Daya (singer)
An American singer who shot from teenage bedroom recordings to global pop dominance with anthems of youthful independence.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American singer and songwriter·Birthday: October 24·Generation Z
Biography
Daya's story is a modern pop fairy tale that began not in a studio, but in her suburban Pittsburgh bedroom. Born Grace Tandon, she adopted her middle name as a stage persona and started posting songs online as a teenager. That DIY spark caught fire almost instantly with 'Hide Away,' a sleek, synth-driven declaration of standards that became a sleeper hit, climbing the Billboard charts and introducing her crisp vocals and relatable lyricism. Rather than a one-hit wonder, she proved her staying power by co-writing and singing on The Chainsmokers' 'Don't Let Me Down,' a track that dominated airwaves worldwide and earned a Grammy. Her debut album, 'Sit Still, Look Pretty,' cemented her theme of empowered self-reliance, making her a voice for a generation navigating love and identity on their own terms.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Daya was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Daya Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Daya's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her debut single 'Hide Away' peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, launching her career.
- Provided featured vocals on The Chainsmokers' 'Don't Let Me Down,' which won the Grammy for Best Dance Recording in 2017.
- Released her full-length debut album 'Sit Still, Look Pretty' in 2016, which included the gold-certified single 'Sit Still, Look Pretty.'
Did You Know?
'Daya' is her actual middle name, meaning 'compassion' in Sanskrit.
She is of Indian descent on her father's side.
She taught herself to play piano, guitar, and saxophone as a child.
She attended and graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School in Pennsylvania.
“I just want to make music that makes people feel something.”
