DESS DIOR ON NOTE TO SELF, FAITH & STAYING GROUNDED

Interview by Yoma Casey

Written by Essie Francis

April 7, 2026

“God really has his hands on my whole journey. And it's evident because none of this was given to me. I worked for everything.”

If you are online, “young and lit” and never deprive yourself of the finer things in life, you probably know of Dess Dior. For me, it’s when I need outfit inspo for a night out, or when I need to listen to a song to get me prepared for a night out. Either way, her influence as an IT girl is undeniable.

Not only does Dess Dior serve looks back to back, but she has defined her place in the music world. She never saw herself adding music to her career, but after clips of her posting freestyles and receiving amazing reception from her community, she realised she had another talent. She says, “I got in the studio, and once I got in the studio that first time, I fell in love with the process of making music. How it felt, like it was like a release. I was pouring into myself, motivating myself. It was just something I needed. I just stuck with it.”

Gratefully, Dess locked in and literally gave the people what they want to see.

In this interview, as Dess being one of the OG’s as seen on Galacta, we dive into shared values and ideas we know our audience can relate to.

From here, we spoke to the moodboard taste-maker and artist about “having it all”, community and faith.

“GOD REALLY HAS HIS HANDS ON MY WHOLE JOURNEY. AND IT'S EVIDENT BECAUSE NONE OF THIS WAS GIVEN TO ME. I WORKED FOR EVERYTHING.”

What kind of people do you want to continue to attract as listeners, and how do you want them to feel?

Dess Dior: I want to attract, like, a lot of bold people who are standing in their power, who aren't scared to believe in themselves and chase their dreams, and think anything is possible for their lives. I want to attract the go-getters, the hustlers, the bosses, and everything of that nature, even the people who are looking for confidence within themselves. I want those people to listen to my music and get that fuel that they need, that inspiration that, you know, everything.

What inspired you to start releasing music?

Dess Dior: I was good at it, like, just playing around, but I really never saw it being, like, my career. But so many people supported me online when I would drop my little freestyle videos and stuff like that. And my dad pushed me to really pursue it professionally because he was like, you know, you're good at it. Why not see where this can take you? And I got in the studio, and once I got in the studio that first time, I fell in love with the process of making music. Like, how it felt like it was like a release. Like, I was pouring into myself, motivating myself. It was just something I needed in that time of my life, and it just. I just stuck with it.

(Thank you Papa Dess xx)

Your EP Take Notes is so tea. We love it. Which song did you have the most fun recording?

Dess Dior: I would have to say Tell me Now. Tell Me Now was one of those records where you just knew immediately, like the whole process was fire. I made the beat in the studio as we were creating the song, so everything was just produced right then. It was one of those ones where the energy was out of this world. The whole room was moving and you just knew, like, you felt it. I'm really not surprised by the response to it because I just knew.

“I WANT TO ATTRACT A LOT OF BOLD PEOPLE WHO ARE STANDING IN THEIR POWER.”

You do so many other things as well. You have a business, you have your mom's hair company. How has your journey been with juggling things?

Dess Dior: I have my highs, my lows, definitely. It can be challenging sometimes, but when I do get in those seasons, I just need to isolate myself and get back to myself, because I only feel overwhelmed and overstimulated when I'm too far away from myself. That's when I'm, like, overworked, just over everything. Extending myself too much to the point where I don't even have any energy for me anymore.

So I like to just recharge, you know, be completely by myself, and get back to myself. Then I pop back out, get around my friends, get that love, get that support from my family, and then I'll be ready. I'll be good.

How important would you say it is to have friends around you that respect your boundaries? When you are going through your isolation.

Dess Dior: It's the most important if you ask me, because if you have a lot of friends who are just sucking you dry, you're gonna be miserable. Your community is everything. Your community is like the second most important thing in your life. Yeah, it's important for them to understand that and not make you feel bad for that.

“YOUR COMMUNITY IS EVERYTHING.”

Your new album, Note to Self, can you give us more information about the songs and what inspired this album?

Dess Dior: Note to self was really just a letter to myself reminding myself who I am, how far I've come, where I'm headed, and you know, in this day, it's easy to lose yourself in the noise. So not to stay itself is just all about me staying grounded in my feminine power.

It is so amazing to see you publicly talk about your faith and give your gratitude to God. We love how loud you are about your faith. How would you describe your relationship with God, what does it mean to you?

Dess Dior: It's everything to me. I wouldn't be here without it. Honestly, I always speak on that in my interviews. Like God really has his hands on my whole journey. And it's evident because none of this was given to me. I worked for everything. My connections, me networking, everything came from, you know, self and just God aligning my steps. So I'm so appreciative. I'm so thankful and I will always be loud and proud when it comes to my love for God.

(Amen!)

With such a strong personal brand, how do you intentionally maintain your image in music?

Dess Dior: I've always been very headstrong on my morals and what I stand for and what I want to represent. So I just stick to that. I don't let nothing steer me away from that. And I always keep that on the front of my mind when creating my music, when doing things, accepting opportunities or anything.

How is dating for you, knowing they could be a fan of you already and think they know you?

Dess Dior: It's so hard because so many men are just opportunists and, you know, it don’t be genuine, but I have good discernment. So even if I do fall into a situation where it's like, damn, he was a fan, I cut it off to where it ain't really taking much from me mentally or anything, you know, And I don't really dive in too fast with people.

Do you think a woman can have it all, the success, relationships, and family, or do you think she will have to end up sacrificing something?

Dess Dior: I hate to believe that you have to sacrifice anything, because I'm a lover girl, and I'll be feeling like I can have everything.

But I do believe, like, there is such a thing as just wrong timing for it, because when you are overly committed to your goals, your career, you're gonna fall short in areas. And most of the time, unfortunately, that is with the relationship, because It's hard to give a person all of you when you're trying to give all of you to something else that you're passionate about that is for your future, you know, and you can't really put that on the back burner when your time is now. So most of the time, relationships just have to wait. Unless you're dealing with a person who is overly understanding, but everybody has requirements.

“I HATE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE TO SACRIFICE ANYTHING, BECAUSE I'M A LOVER GIRL, AND I'LL BE FEELING LIKE I CAN HAVE EVERYTHING.”

“MY IT GIRL WAS MY MOM.”

How does where you come from influence your fashion style?

Dess Dior: Honestly, my fashion sense, I kind of just get it from a lot of different things. I get inspiration in a lot of different things. I wouldn't even say where I come from influences my style. I feel like my style is influenced internationally, domestically, like through art, like everything. Like, I really go off how I feel, you know?

As an IT girl. Who was your IT girl growing up?

Dess Dior: My IT girl was my mom. My mom was a very independent woman. She was a single mom, raising me and my three brothers. She owned a hair salon. She did hair. She started her hair care line. Like, she just was a boss, and she inspired me to be like that.

QUICK FIRE!

Early or Late Night sessions in the studio?

Dess Dior: Lately I’ve been doing early afternoons, so early.

One beauty item you cannot live without?

Dess Dior: A hairbrush. What would I do without a hairbrush?

If your life had a movie title right now, what would it be?

Dess Dior: Unapologetic.

HIT OR MISS!

Flat shoes to the club?

Dess Dior: It’s a tricky one. Even though I do it a lot. but I be knowing, like, damn, I probably should put on heels. But, you know, it's okay because it's me.

Spinning the block?

Dess Dior: Miss. You always regret it.