Derek & The Cats And Frizzell D’Souza Carve Out A Sublime New Single, ‘Diana’

At a time when the Kate-gate was running rampant in the news, Bangalore-based musician Derek Mathias and singer/songwriter Frizzell D’Souza too referenced the royal family with ‘Diana,’ an elegant jazz-pop composition influenced by the life of the late Princess Diana.

Derek & The Cats (a stellar seven-piece crew) and ‘Just As Easily’ fame Frizzell D’Souza drafted ‘Diana’ with oscillating guitar rhythms, lush vocals, and dreamy key arrangments. Upbeat percussive patterns, grandiose saxophone flashes, and stellar blues-rock guitars are all neatly crammed into this eclectic production.

‘Diana’ delves into themes of perseverance and empowerment in the face of personal adversity, with lyrics echoing the narrative of Diana as a symbol of strength, tenacity, and resilience. “‘Diana’ is something I wrote after listening to a lot of Steely Dan, ‘Aja’ specifically. I was obsessed with the Purdie shuffle (drum beat) and that provided the initial spark for the song,” shares Derek.

The artist added, “The song felt incomplete and needed a singer who would give it a story and do justice to it. The moment I showed Frizzell, she was on board and this became our first song with vocal production. The song is complemented by her delicate voice and her signature finger-plucking guitar style.”

‘Diana’ was released along with a music video featuring two artists headlocked in the age-old game of chess, each making strides toward a triumph. This framing could be referencing the acclaimed 2020 mini-series and novel by Walter Tevis – ‘The Queen’s Gambit,’ a nod to the opening play in chess.

Song Credits–
Producer: Derek Mathias
Lyrics, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals: Frizzell D’Souza
Drums: Jason Sharat
Percussion: Joel Rozario
Bass: Vishal Varier
Keyboards: Derek Mathias and Anand Murali
Guitar: Adesh Vinod
Saxophone: Gautam David
Mix and Master: Vivek Thomas

Find Derek & The Cats on: Instagram | Spotify

Frizzell on: Instagram | Spotify

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