wisdom hard-won from navigating label politics and self-doubt in her formative years.

Taking Back Control: Independence, Masters, and New Music

After several singles and navigating creative differences, Daya made the rare industry move of exiting her label with her masters—a testament to both her business acumen and the mutual respect with her former team.

Now returning to independence, Daya is relishing the creative freedom. Her latest releases—particularly the energetic, drum & bass-inspired “Infrared”—showcase a new, self-assured, and experimental side of her artistry. She credits much of her current inspiration to sessions in Sweden, drawing from both pop sensibility and the cutting-edge electronic scene there.

“I feel very much in control of the live show and the music I’m putting out and the creative behind everything. When it flows so naturally, it’s just easier to be less stressed and more present with things.” — Daya