Illuminati 2G

DANIELLE DAVIS AKA DANI D INTERVIEW

3/11/07: D-Marc back with another interview. This time it is a little bit of a twist. As many people know, we are a hip hop site, but I embrace all types of music. I had a chance to conduct a interview with a phenomenal singer named Danielle Davis. She has a very good project in Crash Course The Prelude Vol. 1 that she recently put out for a free download on Dubcnn. In this interview we discuss the project, her musical influences, the independent hustle and much more to check it out and leave your comments on the forum.

Also check out her project/mixtape by downloading it here:

Danielle Davis- Crash Course The Prelude Vol. 1 mixtape download

D- First off tell me about where your from, your upbringing and what made you interested in singing?

DD- I'm originally from Newark, Delaware, that's where i was born but i've lived in the Northern Cali, Bay Area for hella long, since I was like 15, so im def a Bay Rider... i consider myself bi-coastal and i have madd luv for both coasts but the bay is where im at and of course has a special place in my heart! I've always had dreams and aspirations of doing something and making something of myself, i've wanted to be a singer, actress, entertainer for as long as I can remember... I'm a creative person, i like to make things, making something out of nothing even if its like making a little cat out of play-dough for my nephew, i'll put all kinds of detail into it lol, that makes me happy~! Music is something that touches everyone... you can put on a tune and your whole mood will switch.. i know when i needed to get away from the world all i had to do was turn up the volume and then i was coo... making songs and creating music is magical and ive always wanted to be a part of that... i was always involved in girl groups, choirs stuff like that... and was always, always writing verses, poems on little scraps of paper, so when i had the opportunity to focus all that into one project I took it and thats how I got into my first project. And having the right team helped too of course!

D- Who are your musical influences?

DD- I grew up listening to such a wide range of music its hard to pinpoint what my influences are because i like such a varied range of genres. I like Hip hop, House, Pop, Rock, Freestyle, Country, Broadway, Rock en Espanol... i mean i love a lot of different types of music. I was very into Joan Jett and the Black Hearts, I used to play the hell out of Mac Mall's Illegal business, I love Madonna, TuPac, Gwen Stefani, Carlos Santana, Nina Simone, Michael and Janet Jackson... I am crazy about switching channels on radio, i am the type of person who switches stations constantly and knows the songs on every station...

D- Yeah I do the same, jazz, R&B and Hip Hop. Started getting into rock later on. You dropped your Crash Course The Prelude Vol. 1 on dubcnn a month ago. How did you come up with the concept of the album and what made you decide to do a free download for it?

DD- This being my first project I thought it was an appropriate title name cuz life is like a Crash Course right? You don't necessarily know where you are going all the time or where you are headed, you can try to work hard to change the course of your life but who knows what will happen or where life will take you. Like I said its so crazy to put yourself out there on wax, its daunting and exhilarating at the same time... sometimes you might Crash, and even then Crashing can be a good thing, you pick yourself up, dust off your shoulders, and learn from the experience! And keep following your dream by all means. I decided on the free download because I think the most important thing at this point is to get people to listen to my music. I am working to stack my buzz and I am building my fan base and the best way to do both those things is to let people have free access to my music so they can see who I am and what I am all about. I think its an important way to reach out to fans and connect with them.

D- What has been the feedback and response for the record?

DD- It has been really, really good and I am so happy about that because I am really open with people and if they think it sux, thats coo, I can take their opinion and respect the fact that everyone has their own likes and dislikes, but the good thing is that I have had so many peeps say that they are feelin my stuff and that makes me feel really motivated and ready to keep makin music and keep workin on makin it better and better!

D- Your record has a couple of industry beats and original production. Not many R&B mixtapes out right now. Who helped you out with the production tip on the original tracks?

DD- We do have a couple mixtape tracks on there which I think came out real coo.. the original music is all done by E&I Productions (88 & Pete Brown) out of the Bay, They are extremely talented and def have sum of the hottest production out right now.

D- Yes, the beats on this album are knockin. Shout out to E&I productions. That Strut song is a bonafided hit. Any thoughts or plans of making a video for it?

DD- I think you're right... i think i should do it and slap that ish on YouTube... ok, thats hot, i'ma look into that cuz i think STRUT is a banger too and it deserves a video!! I would just have to make sure it came out super hot and get the right production behind the video cuz im hella picky but yeah... coo...I'ma put that on my list of things to do lol!

D- You have a couple of songs about relationships like Treat Me Right, Love Is Gone and When We Were Young. How much of your music is a reflection of your personal life?

DD- Seriously i have been through some jaaaaaaaacked relationships... and i think when i write about love it all comes from those places... places i have been in the past, feelings that I felt, situations.. and whatever beat i write to sometimes it just draws the words and feelings out and that is how it gets put on wax. Sometimes its a friend or situation i heard about that i write about. Treat Me Right was about a friend who was in a relationship that was bringing her down for hella long. And the dude always had a funky attitude which is why i love the line "its just that vibe that you bring, it ruins everything", cuz its so annoying when you are in a good mood and someone you are around a lot is always bein a dam bummer! Love Is Gone is just something that happens in general in relationships.. i don't know WHY it is that whenever you stop being interested in someone that's when they come around but it always seems to happen that way, its crazy. And the song When We Were Young... that just reminds me of summer love, puppy love, those are the relationships you can look back on most fondly cuz usually they had the least damage cuz you were too young to do anything crazy! lol!

D- Yeah, you just explained half of my relationships right there. They can get crazy. Are you signed to a label and do you prefer being a independent artist or being on a label?

DD- I am not signed to a label..yet... I am definitely looking to sign with the right label and hope to do that as soon as possible. Being an independent artist is hard but I think especially for pop or urban pop (I call my music urban rhythmic pop). There is so much that goes in to making pop music work and getting it marketed right so that is where a label could definitely help. I am looking for the right sit-o and am talkin to peeps so hopefully things work out. It's really important to get with a label that really believes in you and wants to back you, but its also important to the label that you are down to push yourself and have a team to help you do that as well which I do so that's coo. I consider the material i am putting out now as promo material... when I am in the right situation that is when I will be able to create a real album and when that time comes I will be real juiced to get down and dirty and create a masterpiece!

D- Are you working on a album and when can we expect to see it drop?

DD- Yes mos def... i am on to the next as always... always ready to keep it movin, keep pushin... this last project took heeeeella long... and im hoping that we can learn from that project and figure out ways to get the 2nd one completed in a shorter time frame. That is my goal at least. Maybe something by end of the year or first quarter of 08 will bring about V.2 of Crash Course.

D- What can we expect from volume 2 of Crash Course?

DD- Volume 2 will be even more personal and even hotter because the more songs I do the more I learn and I feel, the better i become. So its an evolution and as far as material on the second project i think it will be the same as V.1 where there is a range of party-get-down-bangers to serious tracks and then all your in between stuff. i write a lot about love and relationships so that will obviously be a part of it but i will touch on other subjects as well. Hopefully I will be working with different artists and be able to create hot tracks that way too. I have already started on v.2 and I like the stuff I am writing so i have high hopes for the finished product and as I mentioned hope to have it out end of year or early next year.

D- Any advice to up and coming or aspiring artists?

DD- Just stay tru to yourself and the image you want to portray, nowadays i think its best to be yourself as much as possible and i think its important to surround yourself with people who really care about you and are down for your best interests. Cuz not many peeps are really down like that and you just have to be very careful. That and stay focused and don't listen to what anyone says if you believe in yourself then go for it, don't let anybody hold you down or tell you that you cant do something.

D- Well that is all from me, any last words or shoutouts?

DD- Just wanna shout out my myspace page www.myspace.com/danidmusic & my website danielle-davis.com (which is under construction but should be up soon) and to my management team Seismic Management, Rob & JC and to everyone who has shown me luv and support, E&I, Relentless, Balance out of Oakland who is featured on Strut, my peeps in the Bay Area and in Delaware, basically everyone that has helped with this project, Earl, James, Mark, CC, Zel, Rob Porter, AB and all the support from peeps like Illuminati 2G and all the luv from all over the world. I just got to let peeps know how much i appreciate being able to do this, how grateful i am for all the luv and support and just let everyone know that I'm gonna work hard to get as much music out as possible cuz its what I luv to do and I hope to touch down in every country in the world to connect with peeps & keep doin my thang!

Danielle Davis' new project, Crash Course The Prelude Vol. 1 is out now. The mixtape is out for free download at the top of the page or by clicking here.