Q&A: Debbii Dawson Finds Hope in a Hurting World on “Where Have All the Good Men Gone?”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
Photo by Aaron Sinclair
IF ONE IS HURTING, AREN’T WE ALL IN PAIN? — It's the question Debbii Dawson couldn't shake while writing Where Have All the Good Men Gone? a six-song EP born from sleepless nights spent doomscrolling through a world that often felt beyond repair. Instead of retreating from the anxiety, grief, and frustration that consumed her, Dawson channeled them into her most purposeful work yet. What manifests is a collection that pairs shimmering pop production with piercing lyricism, proving that empathy remains one of the most powerful forces we have when everything else feels uncertain.
Across Where Have All the Good Men Gone? the singer-songwriter transforms the anxieties of the world into emotionally charged pop songs that refuse to surrender to cynicism. Rather than offering escapism, Dawson invites listeners to dance through discomfort, confront difficult emotions and rediscover hope on the other side.
The project arrives after a year that tested Dawson both personally and creatively. Splitting her time between the recording studio and the stage, she found herself wrestling with the disconnect between writing carefree pop songs during the day and lying awake at night consumed by headlines, fear and concern for the people she loves. Instead of ignoring those emotions, she leaned into them.
“Everything seemed to be on fire and the flames only kept getting higher,” Dawson says. “The awful things I was seeing on the news everyday weren’t just events happening on distant shores, they were and are things that affect the people I know and love. And if one of is hurting, aren’t we all in pain? I paused to write what was in my heart; the fears and hopelessness, the feelings of betrayal from people we were supposed to trust… I’m sharing these feelings with you in an EP. These songs were born out of anger and grief, but I didn’t want to write them from a place of defeat. I want these songs to move people, not just on the dance floor, but also to action. Good people seem hard to come by these days, but I believe that if we each try to be the good we’re so desperately looking for we just might have a chance.”
Musically, Dawson continues refining the polished signature pop sound while allowing herself greater creative freedom than ever before.
On the EP’s lead single and title track, Dawson collaborates with Joel Little. It sets the tone for the project as a glimmering pop record that unpacks the frustrations and contradictions of searching for kind people with common sense in the world.
Throughout the EP, Dawson explores larger societal themes through deeply personal storytelling that continues across the EP.
“Kool Aid,” co-written with Justin Tranter and Tommy English, draws from Dawson's own childhood experiences to examine the psychology behind cults and charismatic leadership.
Meanwhile, “Mars” reveals another side of Dawson's songwriting. Inspired by the theatricality of David Bowie, the track initially presents itself as an expansive love song about crossing galaxies for someone you cherish.
In Where Have All the Good Men Gone? Dawson acknowledges fear without surrendering to it. She embraces vulnerability without abandoning optimism. The songstress never loses sight of connection. Even while grappling with betrayal, anxiety, and collective exhaustion, her songwriting continually returns to empathy. Her belief that “if one of us is hurting, aren't we all in pain?” becomes the emotional heartbeat of the record.
Photo by Aaron Sinclair
LUNA: Thank you for talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar with you yet, what kind of atmosphere or emotional space do you aim to create for your listeners?
DEBBII: I always want it to be a safe space for people to feel. In creating what I'm looking for, so a safe place, a place where you can feel free to be yourself, your authentic self without judgment to express yourself creatively, I hope that it's a space that encourages conversations within yourself and communities.
LUNA: Your newest EP Where Have All the Good Men Gone? was born out of anger and grief. You said you paused writing songs about love and dancing because they no longer reflected what you were experiencing. What inspired the project and what did you set out to capture?
DEBBII: I literally wasn't sleeping at night. The things I was seeing on the news were things that were affecting me personally and people I love in a very personal way. I have relatives in the Twin Cities in Minnesota who are right in the middle of all the crazy stuff happening there, and then I have friends that are undocumented that are just living in fear every single day. I'm the child of immigrants. My parents immigrated here, and it's just crazy seeing them anxious. It was just weird to go into the studio and have a fun time, and then come back home to this reality every single day, so that's what got the gears turning for the EP.
LUNA: I know you talk about the importance of creating safe spaces in your music for others. During this time of political upheaval and hearing the neverending news cycle, has creating this music created a safe space for you and your emotions?
DEBBII: I would hope so. If you were to meet me in person, I'm not the best at expressing myself or my fears or things I'm struggling with, or things that make me happy even. Music is that place where I'm able to do that. It's something that allows me to process everything going on to talk about it. I think right now, it's just the amount of atrocities happening is overwhelming. I'm an acts of service girly, so I'm always like, what can I do about it? I want to hop on a plane and dive in and make a change. Having a platform or creating a platform and being able to use my voice is really important to me.
LUNA: This project feels like a defining artistic statement. In what ways do you feel you've evolved, not only as a songwriter but also as a person, since your earlier releases like How To Be Human EP?
DEBBII: I would definitely say more confidence, and I think being more fearless in the studio. When I started, I really had no idea what to expect. It was such a brand new world jumping into sessions with strangers and into studios with people I'd never met before. After meeting some great people and learning that it's okay to have opinions has made this process more valuable. I've historically been a people pleaser, and that's something I've been working on in my personal life, and that I think is reflected in the evolution of the music too. I like to have fun when I'm making music, and I feel like my earlier stuff talks a lot about things I was struggling with. I think sonically now, you can see more of my personality reflected in it, which is really fun.
LUNA: Do you have a personal favorite song on Where Have All the Good Men Gone? — one that feels closest to your heart or most revealing of who Debbii Dawson is right now?
DEBBII: It's really hard. There's not that many songs on there, but I like different songs for different reasons. I love “Where Have All the Good Men Gone?” “Kool Aid” has disco elements, which is really fun, and it's fun to sing and it's fun to dance too. “Money” was just so much fun to produce. It's just me playing around in the studio with a couple of other guys.
LUNA: Looking ahead, has making this EP changed the kinds of stories you want to tell in future releases?
DEBBII: Even looking back at my earlier stuff, there's always a hidden meaning or layers to songs — intentionally or unintentionally. It's always going to be important for me to speak on things that are close to my heart, whether it's politics, mental health or family. I think my core messages will always be there, looking forward. I'm just having fun trying to get wilder and weirder, and seeing what I can get away with.
LUNA: How do you hope listeners — especially your femme audience — can connect with or find power in this new era of music from you? What emotions or messages do you want to leave with them?
DEBBII: I think it'd be so cool if other women can listen to it. It's been cool getting DMs from women that are so encouraged to start producing. I want to see more women in production. I feel like we're made to believe that we can't do it, which is weird. I'd like to see more women in production. I think we as women from birth, we're conditioned to just be a certain way. I hope my music's always pushing boundaries and making you question and rethink things.
LUNA: What is fueling your fire right now that’s pushing you into this new era of your career?
DEBBII: I'm trying to get out of the house more. I really don't leave very often. I've been living in LA for six years, and I think in the past couple years, I've been getting out to do more music-related stuff pertaining to work, and this year I'm trying to do more things that are more non-work-related. I started LARPing. I'm going to try to go to a circus show this weekend too. Just trying to do all the side quests, and I think you’ll hear that in my music.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like that you would like to share with Luna?
DEBBII: I'm tired. I'm so sleepy. I might catch a nap before I have to go out for dinner later. To be determined for the rest of the year.
LUNA: Is there anything that I didn't ask that you would like to add to the interview?
DEBBII: I always believed Taco Bell was innocent.
