Daya

“I feel like I get all the good parts of college, cause I just college hop on the weekends and party with them, but I don't have to do any of the school part or the work part.”

“My music reflects my strong belief in equal opportunities for all - specifically young girls and women. Many, many children do not have anywhere near the opportunities that we kids did in my community - great schools, public safety, etc.”

“I did a show with Tori Kelly, and it was really cool that I got to meet her. She has always been a huge inspiration of mine, and I'm obsessed with her voice, so it was great to get to talk to her about the industry. The best advice she gave me was to just be myself.”

“I will wear makeup because I want to look good for myself, but it's not to please other people. It's not so I fit in with the pretty girls or to impress guys.”

“My dad was the one who took me to concerts and introduced me to new artists. One time, he drove me from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., on a school night to see 'U2' - he was a pretty dedicated Bono fan.”

“I flew home to Pittsburgh, and my management called me to ask if I wanted to perform on 'Dancing With the Stars' with Charlie Puth. I'm like, 'What? I grew up watching the show!'”

“I love having a major label behind me. Independent was really great to start off, as and I made some really big moves and gained a lot of fans.”

“I'm always working on new projects.”

“I had maybe 200 followers when I started. A bunch of radio stations were like, 'Uhhhhhh, my daughter has more followers than her'.”

“I have a lot of creative control, so I can decide what I want to wear, what I want my brand to look like, what I want my songs to sound like, so I don't sound like some fake artist that people can't relate to.”

“A stadium tour would be amazing - that's definitely one of my goals. Just to keep putting out real, honest music that people can really relate to and connect with.”

“I have four sisters at home, and both my mom and dad worked, and both of them took care of us. It wasn't like my mom was fully domestic, or my dad was fully domestic: they were just equals in their relationship. So I grew up with the perspective that women should be pursuing their dreams and not have to depend on a guy.”

“The 'Chainsmokers' found me early on, before anyone knew about 'Hide Away,' and reached out. I heard the demo for 'Don't Let Me Down' and loved it.”

“I think I have always been a hard worker in school and in sports and everything. Growing up, my parents encouraged me to do that from day one.”

“I've always been a songwriter.”

“It's always pretty amazing to hear your own voice on the radio.”

“I was in an Uber in Vegas with some friends, and 'Don't Let Me Down' came on. My driver didn't recognize me but started to talk about how much he loved Daya and how he had a crush on her.”

“I love New Orleans. I love jazz. I grew up practicing jazz piano, and that's just been such a cool genre to me. There's a lot of talent there.”

“In terms of role modelling for younger kids, I never really censor myself.”

“When I'm playing live, I'll rip out a ballad from my album, and I'll play that solo on the piano, which feels really good because it kind of takes me back to when I was younger.”