Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: My name is DANII and I am a singer/songwriter/dancer/producer from originally from Melbourne Australia and now living in Brisbane Australia.
I am an only child so I was never shy of attention. Growing up my parents were music lovers so they heavily influenced me that way, which developed into a love of music.
It wasn’t until 1 day in music class in school, I happened to sit next to the teacher on the piano and she heard my singing voice and asked me to sing in front of the class. From that day I always sat next to her and was asked to perform in front of the school, continued on through high school and after.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “DANII”?
A: I have so much music I’ve been working on that I am dying to get out. It’s a new side I’ve yet to explore and such a level up and the 3 shows I have coming up in the new year will a time to share them with the world. The plan is more shows, more travel and more songs!!
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: My number #1 inspiration is BANKS. She is such an incredible songwriter who isn’t afraid to take risks and be vulnerable in her lyricism which is something I admire and find incredibly relatable.
I find inspiration randomly, but like most, I am mostly by my own personal experiences. The weirdest place I found inspiration from was watching a TV show where I heard a film score that turned into a song hook. I’ve also done this out of a joke from a songwriting session with some friends whilst we were talking about how difficult it can be to songwrite. Ironically it wasn’t hard at all in that moment haha.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “Let Me Down.”?
A: Let Me Down is about toxic ‘friends’ who treat you like shit and criticise your every move. The ones that keep score about all the times they do things for you, but seem to have amnesia for the times when you’ve been there for them aka “You’re hard at keeping score, and you’re counting all you’ve done, but the hours don’t add up”.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: BDE – aka Big DANII Energy!!!
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Let Me Down”?
A: Initially my producer Tom and I struggled with finding a sound that we were both 100% happy with. It wasn’t until we had a session to write a brand new song; Tom sent me the file to listen to on my drive home and I started singing the lyrics to this new beat and found it fit really well. So I messaged him asking him to put the original vocals on the new track. It fit so well and was the sound we were looking for, which is pretty much the version that was released!
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: My music is for those who know their worth and want to prove the doubters wrong! I am a 5ft 1 woman with a disability and have had many people throughout my life tell me what I can and can’t do. The ONLY person who can tell anyone what I can do, is me! I feel confident, empowered and unstoppable when I perform and I want people who listen to my music to believe in themselves the same way. This is what BDE – Big DANII Energy is all about!
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Right now it would be Stray Kids. I’ve recently discovered them and they are so talented! All-rounders and hard workers and I’d love to sing and dance with them.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: This industry is not for the faint hearted and requires a lot of sacrifice, humility and damn hard work. If you truly want to make a career from this, don’t be afraid to be a novice and beginner. But above all else, do it because you love it.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Chase your dreams and trust yourself girl. You got this!
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