Danielle Antonio
Early in my Long Island, NY childhood I knew I wanted music to be at the center of my life. I started piano lessons at age 7 and studied pop and classical music. My earliest memories include going to live concerts, playing showcases, as well as listening to great music from many different eras.
One of the main influences in my dedication to a life of music, however, is my father Pete Antell. I often helped out in his home studio, and I sometimes accompanied him on tour with artists such as The Doobie Brothers and Fleetwood Mac. It was one day when I was standing backstage at a Fleetwood Mac concert (next to Christine McVie’s piano) that I knew with absolute certainty music what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
In college, I was involved not only music but also theater and dance. I took part in everything from stage production to choreography. The invaluable discipline that I gained back then is a big part of why I constantly push myself to write, record and perform now. Upon college graduation, I moved to Colorado after landing a singing job at a mountain lodge. I performed several seasons there and with a few other groups throughout Denver/Boulder.
When I started to dabble in songwriting, I moved back East to a friend’s farm in Connecticut, and I really put music front and center. With a great practice space in a huge barn with hardwood floors and natural acoustics, I spent countless hours writing and recording demos on my old 4-track player. Eventually, I moved to NYC to fully pursue my singer-songwriter career, working as a legal secretary by day and playing clubs and hitting the recording studio at night.
After playing the open mic scene, I put together an original band and spent several years developing my stage legs as an original artist. Those early-gig years were magical and invaluable. And when digital replaced analog in the recording world, I taught myself the basics of production on ProTools. I produced, edited and mixed my first 10-song CD, New Elements. The album made its way to the iTunes independent releases category; and the singles Caught In A Landslide, Everybody’s Stringing Me Along and Hurricane received college and online radio airplay, and they did pretty well on indie song charts and in competitions.
On my sophomore album, being produced by Antelope Records, I try to bring a compelling and current rock-pop sound combined with lyrics about contemporary issues. My influences are many, from Madonna to Maroon 5 to Amy Winehouse to the Foo Fighters. Hopefully, my new music is a blend that brings familiarity to listeners, yet still is authentic. When asked about my genre of music – or when I ask others what they think my genre is – no one can pinpoint it! I love that! The first single from that album Freedom and Philosophy is a mix of rock, pop and country and is available now on iTunes.
As a singer-songwriter who has written over 200 songs, I would tell younger artists to never give up on their dreams and their craft, regardless of their circumstances. If it’s what you love to do, push yourself towards it every day. You can’t succeed without fully dedicating your heart and soul.
Danielle Antonio
DanielleAntonio.com
@danielleantonio
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