DALIA CONFRONTS THE FEAR OF BECOMING WHAT WE KNOW ON HAUNTING NEW SINGLE ‘WHAT IF I LOOK UP?’
Spanish-born, London-based indie-pop artist explores the lasting scars of childhood trauma on hazy, shoegaze-tinged new release.
Out now via APOLLO Distribution | Forthcoming project due January
Spanish-born, London-based alternative pop artist Dalia turns inward on her haunting new single ‘what if i look up?’, out now via APOLLO Distribution. A deeply personal exploration of childhood trauma, inherited fear and the unsettling possibility of becoming the very person who once hurt you, the track offers another glimpse into her forthcoming project, due in January.
Built around a question that cuts straight to the bone — “What if I look up and look like you?” — the single confronts the emotional fallout of witnessing domestic abuse as a child. Caught between love and fear, Dalia grapples with the lasting imprint of those experiences, questioning whether the things we witness ultimately become part of who we are.
Sonically, ‘what if i look up?’ unfolds in a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere before erupting into crashing drums and jagged electronic guitar. Drawing on the eerie dream-pop textures of Beach House, The Marías and Cults, Dalia creates a soundscape that feels both suspended and volatile, with its increasingly abrasive edges mirroring the emotional tension at the heart of the track.
Speaking about the single, Dalia explains: “’What if I look up?’ is about witnessing domestic abuse as a child and the fear of becoming like the person who caused it. The song captures the confusion of loving and fearing someone at the same time, and the lasting impact of seeing someone you’re supposed to feel safe with become someone you’re afraid of. At the heart of it is the question, ‘What if I look up and look like you?’ — a fear of carrying those same traits into my own life.”
The release arrives as Dalia continues to build an increasingly intimate and emotionally charged musical world. Her forthcoming project draws together reflections on childhood, family dynamics, memory and identity, transforming difficult personal histories into immersive, synth-led alternative pop. Rather than offering easy answers, her music sits in the uncomfortable spaces between vulnerability and resilience.
That growing momentum is already attracting industry attention. Last month, Dalia was selected for Spotify’s Fresh Finds Forward, the platform’s global artist development programme championing emerging independent talent. Her previous single ‘Samsara’ reached No. 1 on Spotify’s Our Generation playlist and landed on New Music Friday, while ‘Colour (of my Father)’ further opened up the narrative behind her upcoming project.
A LIPA graduate, Dalia has also performed at The Great Escape and Also Festival, supported artists including Isabel van Gelder and Nxdia, and received BBC Radio 1 Introducing support. With a sound that marries cinematic atmosphere to unflinching emotional honesty, she continues to carve out a space where softness meets strength — and where the past refuses to stay buried.
‘what if i look up?’ is out now via APOLLO Distribution.
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