Unveiling the Heartfelt Melodies of DACY: Their Journey of Honest Storytelling and Captivating Rhythms
Photographs by Elytssara
Melbourne’s very own brother and sister duo, DACY, is eliciting excitement in hearts and inspiring rhythmic movement in bodies with their recent releases ‘Don’t You Think It’s Funny’ and ‘She Wants To Be Loved.’
But their journey is only just beginning, as they excitedly sat down with Unraveled Edit’s Courtney Moane to discuss the release of their self-titled debut EP set to release on October 6 and the release of their newest single ‘Alone’ set to debut on August 24.
At the heart of DACY’s EP lies their first single from the EP ‘Alone’ a poignant and evocative track that delves deep into the complexities of new relationships and the uncertainty that comes with it.
‘Alone’ offers listeners the chance to immerse themselves in the whirlwind emotions that accompany the initial stages of falling in love. Behind the creation of ‘Alone’ is a story of chance and introspection, as Ruby, one half of the talented duo recalls, “It was a bit of a funny story how this [song] started, it was one of my best mates birthday and her partner at the time had COVID.”
“So he called me and he was like ‘Oh my god, it’s Rachel’s birthday, I really want to get her flowers but I can’t leave the house.” “He asked me if I could go get some flowers and then drop them at her house and make it look like he had organised it all and I said of course.” “So I got to the florist early [before] they had opened, and I was just sitting in my car and thought ‘Oh my god, I’m so single!”
The song’s inception was an unplanned moment of reflection, with Ruby penning the chorus lyrics ‘I’ve been so alone that don’t know how to be with somebody,’ while waiting for the florist to open.
This fleeting thought then in turn laid the foundation for the song’s theme. The bedrock of DACY’s music is their storytelling and honesty, virtues deeply ingrained in their upbringing.
As Jack explains they grew up listening to the likes of Joni Mitchell and The Beatles, and their dad has had lyrics of their songs printed out on the walls of their family home throughout the two’s lives. “From playing all the greatest sing-along songs [in pubs], we started to learn, okay, that’s what it feels like to play a really great sing-along song for a crowd.”
The duo’s musical influences span the gamut from classic legends like The Beatles and Joni Mitchell to contemporary icons like Ed Sheeran and John Mayer, and this eclectic blend of inspirations infuses a distinct flavour into DACY’s very own sound and songwriting style.
The evolution of their music parallels the ebb and flow of Jack and Ruby’s lives itself. The duo recollected their original version of their recent single ‘Don’t You Think It’s Funny’ was very acoustic sounding and how Jack had been trying to sound like DMA’s frontman Tommy O’Dell. The original demo of ‘Don’t You Think It’s Funny’ found inspiration from the DMA’s hit song ‘Delete.’ “It was one of those songs we were playing live a lot, and as it did have quite a simple melody, everyone would really sing along at gigs in the chorus” Ruby recalls. “We were listening to a lot of The Cure at the time and I went to Jack and suggested we speed it up a little bit and then I said ‘Jack, I wanna try something, can I sing it?”
Jack affirmed that it was one of the songs that unfortunately got put to the side a little bit after it was written and how the duo kept coming back to it at gigs. “Ruby had said how much she liked it and we thought ‘Oh maybe we should try this a different way.” This time, Ruby took lead vocals and they decided to add drums for a bit of groove and it grew to the studio version available now. Ruby recalled that after going on tour with Pete Murray in 2022, Murray had heard them play ‘Don’t You Think It’s Funny’ in their setlist and immediately expressed “This song needs to be the next single, I love that song.”
And when Pete Murray tells you to do something, you do it!
DACY’s choice to embark on a serious musical career was profoundly shaped by a serendipitous encounter with Ed Sheeran. His warmth, generosity, and approach to songwriting left an indelible imprint on the duo at the time, especially Jack. “He’s like my main man,” Jack affirms, “He always says ‘write as many songs as you can, do as many gigs as you can, and be nice to people’ and his mantra has kinda become our thing.”
As DACY’s musical journey continues to unfold, it becomes increasingly apparent that their path is one of capturing life’s intricacies and sharing them with the world. Rooted in authentic storytelling and a willingness to embrace vulnerability, DACY’s unique blend of influences spanning eras is poised to establish a distinctive presence in the music industry.
And in turn, their debut EP promises to be a melodic expedition that resonates deeply with both hearts and souls, inviting listeners to join them in exploring the truths surrounding love, vulnerability, the beauty of human connection, and of course a little groove on the dance floor.