Born Grace Martine Tandon -- "daya" is the Hindi word for "grace" in a nod to her Indian grandfather -- and raised in the Pittsburgh suburb of Mount Lebanon, she began taking piano lessons at the age of three, and moved on to voice lessons at the age of ten. Songwriting came later, and in 2014 she signed with the Z-Entertainment label based on her demos. A year later, her single "Hide Away" took off thanks to early online support, becoming a hit across the globe and receiving multi-platinum certification. In 2015, Daya issued her debut self-titled EP on Artbeatz. Both "Hide Away" and the follow-up, double-platinum single "Sit Still, Look Pretty" rose to the Top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100, with a number 14 debut on the Heatseekers chart. She later contributed vocals to the Chainsmokers' enduring 2016 smash "Don't Let Me Down" (which went on to win the Grammy for Best Dance Recording). Daya's debut, Sit Still, Look Pretty, was released later that year. The album peaked in the Top 40 in the U.S. and Canada, and was eventually certified gold in the U.S. and silver in the U.K.
In 2017, she appeared on the Gryffin and Illenium track "Feel Good," later releasing her own singles "Safe" and "New," the latter of which became a modest hit in the U.S. and Australia. This marked the start of a multi-year period of standalone single, collaboration, and EP releases. Of the dozen or so fresh tracks that she would release at the turn of the decade, 2019's electronic-dance bop "Insomnia," "Wanted" with NOTD, and "Keeping It in the Dark" from the 13 Reasons Why soundtrack made dents on international charts and streaming services. In 2021, she issued her second EP, The Difference, which included the electro-pop banger "First Time" and the Charlie Puth-assisted hit "Bad Girl." Also that year, she delivered the non-album single, "What If I Told You," and "Evil" from the Blade Runner: Black Lotus anime soundtrack. Another single, the sultry and dance-oriented "Love You When You're Gone," arrived in June 2022 as the first track off her third EP, In Between Dreams. In 2023, Daya revealed that she had become a fully independent artist, gaining control over her sound and image. That year, she began a steady rollout of singles, dropping one every few weeks, starting with June's trip-hop-leaning "Juliene." ~ Neil Z. Yeung
First Time
Daya Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You make my blood rush in like waves with a single touch
We're layin' skin-to-skin, but I can't pull you close enough
So voracious, take me to places
Feeling like the feeling like the first time
Big wide eyes like girls on molly
I could do it, I could do it all night
We could do it, we could do it
Stay up on the way up never wake up
And baby, if we ever start to come down
Let's do it how we did it for the first time, first time
First time
First time
First time
Do it how we did it for the
First time
First time
First time
Like when we drank until our lips met on the couch
Doesn't feel the same when I'm holding your body now
Still you're only thing I know I'm really sure about
I know things are changing, but I wanna save this
Feeling like the feeling like the first time
Big wide eyes like girls on molly
I could do it, I could do it all night
Body melts into your body
We could do it, we could do it
Stay up on the way up never wake up
And baby, if we ever start to come down
Let's do it how we did it for the first time, first time
First time
First time
First time
Do it how we did it for the
First time
First time
First time
I want it, I want it
I need it, I need it
The feeling of knowing you're all mine
I want it, I want it
So I'll chase it, I'll chase it
The feeling we had on that first night
Feeling like the feeling like the first time
Big wide eyes like girls on molly
I could do it, I could do it all night
Body melts into your body
We could do it, we could do it
Stay up on the way up never wake up
And baby, if we ever start to come down
Let's do it how we did it for the first time, first time
First time
First time
First time
Do it how we did it for the
First time
First time
First time
The lyrics of Daya’s song “First Time” convey the feeling of wanting to recapture the magic and passion of a first encounter with a lover. The first verse starts with the singer feeling her heartbeat skip a beat, then start racing at the touch of her lover. The lines “We’re layin’ skin-to-skin, but I can’t pull you close enough So voracious, take me to places” allude to the desire for intense physical intimacy, a craving that can’t be fully satisfied.
The second verse is nostalgic, as the singer reminisces about the first time they drank together and kissed on a couch. She acknowledges that things have changed, but she still wants to experience the same feelings and intensity they had at the beginning of their relationship. The lines “Still, you’re only thing I know I’m really sure about / I know things are changing, but I wanna save this” show that while the relationship may have evolved, the singer still values it deeply and wants to preserve its essence.
The chorus of the song is a call to recapture the feeling of the first time they were together. The lines “Feeling like the feeling like the first time / Big wide eyes like girls on molly” evoke the sensory overload and euphoria of a first experience. The repetition of “first time” throughout the chorus emphasizes the desire to relive that feeling. The phrase “Stay up on the way up never wake up” suggests that the singer wants to indulge in the passion of the moment and prolong it indefinitely.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel my heartbeat, beat, just stopped then it's speeding up
My heart is racing with both excitement and nervousness, as I am overwhelmed by my feelings for you.
You make my blood rush in like waves with a single touch
Your touch is so powerful and all-consuming that it feels like an ocean wave washing over me, making my blood race with anticipation.
We're layin' skin-to-skin, but I can't pull you close enough
Even though we are physically close, I yearn to be even closer to you, as if I want to become a part of you.
So voracious, take me to places
My desire for you is all-consuming, and I want to explore every part of you and experience everything that you have to offer.
Feeling like the feeling like the first time
The intense emotions I'm feeling are reminiscent of the euphoria and nervousness I experienced the first time we were together.
Big wide eyes like girls on molly
My eyes are wide with excitement and a sense of wonder, just like those of girls who took the drug Molly.
I could do it, I could do it all night
I am so consumed by my love and desire for you that I want to stay with you and never leave your side.
Body melts into your body
With our bodies pressed together, it feels like we become one entity, as if we are no longer separate beings but a single entity.
Stay up on the way up never wake up
I want to stay in this blissful state forever, to never have to wake up to reality and the challenges of everyday life.
And baby, if we ever start to come down
If we begin to lose the euphoria and connection we have now,
Let's do it how we did it for the first time, first time
I want to recapture the feelings and emotions we had the first time we were together, as if we were experiencing it for the first time all over again.
I want it, I want it
My desire for you is all-consuming, and I want to hold onto it forever.
I need it, I need it
I can't live without the emotions and feelings I have for you.
The feeling of knowing you're all mine
The feeling of having you all to myself, knowing that we belong to each other and no one else, is indescribably exhilarating.
So I'll chase it, I'll chase it
I am willing to pursue and hold onto the feelings and emotions I have for you at any cost.
The feeling we had on that first night
The intense emotions and connection we shared the first time we were together, are what I want to have again and again.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Grace Martine Tandon, Svante Halldin, Sara Hjellstrom, Jakob Gustaf Hazell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zeiven Music ♪
LYRICS
I feel my heartbeat, beat, just stopped then it's speeding up
You make my blood rush in like waves with a single touch
We're layin' skin-to-skin, but I can't pull you close enough
So voracious, take me to places
Feeling like the feeling like the first time
Big wide eyes like girls on molly
I could do it, I could do it all night
Body melts into your body
We could do it, we could do it
Stay up on the way up never wake up
And baby, if we ever start to come down
Let's do it how we did it for the first time, first time
First time
First time
First time
Do it how we did it for the
First time
First time
First time
Like when we drank until our lips met on the couch
Doesn't feel the same when I'm holding your body now
Still you're only thing I know I'm really sure about
I know things are changing, but I wanna save this
Feeling like the feeling like the first time
Big wide eyes like girls on molly
I could do it, I could do it all night
Body melts into your body
We could do it, we could do it
Stay up on the way up never wake up
And baby, if we ever start to come down
Let's do it how we did it for the first time, first time
First time
First time
First time
Do it how we did it for the
First time
First time
First time
I want it, I want it
I need it, I need it
The feeling of knowing you're all mine
I want it, I want it
So I'll chase it, I'll chase it
The feeling we had on that first night
Feeling like the feeling like the first time
Big wide eyes like girls on molly
I could do it, I could do it all night
Body melts into your body
We could do it, we could do it
Stay up on the way up never wake up
And baby, if we ever start to come down
Let's do it how we did it for the first time, first time
First time
First time
First time
Do it how we did it for the
First time
First time
First time
byw i'm a singer/songwriter too inspired by Lauv/Jeremy Zucker. It'd mean a hell lot if you check out my music and subscribe,bet you won't regret❤have a good day fam:)
Lee Rasheed Descallar
Daya songs never disappointed me. I'm her fan since “Hideaway”.
EPICs Enjogerere
Her fan since Insomnia 😃
werewolftaemin
same!!!
Lee Rasheed Descallar
Wow! 😮😮😮 I can't belive that I got 74 likes in my comment and if I turn the likes based on what I comment it will turn to 75. It's my first time reaching 70+ likes, tysm! 💓 ꉂꉂ😁. She never disappointed her songs if you are a big fan of daya. I admitted it.
Lukmannn.
Me since dont let me down👍
Prapti Arora
I am from dont let me down❤
Caroline Forbes
Esta chica canta maravilloso y tiene un gran talento, solamente le hace falta más apoyo
Being 24K Ishu
I'm her fan since "Sit still look pretty"💖
Bradsyee
Loved her since... <3
Larry Lorent
Same. Saw the finale concert of SSLP Tour in Pittsburgh 🖤💛🎶