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.
- Get To Know Our Girl DaniLeigh | Def Jam Recordings ›
- NYC Embraces Singer Dani Leigh | 93.9 WKYS ›
- Meet DaniLeigh, the Dominican Rapper & Singer With a Prince Co ... ›
- 5 things you didn't know about DaniLeigh - AXS ›
- Meet DaniLeigh, the Singer-Songwriter-Dancer Mentored by Prince ›
- DaniLeigh | Official Site ›
- DaniLeigh - "Lil BeBe" (Dance Video) - YouTube ›
- DANILEIGH (@iamdanileigh) • Instagram photos and videos ›
Some women have their whole wedding planned out, from the bridal gown and venue to the bridal party and playlist. However, KJ was not one of those people. “I didn’t foresee a wedding in my future,” she reveals. “I was just gonna be the boss chick, rich auntie. I didn’t force love in my life until recently. I never had an idea of what a dream wedding would look like, it was easier for me to elope.”
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
And to many people’s surprise, that was their original plan – until Skyh brought up a valid concern. He was raised by his grandmother and thought she should be at the wedding, and naturally, that led to KJ wanting her grandmother to be there as well – then her mom – and later her sister – and, you’ve gotta invite the besties too, right? From there, the guest list continued to blossom. Much like the updo and pop of color bold red lip, she wore on her special day, which was initially on her Pinterest board as a soft glam look with her hair hanging on her shoulders, KJ is okay with changing her plan if it brings her and her loved ones happiness.
So let’s get into the wedding, which took place in Malibu, CA. The first thing you should know about the celebrity couple is that they’re non-traditional. They know, and they don’t care. So, in true unconventional fashion, they shared the morning of the wedding together.
“I woke up with Skyh, we walked our dog, had black coffee, and said good morning to the people who stayed at the venue with us,” she says.
Now, it was time for hair and makeup. While she was getting glammed up, she had Black-owned McBride Sisters wine and champagne (which ties into The Black Experience theme) on deck with her mom and friends, had her besties help rework her vows, retried on every outfit (sis is very Type-A), took photos, and ended the early-celebration with prayer and meditation. It seems very non-Bridezilla, I said.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company,” she explains. “The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
Things moved quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to line up to walk down the aisle.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company. The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
KJ Smith and her bridal party
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
Since everything started with their grandmothers, the couple wanted to ensure they honored them and planned to keep an element of their wedding traditional. Although we’ve all seen the reception videos and photos online, you may have noticed visuals from the wedding itself are harder to find.
“We planned for it to be traditional, but we’re not like that, so we tried to create those moments. We jumped the broom and had a salt ceremony (where the bride and groom individually pour salt into a glass container, symbolizing their lives becoming one.) But honestly, still, nothing was traditional about it.”
She goes on to explain that her mom caught the holy ghost coming down the aisle, her glam team was on deck, and she became so nervous with excitement that she had an anxiety attack – something she struggled with for years, she explains tearfully. Her friends had to literally cheer her down the aisle because of how overwhelmed she felt until she eventually calmed down.
“Skyh was standing there with his hand on his heart; we have our own little language, and I could feel the support,” she shares.
It was surprising to hear all these emotional moments happened before the party we saw online. That is until she once again got into the backstory.
“As a Black woman actress, for so long, it was popular to be mysterious and secretive, but that’s not who I am or what I like. Plus, we both wanted to create an experience for everyone there. We are the people who always host family and friends,” she says. “Like for me, the first order of business was getting sandals for the women so they can dance all night long. We had oxtail, D'ussé, and a coffee and sativa lounge – which is part of Skyh and I’s lifestyle and routine. We wanted to bring them into our world.”
Skyh Black (L) and KJ Smith (R)
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
She went on to discuss the dance routine she did for her husband at the reception, which has taken over the internet. Apparently, that’s another thing that didn’t go according to plan. According to KJ, she had promised a performance at their joint bachelor/ bachelorette party, but her outfit got stolen from her car. So, Skyh ended up performing for her – complete with a strip tease. Still, she never forgot her promise to dance for him.
So, she hired her friend as a choreographer, learned the routine, made friends and family watch it endless times, and attended Beyoncé’s Renaissance show a few days before for a confidence boost. It ended up being a show to remember. But that wasn’t all the night offered. Lil Mo performed, and the guests received special goody bags featuring their favorite Black-owned products like journals, hair care, and more.
“We made sure everyone was taken care of all night. That kind of stuff makes us happy. I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives,” she says.
But naturally, the internet is going to internet, and while there were countless people praising the event and applauding the newlyweds, some thought it was too over the top. I was curious to know her thoughts on some of the criticism.
“It’s cool. We did what we wanted to do. I’ve decided to share my world with people. Just how I went on social media platforms and found inspiration, I want people to do the same,” she explains. “I don’t think it's fair to my supporters not to give that out. There’s so much I wanna share with brides, specifically Black brides. I love that people are adding it to their Pinterest boards."
"I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives."
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
“I’m happy with it because we did what we wanted to do. They can do what they wanna do. Don’t be cruel, though, because you will get blocked,” she said, laughing.
The more I spoke with her, the more her sense of freedom shined through. People are always going to have their opinions, but at the end of the day, it’s you who has to live your life, and it seems like the couple realizes that and embraces that power. She also stressed the importance of not living for others and the lessons life has taught her.
“I’ve been to countless weddings, and I’ve been in countless weddings. I’m a generally older bride. So when women in my demographic get married, and you and your husband are busy working people like us, you deserve to have the one you want to have,” she shares.
“This is what we wanted to do. Our loved ones love and support us. We did so much to honor them, but we also wanted to start our own tradition, legacy, and creation. I'm not going to be pulled back into ideas of the past when I’m trying to create a future with my partner. “
If you’d like to see more of the couple, you probably won’t have to wait long. Although no content is planned yet, she admits to being an oversharer. “Me being open and transparent about my experiences lets people know it’s okay to have flaws; it makes you human, and for many years, I didn’t believe that was okay. I had pressure to be perfect, and I’d crumble every time,” she explains to xoNecole.
Now, she owns her flaws and uses them as a superpower to connect with her community and feel and express her love.
“Some people give us [Skyh and KJ] a hard time because they say we just seem too perfect. I’m like, why is that a bad thing? I love the people I love. From my man to my mama, to my friends - unabashedly. We move through time and space how we want to move. If we did it another way, we’d let ourselves and our union down.”
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
