Listeners today are ravenous miners. They dig through diamonds and polished stones, ignoring fool’s gold in search for the rare vein pulsing beneath. Our generation is full of collectors. We want to preserve our best kept secret from the world because today’s trends favour niche culture and authenticity. Hands crack and bleed from the labour of chasing undiscovered talent that sets us apart from the conformist taste. I kicked my pickaxe aside and pried apart the rocks, until Dione’s music appeared from the depths of Spotify’s cave.

In the flood of endless releases and digital content, it is often assumed that audiences want grand extravaganzas and flashy visuals. Sure, it captures the attention of the scrolling thumb, but it becomes clear when the music itself becomes secondary to the visuals.

London’s former music venue, 12 Bar Club, once reputable for its place in the early careers of Jeff Buckley and Adele, was renamed The Lower Third as of late 2022. Its redefining qualities has not stepped away from its ability to recognise and support emerging artists early on in their careers by giving them a stage to stand on. Dione being one of them. I had discovered Dione’s music by pure serendipity not too long ago and from the initial listen I assumed she was widely recognised than what the numbers had shown. I had found that I kept coming back to ‘Aware’, in perfect timing too because the following week Dione was booked for a gig in London.

From Yung Lean’s boundary-pushing rap to Zara Larsson’s pop sensation, the Swedish scene now hands R&B’s heavyweight mantle to Dione. In the wake of her EP release, Heals Me, the 21-year-old artist preformed for the first time in London, situating the proof that music can extend beyond the size of a room. The venue itself reflected on the intimate feeling that Heals Me evokes, the confidence and fearlessness in presenting her true musical counterpart without any flashy tricks or masks up on stage. In Soho’s intimate basement space, nothing is hidden, the layer between the artist and their audience dissolves. Two sides of the same coin read each other, bask in the shared emotion carried through the dark, atmospheric sound. I buckled myself in the rhythmic rollercoaster with the crowd, swaying and nodding in perfect sync to the hypnotic pull of the beat.

The stage bathed in deep blue lighting complemented her stylish dark attire. It engulfed her body as she moved with cadence and flow. A spark surged beneath, torched by ‘Famous’ and ‘Only One’ a clear cult classic amongst her devoted listeners. It was only a matter of time before her following expands across listeners all over London. Side by side and completely absorbed by her performance, I vividly remember the presence of two listeners. The music washed over them that by the end of Dione’s performance they were dripping, soaked in euphoria. Like they had awaited this moment their entire lives. Dione descended into the arms of the crowd, expressing her gratitude to every proud face that saw her live on a stage far away from home in an industry proven difficult, but one that awaits her impact.