ALTHOUGH Daiyan Trisha is a fairly new singer, she does not feel pressured to follow music trends.
"I have an intense passion for singing. So when I record a song, it has to be something from within, something I believe in," said the 26-year-old artiste, who is also an actress.
"If I put out a tune simply because it follows a current music trend, I am not being honest with myself. For music fans who want something different, that's where I come in."
That said, her going against the grain may be the reason for her songs not getting much airplay.
Some critics feel her approach is a little "self-absorbed" or "syok sendiri", but for Daiyan, it is all about "keeping it real".
"I'm not worried about the lack of airplay. Social media platforms and mobile apps help me promote my music.
"It's all about having the perseverance to see it through," said Daiyan, who has 1.4 million Instagram followers.
For Daiyan, it all began in 2014 when she was selected to represent Malaysia to sing The Glow anthem for Disney Channel with three other singers from Southeast Asia.
She was also chosen by Disney for its calendar version of Snow White the following year.
Daiyan was featured in Indonesian singer Calvin Jeremy's single Kita in 2018 and it resulted in her touring several Indonesian cities for radio interviews and road shows for the song.
"I'm always optimistic in everything I do. As long as I have my fans, I don't think my work should be perceived as 'syok sendiri'," she says, commenting on such criticisms.
Well, the singer is obviously dealing with all the negative comments like a professional. She knows that getting all riled up over the remarks hurled at her, especially on social media, is not the wisest thing to do.
Knowing what she wants
Daiyan's need to have creativity control makes her adamant about recording tunes of her choice.
"I prefer to write songs from the heart. I need to believe in what I do as it makes my songs convincing.
"Doing so ensures the Daiyan Trisha identity or trademark is intact," she added.
Daiyan's creativity in interior decoration has also attracted many fans on social media.
"During the stay-at-home order due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I had a lot of free time. So I turned my home into a super cosy place," said the artiste, who holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur.
Earning a degree while busy with her singing career has been a great personal achievement for Daiyan.
"My father has always been supportive of me. My mother, on the other hand, was initially concerned that I would forgo my education over singing.
"Now that I've proven to her what I am capable of, she has given me more freedom to pursue my dreams," added Daiyan, who plans to pursue a Master's degree.
Never about popularity
Daiyan insists that it is never about popularity whenever she works on a new project, be it a song or an acting role.
"I am selective when it comes to my projects, I know it's the only way for me to ensure their quality and artistic value," she said.
The music industry, she added, needs to have "more variety and colour" to catch up with other artistes on the global music scene.
"Getting satisfaction in my creative endeavours is important to me," said Daiyan, who had toured six countries last year to open for YouTube sensation Sam Tsui's Southeast Asian tour.
Last July, she released her self-penned single On My Way, which counts Omar K., Mike Chan and Faizal Tahir as co-composers.
On My Way is also an exclusive project with JOOX.
Its lyrics tell the story of an individual in search of his or her life purpose.
"I hope the song will inspire others. Don't be fooled by its English title. It's actually a Malay number and a gift for my fans," said Daiyan, who last released a Malay tune back in 2018 titled Langit.
The official music video of On My Way has been watched close to 800,000 times since its release.