DANiiVORY releases fantastical album “Dreamland”. Dani is currently planning her next release and show and is touring. Vance Joy in the world.
You can listen to “Dreamland” here:
Hello Dani! Nice to meet you again! I love listening to new albums. What are the main themes and messages you want listeners to hear from this project?
Dreamland is a collection of songs written about different layers of consciousness. Between reality and fantasy. Love and Light; Desire and Darkness. fantasies and nightmares; good and bad. struggle and strength. The first song I wrote for the album was “Don’t Wake Me Up”, which was based on a real-life dream I had during my sophomore year of college. The dreams were so vivid that the details never left my mind. to go to a place Don’t be ashamed of yourself or your growth journey. Pushbacks and obstacles are inevitable, but you can never win if you don’t fight to win. love yourself and love your life. Good things, bad things, beautiful things and ugly things.
Who is your biggest musical inspiration?
I could go on and on about musical inspiration based on different stages of my life, but my earliest memory of musical inspiration is from Stevie Wonder when I was a little bit. Come. The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Beethoven, Madonna, Chopin, Fleetwood Mac, Miles Davis, Mariah Carey, Sarah Vaughan, Aretha Franklin, Nirvana and Erykah Badu. Now I am influenced by so many musicians! With so many great artists making the most amazing music, it’s hard to name them all.From Lana Del Rey to Kacey Musgraves to Bruno Mars to Taylor Swift, anything!
How has your time at Berklee shaped your career today?
The relationships he developed at Berklee were instrumental in starting his career as a professional keyboardist and backing singer. Sure, music education developed my singing skills and repertoire knowledge, and certain classes blossomed in my abilities as a writer and producer, but it depended on the people I met. . As the cliche goes, it’s not what you know, but who you know. Friends encouraged me to audition for certain jobs and tours. The tour I’m currently on was when I lived in Los Angeles many years ago when a good friend of mine (who I met at Berklee) introduced me to one of her childhood girlfriends. That was the start. He’s a drummer and played with me on my original music projects. He introduced me to a great guitarist who has been touring with Vance Joy for some time. They needed someone to fill this position in North America and he recommended me. The rest is history.
Who are your favorite artists now? Anyone dreaming of a collaboration?
I love The 1975 and Bruno Mars and Lana Del Rey. I would like to collaborate with Bruno Mars or Mark Ronson.
You are currently on tour with Vance Joy! Tell us about your experience so far. Do you have any memories or programs that left an impression on you?
There is nothing but admiration and love for Vance Joy’s camp. I played about 10 shows with Vance Joy in May or June, and there were two moments that stood out. The first was a performance in Nashville’s Ryman Her Auditorium. I live in Nashville now and Ryman is a famous place. I had played there before as part of Sufjan Stevens opening his act, but this time it was different as I was part of the headlining band and it was sold out. I had her daughter (3 years old at the time) come to soundcheck so she could see and hear what her mama was doing for her living. James (Vance’s Joy) gave her Lyman her backpack, but she passed out. A second standout moment was a performance on Toronto’s Budweiser Stage (previously called the Molson Amphitheater). It’s especially beautiful because the venue is on the water and you have to cross a bridge to get there. It had been raining all day, but just before the show the clouds parted and a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky. After taking a picture of the band, he took the stage and played in front of a sold-out crowd of 16,000. The show was live-streamed and had a magical, electrifying atmosphere. I’m sure you can still find the livestream on YouTube.
What’s next for DANiiVORY as an artist?
I’m promoting an album right now and want to start playing live shows around Nashville and the East Coast. We are also starting work on our next album.
Dreamland is definitely a multi-genre album. How do you keep a body of work cohesive while still maintaining sonic diversity?
I think the cohesion comes from the consistency of production and vocals. Everything was written and sung by me, which creates consistency. I only worked with one of his producers, working with him all the way home in his studio, polishing and shaping the sound of each song. Most of the instrumentation is played live with real instruments and minimal his VST instruments.
What do you like to do when you’re not making music?
When I’m not making music, I spend time with my daughter and husband. Being a mother is a full-time job in itself! I also enjoy exercising (jogging, athletic conditioning, cycling), watching period dramas and movies, reading inspirational books, arts and crafts, and DIY house projects.
For DANiiVORY and her tour dates, find her at www.daniivory.com.