The Voices Inside Princess Nokia’s Head

DANIEL wears LONGSLEEVE by MIU MIU, JEANS and SHOES by TALENTS OWN

Where did the name Groupthink come from? 

I thought it sounded sick. I could see it on a poster immediately. I texted my friend about it, and he said, “That’s kinda lame,” which made me like it more. I knew I didn’t want to be just a person—like a Frank Ocean, first-name switch thing. I wanted it to be more of an idea. 

What are your thoughts on the actual ongoing groupthink culture on the internet? 

Everyone’s a creator now, so no one knows how to be a fan anymore. Instead of appreciating something, people copy it. But they’re not even stealing the right way—they’re just repeating. I even stole this ideology from someone.  

As we’re on a kick of revitalizing old sound, past imagery, and archive clothing on the runway, what would you hope the 2020s would be known for?

It feels like we’re at a breaking point. Technology is speeding up the cultural wheel of things becoming revitalized to where we reach this continuum of time being a flat circle. 

People right now are craving two things at once. They’re craving complete inauthenticity in terms of caricature and they’re also craving authenticity. Either what you’re doing is authentic and personal, or it’s fake and a joke that everyone is in on. The value judgment depends on what’s clear. In my music, I don’t aim to present myself as a person—it’s freeing that my music is really stupid, and everyone gets that. My next song, on my upcoming project, is all about being sexy, featuring these robot voices. On one level, I thought, this is so fucking dumb; I shouldn’t do this. But on another, I realized, this is awesome precisely because it’s so dumb.

Is sex and relationships a low or high priority for you right now?

Everything is a priority, I’m trying to break space-time. 

DANIEL wears SUNGLASSES by CELINE, T-SHIRT JEANS, SCARF and SHOES by TALENTS OWN.

Electronic music has long dominated the underground scene but has recently reemerged in mainstream culture. Where do you see music going next?  

I had this experience in a studio in New York where we used a computer to send signals to an interface, then to a drum machine, and finally to two synths. Electronic music resonates because it mirrors the way we communicate. We interact through commodified social exchanges on social networks, and that’s essentially how electronic music is created—it’s networked communication through machines. I see parallels to this on Instagram, like when someone dumps their boyfriend and starts posting sluttier pictures—it’s all part of this interconnected system of expression. 

What do you like right now, and what do you not like?  

Clothing-wise, I’ve been wearing a pair of Visvim moccasins, a red Yankees flat-brim hat, and a YMCMB hoodie that a friend gave me. When I’m working on a project, I usually find a few clothing items during the recording sessions that help me channel the vibe I’m going for.  

Lately, I’ve been into Adderall, noise-canceling headphones, audiobooks about quitting smoking, and TSA Pre-Check. On the flip side, I’m not into drinking alcohol or influencers—they should just get a real job.  

I’ve been measuring how successful I am based on how much fun I’m having, and on that note, how much fun are you having right now?  

I’m having the most fun I’ve ever had. I feel super confident and successful. Over the past two weeks, I’ve been going to these amazing studios with friends to make music. We’ll create insane songs, then leave at 5 a.m., pick up a chromed-out G-Wagon rental car from a drug dealer, and drive to Boston. We cruise around, blasting the music we just made, and then the dealer hands me, like, 200 Adderalls.

You recently tweeted, 'Denim expresses something words cannot.' What is it about denim that makes it so meaningful to you?

I really love how denim reflects life—it shows how your body wears and tears on it over time. It’s like looking at an oil painting that has gradually chipped and aged, telling a story through its imperfections.

A social media post of you playing live decks while walking down the street went viral across all platforms recently. Does that reception change how you’ll approach your image going forward?  

I had no idea the meme would go viral. My approach is still the same as it was before—it’s all about being myself. This hasn’t affected my strategy; if anything, it reinforces that I should keep creating content that’s authentic to what I’m thinking about. I’m always chasing the creation of things that make me happy.  

I heard you’ve been working on your album while in New York. What’s different about making music here versus in L.A.?  

There’s this studio in Williamsburg called S1 that has such a cool vibe. I like making music in L.A. too, but it feels more corporate because of the strict time frames for recording. In New York, there’s a live room filled with tons of equipment, and you can stay up for hours making an insane amount of sounds with no specific goal—it’s way more freeing.  

DANIEL wears LONGSLEEVE by Uniqlo, SUNGLASSES by GENTLE MONSTER and BAG by PETERSELIE

What unconventional things or experiences inspire you?  

I get really inspired by not being invited to cool parties and not knowing many cool artists. I like to piece them together from the little information I do know and use that as a reference. It’s this fragmented form of inspiration that comes from gaps in knowledge.  

Is there something specific that helps you unwind?  

Lately, I’ve been into breathwork. I’ll do a bunch of poppers, which cuts off oxygen to my brain for a moment, and then I feel like I have excess air afterward.  

Outside of music, what comes naturally to you—something you’ve enjoyed for a while but haven’t fully explored?  

I like coming up with campaign ideas and directing commercials. I also wouldn’t mind helping other artists with their visuals.  

Are you a cinephile? Would you ever consider scoring a film, and if so, what kind of movie would you see your music in?  

I wouldn’t consider myself a cinephile, but I’d love to do a score for a TV series. Labyrinth for Euphoria was amazing. This might sound corny, but I’d like to work on a coming-of-age film or a romantic comedy—mainly because I wouldn’t know where to start, and that challenge excites me.  

Lastly, do you happen to have any guilty pleasures?  

Honestly, I feel guilty about everything, so all my pleasures are guilty.