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
Her
Daya Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In his bedroom
Hear her voice when he asks if I like it like that
And it's all doomed
He looks so proud like the only thing I faked is a smile (hmm)
I entertain him, haven't felt anything for a while
Guess she won, thought I'd be fine if my heart's not in it
Without thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her (her, her)
He's in me, but I'm thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her, her (her, her, her)
Wondering why you showed me how good it could be
That was so cruel
When you lie on your back are you thinking of me?
How we used to
Go on a drive until you'd run out of your cigarettes
To find a dive bar that we haven't ruined yet
Guess she won, thought I'd be fine if my heart's not in it
Just this once, can I have fun for one goddamn minute?
Without thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her (her, her, her)
He's in me, but I'm thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her, her
And the perfume on your pillow, it's addictive
It's got me sleeping on your side
A different high
And I'm searching for your shadow with the lights out
When I wake up in the dead of night
Now I'm paralyzed
Because I'm thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her, her
Because I'm thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her, her
Can't stop thinking of her, ooh
Can't stop thinking of her, her
In the dead of night hold my pillow tight
'Cause you're out of sight but not out of mind (can't stop thinking of her)
Do you miss my hands wrapped around your waist?
Do you picture me when she's at your place? (Ooh)
And the worst of all is I missed your call
And I'm all alone feeling vulnerable (can't stop thinking of her)
Now you won't pick up
The lyrics to Daya's song "Her" capture the feelings of a person who is struggling to forget about their past relationship with a woman, while trying to engage in a new relationship with a man. The song highlights the frustration of trying to move on while constantly being reminded of the person you are trying to forget, as well as the feeling of being emotionally paralyzed. The song portrays the guilt and emotional turmoil that comes with the realization that one's heart is not fully invested in the new relationship. Additionally, the lyrics allude to the difficulty of accepting that someone else has won the affection of the person you used to love. The lyrics are written with raw emotions, capturing the conflicting thoughts and feelings that arise when someone is torn between two romantic relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
See her face in my head when I lie on my back
I cannot help but think of the person I am missing when I am in bed and try to sleep.
Hear her voice when he asks if I like it like that
Even though I am with someone else, I cannot stop associating their words and actions with the one I am missing.
He looks so proud like the only thing I faked is a smile (hmm)
The person I am with assumes they are doing a good job, but I am pretending to enjoy it when I really feel nothing at all.
I entertain him, haven't felt anything for a while
I am going through the motions of a relationship, but my heart is not in it.
Guess she won, thought I'd be fine if my heart's not in it
I thought that being with someone else would help me move on from the person I am missing, but it has not worked.
Just this once, can I have fun for one goddamn minute?
I wish I could enjoy myself without constantly thinking about the person I am missing.
Without thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her (her, her)
I wish I could enjoy myself without thinking about the person I am missing, but it seems impossible.
He's in me, but I'm thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her, her (her, her, her)
I am with someone else, but my heart and mind are still with the person I am missing.
Wondering why you showed me how good it could be
I am questioning why the person I am missing showed me such an amazing time when it has only caused me pain and longing.
That was so cruel
I feel hurt by the memories of the person I am missing because they only make me miss them more.
Go on a drive until you'd run out of your cigarettes
The person I am missing and I used to spend time together in a simple, yet meaningful way such as taking a drive to find new places.
To find a dive bar that we haven't ruined yet
We would explore new areas and try new things, but now those memories are bittersweet because we cannot continue to make new ones.
And the perfume on your pillow, it's addictive
I am drawn to the scent of the person I am missing and it makes it hard to move on.
It's got me sleeping on your side
Sometimes I find myself sleeping on the side of the bed where the person I am missing used to sleep because it feels like they are still there.
And I'm searching for your shadow with the lights out
I am trying to hold onto any memory of the person I am missing even if it is just their shadow.
When I wake up in the dead of night
My thoughts of the person I am missing are so consuming that they wake me up in the middle of the night.
Now I'm paralyzed
I am unable to move forward because I cannot stop thinking about the person I am missing.
Can't stop thinking of her, ooh
No matter how hard I try, I cannot stop thinking about the person I am missing.
In the dead of night hold my pillow tight
I clutch my pillow tightly at night when I am missing the person I love.
'Cause you're out of sight but not out of mind (can't stop thinking of her)
Even though I cannot see the person I am missing, they are still on my mind constantly.
Do you miss my hands wrapped around your waist?
I wonder if the person I am missing longs for my touch as much as I long for theirs.
Do you picture me when she's at your place? (Ooh)
I hope that the person I am missing still thinks of me even though they are with someone else.
And the worst of all is I missed your call
I feel sad knowing that I missed a call from the person I am missing and cannot talk to them.
And I'm all alone feeling vulnerable (can't stop thinking of her)
My thoughts of the person I am missing leave me feeling lonely and exposed.
Now you won't pick up
I am left feeling even more lost and alone because the person I am missing is not answering my calls.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Grace Tandon, Katie Taylor, Oscar Scheller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@maria-lauragonnissen9865
See her face in my head when I lie on my back
In his bedroom
Hear her voice when he asks if I like it like that
And it’s all doomed
He looks so proud like the only thing I faked is a smile
I entertain him, haven’t felt anything for a while
Guess she won, thought I’d be fine if my heart’s not in it
Just this once, can I have fun for one goddamn minute
Without thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her
He’s in me, but I’m thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her
Wondering why you showed me how good it could be
That was so cruel
When you lie on your back are you thinking of me
How we used to
Go on a drive until you’d run out of your cigarettes
To find a dive bar that we haven’t ruined yet
Guess she won, thought I’d be fine if my heart’s not in it
Just this once, can I have fun for one goddamn minute
Without thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her
He’s in me, but I’m thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her
And the perfume on your pillow, it’s addictive
It’s got me sleeping on your side
A different high
And I’m searching for your shadow with the lights out
When I wake up in the dead of night
Now I’m paralyzed
Because I’m thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her
Because I’m thinking of her, thinking of her, thinking of her
Can’t stop thinking of her, ooh
Can’t stop thinking of her, her
In the dead of night hold my pillow tight
Cause you’re out of sight but not out of mind (can’t stop thinking of her)
Do you miss my hands wrapped around your waist
Do you picture me when she’s at your place (ooh)
And the worst of all is I missed your call
And I’m all alone feeling vulnerable (can’t stop thinking of her)
Now you won’t pick up…
@willbunnell889
That mood change half way through is EVERYTHING! Love it!!!
@hayleyd6467
Love a good change up!
@XoTeera
Daya deserves more top ten hits she's an underrated pop artist.
@placeboby3racha
Another bop from Daya 😭🤚🏽
@alfredstewart9895
Everytime I hear something new from Daya, I realise why I am a fan...
@zoahxiong9914
I really like this track. The percussion is spot on 80s New wave!
@danniefarmer7641
had the honor of interviewing her last year. so down to earth. what a talent!
@ayannajasper3463
Iv been such a huge fan since I was 6 I’m now 13 and your music still continues to inspire and help me every day ilysm!! ❤️❤️❤️
@rossmcguire3891
Qqq
@abiabi5996
Te amo eres la mejor, mereces mas reconociminto. 🇲🇽