Donya on Little Secrets, Pop Nostalgia and the Art of Keeping Things Private

Donya remembers waiting for music videos to appear on MTV. Before every performance was available on demand, there was a particular pleasure in not knowing when your favourite artist might turn up on the screen. You watched, waited and hoped.

She grew up with the pop worlds of Britney Spears, Hannah Montana, High School Musical and Camp Rock, drawn to the clothes, characters and stories as much as the songs. Now making music of her own, she is finding ways to bring some of that feeling into a different media landscape.

Her October 2026 single “Little Secret” is about a relationship that feels too personal to invite everyone into. It is not about hiding someone. For Donya, the distinction matters: privacy can be a way of protecting something good, rather than keeping something shameful out of sight.

The accompanying video, co-directed with her friend Giselle Gaines, is anything but discreet. Filmed at the Lafayette Hotel in San Diego, it moves through pink eyeshadow, cheetah print, getting-ready scenes and a final closed door. The hotel itself helped shape the story. Working independently, Donya and Gaines built the video around the spaces they had rather than an expensive production.

Donya has been releasing music since 2018, previously working with a label in the Persian music market. Her more recent English-language releases have brought new decisions, from managing smaller video budgets to working out which parts of her identity she wants to carry into this chapter. She is open about still figuring that out.

In conversation with Good Hours, Donya talks about the appeal of keeping a little mystery, the pleasure of getting ready to go out, the pop stars she grew up watching and why she sometimes wishes music could exist without so much social media around it.

Something Worth Keeping Private

Good Hours: “Little Secret” captures that feeling of wanting to disappear into your own little world with someone for a night. What inspired the song, and what do you find appealing about the idea of keeping something special just for yourself?

“Little Secret” is about being in a relationship that’s going really well and feeling like you want to keep that part of your life private. Especially as a public figure, I think sharing a relationship with the world can bring pressures and opinions into something that’s personal. I was thinking about that feeling when the idea came to me: it’s not a secret you’re ashamed of, it’s something special you want to keep between you. There’s a difference between being private and hiding something.

Good Hours: The song has a playful, getting-ready-to-go-out energy. Do you have a particular ritual before a night out?

Definitely. My favorite part of going out is doing my makeup and hair in front of the mirror while listening to music. Sometimes I vlog while I’m getting ready for my YouTube audience, and I really enjoy that. It can feel a little funny talking to a camera by myself, but I know I’m really talking to my fans, and that’s such a nice feeling. The music changes depending on my mood, but getting ready, listening to songs and sharing that time with my fans is always part of my routine. I feel lucky that I get to do that.

Pink Eyeshadow at the Lafayette Hotel

Good Hours: The video is full of hot pink, cheetah print, sequins and old-school glamour. Where did that visual world begin, and what made you decide it was the right setting for “Little Secret”?

As an independent artist, I’m always trying to find creative ways to make a music video feel special while keeping the budget as low as possible. That way, I can save for future projects and still promote my music in the best way I can. I was looking at possible locations when I came across the Lafayette Hotel in San Diego. It was beautiful, had the vintage vibe I loved, and offered so many of the kinds of spaces I’d been looking for. The hotel helped inspire the storyline, which I started developing with my friend Giselle.

Good Hours: You co-directed the video with Giselle Gaines. How did the two of you develop the concept together, and was there a particular scene or detail you were determined to include?

Giselle and I are both very girly, and we were drawn to ideas that felt cute, stylish and current. We knew we wanted interesting locations and great fashion, so we built the storyline around the spaces in the hotel. The lyrics about keeping things low-key and being in “airplane mode” gave us the idea of opening with me texting someone, as if I’m wondering whether people have caught on.

We wanted a story, but we didn’t have the time or budget to make it a full narrative video, so we tried to build one through little moments and the locations we had. I start by texting on the bed, then I get ready in the bathroom and decide what to wear before meeting this person. At the end, I put up the “Please Do Not Disturb” sign and close the door, which hints that he’s there. I found the pink eyeshadow look on Pinterest and really wanted to include it. The cheetah-print table was already part of the hotel, and we thought it looked great with my dress. We tried to make all those details feel like they belonged together.

Finding a Look That Feels Like Hers

Good Hours: Fashion and beauty seem to play an important role in your visual identity. When you’re creating a new look, do you start with a particular feeling, a reference from the past or simply something you think would be fun to wear?

I’m still figuring out my visual identity for the English-language market. I’ve only recently started releasing songs in English, and because I love listening to different genres, I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with different sounds in my Persian music too. I like change, so I’m still discovering what feels most like me and what kind of character I want to show people.

With fashion, I usually try to wear things I genuinely like, while also paying attention to what feels current and fun. I’m still working out how to experiment with different looks while keeping a visual identity that feels true to me. It’s something I’m actively figuring out right now.

Good Hours: There’s something enjoyable about the transformation that happens while getting ready to go out. Do clothes, makeup and music help you step into a different version of yourself, or do they bring out a side of your personality that’s already there?

I think there’s something really special about that getting-ready feeling a lot of girls know: doing your hair and makeup, putting on your favorite clothes and heels, and feeling pretty. It brings out this confidence and feminine energy that feels like part of girlhood. I love those moments, whether I’m getting ready with other people or just enjoying it on my own. Feeling pretty is such a good feeling, and it never really gets old.

The Pop Stars She Grew Up Watching

Good Hours: Your recent releases have drawn on the glossy pop sounds and visuals of the early 2000s. What do you love most about that era, and are there particular artists, music videos or fashion moments that still inspire you?

I’ve always been a pink girl, so I’ve always loved the playful, glamorous side of 2000s pop culture. Paris Hilton’s style really caught my attention, and Britney Spears has always been someone I looked up to. I love seeing younger artists like Tate McRae bring some of that pop-star energy into their own work in a way that feels completely their own.

I also grew up loving High School Musical, Hannah Montana and Camp Rock, and artists like Selena Gomez. Those movies and performers are a big part of why I wanted to do what I do. I think the pop culture of that time had a special kind of fun and fantasy to it. With Y2K fashion coming back, it’s exciting to see people reconnecting with that era. Sharpay from High School Musical and Britney are two inspirations that really stayed with me.

Sharing Music Without Sharing Everything

Good Hours: “Little Secret” celebrates keeping a little part of your life private. As an artist with a large social media audience, how do you decide what you’re happy to share and what you’d rather keep entirely to yourself?

My experiences have taught me to trust my instincts when I’m sharing my music and creative ideas. I actually enjoy vlogging on YouTube and sharing different parts of my life there. I also post on Instagram and TikTok, but sometimes I wish artists didn’t have to rely so much on social media to promote their songs and reach listeners.

When I was growing up and dreamed of being an artist, I imagined making music and performing. Social media wasn’t part of that picture. I understand it’s a big part of the industry now, but I don’t want to feel like I have to share every part of my personal life to get people interested in my music. I’d rather keep some things private and let people connect with my art. That’s part of what “Little Secret” means to me: something can be real and special without being shared with everyone.

Good Hours: You’ve been releasing music since 2018, and your work has developed a strong visual identity alongside the songs. Has your approach to creating music videos changed as you’ve become more involved in shaping their concepts and direction?

I’ve always loved music videos because I love storytelling, and I enjoy playing different characters. I’ve always liked acting, too, so I put a lot of thought into coming up with ideas that feel special. When I was signed to a label in the Persian market, I had the chance to make videos with bigger productions.

Now that I’m an independent artist in the English-language market, the budget is smaller, so I have to find different ways to bring my ideas to life. That can be challenging, especially because some people are used to seeing my bigger productions and may expect the same scale. But creatively, my approach hasn’t changed. I still put together mood boards, come up with the story and decide what I want the video to feel like. Then we work out how to make that idea happen within the budget.

A Day Off That Still Involves Making Something

Good Hours: You’ve built an international audience, but I’m curious about the quieter moments away from music and social media. What does a perfect day off look like for you when there are no cameras, performances or expectations?

Honestly, even a perfect day off for me would still involve being productive and creating. I’d want time to make art, work on music and content, come up with new hooks and melodies, and brainstorm ideas for future projects and visuals. At this stage of my life and career, it’s hard for me to think of a day off as doing nothing. I feel like this is the time to work hard and make the most of every day, so my ideal day off would still be creative and inspiring.

Good Hours: If you could bring back one thing from the pop culture of your childhood or teenage years, what would it be, and why?

So many of the things I loved are already coming back, and I can see them all over pop culture now. It’s really cool to watch other generations discover and enjoy things that impressed me when I was growing up.

If I could bring back one thing, it would be waiting for music videos to come on MTV. Before YouTube, you couldn’t just search for a video whenever you wanted. You had to wait and hope your favorite artist’s video would come on TV. That anticipation made it feel special. I’d bring back that feeling of experiencing music and art through TV, and maybe take social media out of the equation.

Donya still loves the excitement of a music video: the clothes, the setting, the small details that turn a song into a scene. She also remembers when watching one required patience. For an artist now expected to share so much, that older kind of distance has its appeal.

“Little Secret” leaves room for both sides of her. The video can be pink, playful and made for an audience. The relationship at the centre of the song can stay behind a closed door.

Stream Liitle Secret om Spotify https://open.spotify.com/album/4T5D70ImgipZ1klACRqKyN

Donya: Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Donya?

Donya is a pop artist and songwriter who has released music in Persian and English. Her work combines songwriting with fashion, music videos and visual storytelling.

What is Donya’s song “Little Secret” about?

“Little Secret” is about enjoying a romantic relationship while choosing to keep it private. Donya describes the difference between protecting something personal and hiding something out of shame.

When was “Little Secret” released?

Donya released “Little Secret” in October 2026.

Who directed the “Little Secret” music video?

The video was co-directed by Donya and Giselle Gaines. They developed its concept around the spaces available at the Lafayette Hotel in San Diego.

Which artists and pop culture references inspire Donya?

Donya mentions Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Selena Gomez and Tate McRae, along with High School Musical, Hannah Montana and Camp Rock. She is particularly drawn to early-2000s pop fashion and music videos.

How has Donya’s approach to music videos changed?

Donya previously worked on larger productions while signed to a label in the Persian music market. As an independent artist releasing English-language music, she now develops concepts and mood boards with smaller budgets in mind.

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