header image: @serskaten
words: aggy kazlauskas
the swiss musician discusses her poignant new single
whether it’s sunshine on a rainy day or a sense of pure euphoria you’ve long been waiting for, good things come to those who wait. and sometimes, they tend to take their sweet time – for victoria dell, though, patience is inseparable from reassurance. “now that i’m where i wanted to be, i’m in the right place at the right time,” she affirms in the chorus of her soulful new single. aptly-titled ‘right place right time’, it’s a heartfelt exploration of the waiting game as well as the plethora of outcomes it may potentially lead to.
“i feel really excited about sharing this song with the world,” the swiss singer-songwriter reveals, comparing it to “giving away a piece” of herself. admittedly, dell finds the process “a bit scary” – ‘right place right time’ is “the most honest song” she’s ever written, after all; and “it might be even the best,” she then adds.
indeed, the poignant number, which clocks in at over four minutes, is one of the most vulnerable offerings in dell’s discography – a six-piece sonical universe set for expansion with the release of her debut extended play in may. ‘right place right time’ is notably a fundamental part of the project’s identity – not only is it the title track, it also acts as the conceptual foundation for the ep’s core themes of self-trust, resilience, and dignity. “to me, this single captures the essence of the ep,” dell says. “it’s become an empowering mantra – a way of reminding myself that i’m exactly where i’m meant to be, even when things feel hard.”
this type of sentiment strikes a beautiful balance between montreux, dell’s hometown that she left over three years ago, and “independent life as a young adult” in london. according to her, pursuing her dreams was the fuel that kickstarted the record’s creative process. “even having my own bedroom in a typical english flat felt special, as i used to share a room with my sister [before],” she says. “i just felt so strongly in the right place at the right time.”
dell also recalls a recent chance encounter with a diary from when she was twelve, which had memorialised her hopes of coming here to make music – an inspiring testament to her tenacity. and now, she’s on a steadfast path to honing her craft. “i think the swiss music scene could only bring me to a certain place which is quite restrained,” she explains. “this is why london was a good option for me to develop myself as an artist.”
“there’s so much to be inspired by,” the rising star taps into her love for london, which she describes as unprecedentedly “multifaceted.” one of the things that made her fall in love with it, in fact, was the broad range of multitudes it contains: “you walk ten minutes, and it feels like a completely different vibe,” dell states.
“i also love how people are themselves in london,” she continues. “they’re not afraid to dream big.”
written alongside james arlington and evangelista disco, ‘right place right time’ is proof that collaboration is an asset, not a hindrance. “the process of making this song actually took months,” dell admits.
as soon as it hit the studio for recording and production courtesy of nick burns, the musician then reached out to her friend sara maladuni to lay down some keys on the track. “it was definitely not the easiest or quickest song i’ve written, but I felt it had real potential,” she confesses. “that’s why i chose to collaborate and take my time finishing it, so it could feel as true to me as possible.”
there’s no doubt that dell is the artist she was always meant to become. principled integrity and unparalleled authenticity run deep within her work, which makes her forthcoming right place right time ep that much more of a highly-anticipated release.
as for what you can expect from it, dell teases that the five-track project, which aims to blend her swiss roots with the london lifestyle, “sits between alternative r&b and soul-pop,” capturing intricate stories from different moments in her life. “the songs flow from sunrise to dusk, like one continuous loop – at its core, it’s about navigating life as a young adult, moving from a small town to a big city, and trying to find yourself,” she reveals.
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right place, right time (the EP)
will be out on the 19th of may.
you can listen to the single below.
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