Hear DANA’s Intimate New Track ‘Pretty Face’

When she was a toddler, Swiss singer-songwriter DANA was playing with musical instruments instead of toys. The Biel-bred artist spent much of her early years with her bassist brother Joël Burkhard honing skills as musicians. The bassist has been part of DANA’s setup ever since she started off as an artist and continues to be part of her band.

With two EPs under her belt, 2016’s self-titled record and last year’s True, the young artist has already had a lot to say with her music as she sings about abuse, mobbing and mental health while drawing a positive line across her songs. DANA says, “Thinking about the fact that my most personal struggles are what I openly sing about in my songs is actually crazy and kind of scary.” She adds, “But I just know that being in a difficult situation and finding comfort in a song that speaks to you is such a beautiful thing.”

The now Zurich-based artist’s latest offering is her recently released dreamy pop track “Pretty Face.” DANA fills us in that the song is an ode to letting go of a lukewarm relationship. She sings strikingly about a “pretty faced but part-time prick” and also how “I can be a rainbow but you are colorblind” through the song. “[It’s about] Realizing and leaving with self-love and respect rather than bitterness,” she says. The singer-songwriter penned the song when inspiration struck her late one night and wrote the whole piece on her bedroom floor with just her guitar. Sonically, “Pretty Face” features the main sparkling guitar hook, minimal production elements, DANA’s emotional vocal delivery and more. She says, “Producer Tom Oehler did an incredible job at making the song blossom sound-wise and it was so much fun working with him.”  

The musician was in the middle of a tour in Germany earlier this year when the pandemic hit, and had to cancel her remaining gigs in Switzerland. DANA has used the time to write a lot more material and even relax instead of being on the road constantly. With “Pretty Face” being the first glimpse into the artist’s forthcoming third EP, DANA is also planning for shows next year to support the record. “I very much hope we’ll be able to play,” she says. Apart from her own work, DANA has also been collaborating with artists from other countries both online and in person.

Although she’s never been to India, her brother Joël has. “He told me the most amazing things,” says DANA. Ask the singer-songwriter if she’d ever fancy touring these parts and she says, “I’d be so thrilled to come over and play for an Indian audience once the pandemic nightmare is over.”

Stream “Pretty Face” below: