Conversations with Dakota Danielle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dakota Danielle.

Dakota, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I got a late start to music, but have worked hard to perfect my craft. I grew up playing tennis in Junior High and High School. I began to feel burnt out and was looking for a change. One day, I found my mom’s old guitar tucked away in the closet upstairs. Right then, I randomly decided to learn to play. When I told my mom I wanted to start taking guitar lessons she said, “Dakota you never stuck with piano and we are not going to pay for your guitar lessons if you’re not going to stick with it.” After that, I decided to pay for my own lessons and I ended up LOVING guitar. Once I started to play guitar more; I gradually began to sing and play, followed by writing as well. My parents quickly realized how much I enjoyed it and the day I sang a song I wrote for them was the day that they became my biggest fans forever!

After graduating High School, I went to Southern Illinois University Carbondale for three years. Then I transferred to Middle Tennessee State University where I was excited to start learning more about songwriting. I graduated from MTSU in 2016 and then made the move to Nashville, TN. Once I got settled in Nashville I dived into the music scene by attending writer’s rounds and various events. I met a lot of great people to write with and began to get gigs in the area. After a few years, in 2018 I teamed up with a PR company, C2 Media, to work on the release of my debut single “One Church 3 Bar Town.” My first single was very special to me because the song is about my hometown. I grew up in a small town where there is one church and three bars. Later on that year, my life took an unexpected turn.

My mom passed away from a heart attack while visiting me in Nashville. At the same time, my dad was battling stage 4 lung cancer. I made the decision to go back to IL to take care of my dad while he battles cancer. That is where “My Mother’s Daughter EP” came to be. My “One Day Closer To You” single was a song written about and for my mom. It was a great healing process for me. In June of 2019, my dad lost his battle with cancer and I took some time to grieve. Eventually, I moved back to Nashville right before COVID hit and dove into songwriting. I had a lot of emotions to release and songwriting was a healing process for me.

Fast forward to 2021, where I am ready to release music! I wanted to show people my fun side because of all the serious stuff I have released already. That is where my song “Backroads” came to be. After the release of that, I decided to release the song I wrote for my dad as a Father’s Day gift. I have been fortunate so far to meet a lot of great people and experience a lot of cool opportunities. I look forward to continuing my music career and seeing where it goes.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My music career has definitely not been a smooth road. In college at SIUC, I was the black sheep. I did not take band in High School so I was academically behind in my music classes. I would go to the tutor every day trying to catch up on theory, ear training and etc. I had to work hard to get where I am today which is why I am proud of who I’ve become looking back on where I started.

My parent’s death was also a struggle/setback for me, but I continue to heal, learn, and grow as an artist. No one ever has a smooth road. Everyone has their own story to tell and this one is mine.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a country artist who writes, sings, and plays guitar. I feel like I am known for my song about my small town, “One Church 3 Bar Town.” I am proud of the opportunities I have gotten and how far I have come. I have been told that the way I write my songs is very relatable and personable. I truly write about my experiences, life, and feelings.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
The role of luck. This is a great question. I definitely think that some of the people I have met and the opportunities I have gotten are because of being in the right place at the right time. You really never know what life is going to bring and I have learned to just take it all day by day and be thankful for any opportunity or person I meet.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dakotadanielle.com
• Instagram: @dakotadaniellemusic
• Facebook: @dakotadaniellemusic
• Youtube: @dakotadanielle

Image Credits
Personal Portrait Photographer – Moncell Allen