Debut Album, Dance Without Me, Released February 14, 2020
DRAMA released their brilliant debut album Dance Without Me this Friday, February 14 via Ghostly International.
The Chicago-based duo is the multicultural collaboration between producer Na’el Shehade’s chic Chicago house-infused production style, and vocalist Via Rosa whose soulful delivery is inspired by the improvisational nature of jazz and playful patterns of hip-hop and bossa nova. The duo play to the complementary dynamics of their unlikely pairing by blurring the lines between R&B and dance-pop, heartbreak and bliss.
Dance Without Me is a refined collection that recasts romantic tragedy as moonlit self-acceptance, as heard on singles “Years,” “Hold On,” “Gimme Gimme,” and “Nine One One.” It’s a remarkably refined album for a young band, with Rosa’s lyrical candor creating expressionistic narratives about interpersonal intricacies all finessed for the club by Shehade. As a lyricist, Rosa takes her blues and makes them vibrant — rather than wallow alone. There is lush lovelorn affliction blended into the tracks on Dance Without Me.
Since a chance meeting in 2014 lead to the creation of DRAMA, the Chicago-based duo has bootstrapped a subtle rise on their own terms, self-releasing several EPs and mapping multiple tours with Midwestern grit. Rosa & Na’el will kick off their headline North American tour later this month. See dates below and be sure to see them for a taste of their gorgeous new music.
Drama North American Tour
02.26 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
02.27 – San Diego, CA @ Music Box
02.28 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room SOLD OUT
02.29 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom SOLD OUT
03.01 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
03.02 – San Francisco, CA @ Amoeba (DJ Set + Signing only)
03.03 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent SOLD OUT
03.04 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent SOLD OUT
03.06 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
03.07 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
03.18 – Detroit, MI @ Marble Bar
03.19 – Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground
03.20 – Montréal, QC @ Le Ministère
03.21 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott
03.22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03.26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg SOLD OUT
03.27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
03.28 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
04.03 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
04.28 – Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5
04.30 – Dallas, TX @ Three Links SOLD OUT
05.01 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
05.02 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda SOLD OUT
Drop us a line at [email protected] with your live music news or live show review.
