DYLYN Set To Play Philly October 9, 2022

Gwen and Mike (August 12, 2012 before Dylyn was created)

When thinking about what my first new article would be as I made my leap back to writing, I knew a few things I wanted to touch on. It had to be an article about music I enjoy, an artist that is genuine in their music, an up and coming artist that deserves to have their profile told, has an upcoming show in the Philly area, and a bonus if it’s someone who I’ve personally met. Canadian native Dylyn checks those boxes, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to write this piece on her. 

After touring the first couple months of 2022 with Mother Mother, Dylyn is set to embark on her next tour supporting the Rare Americans. The tour begins on  September 7, 2022  and rolls into Philadelphia on October 9th. The Philadelphia show is at The Foundry, and limited tickets may still be available through The Fillmore Philadelphia. For those of you attending as Rare Americans fans, be sure to get there early as Dylyn is a must see supporting act. 

As stated above, Dylyn first started releasing  music in 2017 with her first record ‘Mimosa’. But her first taste of success was in pop music under the name Guinevere. As a pop artist, she spent too many times saying “yes” to others and losing her own identity. On a recent podcast episode of Performance Anxiety hosted by Marc Shea (@performanceanx), Dylyn talked about the time off she took leading to her ending the Guinevere persona and shifted the focus to releasing music more authentic to herself. That’s not to say all things Guinevere were bad or wrong because as she indicated on the podcast, everything happens for a reason and those days led her to where she is now. (Also had she not been opening up for Nick Carter, it would have made it more difficult for me to discover her music). 

For the first time in a while, it was time for her to say “YES” to herself and release the music that resonates with a sound closer and more authentic to the music she is influenced by, including bands from the 60s & 70s, (Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, The Beach Boys), as well as some 90s rock bands as well. Listening to her and Marc talk on the episode of Performance Anxiety provided an incredible look into some history of the bands that paved the way for Dylyn. As I mentioned in my “About Me” section, my knowledge of the industry only stretches so deep, so I for sure learned a good amount from their conversation. To better get a gauge for her current sound, I turn to her biography on Spotify, “DYLYN fuses moments of elation, agony, ecstasy, & triumph into an anachronistic symphony of indie-pop melodies, industrial-inflected heavy rock, & anthemic alternative”.

On February 10, 2017, ‘Mimosa’ was released and Dylyn was introduced to the world. “Hey I’m having a f**ked up day” are the first lyrics of the song. If that’s not a way to re-introduce yourself as a new artist, I don’t know what is. However as you continue to listen on, you understand this is much more than a shock tactic to hook a listen. ‘Mimosa’ is (in my opinion) about dealing with your own personal anxiety, feeling like you’ve reached the end of your rope, wishing you could escape in a drunken state. Stop taking things so seriously, even just for a moment and take that break from dealing with the stresses of life. I’m also a huge fan of acoustic songs when done the right way, meaning it sounds like a whole new song, not just putting acoustic music behind the same vocals used on the original arrangement. When you sift through Dylyn’s discography you will find an acoustic version of ‘Mimosa’ perfectly executed.

After some additional records were released, Dylyn experienced some hard times in her personal life that again took her away from music for a short period of time. In a recent 2-part podcast The Lo Life hosted by Lo VonRumpf (@stylelvr), Dylyn goes deeper into this time period. But when her label called and delivered the unexpected news about ‘Secret’ gaining lots of traction, a renewed passion was lit and since then it’s been non-stop writing, recording, releasing, and/or touring. This was another enjoyable podcast that touched on way more than just Dylyn the artist. If you want to know more about Gwen the person (spoiler…YOU DO!),then this podcast is for you. Lo isn’t just a podcast host, mental health advocate, and entertainment fashion stylist, but has been friends with Gwen for years including multiple stints as roommates.

As a writer, one of the things I enjoy the most about Dylyn’s songs isn’t just the sound of the music, but the lyrics in her writing. Many artists write with their emotions, however sometimes the level of emotion that is released only reaches the skin’s surface. Dylyn however takes the knife and carves the emotions right down to the bone, as evident in ‘Secret’. 

There are a couple songs that I am familiar with talking about divorce from a child’s perspective, (‘Stay Together For The Kids’ by Blink 182, and ‘Love Triangle’ by RaeLynn). However these songs give you a look into life after the divorce. ‘Secret’ puts you right in the middle of discovering her dad’s infidelity. Dylyn brings you along as a passenger sitting front right beside her on the emotional roller coaster. 

“I knew that she'd be there/My heart told me, I swear/Lost, can't help myself/I threw her to the floor/But I was hurting more/How the f**k could you ignore/Her photos on the wall, oh/How's mama gonna love you now?”

The honesty behind the truth and pain make it easy to see how ‘Secret’ became Dylyn’s most streamed record with over 250 million streams across all platforms.

Some of my other favorites include the rock anthem ‘Make It Naked,’ the ballad-esque ‘Flicker,’ and the metaphorical ride to hell in ‘Hellbound.’ Another record I love due to the poetic writing is ‘Sober;’ a song that focuses on being with someone who is always a gentleman, and can’t seem to find a way to let loose and have a late night together. My favorite line plays off the public persona of two American icons with, “You think I’m a Jackie not a Marilyn.”

‘Hurt’ also is a deep emotional cutting song as she asks the hard hitting questions as to what has caused trauma in a past life. “Pain is the way to get out of your pain” is a lyric that I love as you reflect into your own past and think about what you may have been masking or dealing with that caused situations or relationships to unravel.

Her latest single released ‘Liberate Me’ is a perfect blend of the various eras of music that Dylyn is inspired by; heavy drums, bass solo, and vocal changes that initially make you question what you just listened too, but also cause a desire to listen again and again. 

A last bit of interesting information about Dylyn relates to her music videos. She lends her creative side to create and direct many of her videos. Recent production on her videos are handled by Virul Media.