MANILA, Philippines — High from the successful release of her singles “Heart Hates Me” and “Dream,” and the launch of her first EP with Island Records Philippines, “don’t quote me,” dia mate has an exciting new single out, “One of the Boys.” It officially dropped on major streaming platforms on August 24, 2021. The music and lyrics were composed by dia. Fern. produced the song, and it was arranged by and recorded at Kindred Productions.
The song, dia says, is about the recent phenomenon of the “pick me girl.” She describes her as “’that’ girl everybody wants to be, but is smart enough to know not to.” She adds that such a person “acts as if she finds femininity and owning the natural discourses of womanhood is offensive.” By going out of her way to impress the boys by putting down other girls, dia notes, “she fuels misogyny by practicing it.” This song is a cautionary ode to those who have been on the other end of “that” girl’s put downs.
dia has been making music ever since she was seven, when she first persuaded her mom to give her piano lessons. She eventually learned how to play the ukulele and the guitar. She is interested in R&B, indie, and jazz, but she is particularly fond of R&B for its lyricism and she says that it has the strongest influence on her music.
dia loves working with Fern., she says. “I feel that the workflow between the two of us comes easy,” she says, “since we’re always on the same wavelength, music-wise.” Working mostly online, Fern. was responsible for the song’s beat, which immediately excited her because the instrumentation was, as she describes it, “upbeat and carefree.”
Check out “One of the Boys” by dia maté below: