DILAN SKIES, the British-Indian singer, songwriter, and producer, has released his highly anticipated new single ‘Leave It All Behind’ across all streaming platforms. Known for his seamless blend of Pop and R&B, SKIES has quickly gained recognition for crafting emotive lyrics and catchy melodies that captivate listeners worldwide.
With his upcoming debut album slated for release in 2025, SKIES aims to cement his unique sound and solidify his position as a distinctive voice in the music industry. Through his own production and collaborative writing sessions with friends, he is embracing greater control over the creative process and the direction of his music. The album is set to explore his experiences with love and heartbreak, as well as his passion for songwriting, offering listeners an intimate look into his life and artistic journey.
We caught up with skies to chat his musical journey so far, and the conception behind 'Leave It All Behind'.
Thank you for sitting down and talking to FLEX, can you tell us a bit about how you got into music?
Thank you for having me! My journey with music has been a whirlwind. I've always had a passion for music, as a child I listened to a lot of Bollywood songs where I didn't understand the language yet I felt moved by the melodies and then discovered Western music which brought the two together. When my worlds collided, it made me determined to try and find my place which is me trying to bring Bollywood romanticism and emotion into Western music. I realised my talent at around 15 years old after seeing people's reactions to my singing in school but I had no connections or mentors to guide me on what I could do with this so it took a lot of failing, learning and development to get to a place where I felt ready to take on the world and be the artist I never knew I could be.
Who would you say are your biggest musical influences?
I would say Craig David and Jay Sean. Craig David was the first musician I felt connected to. I heard Born to Do It for the first time quite a few years after it was released. But when I finally heard it, I fell in love with the way he used his voice, the smoothness, the melodies and the storytelling. Jay Sean is also another one of my influences. I never really saw people who looked like me in the media. Jay Sean made it seem possible. He also made some incredible songs, a lot of R&B songs too, that I have to say are super underrated!
Congratulations on your brand-new album single 'Leave It All Behind' - what inspired this particular song?
LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND is part of a bigger project of mine. It's inspired by an amazing woman I was seeing who at times felt like she had the world on her shoulders. The song is about how through encouragement and self-belief she was able to let loose, enjoy herself in the moments forget her problems and "LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND".
How do you channel personal experiences into your songwriting, and what do you hope listeners gain from connecting with your music?
For me coming up with melodies is second nature but slotting the lyrics in is like a jigsaw. Sometimes a song can take 10 minutes to write and sometimes there is a line that stumps you for days. Either way, I love the whole experience. I try to write about whatever I'm going through or try to use my perspective to spin other people's stories. It's easy to come up with rhymes but I really do try to be meticulous with the lyrics I choose so that the listeners can pluck lines out & mull over its meaning/meanings. I hope that after listening to a song they are able to resonate with at least some lines or just visualise my experience and go on the journey with me.
Each aspect of music - writing, recording, practising, and playing live - offers something different. Can you share a particularly meaningful moment from each?
Absolutely! I have a very memorable night of writing Damage Free! It started from a place of hurt, as you may be able to tell from the first verse. However, I did a full 180 from the Pre-Chorus. I mulled over the first verse overnight and I felt like writing a song from a place of pain would cause more pain to someone I didn't feel deserved it. I ended up writing the rest of the song through the night about how I was going to take on all the pain and ownace of the ending of a relationship so my girlfriend at the time could leave "Damage Free" unlike when I found her after her last relationship.
When it comes to recording, my most memorable moment was my first time in the studio with my friend Brydon. He kept telling me I wasn't enunciating a certain line. I frustrated him but in the end, we got there it taught me how important it is to make sure that after all the care I put into my songwriting, that the message is clear and hits home.
One moment I remember about practising is how long it took me to play a grade 4 Jazz composition. I didn't read sheet music so it was done entirely through memory. I remember feeling so proud when I was able to perform it.
I have a story about playing live that just can't be topped. Getting on stage was a huge fear of mine, but I did it for the first time. And EVERYTHING WENT WRONG. I forgot the lyrics, I sang off-key at times and I even just lost my breath. But despite all that, I felt AMAZING. I got off stage and Hi-Fived everyone as if I was Michael Jackson at the Superbowl. I was just so happy I got on stage and was so excited to get back there.
Is there a song in your repertoire that holds a particularly deep personal meaning for you? Can you share the story or inspiration behind it?
All of my songs are deeply personal as they all hold moments of vulnerability and truth. However, I'd say out of all the songs I've released, my song "Home" is the most meaningful. It's the first song I dedicated to somebody. It's about not knowing whether a relationship will make it but recognising and believing that it's worth it. It was also the first song I hand in producing. I spent a lot of time and thought on that song and although it doesn't have millions of streams, it meant something to someone special so it means something to me. It's a song different to the others as I didn't write in riddles, it was straight to the point and about what love felt like.
What are your goals for the future with your music?
I want to find my place. That's always been the goal. It is a tough industry but I want my passion for my craft to shine through. I'd love to also write a song that charts, I think writing is my strong point so I'd love to be able to say I wrote a song that was in the charts!
What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from your music?
I think that depends on the message of the song but I am a romantic and so my songs are often about what love should look like and so I hope that's what they take away from my music.
To wrap things up, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Firstly, I have to say thank you to everyone who's taken the time to listen to my music. Secondly, I'd like to let everyone know that I'm in the midst of creating my debut album. I really think a lot of people will be able to relate to the project. In the meantime, feel free to join the journey and keep up with my socials for more updates.
Listen to 'Leave It All Behind' here:
Follow DILAN SKIES on Instagram
Comments