DVSN is stepping into a fresh chapter, one filled with creativity, conversation, and a collaborative spark centered in the Peach State’s culture capital.
Fresh off new releases and a headline-making Jermaine Dupri signing, DVSN’sDaniel Daley sat down with BOSSIP to discuss the group’s sonic shifts, the so-called “toxicity” tied to their catalog, and their upcoming one-night-only concert in Washington, D.C.
Source: Prince Williams / Getty
Although the show set for November 30 takes place in the nation’s capital, the Canadian shared that he’s actually living and thriving in the Dirty South, collaborating on new music with Jermaine Dupri and embracing Atlanta’s blend of culture and career possibilities.
“The beauty of being able to be in a city that has as much of a fun side as it does a side where you can actually prosper and do some actual work and business, Atlanta is the best balance for that,” he told Managing Editor Dani Canada.
And while the city’s dating scene is notorious for its chaos, Daley insists DVSN never set out to stir up more “toxic” tales with hits like “Toxic” or the viral anthem “If I Get Caught.”
Instead, he told BOSSIP that the goal has always been communication instead of piling on the toxicity that trends online and in group chats.
“It was never about bringing toxicity,” he told BOSSIP. “We were trying to bring forth a conversation. Those become the best relationships—when you meet someone that you’re comfortable saying the things you wouldn’t say in front of other people.”
Source: Prince Williams / Getty
He explained that DVN’s last album, Working on My Karma, was built like a journey.
“Some people kind of got stuck up at the first song,” he laughed, noting that the project actually moves from arrogance to accountability, apology, and growth.
“A lot of people look at us like we’re the last standing hope for love, for emotional intelligence in the music,” he added. “We’re the guys that try to say that thing that you needed to be said at the time you needed to hear it.”
Fans can expect to hear more from the group now that DVSN has officially signed to Jermaine Dupri, becoming the first act signed to Dupri’s new joint label venture with HYBE. Dupri made headlines in 2022 when he fiercely defended DVN’s “If I Get Caught”, the track he co-produced alongside DVSN’s Nineteen85 and Bryan Michael Cox.
When fans took issue with the song’s lyrics and perceived message, JD dubbed the critics “musically blind” because they’d never listened to Blues tracks for reference.
“The people I see with something bad to say about ‘If I Get Caught’ I’m sure have never listened to blues,” Dupri tweeted. “And if you never listened to blues. then you’re musically blind in my book and you can’t see what we did.”
Now in the present day, Daley is calling the group’s official signing to Jermaine Dupri a full-circle moment with a comfort level alone that made the decision a no-brainer.
“Comfort was probably the biggest thing,” the artist previously signed to Drake’s OVO Sound told BOSSIP. We got really brother-style close working on the last album. Jermaine being someone we actually got really comfortable with, he got a new situation, and his first move was like, ‘Yo, why don’t we just do this?’”
Now with Dupri on board, the duo is leaning deeper into their core sound. Their latest single, “Excited,” which flips Floetry’s “Say Yes,” is already resonating with longtime listeners.
“That’s our DNA,” said Daley. “People say it sounds like the old us, but for us that just means we sound like us.”
Their sensual follow-up, “Love On You,” earned early comparisons to Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing,” which is high praise that Daley doesn’t take lightly. “The world needs some love right now,” he explained, sharing why they wanted to release something warm and emotionally centered.
DVSN is channeling that same intimacy into their upcoming one-night-only concert in Washington, D.C., a rare full-length show.
“It’s the only full-fledged front-to-back DVSN concert we’ll be doing in North America for the whole of 2025,” said Daley. “We did a smaller venue. We wanted it to be like you can reach out and touch… Everyone gets that same feeling of closeness.”
Though his production partner Nineteen85 missed the Atlanta chat due to flight issues amid the government shutdown, the duo will reunite for the D.C. performance before heading to South Africa for their first shows on the continent.
With chart-climbing singles, a cultural titan like Dupri in their corner, and a highly anticipated concert on the horizon, DVSN is closing out the year with confidence and a commitment to connection; in the booth and beyond.
