Daisy is the label debut EP from Brooklyn-based (via Los Angeles) artist Leilani Patao (they/she), which will be released via Audio Antihero (Frog / Avery Friedman / CIAO MALZ / Tiberius) on November 7.
Debuting in 2021 at the age of 17, Leilani showcased their rich, aching voice and their youthful willingness to show vulnerability through a raw lyrical honesty across a series of DIY self-releases. 2024’s But What If? earned them their greatest exposure to date when they were featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Taking its title from the name of Leilani’s much-missed childhood dog, Daisy is described by the artist as “a pure experiment” in both sound and distribution. Leilani’s ambitious production requires the listener to find the emotion within the cracks, as their range, biting words, and ear for melody push through the wash of sound in fragments. Leilani also made the decision to remove themselves from the algorithm by withholding these songs from streaming, taking control of their work, and asking: “Is it possible to share my music properly, pay everyone who was involved, get paid myself, and not have to interact with the many systems in place that make me dread music?”
Though Leilani is not seeking to be a social media soundbite or a playlist darling, the EP does reward listener curiosity. Opening with ‘Branded’ and ‘get em boy’, Leilani’s voice is initially unrecognisable under layers of effects. However, as the EP progresses through to singles like ‘Bird Whistle’, ‘Red Hair Dye’, and ‘Cut’, Leilani offers the melodies and haunting, relatable lyrics which made their early works hidden gems of NYC’s underground scene.
Whether or not the young artist can still find their audience in the digital age without compromise remains to be seen, but for Leilani, knowing they arrived at their destination on their own terms is a feeling no algorithm can take away.
