Dena Monticone, the Fairfax-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter known for her genre-defying approach to rock and pop, releases her compelling new single “Beyond the Dawn” today across all major streaming platforms. The track showcases Monticone’s evolution as a solo artist, handling all instruments and production duties to create an intimate yet powerful statement on the complexity of letting go.
“Beyond the Dawn” emerged from a place of profound personal reckoning. Monticone wrote the song following a conscious decision to step back from a complicated friendship and creative relationship. The single captures the dichotomous nature of moving forward while still feeling tethered to the past, a theme she explores through layered instrumentation including vocals, guitar, keyboard/synth, percussion, and a haunting train whistle that punctuates key moments. As she declares in the chorus: “He let me go / Now I am gone / He let me go / Beyond the dawn,” the repetition builds into a mantra of both acceptance and longing.
Working as her own producer under her Sun Rock Records label, Monticone crafted every element of “Beyond the Dawn” with meticulous attention to emotional authenticity. The production process allowed her complete creative control, resulting in a sound that blends alt-rock grit with pop sensibility. Her lyrics cut to the heart of feeling diminished yet unable to completely sever emotional ties: “Now I am poor / Now I am broken / Now I feel stupid / And I still want more.” The song’s structure mirrors this internal conflict, building tension through verses before releasing into the hypnotic chorus refrain.
Monticone’s journey to this moment has been marked by unwavering dedication to her craft. Born in Fairfax County, Virginia to a Greek mother and Italian father, she began accordion lessons at age six with renowned player Dale E. Wise. Despite her classical training, rock music always called to her loudest. After seeing The Dandy Warhols perform on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, she knew songwriting was her destiny. Though accepted to Berklee College of Music, she instead took a full ride to George Mason University as a University Scholar, graduating with a 3.82 GPA in mathematics with a philosophy minor before pursuing her master’s in philosophy.
Throughout her academic career, music remained her true north. After graduation, Monticone committed fully to songwriting, ultimately creating over 300 original compositions. Her creative process often begins with accordion, though she composes on guitar and keys as well, incorporating her accordion expertise into many tracks. She cites an eclectic range of influences spanning The Dandy Warhols, System of a Down, Fastball, Roxy Music, and the Grateful Dead, among others. This diverse palette informs her distinctive sound, one that refuses to be confined to a single genre designation.
“Beyond the Dawn” also represents Monticone’s response to feeling misunderstood. The lyrics reference a relationship where connection seemed real: “It was nothing / Or so he’d say / But how many times did he say / ‘Hey, you made my day’?” This tension between perceived intimacy and dismissal drives the emotional core of the track. The phrase “beyond the dawn” itself carries dual meaning, suggesting both permanent departure and the romantic notion of eternal devotion waiting in the distance, capturing the push and pull of complicated feelings.
The single arrives as Monticone continues to build her artistic community across the United States, collaborating with fellow musicians including Conor Batts in New York on The Cathedral of Maybe project and Conor Batts, Carlos C-los Jimenez (from Colorado Springs, Colorado), and Alex Naupari (stationed in Fairfax currently) on their “Same New Behavior” project. Alex Naupari and her continue to jam as a duo, as well. And C-los and her have collaborated separately, too. Her ability to transform personal experience into universally resonant rock anthems speaks to both her technical skill and emotional courage. “Beyond the Dawn” stands as her most direct and unflinching work yet, an invitation for listeners to sit with discomfort and find strength in moving forward.
The single is available now on all major streaming platforms, ready to connect with anyone who has ever struggled to reconcile heart and mind.