Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaden Ahadi. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Dear Donna was initially a solo project by Shaden Ahadi, lead/singer, prior to February 2022 with their debut show at DBA256 in DT Pomona. The official band came to fruition in March 2022 when Valeria, bassist, told Shaden she should perform live. The band was made of mutual friends, old high school marching bandmates, Urban Outfitters co-workers, and a friend’s old Tinder match. Dear Donna consists Shaden Ahadi, Anthony Calderon, Miguel Escobar, Brandon Groenow, and Valeria Velasco. The band is based in OC/IE and is working on their debut album. Although being an official band for less than a year, they have had the privilege of playing with Spellling and Arlie.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It could be difficult at times to keep a band running. It’s not something one fully understands until one experience it as there are many moving parts to keep a path to success. Some struggles along the way include learning the ropes of live performances, sitting down and keeping to writing while acknowledging everyone’s input in the name of collaborative efforts, and maintaining consistent practice schedules even when band members hit new milestones outside of band life.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Dear Donna is a band that did not have one definitive sound prior to recent conversations. From shoegaze, singer-songwriter moments, and a groovy Farsi song, the band is gearing into a dream pop direction as its true sound. Everyone in the band has their own roles from songwriting, organizing shows, and keeping the band on a schedule; it’s really something with so many moving parts. The band is most proud of how far it’s come in a short span. Dear Donna is set apart from the others as the band is constantly pushing its sound to something that can’t be compared to the scene as they don’t try to sell into a sound that is for others, but for themselves.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something surprising that most people might not know about us is, again, how short the band has been together. Another thing was how almost everyone was basically strangers prior to the first practice in early March 2022. Although Dear Donna originated in Orange County, it has set roots in the Inland Empire as most of its members are from there. Half of the band members haven’t played music in a band before prior to Dear Donna.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deardonnamusic/
Image Credits
Joshua Perez
