daniqa talks music and 2020
Upcoming artist, Daniqa is more than excited to be making music, even through the disruptions that 2020 has brought! Read all about who influenced her, future aspirations, and more as our teams creator, Lily interviews her.
Q: First off, how have you been doing? Anything new coming up?
A: I've been alright! C'est le vie! I began attending school in September in person, so it's been a bit conflicting with all my anxiety caused by the fear of COVID. We've only had two confirmed cases at our school so far, so we'll see how long it'll last. I'm doing my best to ensure the safety of myself and others though! Having so much time occupied by school, it's been difficult to try and stay motivated to continually produce and create music. But it's gradually becoming easier to create a mental schedule again for creating and posting- so you'll see plenty of new covers and hopefully originals weekly!
Q: How exciting! What musician has influenced your music style/sound?
A: I've grown up with a lot of influential musicians. I probably can't name them all, but I promise they're all sitting in my subconscious whenever I write. However, the first artist that comes to mind is Ariana Grande. Growing up, I've been a huge Ariana Grande super-fan and I've even attended all of her tours. I remember always being the loudest in the crowd- people in our section would literally stare at me for screaming so loud...But you know, she's really been a tremendous influence on how I utilize my voice. When I began exploring other genres of music, genres that really appealed to me, I discovered more artists like Conan Gray, Wallows, and Clairo. The mesh between all my influential figures have really allowed me to explore my own sound and style.
Q: Has songwriting been easier over covid and has anything changed since?
A: Certainly! I never used to write the way I do now. I used to view music as a hobby or something to exercise in my leisure time, but spending so much time on my own during isolation allowed me to learn plenty of new things about myself. Lockdown is what granted me the discovery that I truly do have a burning passion for music- and because of this, I believe that this has allowed me to channel my feelings more freely with my songwriting.
Q: When did you know that you wanted to pursue a career in the music industry?
A: I wouldn't have discovered the possibility that I had the potential to pursue a career in music if it weren't for the platform I had created! Every single view, like, comment, and follow had contributed to the big realization, if that makes sense? But truly, it's such a special thing to finally realize the potential that we hold. We all share the same potential, so remember to never limit yourself to your thoughts. Sometimes you just have to simply let yourself be. It definitely worked for me!
Q: What do you hope for in the future in terms of music or anything really?
A: There's something about watching a live show and seeing a musician perform their heart out on stage that resonates so deeply with me. I wish to be able to share my music and my sound with the world and love every moment of it to bits. Not only this, but advocate for change as well and be a positive figure in media. I know its a lot to hope for but hey, a girl can dream! But first and foremost, as long as I can be a happy old cat lady one day, I'll be okay with whatever the universe decides for me.
Q: How have you been staying sane throughout all these global events and the pandemic?
A: Honestly, I haven't! I believe its been really difficult for everybody to stay sane. Everything's been slowly eating away at my brain, but I've been trying my best to search for all the ways I can. Music, of course, has been a great component- but so have all my friends, I'm so grateful to have such wonderful people in my life to get through such a strange time in history. I know everyday brings a new battle, which also entails a new way to learn and move on for the better tomorrow. I think that reminding myself that life is always such a constant learning process has also allowed me to remember that it's ok to feel a little insane sometimes.
Q: Couldn't agree more! Lastly, with the year coming to an end soon, do you have anything positive you'd like to share about your 2020?
A: Despite all the catastrophe and the un-anticipations of this year, I believe that 2020 was such a remarkable time for everybody to learn and grow as a whole. Not only have I undergone such a considerable amount of self discovery, but I believe in some way, we all have. Everything we've learnt about ourselves in our time in isolation can be applied in so many new aspects moving forward. We have all become so much more globally, socially, and self aware of everything- and I think that's going to be an extremely beneficial thing for our earth and our future. And of course, best of luck in the new year everybody!
Our team is beyond grateful to be able to do interviews with amazing artists like Daniqa. We can't wait to see the bright future she has ahead of her! Her latest EP titled "Are U Afraid of The Dark?" is out on Spotify, Soundcloud, and YouTube!
