Taking Notes with Dess Dior

It was a grey evening in London when we sat down to speak with Dess Dior. 

On the 20th of February, her new EP 'Take Notes' arrived, and if the title sounded instructional, that was because it was. It was intentional and personal. It’s release at midnight didn’t just mark a release; it marked a statement. 

Across six tracks, Dess moved between vulnerability and dominance, reflection and command. Her EP is not simply just a body of work but a declaration of elevation and what it means to “boss up". Yet beneath the polish was a woman who had grown, recalibrated and drawn lines in the sand with others and with herself. The project felt bold, but as she explained, it was really documentation of her growth in real time, and lessons turned into lyrics. 

Calling in from the US, we spoke about faith, boundaries, being underestimated, and why Take Notes marked her most unapologetic chapter yet. 

NW: The EP is called 'Take Notes’. Why that title? What notes do you want people to take from this era of you? 

Dess: I came up with the name ‘Take Notes’ just from my experiences in life and how I journal a lot. So I’m just documenting what I’ve been through, things I’ve accomplished and things I’ve grown from. I wanted to put that in project form, musically. So that’s where I got the name ‘Take Notes’ from. It’s just me going through life experiences and turning them into music for you guys to listen to. 

I want girls to take notes on setting boundaries, not putting any limitations on themselves, talking to God and just not settling. Just getting your thoughts out of your brain and overcoming everything by documenting it. 

NW: Listening to the EP, it definitely feels like a statement. It brings boss energy. What does it represent for you personally? 

Dess: It’s really just me standing on everything I’ve learned this far. I’ve grown a lot as a woman and an artist, and I just wanted this EP to reflect that by being fully confident. 

NW: You’ve described this as your most authentic chapter yet. What did you tap into emotionally or creatively on this project that you hadn’t before? 

Dess: I tapped into just showing a lot of vulnerability. Just the different aspects of my life and a more melodic side because people have this idea that being an it girl just comes easy. So I really had to the risk of peeling back layers and getting really vulnerable so people can also tap into other sides of me as well. 

W: If you had to describe the sound of the EP in three words?

Dess: Very unapologetic, polished and bossy. 

NW: You’ve built a digital audience of over 4.5 million. Did you ever feel boxed in by the influencer label? 

Dess: Yeah, absolutely. I started as an influencer and a fashion girly before I started doing music. So it was a little tough transition to get people to actually respect my artistry. 

I’m realising in this industry you’re going to have people that love you for different things. Some people love me for being an artist, and some people love me for my influence. So I’ve just learned to accept both and learn how to make them coexist with each other by just being myself. 

NW: Did you ever feel underestimated stepping fully into music? And did that fuel this project? 

Dess: Absolutely. People underestimating me always makes me want to go harder. So the doubt, the negative comments, all of that, it just puts a battery in my back. It makes me go harder because I understand why people underestimate thinggs. They underestimate what’s bright, what has a light. I’ll never let that get in the way of what I’ve got to do. 

NW: Was there a specific moment where you felt the shift from being seen as an influencer to being taken seriously as an artist? 

Dess: Yeah, absolutely. Once I really started to pour more and and more into my craft musically, I noticed the shift in people starting to actually respect me as an artist. 

NW: How do you decide who aligns with your vision creatively at this stage? 

Dess: With the remix, with me adding KenTheMan and Saucy Santana, it was all about expanding and elevating the original record to something even more powerful. Both of them have such an impactful presence online and a distinct voice and everything. So I just wanted to reinforce the themes of self-expression and independence in that remix. 

I like having organic relationships. I honestly listen to Saucy Santana and KenTheMan’s music, so it was a no-brainer.

And with Tell Me New featuring Belly Gang Kushington, I listen to his music as well, and he’s a fellow Atlanta artist. I just thought it would be the perfect combination to work with somebody like him because we have a lot in common as far as being hustlers, chasing our careers and getting to the money. 

NW: “Tell Me Now” feels like a standout. Why was that the right track to lead with visually? 

Dess: I linked up with Belly Gang Kushington on “Tell Me Now” because I wanted that real Atlanta energy on the track. The song is playful but still packs an edge, and I knew he would come through with the hunger and confidence to match me. I’m talking my talk on this one, so it only felt right to bring in someone who stands just as firm in who they are. Belly Gang Kushington brings a vibe where you don’t just hear him, you feel him. It wasn’t about just getting a feature; it was about creating a real and unforgettable moment. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlykZ9DEFgs

NW: What does the video express that the song alone doesn’t? 

Dess: The music video was an ode to nostalgic Atlanta rap culture, which has been so important in shaping my sound and flow as an artist. Dancers were out there hitting all the classic moves like ''lean with it', 'rock with it' and 'swag surfing', rocking XL white tees, durags and iced-out chains.

NW: In an industry that often rewards trends over truth, how do you protect your authenticity? 

Dess: Protecting my authenticity means just doing anything that aligns with my spirit. I’d rather be respected than do something that doesn’t align with me; that’s not even me. I’ve got to just be myself in it, or I’m not going to be as passionate with it. I want people to know me for me and respect me for who I am. So I don’t really follow trends. I can’t be selling my soul. 

NW: What boundaries have you had to set in this new chapter, creatively or personally? 

Dess: I’ve had to set boundaries with people, creating distance between what I’m willing to accept and what I’m not willing to go for. I’ve had to create boundaries with even myself, like just playing things small and boxing myself in. 

Sometimes I’ll talk myself out of doing something out of fear, so I set a lot of boundaries within. No more bending. I don’t do as much bending. It’s how I feel and that’s just what it is. 

NW: Your music carries a strong sense of empowerment. Was that intentional, or does it naturally reflect who you are?

Dess: I think both. It’s definitely who I am, but it’s also intentional because I want other women, girls, and everybody to feel that way about themselves as well. In order for it to be authentic and for people to receive the message, I have to be that within myself. 

NW: What advice would you give to a young woman struggling to feel empowered? 

Dess: Get closer to God. Because when you’re close to God, you start to see yourself how He sees you, and you start to find peace within yourself. I have fewer questions about my life. I’m more accepting, and I just flow with things. 

Faith without work is dead. You have to have confidence in what you want to believe for yourself. I feel like that was the foundation of me becoming who I am. I really had to sit down and talk to God and find the confidence behind what I wanted to be true in my life. 

NW: When people finish ‘Take Notes’, what do you want them to walk away understanding about you? 

Dess: That I am very unapologetic. I’m resilient. And they should be the same way.

NW: If the EP had a spirit animal or alter ego, what would it be? 

Dess: I think Dess Dior is my alter ego. Destiny is just everyday me, but my alter ego is Dess Dior. So Dess Dior is the persona. And yes, I want people to embody that. 

NW: If you could throw a soundtrack party for your life right now, what three songs from the EP would have to be on it? 

Dess: Different Pages, Spinnin and Tell Me Now.

'Different Pages' is me touching on relationships and things just not aligning with timing and me having to accept that, but it hurting my feelings and making me sad. It’s me channelling through my emotions with disappointment and heartbreak, which is very important to me. 

Spinnin is just fun, sexy and carefree. A little edgy for me. 

And Tell Me New is just full of confidence and very demanding, which is what I represent when people are entering my life. They need to know; let’s be upfront, let’s be real, and tell me now. 

Her favourite, she admits, is Different Pages.

“I was tapped into another side of my vulnerability, and that’s not really easy for me to do,” she says. “Music is just a feeling, and that song just gives me that feeling. It’s healing for me.” 

By the end, it becomes clear that Take Notes is not about proving people wrong, even if doubt has fuelled her. It’s about standing firm, documenting growth, and choosing alignment over approval not shrinking herself to be understood. 

She isn’t bending to be accepted. She is choosing faith. She is choosing confidence. And this time, she isn't just talking her talk; she is making sure you hear it. 

With ‘Take Notes’, Dess Dior is not reinventing herself. She is refining herself and standing on what she has learned. 

An embodiment of how she describes her EP. Unapologetic. Polished and bossy.