Before he was collaborating on EDM hits with Demi Lovato and Fetty Wap, Trevor Dahl was making music on his own terms. With the rapid rise of Cheat Codes with bandmates Kevin Ford and Matthew Russell, the trio has made it a priority to also focus on their own creative endeavors. Now, going by his surname, Trevor will be making music as “Dahl” in a project parallel to Cheat Codes, returning to his solo roots. With a hybrid of current influences from Bazzi and Lauv alongside the lyricism of John Mayer, Dahl reveals his talent for being a jack of all trades: writing, producing, and mixing.
At the end of 2019, Dahl was featured on Josie Dunne’s single “Stay The way I Left You.” The track, which reached over 4 million streams, is one of Dunne’s highest streaming songs to date.
Dahl returns with the visual for “Can I Kiss You?,” the first single from Dahl’s project. Bringing Trevor back to his roots, the video was shot in Trevor’s childhood home with help from his brother and captures the repeating thoughts that fill your mind when all you can think about is that special someone. The romantic ballad displays a raw, stripped down singer / songwriter side of Trevor Dahl. Produced by Dahl and Morgan Taylor Reid [Jack & Jack, Wrabel, Backstreet Boys] & mixed by Rob Kinelski [Billie Eilish, Alexander 23, AJ Mitchell], Dahl created an undeniably catchy love song for the modern age.
For the Portland native, making music was instinctive. Prompted by his father’s songwriting and performances for he and his brother, Dahl picked up the guitar at the age of 12. The guitar was his musical gateway drug — he went onto learn the drums and piano without lessons. He began toying with production, writing poems and beats, and soon enough his passion for sports became entirely about music.
At 15, he began releasing his music on MySpace and booking his own shows. Just one year later, he decided to drop out of high school in order to play as many shows as possible and was signed to Atlantic Records at 17. For the next five years, he toured the country, even writing songs for other major label artists. As a broke musician in Los Angeles, he lived in a house with 16 people, converting a laundry room into a studio in order to pursue his dreams. By 21, he left Atlantic Records to pursue electronic music, which led him to Cheat Codes.
FROM TREVOR DAHL
“I shot this at my childhood home in Portland and my brother and best friend helped me film it. The main room I shot in was where I recorded my very first song when I was 12 years old. Even though it’s a bummer not being able to have a big film crew during this crazy time we’re all dealing with, it was awesome to be able to create something back in the spot where it all started for me.
“I grew up performing in bands, or by myself with an acoustic guitar, and it’s been awhile since I’ve made that type of music. I wanted to go back to my roots and make music that was stripped down and based around the lyrics and vocals instead of heavy drops and big production.”