Davia Schendel, a singer, songwriter and bassist, has released her latest offering– a nostalgic love ballad titled “Dream of 1988.” Featuring Angeleno artist Max Havas on guest vocals and Oakland-based jazz magnate Phillip Greenlief on sax, Schendel’s nostalgic lyrics fuse with a lush neo-jazz arrangement incorporating themes of a budding love affair. An homage to the sophisto-pop genre of the mid to late 80s, “Dream of 1988” is Schendel’s most ambitious offering yet, showcasing her production and aesthetic skills. In addition to her vocal offerings, Schendel also plays electric guitar, electric bass, synthesizers and additional drum programming on the track, with arrangement support from both Havas and Greenlief.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hello Davia Schendel. What strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
Why, hello there. I think my best, or more so, most efficient quality as a musician is my insatiable curiosity- and a desire to create a distinct atmosphere. I don’t know if obsession is a strength, but I become immersed in the worlds I create for the songs and that allows me to create more intensely. I love escapism. Not to get too esoteric, but I see music as an essential element for day to day existence. It’s a key aspect of how we process life, as chaotic as it is. So that’s what I implement in my practice.
What is your dream project?
I have an endless list of dream projects- release concept albums, score films, write a jazz suite or symphonic piece. I would love to write with my favorite musicians. I think the dream project that is highest on the list is getting the new album out. I’ve been developing the material for almost 3 years and I’m excited to really solidify the body of work that has been circulating for this period.
Your latest track is 'Dream of 1988 (feat. Max Havas)'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
It was born through a bass line. In early 2021 I was participating in She Shreds’ 1 Riff A Day challenge (where you have to post a riff every single day online for a whole month). At the time, the psychological climate for the entire world was incredibly tense -not too different nowadays, but-we were in another intense surge. Present day doom-scrolling was really taking its toll on me and I decided to just lean into my retro-obsessive tendencies by looking at media and art from the past. I was seeking a lot of therapeutic solace through playing music and creating these short videos as we were all housebound to a certain degree.
I also was escaping the day to day isolation by watching a lot of Miami Vice, listening to Herb Albert’s album Keep Your Eye On Me which was produced by Jam & Lewis; to late ‘80s Sade, as well as Duran Duran’s Notorious album which was produced by Nile Rodgers. Visually, I was studying nightlife pictures of New York in the 80s as well as looking at photographs by Nan Goldin. Sign o’ the Times by Prince was on heavy rotation as well, particularly the expanded version that was released in 2020 with the b-sides and alternate takes. You can hear all those influences quite clearly in Dream of 1988.
My life was far from glamorous at the time and I was just breathing in this curated sophisto-pop fantasy– walking to the grocery store or wherever in my vintage leather trench in the wintertime and trying to seek some inspiration. So I sat down after walking around the city one night and wanted to exhale this cabin fever through my bass guitar- just calm myself down. I laid down a synth part with a simple Linndrum pattern, and preset a rolling filter on the bass to give it a more dreamy feel and away I went. I kept going back to that initial demo and felt really pulled to put lyrics to it and just created this narrative about someone who is incredibly anxious about mundane life but is escapist and seeking divine romantic love- even if it’s just a fantasy.
And after a couple of sessions, I really was excited about the potential of the song itself and how it felt like a real expression of my inner escapist world at the time. After months of mixing and expanding the arrangement, Phillip Greenlief came in early 2022 and added that iconic sax part, and with that very ‘80s element the song felt spiritually whole.
How was the cooperation with Max Havas? Do you plan to continue it?
Collaborating with Max was in the works for some time. He had remastered my track “Helena Lives In Her Mind” in 2021 and I knew that soon enough we were due to actually do a song together.
I felt that Dream of 1988 needed another voice on the second verse-and instantly thought of Max. He has a timbre and vocal style that really grabs your attention- a gorgeous sensibility of phrasing. He sent me the vocal files which he recorded separately after listening to the demo and I mixed them in the session afterwards. Then we met a few months later in 2021 and added the shouts together; his clever idea, to add some well-needed verve in the dreamy arrangement.
And of course- it would be an honor to collaborate with him again. He’s creating new music for 2023 so I encourage everyone reading this to go follow him and listen to his work.
What is the most surprising fact you’ve learnt about yourself?
There are so many to name. There’s definitely a duality in me- a strange boldness that bursts out once in a while hidden by a shroud of timidity and cerebral distance. I’m not extremely impulsive- I like to make calculated decisions but nowadays I find that making decisions that revolve around my art are the only moments where I can take the most risks. So I am quite surprised that I am still pushing my own musical envelope, if you will. The moment I think I have myself figured out, something new pops up. And the cycle of getting to know myself begins all over again.
What do you dislike about your work?
The fact that I can’t physically be in multiple places at once- so many of my friends who are musicians and artists live all over the world- a “good” problem I suppose! The internet is there and creates the illusion of connectivity when really, the physical distance is massive. When you say goodbye to someone, it feels heavier nowadays. I was touring on and off for most of 2022 which was really a breath of fresh air after not traveling anywhere for two years- and got to see people I hadn’t seen in ages, which gave me a lot of joy. So if there comes a time when we could all be in one place, recording and collaborating, I will be supremely content, but that is a fantasy. Hopefully the fantasy can come true, through? I’m always idealistic.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
Thank you, thank you and thank you again for listening and thank you for joining this journey. Wherever you found me, I’m glad you did. Welcome, ha!
Is the artistic life lonely? What do you do to counteract it?
It depends. I think modern life, or maybe urban life in general is quite lonely. Or is it the artistic perspective that’s lonely? That’s why we create things, like a lighthouse for others to recognize so we can then feel less alone.
I keep pulling back to the internet as the main root cause but there is this real emphasis on isolation, both of the self and within your daily routine. These past few years have really made us all face ourselves in a way that I’m sure we haven’t fully processed yet- but the reason why creative collaboration are essential to healing is because it does encourage community- even if it's two or three people coming together.
One of the best way to counteract loneliness is to not be afraid of your own company- in all its idiosyncrasies. Sounds counterproductive, I know.
Music keeps me company as well; Writing songs is really the way I process my emotions that are hard to bring up in common conversation- I’m at dinner and start waffling about philosophy or existentialism and my friends are like “Davia, that’s enough.” (laughs) So I put those thoughts into songs and it’s a privilege that people want to listen to the result.
What do you think is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen or experienced?
Wow.
Here we go, I’m going to get esoteric again. I’ve seen a lot of resilience in the world recently and there is beauty in that. Life is not easy right now and I’m so happy we have art and music to turn to when there’s nowhere else to escape. I’ve been to a lot of concerts recently and those experiences have been beautiful rituals of catharsis with hundreds of other people. I think those concerts this year have been surreal yet grounding re-calibrations and my soul has healed thanks to them. When an artist or a musician is in their element, giving their all onstage– that is beauty to me.
What are your plans for the future?
Oh my. In short, to release more music, collaborate more, make art, and tour again. If I am staying creative and evolving, that is all I need to be doing.