Rising Stars: Meet Dani Louise of West Nashville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dani Louise

Hi Dani, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to both writing and music. Growing up as an ice hockey player in Chicago, I would bring my Alphasmart 3000 word processor to the rink and sit in the stands typing away. The Alphasmart was an unusual gadget in the age of iPod touches, and it’s one I wouldn’t have had without my parents, who noticed my passion for writing and gifted it to me for Christmas to encourage my writing efforts. Similarly, after years of hearing me hum and sing original songs around the house, they encouraged me to take guitar lessons in high school. While hockey became my main focus, music was always there as well and became an important space for me. In college, after stepping away from competitive hockey and transferring to a school far from home during the pandemic, I turned to music. I had the great privilege of connecting with my mentor, Tom Kelly, who has profoundly changed the course of my life by believing in me and working with me to develop as an artist and person. Music has brought some of the most important people and experiences into my life, including my recent move to Nashville and I am so grateful for the connective quality it embodies. I am enjoying the beginning of my career as an artist and releasing music into the world from such a special place.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have been extremely fortunate to be surrounded by people that believe in me and my music, which I am so grateful for when I face challenges. I feel that I have grappled with some of the common challenges that artists face like imposter syndrome, self criticism, and navigating having faith in the path less traveled. When I face these obstacles, I remind myself that I am the controller of my narrative and belief and focus on being grateful that I am able to create music, which I love so much. The ability to create is a huge privilidge and I often reflect on how lucky I am to be alive in a time of so many tools and resources for creatives. I have leant on Rick Rubin’s book, The Creative Act and found many valuable insights there when I face challenges or new learning experiences.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a singer songwriter and for the past few years have been producing as well. I am inspired by Indie and Rock music like The Arctic Monkeys, The Last Shadow Puppets, Sam Fender, and Bruce Springsteen. I love music that is heavily focused on writing and the spiritual connection between writer and listener. I want my songs to do for others what I feel Sam Fender’s music has done for me in making me feel seen and less alone in my experiences. My love for these genres, musicians, and writing has translated into my own work, which is heavily focused on the connection between writer and listener, and articulating experiences that resonate through our shared human connection. As Rick Rubin and Carl Rogers have said, the personal is the universal, and my music is oriented with the goal of making both myself and therefore others feel seen and less alone. I am proud of my songs and of having received the feedback that they have voiced experiences and feelings that people thought they were going through alone. One song in particular, “Flip Phone”, which addresses navigating the modern world and social media’s influence on our culture, is a song that I am particularly proud of for that reason. While in the moment when I wrote it, I felt very alone in my feelings, it has actually been one of the songs that I have received the most feedback from listeners saying that it deeply resonated. This connection between writer and listener is at the heart of my work and is my north star in aligning with my purpose and what I am most proud of in my music.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is spending summers in Long Beach, Indiana with my family. We would disconnect from the city where we grew up and spend nearly all of our time outside, our parents intentionally not having a TV in the house, but an incredible jukebox with music. We spent time dancing around the jukebox, playing with surfboard pillows, and going to summer camp where we all connected with our passion for sports and games. These summers heavily shaped who I am today, from my closeness with my brother and sister to my love for sports and especially in terms of music. The jukebox shaped my love for music, introducing me to some of my favorite artists and all different styles of music. I fell in love with Elton John’s work in particular and that became the beginning of my love for rock music.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danilouisemusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danilouisemusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/281NMHB7JzT2AJBibgrxgD?si=9b73BlpuSXq-VlftEQ7SPA