Chicago duo DRAMA on going from a three-person crowd to performing for 3,000
Chicago electronic duo DRAMA are spreading love across the country on their “Platonic Romance” tour. The duo released their third full-length album of the same name on Jan. 9.
Though they started conceptualizing the album two years ago, vocalist Via Rosa feels she and producer Na’el Shehade have been working on this project their entire lives.
Rosa and Shehade brought their tour home to the Salt Shed on Jan. 24. Before they took the stage, Via Rosa and Na’el Shehade sat down with Vocalo host Nudia Hernandez.
Nudia Hernandez: Speaking about your beginnings, I heard recently that at one of your first tours, there were only, like, three people in the crowd.
Via Rosa: Oh my gosh. We played St. Louis one time, and there was nobody in the crowd. I remember we were playing, and this lady peeked her head around the door, she was eating dinner, and she was like, "Hmm!" And then went back to eating dinner. I was like, "I'm just chopped liver. No big deal."
Na’el Shehade: I mean, just imagine driving all the way to St. Louis and no one showing up. You're just like, "This sucks." But it's a part of the process. Every show is another time for you to understand your music and how to perform it. Most artists would be like, "There's no one at my shows, f— that." But we took it as practice. We're gonna go out there, and we're gonna do it. Even just for the bartenders, we're going to play our best show. That's the mentality that you need to have as an artist: Whether you have two people in the crowd or 3,000 people in the crowd, you have to perform at your best.
What made you keep going?
Shehade: You have to be insane, I'm not gonna lie to you.
Rosa: Delulu is the solulu.
Shehade: You have to be delusional to be in this business. The fact that someone paid us $200 to come and do a show in St. Louis. I was like, "F— yeah, let's go." I mean, it barely paid for the van. But you have to have a vision, you need to be like, "OK, there's a bigger goal here." No one comes out the gate doing the Salt Shed or playing these bigger shows.
We played cafes, we played smaller venues, because you have to earn your stripes. Especially in this business, you've just got to really dedicate yourself through all the good and the bad. A lot of bad, more than good. Push yourself.
How did you guys come up with the name “Platonic Romance”?
Rosa: We came up with that in 2019. We were on tour with SG Lewis, and it was the first time that we did a tour where everybody on our crew, and his crew were just really nice to each other. I don't know how to explain it, but it was really romantic. Everybody was just helpful and nice.
So we started saying it, and then over the years, we realized that's kind of just our life with our friends. We really love our friends, and I love this guy. I thought it was the perfect time to do something for the besties, because I've been single a long time. It was just really important for me to do that, and it just kind of worked out. I don't think we had that title at the beginning. It had a lot of different titles, but that one felt right and it was the right time to use it.
Na'el, you now have a two-year-old baby. Has it changed your viewpoint on making music? I know your daughter is on the album as well.
Shehade: She’s on track number 13. I shared a lot of the music with her while making it, just to get her opinion and her vibe on it, because a kid will tell you the truth. If they’re not feeling it, not dancing to it, she’s just like, “This is not good.” It’s definitely changed my life in so many amazing ways that I didn’t know that a child could change your life.
Musically, I’m a lot more focused. There’s an intention behind everything. She just brings me joy, like selling out a 100,000 person venue — it's more gratifying than that. I can’t really describe it, just a love that I never knew that I needed. It definitely shapes me and helps me every single day. I’m more conscious of the things that I say and things that I do, a lot more intentional. I’m just very proud to be a dad, and it's definitely pushed this album to where it is right now, which is why I feel like it’s our best album. A lot more thought went behind it. I’m a lot more f—ing emotional, I’ll tell you that. I just randomly cry. I cried on the way here!
You guys have played almost every venue in Chicago, you’ve done the festivals and opened for Coldplay at Soldier Field. Is there one more goal you guys want to achieve?
Shehade: I don't even know. For me, just continue to work hard. Push forward, expect nothing.
Rosa: Show up.
What do you guys need to do before you go on stage to get your head in the game?
Rosa: I think this might be the first time where we actually have a pre-ritual. Before we would just raw-dog it: Coffee shots before we get on stage, high five, let's go. Now, I've got a couple of things. I've been taking Tai Chi, so lots of stretching, vocal warm-ups and a little meditation now. A little prayer. Not too much.