More Than A Musician: Allegra Dayo Strives to Create an Empire

By Natalie Benoit

Allegra Dayo is “the Artist with the Aesthetics.” The Chicago-based rapper, singer, and songwriter blends her passion for beauty and style with her music career. On Sunday, July 26, she performed for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic devastated the United States. Dayo guest-starred on Find Your ID NYC’s PYNKTALKS series with host Rebel Jones. The young musician organized one of the best, live band performances the agency’s ever had on the virtual stage.

Dayo’s YouTube channel, which nearly has 2,000 subscribers, showcases some of the songs and music videos she’s released since launching her career. On Instagram, with over 8,000 followers, the rising singer and rapper captivates her audience with motivational posts and photos of her trendy ensembles. 

After the live episode of PYNKTALKS, Dayo joined host Natalie Benoit for a pre-recorded after-hour segment. The two discussed Dayo’s passions and life experiences aside from her profession as a musician. 

Dayo’s performance on PYNKTALKS was her first concert since the coronavirus first hit the United States. The rapper and singer organized the set together in a backyard with a live band, lights, and a small live audience. She says the experience made her feel like a star at the Grammys.

“It really made me happy, like you can ask every one of our friends. I’ve been really frantic about making it [the performance] a really big deal because when I tell you I haven’t performed in a minute! Music is my life, so even being able to just come on here in a backyard with you guys really pumped me up,” Dayo explained further. 

“We had a few bumps in the road with the sound and stuff, but that’s just how it goes in this industry. You always have to plan and prepare for things to go wrong, especially when we’re living in a time of the pandemic. I feel like it’s taught a lot of us how to be more resourceful and more innovative.”

Dayo’s music career may have taken off in the last several years, but her passion for singing and rapping started at a young age. For those around her, it was clear she was musically inclined by the age of 6 when she sang with a choir and participated in theatrical plays. Dayo even took violin and piano lessons, and by the time she was 12 years old, she was writing poems. 

“By the time I was 12, I had an impromptu, random freestyle battle at lunch and I won. I was like, you know this might be my calling.”

Just like most artists, Dayo has several other passions and hobbies aside from her attentiveness to music. “The Artist with the Aesthetics,” describes her three primary passions being music, astrology, and helping others live healthy and positive lifestyles through holistic practices.     

“Just being holistic and in tune with my self-care and trying to bring that knowledge to others around me… I know in hip-hop culture it’s really easy for artists to turn to drugs or substances, now I have a blunt in my hand, but mind you, Mary is the only thing we might do… I say that to get back on topic, I want to show people that you can light your candle, you can light your incense, go sit with your crystal in the corner and meditate. You don’t always have to rely on being leaned out or perked out. And it’s not just drugs, people with anger issues or stress problems, you don’t need to use toxic ways.”

The musician’s interest in following holistic medicines and self-care couples with her own spiritual journey. As mentioned earlier during the interview, Dayo is also passionate about astrology and knowing the zodiac signs. Her knowledge of astrology fuels the progression of her spiritual understanding and certain aspects of her life.

“It really makes life easy. When you are in tune with astrology, you are in tune with your [zodiac] chart.”

When I asked Dayo about being a Capricorn, she expressed how she really identifies with her sun sign. The musician is a Capricorn to the fullest!

Dayo is on the cusp, meaning she was born close to the beginning of when the Aquarius chart starts, which we bonded on. As an Aquarius, Dayo told me she resonated with some of the qualities my zodiac sign possesses. 

“I can resonate with both sides. I can say I'm a Capricorn to the fullest because of those full Capricorns. I know I’m a workaholic, but I’ve seen some that don't stop. I think my Aquarius side lets me be a little playful, a little creative, a little bit more free and whimsical.”

The conversation then shifted to Dayo’s business, which was an idea she’s had for the past three years. As a result of the pandemic, the Chicago artist says she was able to straighten out the legal side of the operation and make her Dayo Brand LLC legitimate. 

“I always knew that I wanted to do my candles, my sages, but in a different way than other people were doing them, and a lot of them with personalized affirmation by me. We're definitely gonna do hats, t-shirts…You guys will be able to check out my music at the same time you’ll be able to get some merch.” 

The launch for the website and line are happening simultaneously as the release of Dayo’s EP later this year.

“It’s gonna be the end of August or that first week in September because everything is done, everything’s mixed and mastered. We just gotta get it to you guys, and it’ll be available on all platforms: Apple, Spotify, Tidal,” added the artist and entrepreneur. 

One of the brand items Dayo was originally most excited about releasing was the customized, blinged-out sages. Yet her anticipation and excitement shifted toward the bucket hat she and her team designed. After testing the prototypes for the hat, the fashion item made it to the top of her list as her favorite pieces she’ll be sharing during the fall launch. Dayo also says she plans on pursuing new items and ideas for the line once the brand is up and running, including more clothes and accessories. 

“I really would love to get into my own personalized Dayo aesthetic sunglasses. Maybe open up a hair salon or two where you can go and get your aesthetic look where you might not get at other salons.” The ideas are endless with Dayo, and she’s eager to continue delivering creative projects for fans and herself. 

“I really honor and appreciate artists like Rihanna that are multilevel and can tap into multiple things with their brand… I really respect artists in the game especially that can have other things going on under their brand than just the music.”

The ambitious businesswoman and musician hopes to one day attain greater success in a multitude of different businesses. Her ultimate goal is to establish her own empire.

“Definitely want to make a brand for myself outside of music, even though that's my number one love. I’m a jack of all trades, I can't just limit myself in a box. Even with the style of my music, it's so different. One minute we might have rap, one minute we have real soul, you see. Me as a person I don't like to be boxed in so I just want to do everything under the umbrella that I'm capable of doing.”

Even though Dayo doesn’t tend to fall back on a “plan B,” or a backup strategy, she attended college as a psychology major. One of her first jobs after graduating was working with children diagnosed with Autism.    

“God is pushing me to just do me and do the music. Like ‘you did the work, you did help, you earned the degree, earned my stripes, now just go for what you really want to go for, what you really love,” she said toward the end of the after-hour interview segment. For Dayo, music is what she loves.  

“The Artist with the Aesthetics,” joined PYNKTALKS for a live interview and presented audiences with two performances to open and close the hour-long event. Watch the full episode with Allegra Dayo on the FYID NYC Instagram and Facebook.