A Dirty Dozen with GRETA JANSSEN and NATE ASCENDING from DEATH VALLEY DREAM CULT – February 2026

Photo credit: Daryl Gilmore

According to a recent press release: “Death Valley Dream Cult (DVDC) are an LA-based multi-rock duo poised to release a run of singles and videos that will set the foundation for the arrival their debut EP in 2026. Comprised of genre-disrupters Greta Janssen (23) and Nate Ascending (19), DVDC exists at the intersection of rebellion and reclamation, with a goal to strip away illusion and reveal something raw, human, and unapologetically real. Death Valley Dream Cult aim to show the beauty in what is raw and real. Their music embraces contrast: light and dark, feminine and masculine, pain and blessings, coexisting rather than competing. What emerges is a sound and message rooted in honesty, agency, and self-trust.” We get Greta and Nate to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1.Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Greta: There’s a cool horny breathing sample sneaked in there over part of my verse. That’s pretty snazzy.

Nate: The second chorus comes in on the and of one instead of the one. I like those little nuances. It just felt natural. I also stuck a guitar harmony during the solo at one specific moment that happens nowhere else.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Greta: I’ve always been plagued by the urge. My dad plays guitar, sings and writes songs. He was always playing old sad country songs (his favorite is George Jones) on his acoustic and would make me stay up late with him, running three-part harmonies with my older sister until we were tight. I love country standards, especially the harmonies. When I was 7 years old, I started singing with the children’s choir at the DiCapo Opera Theater on the Upper East Side in Manhattan. We would do vaudeville and our yearly Christmas carol show, but what was really special, was when we got to be in the operas with the grown-ups. I got to do regional tours and perform at Lincoln Center before the age of 14, to Puccini’s masterpiece, Tosca. Making music has never felt like a choice, however deciding to ‘be an artist,’ felt like an impossible one. Both of my parents are creatives and work freelance. Seeing them struggle throughout my childhood made me think I was destined for a cubicle and a 401K. I didn’t want a life of financial insecurity, yet here we are. I moved from NYC to LA when I was 19 to work in the film industry. Ever since I moved here, the magnetic pull to rock music grew stronger. The need to write started to consume me. I had an itch I couldn’t scratch.  I started dating a drummer and assisting producers doing admin work. Eventually rock music became the epicenter of my life. All my friends were musicians, anytime we went out it was to go to someone’s gig. I was working in the music industry while disguising myself as a non-creative business type. I met a very talented producer through my ex (the drummer) and although we fell out and are no longer working together, he was the first person in LA who believed in me and pushed me to start recording original music.

Nate: The one moment that defined my passion, I feel, was when I went to my first show and mosh pit at fifteen. It was an underground rap show. I had found my heaven. I didn’t used to like mainstream music. I hated rap until I was about twelve. Artists like Carti, Future, and Drake were huge at the time and my siblings would blast that shit, but I never cared until my sister showed me her taste. A world opened up and I was immediately intoxicated by the culture, poetry, fashion and most importantly the music that she showed me. Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the creator, Brockhampton, A$AP Rocky were all so new to me and so inspiring. As I entered that world, XXXtentacion passed away and then I discovered my first true muse. To this day, I deeply relate to and feel his music at an existential level. The same goes for a few rare others such as Hendrix, Alice In Chains, Dax Riggs and most recently, Marilyn Manson. As my taste expanded, I also started to make true friends who I skated with every day. They became my family and we explored LA while sharing our love for rap music. A lot of my friends were rappers and that’s what inspired me to hop on the underground wave. I played my first show at fifteen and was astonished to see the way the crowd responded to me. I felt invigorated. I would spend the rest of my life from that point on trying to follow that flame. My identity as a rapper was integral but still incomplete so I embraced a new love: Mötley Crüe. I started a band at sixteen and started dressing glam and playing punk and emo shows. Plagued by perfectionism but driven by an insatiable appetite for rock and roll, I continued to shape my identity. Only recently have I started to feel close to who I really am, as I’ve been merging my love for rap with my obsession with rock. DVDC is my soul’s playground now.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Greta: I grew up in Brookly, NY, and as a young listener, it was all about rap music. The first rappers that really resonated with me were Bobby Shmurda, Yung Lean, and A$AP Rocky. Around 2015, SoundCloud rap took over my milieu. I had a short-lived stint as a SoundCloud rapper going by the name, GRETA. I never expected to ever start rapping again because I’m a white girl and I convinced myself it was really cringe for me to be a rapper, but that all changed when I met Nate and Tom, who both also happened to have hidden SoundCloud pasts. My punk phase hit me hard when I was in college in upstate NY. I discovered The Ramones, The Minutemen, The Replacements, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Descendents. It was a whirlwind of mostly 80s hardcore that escalated into some of the heaviest most unlistenable music I could find, genres with names that sound like warnings, power violence, grindcore. Eventually I missed musicality enough that I was launched back into the mainstream. I got really into rock music from the 60’s and 70’s which my dad raised me on, The Beatles, Stones, Hendrix, Floyd: the greats. Then my taste followed the progression of time, I hopped on the hair metal to grunge to nu metal pipeline. Grunge music especially stuck with me: Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Soundgarden. I’ve only just recently gotten into electronic music probably due to Tom’s influence. Electronic music is king in Europe and ever since we started working with Tom we’ve been experimenting a lot in that direction. I also was working for a while with Scott Humphrey, who produced all of Rob Zombies hits, amongst other kickass music. His style of production really inspired me. His beats just go so hard and are perfectly constructed chaos. He introduced me to modular synthesizers which I hope to investigate more once I can afford them! Right now, I’ve got my eye on 2hollis, EsDeekid, fakemink, and The Hellp.

Nate: The Jimi Hendrix live in Maui show lives in my head rent free. As well as the Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden and Queen at Live Aid.  More personally, I used to go every single weekend to see my friends’ punk and emo bands play at this dingy rehearsal space in Van Nuys called Sound Studios. It was euphoric and nostalgic in a way that has massively shaped who I am. Such a strong community. I love live shows. I love mosh pits. I feel like they are a place where I can irrevocably express myself and share my life energy with others.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Greta: I’m really into 2hollis at the moment. I think his production is dope and his sound is really exciting and cutting edge. I definitely see music moving more in that direction, only I think it’s gonna get heavier too, across genres. I think 2hollis would produce the fuck out of a Death Valley Dream Cult song. I was also recently introduced to electronic music producer, Daniel Avery. He’s really on the forefront of the collision between rock and electronic music. His new album, Tremor, is one of the most exciting albums I have heard in some time.

Nate: I would love to do a song with Marilyn Manson. I feel like I understand him, and that we would connect. I’ve spent so much of my life on a spiritual roller coaster obsessed with the occult and caught in the clutches of guilt and identity illusion. These are themes that Manson expresses in his music in an aggressive yet intimate way. I have strong feelings about the state of the world and our consciousness as a generation largely built up of nihilists and I feel that he would be able to shed light on some of the messages that I explore through my music. The emotion of his instrumentals as well as his poetic lyrics feel very aligned with where I want to be.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Greta: Nothing makes me feel happy like going on a walk. I’m a big hiker. My mind gets so clouded by stress; when I’m outside on a hike, I feel like I can breathe and think again. I love going to the beach, to art museums, loitering around the skatepark smoking joints, shaking ass at the club, eating tacos al pastor in a gas station parking lot and cuddling my cat, Roxy.

Nate: I love to skate and surf. The skatepark is a place where I can truly be in the moment. I also love to go to cafes and learn languages, go to my favorite lookout, and write poetry. Make friends with strangers and play guitar and sing the blues. I have many outlets. I love to feel connected to the world around me as well as connect to deeper parts of myself through introspection.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Greta: I would describe our music as swagged out nu metal anthems with slick electronic production, tight raps, intricate guitar riffs, and a little bit of blues. Someone once told us that we sounded “indie” but “not in a cringe way.” I’m not sure how well that one sits with me.

Nate: I would describe my music as evocative, contrarian, metaphorical, and cultural. I would also say it’s relatable to a lot of people though some of my more progressive ideas may only resonate with the exceptionally freaky. Passionate and intimate. Aggressive and vitalizing. I want to penetrate the souls of people who embrace my message and pour light into the cracks in their minds, shattering them even more and then reforming their love for life. Like a little mini acid trip, but it only affects those who are receptive. Some people have called me a poser. I think I used to be, but I was just figuring out what was authentic. I don’t get triggered by that word anymore.

Photo credit: Alyssa Pitter

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Greta: None of us are big drinkers honestly. Alcohol gets too messy. I enjoy a mezcal paloma from time to time like all the other gals, but I really love weed and mushrooms. I have an easier time justifying it to myself when something grows from the earth. Our friend Indi is a cult chef. She is truly gifted and has very expensive taste. Nate, of course, is going to be the one busting out the acoustic, and he always does. We love freestyling at parties, especially if it’s around a fire. It’s moments like that that really remind you what it’s all about and why we fell in love with music to begin with.

Nate: Indi cooks, sometimes I cook. My legendary Moroccan Nani taught me a thing or two. I don’t drink right now but the girls like to. Nothing too crazy tbh. Only on occasion it’s more elegant than that. I always sing when I get the chance. I try to include everyone. Freestyling is so so fun. I could sing the blues and play harp all night. Greta has crazy chops.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

Greta: A couple of months ago my friend Norwood Fisher had a big ol ‘birthday jam at The Miracle Theater in Inglewood. There were so many legends there that night. Backstage felt like a rock and roll hall of fame. Living in LA, you get pretty used to meeting celebrities and it usually doesn’t faze me, but when Flea walked past me, I had to stop him and introduce myself.

Nate: Norwood’s birthday was insane. I was so mesmerized by the rhythm. Vernon Reid absolutely shredded. Flea smashed too. It was so sick.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Greta: The best part of being a musician in my opinion is writing songs! I genuinely love the craft of songwriting. It’s like solving an intricate puzzle. It’s very rewarding the way a song just starts with a singular spark and then reveals itself to you. I also love an improvised jam session. It’s a really special way to connect with other musicians and it’s quite intoxicating.

Nate: I don’t think I can choose just one thing because it is truly a lifestyle, but I will say 1. The powerful emotional fulfillment that comes from writing songs and 2. The people that the lifestyle attracts and the journeys that it takes me on. If I couldn’t be a musician, then probably something having to do with nature. Maybe an environmental journalist who gets to work with endangered species. I’d also teach music on the side which I already do.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Greta: Honestly, this is our first interview, and I’m just stoked that people give enough of a shit about what we’re doing to want to interview us.

Nate: I love any and every question and I think every question is valid. I think an important one is how do you feel about fame? Since it is something I’ve thought a lot about. So many people want to be famous in this era. It used to be all I desired but I now realize the superficialism of that desire because it is solely rooted in the ego. What I desire transcends myself. I want to create music that will connect with a lot of people to share the monstrosity of energy inside of me that otherwise cascades in self-destruction, searching for release. I want to channel myself into my music in every way. And I want to express myself authentically. That is what I feel my purpose is.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Greta: My career is just beginning. There’s already been loads of missteps, but I think that’s just part of the process for everyone. I wouldn’t do anything different because it brought me to this moment and I know I’m right where I need to be.

Nate: Every misstep is a backwards compass towards truth. I would do a few things differently but I’m letting go of shame and embracing accountability instead. People know some things I’ve said / done that were stupid but at the end of the day I am genuinely proud to be who I am. That’s the greatest gift anyone could ask for.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Greta: It would be insane to be in the room for the recording of Dark Side of the Moon. It’s gotta be up there with the best albums of all time and for me, it’s more the fascination of how that record has impacted music as a whole. It’s just such an artistic achievement that it’s hard to compare to anything that has come after.

Nate: Sometimes I have a hard time observing without wanting to add, so I don’t know if I’d choose to be at the recording of such legendary records. I’m working on that. But if I had to choose any record I think I would choose Killer Queen. I love that song so much and Freddie’s voice does something to my soul that’s indescribably beautiful. The perfection of the melodies over the chords is really a work of nature.

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Category: Interviews