Dozenz On the Making Of ‘Be someone’
How did you come up with the theme?
The theme kind of found us. Over four years of writing and reworking these songs, one question kept surfacing: Are we going to just exist, or are we going to be someone? It’s that internal battle — pushing past doubt, breaking old patterns, figuring out who you are and who you want to be. That phrase stuck. It’s not a slogan — it’s a reckoning. And it became the thread that tied the whole album together.
How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for 'Be Someone' to life?
We produced the whole album ourselves — every beat, lyric, mix. Usually, I (Sol) would lay down the rough skeleton of a song — chords, lyrics, a scratch vocal — and then Jamali would come in like a sonic architect. He’s got this crazy mix of musical instinct and technical perspective. He’s always pulling the track apart and rebuilding it better. We also worked with vocalists from around the world — and every time someone added their voice, we’d reshape the song around it. It was never about polishing; it was about emotion. If it didn’t feel real, we scrapped it.
Which song(s) from the album do you think best represents your artistic vision?
The title track, “Be Someone,” is the mission statement. It kicks the door down from the second one — no intro, no buildup, just straight into the fire. But songs like “Daylight” and “Chasing Tigers” show our range. We’re drawn to cinematic sounds, but it’s not about being big for the sake of it — it’s about building emotional weight. If it doesn’t hit you in the chest, it’s not finished.
Can you tell us more about you as a duo?
We’ve been doing this together for over 20 years — since the early 2000s. I’m the one who leads with emotion and gut instinct; Jamali is the calm in the storm, breaking things down, seeing the angles. He’ll always ask the right questions — “What’s this song really about?” — and push it further. We’ve got mutual trust, zero ego, and the same obsession: make it real, or don’t make it at all.
Are there any specific themes or messages that you aim to convey through your music?
Definitely — but not in a heavy-handed way. We write about identity, doubt, resilience, transformation. All the messy stuff you try to make sense of when life doesn’t give you a clear map. We’re not trying to preach — we’re trying to connect. If you hear a song and feel like it’s saying something you couldn’t put into words yourself… that’s the whole point.
