Filipino-American rapper, slam poet, & singer-songwriter based in Seattle. born & raised in the Bronx with DMV-area roots. self-portrait, releasing December 2023, a hip-hop selfie by dahlay: It was Summer 2022. I was getting ready to drive solo across the country from the east coast to Seattle, and my best friend insisted on taking a selfie with me. He must have caught me rolling my eyes, because immediately he said something that has stayed with me ever since. "I like taking selfies so much because then I can see who I am now compared to who I've been over the years. It's a neat experience to literally witness all the places I've been, the challenges I've overcome, and all the room I have to grow as a person. Now smile dammit." So over the last year and half, I've been doing just that. I've been taking mental (and actual) self-portraits in the reflections of this new city, these new spaces, new people... reflecting on who I've been and who I want to become. A photo album of healing and introspection. Digging into old wounds and building up the courage to not be so afraid of new ones that I become unrecognizable. Acknowledging my own resilience while still honoring the frame lines that keep my core self in the picture. Remembering that the self I see in each composition is just a snapshot, capturing a single moment in time as I continue to move forward. Reach out and say hi! dahlaymusic@gmail.com instagram: @dahlaymusic https://dahlaymusic.bandcamp.com