With the release of his second studio album, QuiénEs Dei V, Urbano hit-maker Dei V is playing a completely different ball game. With a more streamlined sound, a new look, and two new singles already surpassing tens of millions of streams, Dei V is going for gold. The singles “Martini” and “CLIMA” are evidence enough that his music is still infectious, but both showcase a maturity that can only come with practice.
Born in Puerto Rico but raised for a time in New York City, his diverse inspiration is evident in the genre-bending sonics of every Dei V song. “It is a mix from over there and over here, and I just think I grabbed the best from both worlds, did it my way, and perfected it.” This sound certainly wasn’t created overnight, and according to Dei V “I used to do music and it was wack, but with practice and doing it every day, I think I found my sound and now I do it how I imagined before.”
His approach to music is instinctual. Unlike most artists, he doesn’t put pen to paper. “The beat gives me a feeling, and I don’t know, it comes out. I think God gave me a gift.” That’s tough to disagree with. It’s one thing to listen and enjoy the diverse range of sounds and catchy lyrics that perforate Dei’s music, but it’s another thing completely to sit back and listen to what is truly a master at work. Understanding the clever lyricism and turns of phrase as instantaneous and spontaneous brings his work to a different echelon. “There are days that I could do a song in 30 minutes. There are days I could do a song in an hour, but I don't even write, I just do off the top.”
The cumulation of his upbringing and the experiences of music past define his vision for the visuals of this new era. He may already be one of the most stylish performers in Reggaeton, but in this new era, Dei V is more fully utilizing fashion in his storytelling.
“With this album, we went very differently from what I've done with anything before. With the fashion, we went crazy, so I'm not going to look like how I look in the other videos. The cover is very simple, it's classy. Right now, my style inspiration is New York. Elevated streetwear. I look like me but trying to take it to the next level.”
What makes Dei V exceptional is his undeniable cool factor. Because he looks as good in a suit as he does in a tracksuit, like in his music, he has the capability to be a true chameleon.
His fashion only works to enhance the artist’s live performances through his staple accessory, sunglasses. “I like clear shades. I like clear ones at my shows because girls can see my eyes. Eye contact is good in the show. I sing to everybody and sometimes I just look straight at girls because they like the music and whatever,” he explains with a smile.
Whatever he is doing on stage is working. The artist could recently be seen on the stages of packed houses and sold-out shows across South America. His last show in the Dominican Republic was no exception. “It was crazy, bro. People were telling me that the club doesn't get packed like that. It was kind of crazy knowing that was happening. People sang every song, I wasn't expecting it.” This is a feeling he’ll have to get used to.
Next, Dei V will take the tour to Spain, where he’ll continue to bring the house down with songs like “Quién es Dei V,” and fan favorites like “Tu$$I” with YOVNGCHIMI.
Up to this point, Dei V’s career has been defined by genre-shattering collaborations. His first album Yin Yang was a mixtape packed with features on nearly every song. “I just like to collaborate with people that do cool shit. I think when I hear it, I know if I should go on a song or not. Sometimes if I hear it and I think I could do a good job, I just hop on that, doesn't matter who the artist is.” One of the most notable collaborations was “GATITA GANGSTER” with Karol G, which has racked up over 50 million streams on Spotify alone. When asked about being compared to fellow Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny, Dei V responded, “I think we would sound crazy on a song.”
Like the visuals, the upcoming project will be a distinct departure from Yin Yang as Dei V tackles the album with a more solo approach. “Yin Yang was a project that I did just to get people to get to know me and to get everybody together. I was trying to get the music out there.” While there are still plenty of collaborations to go around, of the 16 tracks on Quien Es Dei V, Dei V takes the reins.
“It's going to be an album with pretty much everything. I got Afrobeat, Reggaeton, Trap, old school Reggaeton. I got an R&B song with an old-school artist. It's about to be refreshing. It's about to be cool. We got a lot of flavors in there.”
Don’t even begin to underestimate Dei V. With the release of his latest album, he is proving his mettle by producing hit after hit, each one as good as gold.
Quiénes Dei V is out now.
BONUS:
JW: Who would be your dream collaborator?
DV: Right now, I think it's Burna Boy.
JW: I'd love to see a main pop girl on one of your tracks. One of my favorite Latin artists, Danna Paola would be cool, or Tinashe would also be incredible on one of your songs.
DV: Yeah, I can make that happen. I could throw a song down. I could try it out.
