To describe the musically unique singer/songwriter DaniLeigh as a vibe you can't get anywhere else, would be to put it lightly. Just one scroll on her Instagram, a listen to her vocals, or a peek at her style would be enough to convince any person that she's here for both a long time and a good time.
Her joy is contagious, her energy is pure, and her music? Well, her music speaks for itself. With a new album on the way, her musical versatility spans across different styles, namely trap, R&B, and some Dominican influence, which is an homage to her Latina roots. But it wasn't just her impressive vocals that made us want to know more about the young Miami native.
After being personally sought out to direct and co-star in a music video by the Purple One himself at just 18 years old, and gaining a major co-sign from Drake after featuring her infamous #InMyFeelingsChallenge in his music video, the stage is now set for DaniLeigh (pronounced Dani-LAY) to make her own mark on the industry. xoNecole got the chance to briefly catch up with the swaggy songstress just before her meet and greet at Lady Foot Locker in New York City.
DaniLeigh at her Lady Foot Locker in-store appearance in Soho, NYC (11/28). To get DaniLeigh's sneaker look, she's rocking the Jordan Retro 11 Utility.
Lady Foot Locker
With an album (The Plan) out now and her nationwide Be Yourself tour underway, the "Lil BeBe" singer chatted with xoNecole about why it's important to do just that along with her personal style and her new album.
xoNecole: How does the vibe on this upcoming album ‘The Plan’ differ from your debut EP, ‘Summer With Friends’?
DaniLeigh: I feel like Summer With Friends was [based off] the place I was in. I had just gotten signed to Def Jam and I was super happy! I think the vibe was definitely more light and colorful whereas I think The Plan is a little bit more moody. You really get to hear my story. I think I've grown as an artist, I think my pen game is better. I really tried to just show my versatility and I played around with different types of production, a little bit of darker things.
xoNecole: If you could describe yourself or your music in two words, what would they be?
DaniLeigh: Cool and unique. I say "cool" because as far as my personality goes, I like to be chill. With everything that's happened in life, I kind of handled it in a patient way. I never acted out of character. As far as "unique" goes, that comes out in my music. My tone, my voice is different, I don't really sound like anybody. The tracks that I get on are different, no one can really compare to me.
"No one can really compare to me."
Ryan Postas/DaniLeigh's Instagram
xoNecole: As you can see, the women in the music industry are doing impressively well right now. Cardi B, Rihanna, and of course Queen Bey. How does that make you feel as an up-and-comer?
DaniLeigh: It's amazing, I love it. Every female on top has a dope message to give and that's important. As women, I feel like we have to work a little harder to get respect in the game, but it feels like we're finally taking over. It's a wave for women right now and that feels good.
"It's a wave for women right now and that feels good."
xoNecole: You’re at Lady Foot Locker, so let’s talk shoe game. Where did your personal love for sneakers come from?
DaniLeigh: In high school, that's when I really started to get tuned in with sneakers. I always had my Air Maxes, my Jordans, my Nikes. My Air Force Ones back in the day, those were my favorite. Now the love has just grown to where now when I make an outfit, I think of the shoe first. I got to have a crazy shoe on to complete the outfit, you know?
xoNecole: Makes complete sense. And speaking of outfits, your personal aesthetic is on a whole different level, it's not mainstream. Not many people dress as differently as you do. Where do you draw your style inspiration from?
DaniLeigh: I was always inspired by Rihanna. There are a couple of different girls I follow on Instagram, but I like to look different. I definitely have that tomboy aesthetic to me. But I like colors and matching down to every little detail, even my nails and my socks. I have a vintage side to me as well. I like to incorporate the high-waisted jeans, oversized turtlenecks, things like that. That's my speed.
xoNecole: Last thing, what’s one important thing you want your current fans and potential fans to know?
DaniLeigh: I want them to know that it's okay to be yourself. Throughout my life, people were always trying to change me or they weren't really accepting who I was. But I feel like I kept it real and always showed who I really was from the start no matter what. And now I'm starting to get recognized and it's for just being me, my authentic self.
Keep up with DaniLeigh by following her on Instagram. Click here to listen to her new album now.
Featured image via Def Jam Records.
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In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
