DaniLeigh talks new album, motherhood, musical comeback and extra [Interview]

DaniLeigh has all the time been a multifaceted inventive power, transferring seamlessly between music, dance, choreography, and visible storytelling. The Miami-born Dominican artist first made her mark behind the scenes, even directing Prince’s “Breakfast Can Wait” music video at simply 18, earlier than entering into the highlight together with her personal mix of R&B, hip-hop, and Latin and Caribbean influences. With hits like “Lil Bebe” and “Simple,” she established a signature sound rooted in her heritage and her potential to show private experiences into infectious melodies. Now, after a number of years away from releasing music, DaniLeigh returns with With Love, From Dani, a undertaking that reveals a extra weak and deeply remodeled facet of the artist.

Formed by motherhood, the lack of her father, and a renewed relationship with Christ, With Love, From Dani represents way over a musical comeback. It’s a reflection of the expansion, grief, and religious awakening that reshaped her perspective on life and love. As DaniLeigh explains, her time away allowed her to rediscover herself past music and discover a deeper sense of objective in what she creates. The album strikes away from the heartbreak and relationship turmoil of her earlier work, embracing as an alternative the therapeutic energy of forgiveness, household, religion, and self-love. Following her father’s battle with most cancers and his passing in October 2024, music grew to become a necessary a part of her grieving course of, permitting her to protect treasured reminiscences whereas discovering peace within the perception that even life’s most painful moments can result in restoration.

That newfound perspective shines by on “2 Seat,” a young love letter to God that captures DaniLeigh’s willingness to give up management, belief her journey, and rediscover the easy pleasure of dwelling. The album’s religious centerpiece, “Goosebumps,” that includes Nigerian famous person Olamide, additional explores the sensation of experiencing God’s presence, mixing religion with Afrobeat rhythms and a worldwide musical sensibility. All through the undertaking, DaniLeigh additionally embraces her function as a mom, approaching her artistry with a larger consciousness of the messages she shares and the legacy she hopes to depart for her daughter. She ushers in a brand new chapter guided by intention and a want to make music that conjures up listeners to heal, develop, and embrace love in its many kinds.

On this dialog, DaniLeigh opens up concerning the experiences that impressed With Love, From Dani, the profound affect of dropping her father, and the way religion helped carry therapeutic to her household throughout some of the troublesome durations of their lives. She additionally displays on motherhood, the inventive imaginative and prescient behind “Goosebumps,” her lifelong connection to bop and directing, and the significance of forgiveness in transferring ahead. For DaniLeigh, this album is a private letter to the world, one rooted in a easy however highly effective message: it doesn’t matter what life brings, the previous doesn’t need to outline the long run, and there may be all the time room for therapeutic, hope, and a brand new starting.

With Love, From Dani marks your return to music after a number of years away. What impressed you to step again into this chapter of your profession, and the way did you develop personally and creatively throughout that point?

I really feel like I wanted that point away to actually discover myself once more. A lot occurred in my life, and I went by quite a lot of rising, therapeutic, and studying. Changing into a mom modified me utterly. I additionally went by a number of the hardest moments of my life, however these moments introduced me nearer to Christ and helped me perceive who I actually am exterior of music.

I didn’t wish to come again simply to place music out. I needed to return again with one thing that meant one thing. This album represents the girl I’ve change into. I’m extra intentional with my phrases, my vitality, and what I put into the world. I really feel like I’m creating from a spot of objective now as an alternative of strain.

You’ve described your earlier music as being centered round heartbreak, love, and toxicity, whereas this new album displays a really completely different place in your life. How has your perspective on love and relationships advanced, and the way did that transformation affect the music?

I feel earlier than, I used to be making music primarily based on what I used to be experiencing emotionally, and quite a lot of that got here from heartbreak, relationships, and conditions that weren’t all the time wholesome. I used to be nonetheless studying what love actually meant.

Now I perceive that love is a lot larger than a relationship. Love is God, love is household, love is being a mom, love is forgiving, and love is having peace inside your self. I’ve discovered that love shouldn’t continuously really feel like chaos.

That’s actually what modified in my music. I nonetheless love making R&B, and I nonetheless love speaking about love, however I’m talking from a special perspective now. I would like my music to make folks really feel good, really feel worthy, and know that they deserve wholesome love.

Religion is a central theme all through With Love, From Dani. Was there a specific second or expertise that deepened your connection together with your spirituality and impressed you to carry that a part of your self into your music so overtly?

I feel the second that basically modified every little thing for me was when my dad was identified with most cancers. After already going by so many troublesome years in my life, it really felt like my coronary heart shattered into items.

Watching my dad undergo that was one thing I can’t even clarify. As a household, we needed to care for him in methods we by no means imagined. From feeding him to watching him lose his potential to stroll and speak. We had been continuously praying by the ache and unhappiness. It was one thing none of us had ever skilled earlier than.

However in the course of all that heartbreak, God began revealing a lot to us. There have been issues from my dad’s previous that he had been battling, and issues inside our household that wanted therapeutic. For years, our household relationships had been so damaged, however someway, by one of many darkest moments of our lives, God introduced us all again collectively.

It felt like a revelation. Like God was displaying us that even by struggling, there was an even bigger objective. We began therapeutic as a household, studying to like ourselves, desirous to stay more healthy lives, and really surrendering to Christ.

And even when my dad finally handed, God gave us this overwhelming peace that I can’t actually put into phrases. It was nearly like every little thing was aligning, regardless that we had been experiencing such a painful loss.

I really consider that my dad’s illness introduced him nearer to God in a manner that may not have occurred in any other case. As painful because it was to observe, I consider it gave him the chance to give up his life to Christ and discover salvation. And that brings me a lot peace.

That have confirmed me simply how good our God is. That He can take one thing so heartbreaking and use it to carry therapeutic, restoration, and salvation.

That’s why I’m so open about my religion now. I’ve witnessed God’s work in my very own life and in my household. It’s not simply one thing I consider in anymore. It’s one thing I’ve lived by. And I would like my music to mirror that.

You’ve spoken concerning the lack of your father and the function therapeutic performs on this album. How did making this undertaking aid you course of your grief, and did songwriting change into a manner so that you can really feel related to him?

Dropping my dad on October 1, 2024, was one of many hardest issues I’ve ever skilled. Watching somebody you like a lot undergo that form of struggling adjustments you endlessly.

Making this album grew to become an enormous a part of my therapeutic. Music has all the time been my manner of expressing feelings that I typically can’t even put into phrases. There have been so many emotions I used to be carrying, from grief and unhappiness to gratitude and even peace.

One factor that’s actually particular to me is that my dad truly bought to listen to “Costly” earlier than he handed, and he liked that report. Understanding that he bought to expertise a bit of this undertaking means a lot to me. Each time I take into consideration that tune, it jogs my memory of him and the way proud he was of me.

I feel dropping my dad additionally modified the best way I take a look at life. It made me notice how treasured our time right here actually is and the way vital it’s to like folks whereas they’re nonetheless right here, forgive, heal, and never carry pointless ache.

I really feel like this album carries a lot of that journey. Although he’s not bodily right here to see this chapter of my profession, I really feel related to him by the music.

And greater than something, I’ve peace figuring out that he’s with the Lord. That peace is one thing I by no means imagined I may really feel after dropping him, and it’s an enormous a part of why this album comes from such a spot of affection.

“2 Seat” has such a young, introspective high quality, with lyrics that really feel rooted in devotion, peace, and rediscovering pleasure. What was the story behind the tune, and what does it signify about the place you’re emotionally right now?

“2 Seat” is known as a love letter to God. I needed to make a tune that felt like a love tune, however once you actually hearken to the lyrics, you notice I’m speaking about my relationship with Him.

The entire idea is that it’s simply me and God on this two-seater, and wherever He leads me, I’m prepared to go. I’m not attempting to manage every little thing anymore. I’m trusting Him with my journey.

There’s a childlike feeling to the report, too. That feeling of being free, smiling once more, and discovering pleasure within the little issues.

Emotionally, it represents peace for me. I’m studying to get pleasure from life once more, belief the method, and know that even after I don’t have all of the solutions, God continues to be guiding me.

“Goosebumps,” that includes Olamide, is among the album’s most spiritually highly effective moments, drawing inspiration from Matthew 18:20. How did the tune come collectively, and what made you determine to develop it right into a collaboration with Olamide?

“Goosebumps” is such a particular report to me as a result of it’s actually about feeling God’s presence. That feeling when He’s within the room, once you really feel one thing so highly effective which you could’t even clarify it. That’s the place the entire concept of goosebumps got here from.

Matthew 18:20 talks about the place two or three collect in His title, He’s there amongst them. I really like that scripture as a result of it reminds us that God’s presence isn’t restricted to a church constructing. He’s with us wherever we’re.

I needed the report to really feel religious but in addition have rhythm and tradition. Bringing Olamide onto it added one other dimension. I really like his vitality and what he represents musically. His sound introduced that Afrobeat affect and helped make the report really feel international.

I really like that we had been in a position to create one thing that celebrates God whereas nonetheless making folks wish to transfer.

You co-directed the “Goosebumps” music video together with your mother, Victoria Curiel, bringing the tune’s message to life in a church setting. What was the imaginative and prescient behind the visible, and the way did collaborating together with your mother form the ultimate consequence?

The imaginative and prescient was actually about capturing the presence of God by motion, neighborhood, and worship. I didn’t need it to really feel like a standard music video. I needed folks to really feel one thing after they watched it.

Dance has all the time been one among my greatest types of expression, so with the ability to incorporate that right into a religious setting was actually significant to me.

Working with my mother creatively is all the time particular as a result of there’s already that understanding and belief. We all know one another’s imaginative and prescient, and we’re in a position to construct on concepts collectively.

I needed the visible to indicate that celebrating God might be lovely, highly effective, and vigorous. Religion doesn’t need to look or sound only one manner.

Motherhood has clearly influenced the best way you strategy this new period, particularly your intention to create music your daughter can hearken to. How has changing into a mom modified the best way you write, the tales you wish to inform, and the legacy you hope to depart by your music?

Motherhood modified every little thing for me. My daughter is actually my greatest motivation. The whole lot I do now, I take into consideration the way it’s going to have an effect on her and how much instance I’m setting.

I would like her to develop up listening to my music and feeling happy with her mother. I would like her to listen to messages about loving herself, figuring out her price, having religion, and being robust.

Earlier than, I used to be making music primarily based on how I felt within the second. Now I’m fascinated about what my phrases are placing into the world and how much affect they’ll have.

I nonetheless wish to have enjoyable with my music, dance, and specific myself, however I would like there to be objective behind it.

Greater than something, I would like my daughter to know that it doesn’t matter what life places you thru, you’ll be able to develop, you’ll be able to heal, and you may all the time change into a greater model of your self.

Your sound has all the time introduced collectively R&B, hip-hop, and Latin and Caribbean influences, reflecting your Miami roots and Dominican heritage. As you’ve grown as an artist, how have you ever continued to discover these influences whereas permitting your sound to evolve?

I really feel like my sound has all the time been a mirrored image of who I’m and the place I come from. Being Dominican, rising up in Miami, and being surrounded by so many various cultures and sounds positively formed me as an artist.

I’ve all the time liked R&B and hip-hop, however Latin music, Caribbean rhythms, and dance music are naturally a part of me too.

With this album, I needed to carry all these worlds collectively in a manner that felt genuine. I didn’t wish to put myself in a field or really feel like I needed to make one particular kind of music.

I additionally love exploring sounds from completely different elements of the world. You possibly can hear these influences all through the undertaking, from Latin rhythms to Afrobeat and R&B.

I feel that’s what makes my artistry distinctive. I really like with the ability to signify my tradition whereas persevering with to develop and experiment musically.

Earlier than establishing your self as a recording artist, you constructed a formidable profession in dance, choreography, and directing, together with directing Prince’s “Breakfast Can Wait” video. How did these early experiences behind the scenes form your inventive imaginative and prescient, and do you strategy making music in another way due to that background?

Dance and directing are truthfully such an enormous a part of who I’m as an artist. Earlier than folks actually knew me for my music, I used to be already creating visuals, choreographing, and dealing behind the scenes.

Getting the chance to direct Prince’s “Breakfast Can Wait” music video after I was simply 18 was such a defining second for me. He noticed one thing in me creatively at such a younger age, and that have gave me a lot confidence in my imaginative and prescient.

I discovered early on that being an artist is about extra than simply singing. It’s about creating a complete world across the music.

Even after I’m recording, I’m already fascinated about how the tune goes to look visually, what the choreography may very well be, and the way I would like folks to really feel after they expertise it.

That’s why being concerned within the inventive route of my tasks is so vital to me. I really like each a part of the method.

The album options an eclectic group of collaborators, together with Tink, Fivio Overseas, Jordan Adetunji, and Olamide. What had been you in search of within the artists you selected to work with on this undertaking, and the way did their completely different kinds contribute to the world of With Love, From Dani?

I actually needed each collaboration to really feel intentional. I wasn’t simply attempting to place huge names on the album. I needed artists who may carry one thing particular to the data and assist inform the story.

Tink brings that actual, emotional R&B vitality. I’ve all the time liked how trustworthy she is in her music.

Fivio brings that New York vitality and a special facet of hip-hop that I really like.

Jordan has such a singular sound and tone, and he introduced an attractive feeling to “House.”

And Olamide introduced that Afrobeat vitality and cultural affect to “Goosebumps.”

I really like that everybody comes from a special musical world, however someway all of it is smart collectively. That’s actually what this album represents. Completely different sounds, completely different feelings, and completely different experiences all coming collectively by love and religion.

The title With Love, From Dani seems like a private letter to the world, and also you’ve emphasised that the album carries “no malice, no petty, no hate.” What do you hope listeners take away from this undertaking, and what does this new chapter of DaniLeigh appear to be as you progress ahead?

I named the album With Love, From Dani as a result of that’s genuinely the place my coronary heart is right now. This undertaking is sort of a private letter to the world, to everybody who’s supported me, watched my journey, and even those that might have misunderstood me alongside the best way.

I’ve been by so much publicly and privately, and one of many greatest issues I’ve discovered is the facility of forgiveness. I’ve discovered to forgive individuals who have harm me, even after I by no means obtained an apology. And that wasn’t simple. However I spotted that holding on to anger, resentment, or bitterness was solely protecting me related to ache that God was attempting to free me from.

My relationship with Christ taught me that forgiveness isn’t all the time concerning the different individual. Typically it’s about liberating your personal coronary heart and trusting God with the remaining.

That’s why I say this album has no malice, no petty, no hate. I’m not making music to get again at anyone, show some extent, or reply to negativity. I’m making music from a spot of affection, therapeutic, and objective.

I would like folks to hearken to this album and really feel hope. I would like them to know that irrespective of how damaged life might really feel, God can restore you. Your previous doesn’t need to outline your future, and also you don’t need to change into bitter due to what you’ve been by.

And I would like folks to know that I’m nonetheless Dani. I nonetheless love to bop, have enjoyable, be inventive, and make music that makes folks really feel good. However now there’s a deeper intention behind every little thing I do.

I’m getting into this chapter with a healed coronary heart, a stronger relationship with Christ, and a complete new perspective on life.

I don’t need my story to be about every little thing that occurred to me. I would like it to be about what God did with every little thing I went by.

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