October 25, 2026
Photography & Writing by Jules Connolly
WE SAT DOWN WITH SAN DIEGO BASED ARTIST, DOAH’S DAYDREAM, RIGHT AFTER PERFORMING FOR THE THIRD TIME AT MISSION BAYFEST— We discussed her music, what her journey means to her, and the ups and downs of quitting a 9 to 5 to finally focus on your dreams.
PETTY: Is this your guy’s first Bay Fest?
DOAH: This is actually our THIRD!
PETTY: Third! So is it tradition at this point?
DOAH: Yes,maybe.
PETTY: You guys are local right?
DOAH: Yes, San Diego.
PETTY: Are there any artists on the set that you’re excited to see tonight?
DOAH: I mean I’m very excited to see everybody on the roster. I love The Movement, I love The Rebelution, and Steele Pulse I mean they’re legends. I’m very excited to see everyone rock out this beautiful San Diego. I’m just blessed to be a part of this whole thing.
PETTY: Is there any inspiration that you have for your music within other artists?
DOAH: Well, I mean. Yes, but also I like to focus on my life journey. I think music is humanitarian work. So I like to focus on things that I want to change about myself. Healing and just not repeating the generational trauma. Just making people more aware about self love, and things like that. So it’s actually more inward for me when it comes to music.
Of course there’s a lot of amazing artists especially within the Reggae realm that write about things that really matter. Steele Pulse is literally one of them. I just have so much respect for everybody in the community that’s doing what they do.
PETTY: That was literally one of my questions. Is your music more inspired by you as an individual or more by the people around you?
DOAH: You know, I definitely think it’s more inspired by myself. Because the song that I just wrote and released is called “All in”. It’s literally talking about me quitting my corporate job and taking a leap of faith to just go all in on my dream. I know there’s so many people that can relate to that and there’s a lot of fear and doubt and insecurities that associate it when taking that big leap, but I’ve done it.
I just wanted to write a song to inspire people, that it’s not as scary as you think it is. Because the corporate job will always be there for you. So take the chance. Do something that you love and do something for you. If it doesn’t work out, you can always go and get another job. Don’t let that fear or change stop you, because change is inevitable.
I just want everybody to live their truth and live their path. That’s what I want to inspire people to do ‘cus that would make the world a better place. When people are just happier doing what they love.
PETTY: I love that so much. I loved your set so much. I love the use of props. I love that you have your own brand and everything while at the same time being like, lets do something FUN.
DOAH: Yes, and I mean we call it The Daydream Experience. It’s not just about us being on stage and playing the song. I think you can sing the wrong note or whatever and people are not going to remember that. People are going to remember the whole vibe and what is happening on stage. I think that is more important than hitting every single right note.
There is just a bigger picture to it for us. Of course the unicorn, the mystical animal that doesn’t exist and the bubbles and everything else. We just wanted to make it a whole experience that inspires people and they can just enjoy. That’s definitely in our minds when we’re curating this.
PETTY: I will say all the girl love, especially right now is so important. Like I said that was just amazing and we all really need that right now.
DOAH: That was exactly like when I wrote the song “Girls girl.” That was K-pop inspired because I am Korean-American and I wanted to kind of dive back into my roots, because I ignored it for so long.
But also, I was never the girls-girl. I was always a very insecure person and I was always the tomboy. I always played all the sports. Because I had a lot of trauma when it came to my mother. So there is a lot of that because I didn’t grow up with a strong, healthy, female bond. So I ended up growing into more of a tomboy.
Being an artist in the Reggae scene has really opened my heart up. Meeting a lot of people, especially women. Who are very supportive, and who are willing to be vulnerable with me and we can just all have each other's backs. That’s when I got a taste of how beautiful sisterhood can really be. This is such a special thing where romance doesn’t even compete. The amount of female support and genuine love with no jealousy and no weirdness. I’ve been so blessed to have so many amazing girlfriends and women in my life.
This Reggae scene actually helped me realize this. I’m just so grateful and that’s what kind of led me to write “Girls girl.” I just wanted it to be fun. I was writing a lot of sappy music that I was like, ‘I need to write something fun and people can vibe with. It doesn’t have to be so serious.’
PETTY: Is there anything you would want to tell someone that is starting in the music industry or a good motto to have?
DOAH: I’m going to say that the music industry or music business is brutal. There’s no money in it and it’s also male dominated. If you’re a female its going to be fucking tough. You’re going to have to toughen up, say what you mean and do what you say.
I just want to say. Hold. Your. Ground. I’ve spent so many years not putting myself on the level I deserve. You can still be polite and kind, but when it comes to business have your shit on lock and don’t people please. Make sure you get what you need from yourself. Another thing, if you are here to have a band or band members. I think that is going to be the hardest thing, even more than just making music because you are juggling many personalities.
Don’t be selfish, these bands are playing your music, give them respect. Don’t be rude to them, treat them how you would like to be treated. You can still do all of that and still be a strong person. I just want to say don’t give up.
I’ve been doing this for 8 years and I still feel like I’m barely pushing my thing and I’ve barely scratched the surface. There’s so many times where I’ve felt like I wanted to give up. All I can say is don’t give up. Just keep going and remember the reason why. Don’t forget that. There’s a lot of things that’s going to come at you that’s very surface, that's very fake, but you have to be true to who you are as an artist. You let that take you to where you need to go. Don’t get distracted by all the bullshit and the noise that’s going to come at you. Just believe in you, your mission, and yourself, when nobody will. Because there is going to be a lot of that, even when you feel like you are getting some momentum. Just stay humble.