The name ‘Dana’ derives from the verb ‘to get closer to something’ in Arabic. It is then befitting that Jordanian-Palestinian singer Dana Salah draws traditional and contemporary sounds closer together, infusing her driven sound with Palestinian folklore, Middle Eastern influences and global rhythms.
Born and raised within Amman’s rich cultural heritage, Dana later moved to North Carolina studying at Duke University, achieving a B.S. in Economics and a B.A. in Theatre studies in 2012.
However, music was always Dana’s telos, recalling a childhood story her mum tells her: “Before I could walk or talk, my mum and auntie would have ‘The Sound Of Music’ on and right before the ‘The Lonely Goatherd’ I would freak out in my baby chair because I knew my favourite song was coming… it (love of music) was innate.”
Dana first made her mark on the New York indie-pop scene under the moniker King Deco, achieving commercial success- two viral hits and a billboard dance charter and performing for 15,000 people at a festival alongside; Diplo, Skrillex and Zhu.
The artist unveils that the journey wasn’t always easy, “duality has always been a part of me- the girl from Amman who went to Duke, and the artist who needed to break free in New York. I created King Deco to explore that side, but once I fully embraced it, I no longer needed the name.”
