Daena Jay, once an arcane writer, launched onto the Los Angeles singer-songwriter scene in 2010 after a chance encounter with producer/songwriter Bobby Hartry. That meeting eventually led to a collaboration resulting in their Emmy-nominated song ‘The Gray’ and multiple network television placements for many of their songs. Daena is strongly influenced by My Brightest Diamond, Florence & the Machine, Regina Spektor, and Kimbra.

Daena’s debut project, a 5-song EP titled ‘When The Bough Breaks’, is richly layered – painting melancholic pictures in tension with playful overtones and melodies featuring ironic tales of hope and fateful reality, set to an epic and haunting soundtrack.

Daena’s follow-up EP, SUBDIVISION, released in 2014, takes on a more aggressive and bold sound with a beat-based musicality and rhythmic vocal melodies. Lyrically, SUBDIVSION has fewer introspective and melancholy moments while capturing more visceral and primal expressions.

‘Songs For Kissing’, a collection of sweet, sad, and vibey love songs, is the perfect backdrop for all matters of heart. This collection, released in July 2015, includes two ballads – ‘The Gray’ and ‘This Is How We Love’, that were featured on CBS’s Young & The Restless. ‘The Gray’, was nominated for an Emmy – Outstanding Song, as featured on Y&R.
Songs For Kissing also has 2 vibey, chill songs called ‘Stay Forever’ and ‘The Other Side’ – which was used to launch Amuse Society’s 2015 Fall Collection in a special video presentation called Down By The Sea. And to finish it off, there are 2 live performances – one is a deeply-sad love song, called ‘On My Skin’, and the last tune is a stripped-down version of ‘What You Always Wanted’.

Originally from South Africa, this young writer with an old soul, has been shaped by many home-cities around the world that captured her spirit and imagination, including London, Durban, Cape Town, Perth, and LA. Stories of life and love and loss have made their way to Daena who writes as a true outlet of creative expression.