How turning inward made her the most exciting voice outward.
Emerging Adelaide/Kaurna singer-songwriter Dana Oberdan is turning profound vulnerability into her greatest strength.
At just 21, her raw lyricism and intimate, folk-pop sound, reminiscent of heroes like Phoebe Bridgers, have already marked her as an artist to watch, bolstered by a SA Music Award nomination for her debut single.
Now, she prepares for her most courageous release yet: ‘Thinner,’ the hauntingly honest second single from her upcoming debut EP, Tell Me It Gets Better.
The track explores the emotional reality of living with an eating disorder, a subject Dana was initially afraid to share.
But after an overwhelming response from fans who connected deeply with its message, she chose to release it, hoping to offer comfort and connection.
In this candid interview, Dana opens up about overcoming self-doubt, the power of artistic honesty, and carving a space where no one feels alone.
Happy: What’d you get up to today?
Dana Oberdan: Not very much! I caught up with a friend for coffee in the morning, came home and did some study, responded to some emails and now I am going to sit at my piano and do a bit of songwriting.
Happy: Tell us a little about where you’re from, and what you love about it!
Dana: I am from Adelaide and have lived here my whole life! I feel like it sometimes gets a bit of a bad rap for being a sleepy city, but I love how peaceful it can be and how the traffic never gets too bad.
We also have really beautiful beaches here which I love.
Happy: You’ve said ‘Thinner’ is one of your most vulnerable pieces. Was there any hesitation about releasing something so personal?
Dana: Absolutely. I was quite afraid of releasing ‘Thinner’ as I had no idea how it would be perceived by others. That song felt like I bared my soul a bit. I wrote it purely for myself as a form of catharsis, during a time when I was struggling.
I did not really have the intention of releasing it ever, but I found myself always coming back to it.
In July I played it over Zoom to some of my fans and the response really surprised me. They really loved and connected with it and were sending me messages to ask when I was planning on releasing it.
This honestly gave me the confidence I needed to believe in the song and push my fear of judgement aside.
I like to remind myself that vulnerability is a strength and a trait that I admire so deeply in others. Being open and honest, whether through art or conversation, is brave and allows us to connect, which I think is so important in this current climate.
Happy: What kind of responses from this track have you received from listeners so far?
Dana: A lot of the responses have made me feel quite emotional! I joke that it’s exciting to see people resonating with my songs until I remember what they are about.
I feel sad to see people sharing that they relate to the song, as the subject matter is quite heavy, but I also feel comforted to be told that it allows them to feel less isolated in their experiences.
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Happy: The single is from your upcoming debut EP, Tell Me It Gets Better. How does ‘Thinner’ set the tone for the rest of the record?
Dana: ‘Thinner’ is the second track from the record. It is definitely the most melancholic track, both writing and production wise.
I am a very lyric-based songwriter and I think ‘Thinner’ does represent this quite well, setting the tone for the rest of the EP. ‘Thinner’ is also quite introspective, which I think is a theme that is threaded throughout the other songs as well.
Happy: Artists like Gracie Abrams and Phoebe Bridgers are noted influences. What is the most important thing you’ve learned from their songwriting?
Dana: I think both Gracie and Phoebe have helped me find the confidence to try and write as honestly as possible. I sometimes write lyrics that lead me to stop and think to myself, oh my god I can’t say that.
In these moments I like to remember that the reason I love my favourite artists’ music is that they are not afraid to be unabashedly honest in their writing.
It’s what makes their music so special and is something I hope to emulate in my own work.
Happy: Your debut single, ‘Lying in the bed I made,’ earned you a SA Music Award nomination. How has that recognition so early on impacted your confidence as an emerging artist, and what does it mean to you?
Dana: It means a lot to me. It has been really validating to receive recognition from people within the industry through that nomination, and has helped me to feel like I am a part of the local music scene rather than just a girl writing songs in my bedroom.
Happy: As an exciting new voice from Adelaide/Kaurna, how does your local music scene influence or shape you?
Dana: There are so many incredible artists coming out of Adelaide at the moment, and I feel so inspired by the diversity of talent that we have here. Aleksiah is one of my favourite artists at the moment.
I think she is an insanely talented writer and vocalist and seeing her achieve such success from Adelaide has been so cool to watch.
Happy: With your debut EP on the horizon, what has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned while creating this first major body of work?
Dana: I think I have learnt to trust in myself and my creative decisions more. Releasing music for the first time can be quite overwhelming, and it can be easy to second guess yourself.
I am also a perfectionist, and I feel like I put intense pressure on myself to get things ‘right’ all the time. I think with the process of creating the record I had to learn to try to let go of that, and just write as honestly as possible.
At the end of the day, I settled with creating songs that were vulnerable and represented my experiences so far as a young adult.
I think I have come to terms with the fact that perfection is impossible to achieve, but at the same time there is always room for improvement.
I hope I can look back on this work in a few years and see how much I have grown.
Happy: Lastly, what makes you happy? :-)
Dana: My dog Lola, good coffee and chats with friends.
