Dess Dior Is Billboard’s Up-and-Coming Hip-Hop Artist of the Month for April 2026

Dess Dior bet on herself early. At just 18, fresh out of high school in 2016, the rapper born Destiny Bailey left home for Atlanta with little more than a dream. Within two years, she began releasing music, laying the foundation for a career rooted in both confidence and self-discovery.

Since then, Dior has steadily carved out her space in hip-hop, showing flashes of versatility on records like “Stone Cold” with Mariah the Scientist and “Favorite Girl” alongside Darkoo. Each release hinted at an artist capable of balancing melodic instincts with sharp, self-assured lyricism, a duality that has become central to her identity.

Now, that identity comes into sharper focus with Note to Self, a project that builds on the foundation of her previous EP Take Notes, which she describes as the “appetizer.” This time around, Dior is serving something more complete: a deeper, more intentional body of work that captures her growth in real time. Across the album, she leans into both vulnerability and strength, documenting the highs and lows that have shaped her journey while embracing a newfound sense of self-worth.

“This project was really just me reminding myself who I am, how far I’ve come, and where I’m headed,” she tells Billboard. “It’s easy to lose yourself in all the noise, but I have to stay grounded and rooted in my own feminine power.”

With Note to Self, Dess Dior steps into a more defined version of herself — one shaped by experience, self-reflection and a clearer sense of purpose. Across the project, she moves with intention, balancing vulnerability and confidence while continuing to sharpen her voice as both a rapper and storyteller. It’s this willingness to grow in public, while still staying grounded in who she is, that sets her apart in today’s landscape. As she continues to evolve her sound and expand her reach, Dior is not just documenting her journey — she’s actively building it, one record at a time.

On the release day of her latest project, Billboard’s Hip-Hop Up & Coming Artist for the Month of April 2026 opens up about evolution, self-worth and stepping fully into her voice.

For someone who’s just discovering Dess Dior today, what’s the first thing you want them to understand about you?

That I am unapologetically me. I am confident, God-fearing, and I speak for the people who want something for themselves.

How does this album reflect where you are mentally and emotionally compared to Take Notes?

Take Notes was the appetizer to this album, so every song from Take Notes is on this project.

This one just goes deeper into the story I started there: more vulnerability [and] more melodic records. You really get a feel for where I’m at right now. I’m feeling very sexy, very confident, [and] very unapologetic.

This project balances confidence and vulnerability really well. Was that intentional going in, or did it naturally happen as you were recording?

I always want to make sure I’m representing empowerment and self-confidence, so I’m very intentional about that. But I also wanted to show some diversity with my vulnerability, because just like we have highs, we have lows too. So yeah, I was very intentional about the message I wanted to put out with this project.

A lot of this album is about self-worth and setting standards. What experiences pushed you to stand firmer on that?

Disappointment pushed me to stand firm on my boundaries. Going through life, being let down by things. People put me in a space where my back was against the wall and all I could depend on was myself. That’s where I get my fuel and my ammo.

Songs like “Single Summer” really feel like choosing yourself, what does that season of life look like for you right now?

Honestly, doing anything that feels good to Dess. I’m not putting anybody else in mind, just myself. I’m putting myself and how I feel first for a change because I’m always compromising for things and people.

So my “Sngle Summer” is just doing everything Dess, everything that feels good to Dess.

I noticed there’s a mix of empowerment and what some people might call “toxic” relationship energy on the album. Why was it important for you to show both sides?

It was important for me to show both sides because, like I said, you deal with a lot of highs and you also deal with lows. And I feel like 2024, 2025 — these past couple of years — I’ve been dealing with a lot, both romantically and while chasing my dreams. So it would’ve been unnatural for me not to include that in the project, because it’s part of my story. It’s part of the journey I’ve had to take.

On tracks like “Missin You” and “Different Pages,” you get more vulnerable. How hard is it for you to open up like that in your music?

It started being very hard because I didn’t know how I would be received, and I always felt like part of me being a little more private was me protecting my story, or just my image. But it was time to just let it out, honestly. And me letting it out through my music made me feel really good.

It’s like I released it into the world for other people to listen to and hopefully relate to, and it made me feel even more powerful.

Do you think you’ve evolved in how you approach love and relationships compared to when you first started making music?

Absolutely. Absolutely a 1000%. That’s a great question because now when I approach relationships, I’m like, “Tell Me Now.” This is what it is, this is what it’s not. If we don’t align, that’s perfectly fine, but let’s not waste each other’s time. I’m very firm on my boundaries now. I’m more outspoken about what my requirements are, so it’s helped a lot.

“IDC” flips “So What” by Ciara. What made you want to revisit that record, and what did you want your version to say in 2025/2026?

“So What” is an Atlanta staple song. Ciara is an Atlanta staple artist, and Atlanta has played such a major role in my career, period. I felt like it was only right to revisit that and just jazz it up in my own way, with women’s empowerment, and me empowering myself on the track.

“Spoil Me” shows a softer side. How do you balance being independent but still wanting to be taken care of?

It gets tricky. It gets very tricky. I feel like I give the softer records to let listeners know that although I am independent, although I am very headstrong, I’m still a woman. I’m still feminine, and I still want to feel like that — I’m still soft, and I want to be catered to. Because that’s what it’s all about anyway.

Even if I’m being a little more aggressive while saying it, I’m still saying the same message. I’m a woman, I want to be taken care of, I want to be provided for, I want to be led, I want to feel safe.

The album still feels rooted in Atlanta but also global. How intentional were you about pushing your sound forward this time?

I was very intentional with that because I always say I want all the audiences — every demographic, everywhere. I want it all. So I’m coming for that with my sound, and I don’t want to be boxed in when it comes to what I can do musically.

Just like the record I did with “Favorite Girl” with Darko and then [“Stone Cold” with]  Mariah the Scientist, all of those had different audiences, and I stepped into both and conquered. So I wanted to make sure I did that with this project. With the collaborations I had, like [“Spoil Me” with Valiant,] he’s gonna take this record international. And Lucci and Belly Gang, everybody did something for the record and took it to a different place. And that’s exactly what I wanted.

You worked with artists like YFN Lucci and Valiant. What do you look for when deciding who to collaborate with?

People that I organically listen to and genuinely f—k with honestly, that plays a part. I like organic relationships. Yes, it’s about capitalizing on the moment and making sure we’re getting the most out of the record. I also want to make sure that I rock with you as a person and what you stand for.

What’s something people still underestimate about you?

That I can do everything that I put my mind to. I feel like people try to limit me just because of my face card. People say, “oh, pretty face, you should just model” or do something that doesn’t involve you being as powerful as you can be. And my role here is to show you that I can do everything I put my mind to. You can’t box me in with anything. I’m coming from every angle.

When it’s all said and done, what do you want Note to Self to represent in your career?

I want people to be able to listen to Note to Self with open ears and just hear growth, because that’s what this project represents. I’ve grown in so many different areas, musically, mentally. I wanted it to represent women’s empowerment, people empowerment.

If you could write one more “note to self” right now, after finishing this album, what would it say?

To believe in your own mind, your voice, [and] your thoughts. Just believe and not second guess yourself when it comes to pushing that forward. Sometimes, people second guess their mind, what they believe about themselves, their pen, [and] their artistry. I feel like you should believe in it a little more and put that “umph” behind it, because that’s all it takes sometimes.