Coming off of their brand new single “Tug” released today, New York natives Da Pop took the time to speak to Beyond the Stage (BTS) about their new single, collaboration with Jovian, and artistic inspirations.
BTS: Can you all introduce yourselves?
DP: Hey! We’re Da Pop. We’re a three-piece collaborative, consisting of Roberto Hidalgo, Jesse Serrano, and Robert Marcello. All of us are based out of NYC, and Da Pop began in the indie rock scene.
BTS: How was the name Da Pop created?
DP: So the name Da Pop is actually a Russian phrase. When translated it means “Yes, Dad.” The choice came from a mutual friend of Russian descent. Whenever he’d pick up any of his dad’s calls, “Da Pop” would be the first thing he’d say. Kind of a silly story, but we wanted to make sure that our name reflected our light-heartedness!
BTS: What made you all want to get into music?
DP: Well for Roberto and me (Robert), music was just another hobby we’d take up after highschool. We touched upon many hobbies together but I guess we were always looking for something that would allow us to gain a sense of enjoyment. We discovered music because there were some guitars lying around Robert’s house, and neither of us knew how to play. The guitar playing started from there, and we’ve stuck to it. Jesse on the other hand, has grown up with musical exposure and experiences. It turned out he was a beautiful fit for the band and he’s been our glue helping to bind us and our songs through his intellect and talent.
BTS: What was the inspiration for your single “Tug?”
DP: “Tug” was inspired by our love for r&b and is reflective of us wanting to be/becoming a multi-genre band. More specifically, “Tug” is inspired by the alternative r&b sounds that Brent Faiyaz is making.
BTS: In the era of Covid, what was the production process like?
DP: During the lockdown, we did our best to continue creating with each other. We are all pretty tech-savvy, and from our online communication, we were able to send files back and forth and even release a song. However, it was hard not meeting for a while, but through this unique experience what came out of it was the development of a new sound and the evolution of our music.
BTS: From your other 2021 single “Wait” that additionally features Jovian, how do the sounds compare to “Tug” and is there anything that “wait” taught you when producing “Tug?”
DP: “Wait” was our first release that really was representative of the alternative r&b sound, although “Tug” was written first. The two songs do sound similar as far as fitting a genre would go. Throughout producing this track, we learned the amazing sounds of 808s and all they’re capable of!
BTS: How did you all meet Jovian?
DP: So I’m (Robert), the common link between us. I knew Jovian through my sister because they were good friends. But for a long time, our friendship consisted of us hanging out every day over Xbox before meeting! We’d actually lose connection for years before we’d rekindle. It wasn’t until Da pop started releasing some songs in which we both had a similarity in making music and would start sharing our songs.
BTS: What has been a gift unexpectedly given to you in 2020?
DP: In 2020 we had spent a lot of time in solitude, but out of that came a curiosity and eagerness to experiment. As we mentioned before, 2020 has allowed us to find inspiration and motivation for moving forward with our sound.
BTS: What does 2021 have in store for you?
DP: In 2021 we have a few releases planned for the upcoming months and are eager to move forward with that. We hope to reach more people and spread good feels!
Stream “Tug” below
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