Dhruv is back with his upbeat single “Dalmatian.” It was released on Oct. 9, 2026, and is the first release since his debut album “Private Blizzard” in 2024. “Dalmatian” features a playful bass and drums opposingly paired with lyrics that yearn for a former lover, now with another.
The mononymous indie singer-songwriter initially skyrocketed to fame with the release of the contemporary R&B track “Double Take,” released in May 2019 but only garnering international fame in 2021 on TikTok, two years after its initial release. “Double Take” now has more than 1 billion streams on Spotify alone. His debut EP “Rapunzel” was released in 2022, featuring more pre-released singles such as “moonlight” and “airplane thoughts.” He then released his debut album “Private Blizzard” in 2024, featuring a mixture of tracks, different in both lyrical content and instrumentals.
A “Dalmatian” is referred to in the song as a tangible desire of the “he” in the song, or the current lover of the person Dhruv is singing to. The lyric “I bet he wants a dalmatian / he’s a master of curation” implies a certain materialistic and high-strung attitude towards life. A dalmatian is such a distinctive, beautiful dog that a person who owns one must certainly be known as a dalmatian owner. The lyric “does [his place] feel like home” diametrically opposes Dhruv to the aforementioned lover. Dhruv’s “promise you a good time” carefree nature is placed against the lover’s objective outside perfection, with “a body cut like marble,” but boring, stone-cold interior.
A main feature of “Dalmatian” is its interpolation of The Brazilian Girl’s “Good Time” (2008). The funky, carefree splashy summer vibe of the song is retained, while taking on aspects of Dhruv’s own music style. One could refer to Dhruv’s music as a confession of the soul. The lyrics have a yearning nature, which is complemented by the different beats and instruments he chooses to use. Whether introspective on his own persona or focused on his experiences of love and loss, Dhruv’s music is deeply personal, which is a large reason why his popularity has risen.
Dhruv is currently finishing up this season as an opening act for Jessie Ware on her Superbloom tour, but with the several sold-out venues on his prior 2025 “Private Blizzard” headlining tour, it can be expected that fans look forward to his future concerts and tours once the full-length album is released. “Dalmatian” is a bright, exciting look into Dhruv’s future releases and a testament to his unique voice and niche as a prominent mainstream queer South Asian artist.
Verdict: Dhruv’s new single “Dalmatian” is an upbeat track with a groovy bass line and conveys happiness and hope in spite of life events that attempt to drag one down. It’s a unique change from his previous discography.
