INTRODUCING: NATHAN DAISY

Formerly known as JAW of acclaimed trio dOP, Nathan Daisy is stepping into a very different kind of spotlight with his debut solo album LIFE XI — a record shaped by sobriety, self-alignment and a long, slow reckoning with who he is when the noise falls away. Built with Ukrainian producer Taras Bazeev across five to six years, the album trades club-world chaos for something more intimate and introspective, unfolding through dark pop, cinematic electronics and songs about ego, boundaries, responsibility and learning how to be alone without feeling lost in it.

New single ‘TROUBLE MAKER’ sharpens that world even further, pairing trip-hop-leaning textures with a message of humility, self-protection and calm detachment. Ahead of the release of LIFE XI, we caught up with Nathan Daisy to talk about sobriety, self-respect, the shift away from his past identity, and why this album feels like the first life where he’s finally in a relationship with himself.

You describe LIFE XI as “the first life where I’m in a relationship with myself.” What did learning to be comfortable in your own company teach you that years of external success couldn’t?

It’s not really about external success. It’s more about the fact that, for most of my life, I was always in relationships or looking to be in love because I felt I needed it. Even when I genuinely fell in love, I wasn’t always ready for it. I still had a lot of work to do on myself.

Maybe I learned it a bit late, but I eventually understood that if I wanted a healthy relationship with someone else, I first needed to build a healthy relationship with myself.

Today, I don’t feel that need anymore. I’m not looking for someone to complete me or save me. Things happen naturally now, in a much healthier way. LIFE XI is the first life where I’m truly taking care of myself—getting sober, learning self-respect, and loving myself enough to be able to love someone else properly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9Dyl0dPsHw

Sobriety appears to have played a significant role in the creation of this album. How has removing the noise changed the way you create, connect with people, and understand yourself as an artist?

Sobriety didn’t really change my creative process. I never relied on drugs or alcohol to write music or be creative. Where it changed everything was on stage.

For many years, alcohol was part of the connection between me and the audience. I was drinking, the crowd was drinking, and there was this wild energy that felt natural at the time. When I stopped, I had to learn how to reconnect with people without that shortcut.

It took about a year before I felt fully comfortable again. Today, I’m more present. The shows are probably less chaotic than they used to be, but they’re more honest. I sing better, I’m there from beginning to end, and the connection feels real.

Throughout LIFE XI, there are recurring themes of accountability, boundaries, and self-acceptance. Was there a particular moment during the making of the record where you realized you were becoming a different person?

Yes and no.

I started writing this album during COVID, and at that time I was still drinking and using drugs. So part of the album comes from that version of myself. The transformation didn’t happen overnight—it took years.

The real breaking point came in 2023. I went through a deep depression and hit rock bottom. Interestingly, that was also the period when I stopped creating altogether. I wasn’t writing songs. I wasn’t making art.

Then, in 2024 and 2025, we finished the album. Looking back, I can clearly see that I’m a different person now than when I started writing it. LIFE XI became a document of that transition.

Before Nathan Daisy, many listeners knew you as Joe from dOP and your collaborations within the electronic music world. Did stepping away from that identity feel liberating, intimidating, or a bit of both?

Definitely not intimidating.

It felt liberating because I’ve always loved many different kinds of music. I spent more than twenty years singing on house and electronic records, which I’m incredibly grateful for, but I also had this desire to explore slower, more intimate music.

Nathan Daisy gave me the freedom to do that. I didn’t feel like I was leaving something behind—I felt like I was opening another door. I’m having a lot of fun with it.

You described the album as “a record about the feeling of one human from a generation that learned to feel before the noise and had to learn all over again after it.” What do you think our generation has forgotten about genuinely connecting with ourselves and each other?

I’m not sure we’ve completely forgotten.

Sometimes people talk about technology and social media as if they’ve destroyed human connection, but when I look at younger generations, I actually see a huge desire for real connection. I see curiosity. I see people wanting meaningful experiences and wanting to understand themselves.

The tools we’ve been given can be used in many ways. You can create something beautiful with them, or you can create noise. A lot depends on education, awareness, and intention.

What I know for sure is that spirituality completely changed the way I experience life on a daily basis. It changed how I see myself, how I see other people, and how I navigate the world. In many ways, LIFE XI is simply the reflection of that journey.