Crazy, the debut radio single by Ontario born Canadian Country Singer/Songwriter Danielle Todd, is one of those songs that will stop you in your tracks. Highlighted by passionate and compelling vocals, a universal message about the disarming nature of love, and a vibrant production that will please music lovers across many genres, Todd has seemingly solved the magical formula of how to meld the best elements of modern musical styles with a singer/songwriter’s touch for lyrical depth and literacy. Crazy is a masterstroke of composition that marks the emergence of a fresh, confident artist onto a much larger musical stage.
Danielle Todd released her exciting debut single ‘Crazy' to Australian Country Radio recently. Danielle, who is now Nashville based, delivers a fresh new sound to country music. Having toured Australia previously, this is her first major release, and we had a chat with Danielle about her music, touring and future plans.
MT/Tracey: Hi Danielle. How long have you been singing for?
Danielle: I have been singing since I was a little girl, even before I can remember. Music runs in my family, so I grew up singing. I really started to take music seriously when I was in high school. When I was 15 I started booking and promoting my own shows in my hometown. I also joined a couple of bands and worked at a music store.
MT: Why did you choose the path of country music?
Danielle: Country music was always around when I was growing up and I was very influenced by a lot of female country music stars. Then about five years ago I started making trips to Nashville to explore the music scene here. It was such a cool experience being around such talented musicians in the country scene. It made me fall even deeper in love with country music.
MT: Who is your biggest inspiration?
Danielle: There are SO many! It would start with my musical family. My cousin, Mike Todd was a great inspiration and I really learned a lot from him about live performance. After that I listened to a lot of female country artists growing up, and still do today. Some of my favourites are Ashley McBryde, Caitlyn Smith, Miranda Lambert, Pistol Annies and so many more. My favourite performers right now are Brothers Osborne and Keith Urban.
MT: You are originally from Canada and now reside in Nashville, yet I’ve noticed you have toured Australia. Can you tell me why you have chosen Australia?
Danielle: I had the opportunity to live in Sydney a few years ago and tour around the country. I fell in love with Australia. The weather, the scenery, the people, everything about it is so beautiful. I am SO looking forward to another Australian visit.
MT: Do you write your own songs?
Danielle: I sure do!
MT: I see that you are very busy with what seems like an endless list of shows; has your shows/gigs help with your debut release of ‘Crazy’?
Danielle: The shows that I play in Nashville at Tootsie’s have taught me a lot about how to perform, be on stage with a band, be under pressure, keep up to date with new music and how to deal with crazy people in the crowd! Ha! As for my release of “Crazy”, I am setting up more original shows after my radio tour to get back into the swing of my original music.
MT: Can you tell us a bit about the song ‘Crazy’?
Danielle: This song was written with Caitie Thompson and Bobbi Holliday. It came together so quickly with the three of us meeting that day. By the end of three hours we had the whole song written with three-part harmony. It was written all about how when you fall in love, even when you’re emotionally stable, you can feel like you’re losing your mind. In the best way possible!
MT: Is there an album to follow?
Danielle: I have been writing a lot over the last year, and taking multiple writers trips. In the next year there will be more music. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.
MT: As an independent artist who is trying to break outside of Canada and USA, how do you fund your music and touring?
Danielle: Oh boy! What a question! Well, for the first single “Crazy” I saved up enough money to pay for the initial boost on my own. I also got a small grant from the Canadian government. This helped with radio and publicity. Now, I am doing a GoFundMe campaign online to help with additional costs. The radio tour in Canada will be quite a bit of money. So far my fans have rallied together and I’ve managed to raise just over $2000. That will be a big help for the tour!
MT: I’ve seen some of your Instagram posts and have to ask, are you a health nut? (I know weird question, but I saw the organic eggs, nitrate free stuff and uncured bacon)
Danielle: I really try my hardest to use organic produce (when I can afford it) and use mostly natural skin care products. I absolutely love cooking, so I try to keep up to date with healthy options to fuel my body for my weird working hours and high-energy job. That’s not to say that I don’t ever eat unhealthy! When I’m hungry and fries are my only option, I will eat fries. That being said, I also try to pack a lunch for most of my gigs. I’ll bring carrots, cocoa dusted almonds, grapes, meatballs, etc. I really try to take care of myself. When it comes to skin care I use jojoba oil to wash my face and shea butter as a moisturizer and that’s it. I try and keep my skin products as natural and easy as possible.
MT: Do you like reading?
Danielle: I love reading!
MT: What’s the last book you’ve read? (Yes, I saw the book too on Instagram) What’s the latest read?
Danielle: I’m loving these questions! The last book I read was “All the Ugly and Wonderful Things” by Bryn Greenwood. I couldn’t put it down. I also just recently read “Not A Sound” by Heather Gudenkauf.
MT: How are you coming up with your song ideas? Are you collaborating?
Danielle: I do collaborate and I am a huge fan of it. I used to write all the time by myself, and I still do, but I find that ideas come together much easier when there are a couple other people in the room to bounce some ideas off of. It also opens doors to other writers and expands your circle with networking.
MT: Do you have your own band?
Danielle: I do have my own band and am doing a couple shows in Canada in a couple weeks with them. I can’t wait! I also work every weekend with the same band on Broadway. They’re my best friends.
MT: Do you have plans to return to Australia?
Danielle: Yes! I am hoping for early 2020.
MT: I’ve noticed you have a dog too...(omg, I’m not stalking you, just did my research. Lol) But we are big dog lovers here. Just wondering who takes care of your dog and how much do you miss her when you go away? And, does she go nuts when you come home?
Danielle: Oh, my love, Nellie. She is my absolute best friend and it broke my heart to leave her back home in Canada when I moved to Nashville. Before I moved to Nashville I actually lived in my aunts basement apartment and she technically bought Nellie, but all three of us took care of her. So when I left it was heartbreaking. My aunt would send me pictures of her sitting at the top of the stairs waiting for me to come up in the mornings. She goes completely bonkers when I come home to see her! It’s the best feeling in the world.
MT: Is there anything else you would like to mention?
Danielle: I’m so happy that Australia has accepted my music with open arms and I can’t wait to come back to meet all my Aussie fans. Please follow my music on Spotify and check out my video for “Crazy” on YouTube. Thank you for doing your research, Tracey! I had a wonderful time answering these questions for you. Cheers!
Thanks for the interview Danielle, very much appreciated.
Links to Danielle Todd
Official Website: https://danielletoddmusic.ca
Official Clip: https://youtu.be/_LBVsPGHrJI
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Um4ku8
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Danielle_Todd
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielle_todd/