Dotan has always used music as a form of expression, a method to uncover the feelings tucked away into the corners of his mind. A songwriter with humble beginnings, he cut his musical teeth playing bars and living room shows to fund and promote his debut album a decade ago. The album, 7 Layers, was a deeply personal journey that told the story of a young man, struggling to discover himself. This record went on to become one of the bestselling albums in the Netherlands and amassed international success spanning Europe and North America, which led Dotan on a journey around the world and catapulted his career.

“I wrote Louder in 2022 from a shitty sofa in Los Angeles and it came out as a universal happy protest song. So many people in life will tell you to be quiet or to be different, especially in the current climate. And it suddenly clicked for me. When people tell you to be less of something or to tone it down….be louder. To write and fully produce this song all by myself, was the only way to do it. Sonically it’s the happiest and most uplifting I have ever sounded, which feels so good. I hope this is the type of song that people will scream along to, dance along to and feel it’s ok to be a little different.”

Numb – Dotan’s comeback single in 2019 – achieved achieved number one airplay in Italy and Poland, number two airplay in Russia, number three in Switzerland with Top 40 in Mexico, Netherlands, and Belgium. This initiated a new era of expression for Dotan, in which he explored a more bold, pop sound and colorful visuals; elements he tended to previously avoid. Follow-up singles, No Words, There Will Be a Way, and Mercy continued to solidify Dotan’s place on the charts and culminated in sold-out concerts, festivals, television appearances, and even an invitation to perform at the Vatican.

Armed with his acoustic guitar, Dotan began writing for his upcoming album aiming to tell the stories closest to his heart. In contrast to his earlier, darker work, his newest collection of songs is inspired by light, the opposite of darkness. He drew inspiration from music he listened to as a child with his father, the likes of James Taylor, Neil Young, and Cat Stevens. He found beauty in the rough edges of production and raw honesty in lyrics.

As he wrote for his upcoming record, Dotan developed a healthier relationship with music, where he discovered that music could feel sunny and bright, it could inspire and celebrate life. And this discovery is the crux of Dotan’s upcoming album, a folk-influenced record that tells the story of happier chapters in his life and looks forward at what’s to come.

foto Dotan © josinematography