Desiree is an LA-based singer, songwriter, and actress making nostalgic R&B with a cinematic, coastal feel. Born and raised in San Francisco, with roots spanning East Asia and Europe, she brings a global perspective to songs grounded in joy, longing, and human connection. Her soulful voice and effortless warmth have carried her from intimate Los Angeles stages to Chase Center, where she performed the national anthem for the Golden State Warriors.
Her debut EP, “Will You?”, is a five-song invitation to stop waiting at the edge of your life. Written during a season of choosing her creative path, the project moves through love, freedom, vulnerability, and the courage to commit to what calls you. Also a trained actress, Desiree approaches music as both storyteller and performer, building each song into a world. Her work feels sunlit and expansive, but grounded too:music for feeling deeply without losing your sense of joy.
Photographer: Alexandra Baron (@baron_ah)Heritage: Chinese
Location: Los Angeles (USA)
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Tell us about your music:
Nostalgic R&B with a cinematic, coastal feel. It’s soulful, warm, and deeply felt, but there’s always light in it. I want my music to feel like driving beside the ocean with the windows down…free, reflective, and a little romantic.
Tell us about your early music memories and when you knew you wanted to pursue music:
One of my earliest memories is my dad putting me on top of the coffee table and asking me to sing for everyone. I loved performing before I even understood what performing was. Music always felt natural to me, but choosing to pursue it fully came later, when I realized the life I wanted required me to stop treating it like a dream I could keep postponing.
How does your heritage impact your art?
I’m Asian American, and I grew up in San Francisco speaking multiple languages and always surrounded by different cultures. That shaped the way I listen, communicate, and connect with people. My heritage doesn’t always appear literally in my lyrics, but it lives in my perspective: the tension between tradition and freedom, belonging to multiple worlds, and always trying to stay open and understanding.
What moment are you most proud of in your music journey so far?
Releasing my debut EP, “Will You?” It represents more than five songs, it marks the moment I stopped waiting for permission and chose my life as an artist. Headlining my first show and performing the national anthem for the Golden State Warriors were also surreal, but completing this body of work feels especially personal.
Your next music goal:
Album mode! Ha. I’m already working on what’s next, but I’m also excited to bring “Will You?” to more live stages and continue building a world where my music, acting, and visual storytelling can live together. I also want to grow TDOE Studios into a creative home where artists can collaborate, experiment, and make beautiful work together.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who and why?
Snoh Aalegra! Her music is timeless, sensual, and emotionally precise without ever feeling overexplained. I love how fully realized her world is, from her voice and songwriting to the visual language surrounding the music. I think our tones and sensibilities could create something lush, intimate, and unexpected.
A song that has shaped you:
“You Don’t Know My Name” by Alicia Keys. She’s one of my favorite inspirations, and I remember being completely drawn into the world of that song: the warmth of the production, the realness and playfulness in her voice, and especially the spoken section, which is iconic!. It showed me that a song can have any and all elements you like. That blend of timeless soul, storytelling, and undeniable aura has deeply influenced the kind of artist I want to be.
3 songs you're listening to right now:
Alicia Keys - Unthinkable
Snoh Aalegra - Toronto
For All - Native Strangers
Your community shout out:
Oh man, I definitely need to shout out to my whole creative LA community: the musicians, filmmakers, photographers, and friends who have poured their time and belief into this chapter. “Will You?” was made independently, but I was never doing it alone. I’m especially grateful for the people helping me build TDOE Studios into a space rooted in collaboration, generosity, and genuine creative connection.
I also want to shoutout @joedaru , one of the first people to show me around LA when I first moved, and helped me so much on starting my acting side. He’s a wonderful actor, stuntman, and director himself and proudly representing his Asian heritage.