From Kansas City Blues to Solo Project, Danielle Nicole Releases “Save Me” featuring Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Read Girl Gang Music’s Q&A with Danielle in full below:

1) How did you get here? Did you always know you’d be a musician?

I am a 4th generation musician from my father’s side and 3rd on my mother’s; that’s just what we know of through stories and pictures.  I’ve always loved to perform and took several years of dance as a child but really fell into love with music during high school.  I began performing in coffeehouses and open mics in KC, then fronting bands in my late teens.

2) What has been your proudest moment so far in life? Music or otherwise?

I have two; becoming a mother to my best buddies Elijah and Michael.  Musically, I feel pride is in every performance, every time I see someone connecting to my music, I feel it.

3) What was the songwriting + production process behind this record/album? If you have any pictures, we’d love to see them.

My writing process is ongoing and changes with every song but I really wanted to dig deep on this one and I wrote a song about my father.  He passed away when I was a teenager and I hadn’t yet written a full song about him.  Beyond stretching out in my songwriting, my last release,  “Wolf Den”  was very NOLA inspired and had a lot of mellow groove and I wanted to make sure there was a different sound and more rockin’ feel sometimes.  I was happy to get back into LA at Ultratone where I was comfortable working in familiar surroundings and with friends I’d known for a few years, but still able to push boundaries and create new sounds.

4) What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?

I am an open book, maybe too open sometimes.  People may not know that I love to cook, especially ridiculously complicated recipes.

5) What’s something other than music you’re passionate about

I am very passionate about exploration.  I love trying new foods, music, styles, and exploring all the cultures I travel.  I love gaining different perspectives and trying to understand different ideas.

6) Do you think being a woman in music has affected your career? If so, how?

There are plenty of specifics I’d prefer not to go into, but yes; of course being a woman has affected my career.  Being a woman musician, you are usually deemed a Diva.  I’ve been treated lesser because I’m a woman, been paid less for the same slots because I’m a woman.  However, I’ve been booked because they’re “looking for a strong female performer” among a festival of Male fronted acts.  However, Warren Haynes just told me that 2018 is the year of the Woman, so I guess word is spreading…

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Andra Day