INTERVIEW: Delacey Makes Our Dreams Come True With The Girl Has A Dream

When Lizzie McGuire sang, “this is what dreams are made of,” she was definitely talking about Delacey’s music. Sure, it may have been over a decade before Delacey released her first single, but that’s definitely what she was talking about. Need proof? Just check out Delacey’s brand new album, The Girl Has A Dream, and you’ll see why we’re head over heels for her work!

If you stan artists like Zara Larsson, TXT, or Halsey, then you’ve already heard at least a little bit of what Delacey’s capable of, thanks to her extensive songwriting credits. But The Girl Has A Dream really takes her talent to the next level, and it’s everything we could’ve dreamed it would be. Each song is so confessional and personal while still offering something for every listener to see themselves in, and it’s such a magical combination.

Speaking of magic, we worked some of ours and got to ask Delacey all about the album, some of our favorite tracks, and more! Check out The Girl Has A Dream right here, then read on to see what we learned.

We’ve had your recent single, ‘The End,’ on repeat since you released it in April! What does the song mean to you, and what has it been like to see how much people love it?
It was inspired by my on-and-off-again relationship with NYC and I’m glad people are connecting with it, of course.

Your lyrics are always so thought-provoking and descriptive, and one of our favorites from ‘The End’ is “meet me on the Lower East Side at nine outside the Chelsea Hotel.” Which is your favorite line from the song and why?
It’s funny you mention that line because it is my favorite from the song. It’s also hilarious because the Chelsea Hotel is not in the Lower East Side in Manhattan but it rhymed and also I am obsessed with the romantic history of the Chelsea Hotel. I meant to edit the line eventually but never did. 

You also released a gorgeous music video for ‘The End,’ which takes place in settings like a meadow and a theater. What inspired the video concept, and what was it like on set?
Kate Ruthenbeck, the director, was the mastermind behind the concept for the video. I always think of music video treatments as a co-write. They write what they wanna see from my lyrics. Also, female directors are my favorite. 

We’re so excited for your sophomore album, The Girl Has a Dream, to release on June 30th! Is there a certain song you’re most excited for fans to hear?
I released a video, voice memo a while back of my favorite song on the album, ‘everything you need to know about me today,’ before I even decided to put it on the album. I am most excited for fans of that song to finally have it available for them to stream.

Which song on The Girl Has a Dream means the most to you and why?
Probably ‘everything you need to know about me today.’ It is the most vulnerable and genuine song I’ve ever written. I wrote it all by myself and recorded it myself. It has no structure and is basically 15 verses and I love every minute of it.

Inspired by the album title, what’s a dream you have that you’re hoping to reach this year?
I guess a dream I have is the album finding the right people. Someone who really needs it. I don’t even care about the amount of people. I just hope it really connects with someone out there.

Something that strikes us about the songs on The Girl Has a Dream, especially songs like ‘Man on the Moon,’ is how beautifully personal they are. Do you find it hard to be vulnerable in your music, or is it therapeutic for you?
I grew up writing as a way to heal and deal with my emotions so being vulnerable is the only way I know how to write. It is probably why I hardly ever write bops for myself haha!

You’ve said that there are two halves to this record, one that “feels like the dreamer” and some that’s “giving up on the dream.” When you feel like giving up on something, what helps you to get your spark back?
Sometimes all I need to do is take a step back from music when my relationship gets complicated with it. Usually traveling or doing something else I enjoy reinvigorates me and I find that spark of inspiration again and the need to pick up a guitar and say something true.

You started working on The Girl Has a Dream during the pandemic with Ido Zmishlany in upstate New York, which must have been such a unique experience! Did the album or direction change at all once quarantines started lifting and the world started going back to normal?
We wrote that album under total lockdown which was definitely an experience haha. I would say that more than anything some hardships came along in my personal life that really broke me and I almost scrapped the album we made in Hunter completely. As time passed, I found myself writing more music which eventually felt like a part of the album I started and almost gave up on. I’m glad I didn’t.

In addition to your own music, you have writing credits on some of our all-time favorite songs, including Halsey’s ‘Without Me,’ Dove Cameron’s ‘Boyfriend,’ and TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s ‘Our Summer!’  How does your approach to your own work differ from how you approach writing with/for other artists?
It’s not musically different. My favorite way of collaborating with anyone is getting to the heart and getting really vulnerable. Whether it be super specifically about me or relating to someone and us telling a joint story, it’s all super personal to me.

How do you feel you’ve grown as an artist since releasing your debut album, Black Coffee, in 2020?
When I wrote Black Coffee, I had never released music as an artist before so I tried really hard to not get in my head about chasing a certain sound or making something for someone else. I feel like. that’s growth.

What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2023?
I already have so much more music I can’t wait to release!

So she just gave us a full album and there’s still more?! What’s not to love about Delacey? We know we’ll have The Girl Has A Dream on repeat all summer and we can’t wait to dive deeper into this record. Thank you so much to Delacey for answering our questions about the project!

And if you’re in LA, you can catch Delacey’s album release show on July 18th! Get more details right here, you know you don’t wanna miss this.

Now we have some questions for you! What’s your favorite track from The Girl Has A Dream? Is there a certain song you’d love to see a music video for? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DELACEY:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE