At just 23 years-old, British singer-songwriter DYLAN (born Natasha Woods) has been redefining what alt-pop and rock revenge songs sound like through a fiery Gen Z perspective. With 3 EPs and 1 mixtape already under her belt, DYLAN’s cementing herself as the go-to-girl for songs to soundtrack and act out our rebellions to.
Here’s everything you need to know about our favourite British rising star.
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Born in the eastern England village, Bures, and a self-taught piano and guitar player by ear, DYLAN’s humble beginnings have shaped her into an artist who is not only courageous, but also incredibly relatable to those of us who dream for something larger than life. As DYLAN told NME magazine in 2022, her artistic drive “stemmed from revenge, as there were a lot of people that said I wouldn’t be able to make it as an artist, and music teachers who were difficult towards me.” The notion of revenge is threaded throughout her discography, as seen with her 2019 debut EP Purple. The EP’s second single, ‘Sour Milk’, landed DYLAN the opportunity of cowriting with David Sneddon (he also co-wrote Lana Del Rey’s ‘National Anthem’).
Purple was a success as it helped DYLAN gain rapid attention and buzz online. 2020 saw DYLAN take the pandemic as an opportunity to continue releasing work, but also as a moment to connect with her fans and herself on deeper level. Not only was DYLAN spending quarantine hosting Instagram lives, but she also released covers of a selection of her favourite songs on YouTube (titled QTINE covers), including ‘Blinding Lights’ by The Weeknd and ‘Supalonely’ by BENEE. These covers, which led up to and continued after the release of her second EP Red, gave fans a deeper insight into DYLAN’s influences and also highlighted her vocal and artistic range as a songwriter.
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The Red singles ‘Your Issues’ and ‘Wish You Weren’t Mine’ continued to gain online attention well into the end of 2020. However, DYLAN surprised her fans after a collectively difficult year by treating them to two unreleased demoes: ‘Daisy’ and ‘Deserve This’. Ensuring her 2021 would make up for lost touring time, DYLAN opened for YUNGBLUD and released three new singles: ‘Nineteen’, ‘Someone Else’ and ‘You’re Not Harry Styles’, from her third EP No Romeo. However, during the release of ‘Someone Else’, DYLAN’s mother passed away from cancer. Making her Mum proud, she prospered by not only releasing No Romeo in April 2022 and her debut mixtape The Greatest Thing I’ll Never Learn that October, but she also went on to open for Bastille, Tate McRae, and Ed Sheeran for the remainder of the year.
After selling out her UK and Europe headline tour, 2023 has seen DYLAN perform at the BAFTAs, release the live / deluxe edition of The Greatest Thing I’ll Never Learn, opening a further 6 nights throughout May and June for Ed Sheeran’s North America tour, and also landing her own headline tour of North America too. With so many major accomplishments and dreams completed within only the first few years of her career, DYLAN’s power is undeniable and unstoppable.
Listen to DYLAN’s The Greatest Thing I’ll Never Learn (Live / Deluxe) mixtape below:
