Cover Girl: Daiyan Trisha is the star for our April 2023 issue featuring Gucci

Congratulations on your first L’Officiel cover, Daiyan! How does it feel to grace our April ’23 cover?

I woke up this morning and I was like “Oh my God!”. This has always been a dream. For a Malay singer to be gracing a L’Officiel cover — it’s a huge deal to me. I want to thank the team for having me and Gucci for pulling all this together. It’s truly a dream come true!

From being a singer-songwriter and actress to playing different roles in dramas while staying true to yourself, like Gucci’s Spring/ Summer 2023 collection, your career is a constant exploration of duality. How do you juggle all the different facets of your life?

Playing multiple roles and multitasking has always been the topic of my conversation since the very beginning of my career. (Fun fact: I released my first song in 2013 so this year marks my 10th work anniversary!) I am always asked the same question: “Do you like singing or acting better?”, or “Do you like writing in Malay or English more?”. Why can’t I do both? If I limit myself to just one, I won’t be able to be authentic and stay true to myself.

Therefore, I allow myself to discover and explore every single angle that I am keen on. This has given me the most satisfaction and fulfilment in terms of crafting my own art and path.

You’ve acted in a slew of popular series throughout the years. Which character do you feel the most in tune with?

All of the roles that I played have some sort of “Daiyan” in them, but one of the characters I want to give a shout-out to is my first-ever character — Dee, in a series called Dee. She was someone who paved the way for my childhood dream of being a singer and an actress to come true. If I were to choose another character, it will probably be Aida from Projek: Anchor SPM — she’s a special one. Aida is very smart but very stubborn, and she kind of reminds me of myself sometimes.

“Love Nature” is our theme of the month. How does nature play a part in all your creative processes?

People say that the elements of the world are always unconsciously affecting you. Nature — be it air, water, wind, and earth — has always been something that connects us and grounds us as human beings.

What’s your best Gucci memory?

There are a few! One of the most memorable would be my recent trip to Sydney where I attended the Gucci Garden Archetypes exhibition. I also managed to check out the Gucci Twinsburg collection during Milan Fashion Week last September. Getting to see the looks and the details up close was truly an unforgettable experience.

You’re a style chameleon, but what’s the one fashion trend we’ll never see you in?

You’re right — I experimented with a lot of different styles. I love edgy outfits with a touch of femininity, but I don’t think you’ll see me in a full-on sporty look.

What’s one fashion item you’re obsessed with right now?

Bags. I can’t wait to move into my new home to see how many I actually own as I’ve lost count of the styles and the colours of bags that I have.

Who’s your style icon and why?

I love Zendaya and Bella Hadid! A lot of my Y2K looks are inspired by Bella’s effortless street style.

Describe your perfect day off.

Being at home, not doing anything, catching up on my favourite series, and playing with my cats — Jonathan and Jennie!

If you could go back in time and tell 16-year-old Daiyan who posted her first YouTube cover one thing, what would it be?

Keep going. There are so many unexpected things that will happen your way that you won’t even dream of, but just keep going. You’re fine and you’re doing really well!

What was your thought process like when you posted the cover? Was it just for fun or were you attempting to establish yourself?

It was definitely just for fun. I took piano lessons when I was eight years old and my teacher told me that I could sing, so I thought I should start.

I then started posting video covers for fun when I was 14. Fun fact: the video that I posted when I was 16 years old was actually from my third YouTube Channel because I deleted the first two thinking they weren’t going to work out!

From being the face of local and international brands to purchasing your second home, you’ve achieved many milestones last year. What is on your checklist in 2023?

There are so many. I recently launched my first selendang collection in conjunction with the upcoming Raya celebrations, and I feel that it’s the epitome of a classic, traditional look. It’s something I’m very excited about. But on top of that, I’m currently working on my second album which will be launching in Q3 or Q4 of this year. In May, I’ll be working on W: Two Worlds — a Malay adaption of a hit Korean series. There will be a lot of things coming up this year which are going to make my fans so happy.

What’s next for you, personally?

The most important thing to me right now is to move into my new home — we’re at the very last bit of renovating. It’s going to be a fresh start and a new phase for me because it’s WORDS a huge change.