Singer-songwriter DANiiVORY is an independent, R&B/soul pop artist who has had an absolutely stunning career in the music industry. Hailing from Wexford, Pennsylvania, Dani always had music in her life. Ivory’s mother was a music teacher and a liturgical minister and encouraged Dani to pursue her passion for music. This passion would lead Dani to tour and perform with the likes of Imagine Dragons, Beyoncé, and CeeLo Green.
DaniiVory currently lives in Nashville TN, where she continues to write and record music from the comfort of her own home studio. Dani has performed on stages of every shape and size. From club gigs to stadium shows, DaniiVory is one of the few independent artists who can say she has done it all.
Getting to know DANiiVORY
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
Yes! I sing all the time in the shower…really whatever is in my head. Anything from children’s nursery rhymes (If I was just playing with my toddler daughter) to random vocal exercises to new song ideas or what I was listening to before I got in the shower.
If you could be a superhero, what would be your superpower and your superhero name?
I would want to be invisible if I had a superpower and my name would be Disappearing Dani.
What was the last TV series you watched on TV?
The Last Kingdom. I am a historical drama nerd when it comes to watching shows.
What historical Figure would you love to see in 21st-century life?
Jesus
If you were a member of the Spice Girls, what would your spice handle be?
I think I would be #sensitivespice
Who got you into music?
My mother got me into music. My mother is a liturgical musician (an organist and children’s choir director) and a music educator. My mother gave me my first piano and voice lessons around the age of 5. I remember standing by the piano in our “piano room” and singing “It’s a Small World” That is one of the first songs I learned to sing. Eventually, I didn’t want to listen to my mother, so she sent me to her friend Phyllis Chvostal for piano lessons. I believe I was 8 when I wrote my first piece of piano music and recorded it into a MIDI program at Mrs. Chvostal’s studio. Eventually, I joined Children’s Festival Chorus also at the age of eight. This was an audition-only children’s choir and I was able to gain experience performing for large audiences in concert halls.
What is your creative process like?
The initial onset of a song happens very organically for me. Sometimes I am sitting in a restaurant or in church or even driving and a lyric or hook or catchy melody pops in my head. I will either write it down on a napkin or on my phone and if I can steal a second away in the bathroom, I will go record the idea on my voice memos. I will then take this idea and sit down in my studio at the piano or with my guitar and flesh it out with chords. After the song is written, I will create a demo with my computer.
If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?
Bruno Mars. I’m a fan of his musical style and also his performance style.
Where was your current project recorded?
My current project was recorded in my home studio in my condo in Los Angeles, CA. To be specific 6704 Hillpark Drive. I had done the big studio thing for my previous project and it just seemed to be a waste of money. I realized I have everything I need to create the music I want in my own studio.
If you could pass on a nugget of wisdom to the next musical generation, what would it be?
Believe in yourself. You are the only person that is going to get you where you want to go. No one else is going to believe in you more than you believe in yourself. So work hard and do your homework but don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone. YOU have what it takes!
Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?
As a musician touring in the band with mainstream acts, I have performed in ALL kinds of venues. Bars, Clubs, Theaters, Concert Halls, Arenas, and Stadiums. My least favorite venues are the Arenas and the small stuffy Bars. While Arenas are great for hosting a large audience, they feel very impersonal and cold. Also, small bars are not much fun because the stage is jam-packed and usually uncomfortable. My favorite venues are theaters (like Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles), amphitheaters, and music festivals! I have some exciting upcoming shows with a few bands I play in around Nashville. I do not have any original music shows coming up yet, but I am hoping to book some for the Fall after my album release.
What are your musical plans for the next 12 months?
I plan to release another single and two music videos and eventually the entire album! I would like to do an album release party/show which would be my first official DANiiVORY show in Nashville.