Born to a jazz pianist and retail-clerk, the Amsterdam based Elif Dame (meaning she who brings light) started practicing her creativity at a young age. Having her musical interests initially sparked by the likes of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and the gospel genre, it would greatly expand and shift through the realms of countless genres throughout the years. By writing her first songs to beat tapes of MF DOOM, J Dilla and Madlib and experimenting with different sounds, Dame gradually allowed her sound to develop into an eclectic form of alternative R&B through which she touches on topics such as her battles with depression and anxiety, insecure attachment and relationship issues, trauma, family drama and addiction.
After releasing a slew of singles from 2020 – 2021, it became clear to her that her lifelong battle against depression in combination with the pressure to consistently put out new work had taken away the joy she previously felt in releasing and thus decided to go on a long overdue self-care hiatus. In the year that followed, the artist committed herself to prioritizing her own mental health – all while documenting the process.
The result of that hiatus is her upcoming EP, Securely Detached. The release showcases the artist’s journey of learning to take back her own life, differentiate her own feelings from the feelings of her surroundings and also about learning to focus on herself instead of pre-occupying her mind with making other people happy and comfortable. Dame confides, “It’s about reframing my co-dependent relationships and about my time on the waitlist to get mental health care. It’s about the important process of learning what it means to put yourself first.”
The EP kicked off with the release of “Celexa (Buy Me Time)” where Dame opened up about hitting rock bottom and weighing up the options of going on medication. Now, the songwriter continues with part two of her story, with her latest single “Killing It” which specifically focuses on letting go and starting to feel the benefits of medication, all whilst having doubts about being on the precipice of another manic episode. Sonically, “Killing It” features warm, honey-soaked vocals, vibey beats from fellow Amsterdam artist GANZ, and hypnotic melodies which create an all-encompassing atmosphere.
Having garnered nearly half a million streams for her debut single, Elif Dame is heading in the right direction, with Securely Detached set to take her to new heights, as she connects with listeners around the world with her beautifully honest and vulnerable music.
