Danielle Davis has announced new music for next month, her first musical release since her Multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis in 2021.
Named one of Detroit Metro Times’ artists to watch in 2020, the Ann Arbor-based singer faced an unexpected diagnosis of Multiple sclerosis MS.
MS is a disease that impacts the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.
Davis, AKA Dani Darling, recalled experiencing symptoms following the release of her 2021 project, “The Future.” She detailed experiencing the stroke-like symptoms of the unexpected medical diagnosis.
“I didn’t realize this at the time, but one of the side effects is also what we call cog fog (short for cognitive fog). I felt as if I was in a dream. My speech was slurred. And I didn’t realize, but part of my face was kind of sagging. It was very similar to a stroke,” she said.
Davis credits the University of Michigan Hospital’s staff for correctly identifying the disease before symptoms worsened.
“U-of-M is amazing. They figured out my treatment, and got me right within a week. I’ve been on treatment since then,” Davis said. “I receive chemo every six months to suppress my immune system because basically it’s my immune system that’s attacking my brain and causing brain damage.”
Since the diagnosis, Davis confirmed that her health is back on track, crediting her band and the gift of music for assisting her on the road to recovery.
Davis calls music her a “lifeline,” stating, “I realized that I had to get back to music because otherwise, I was sinking.”
A chanteuse and guitarist, Davis states she will release new music in the coming months. She described her forthcoming project as a contrast to her imaginative 2021 EP, which was praised for the project’s creativity. “The Future” was credited for being a fun, genre-bending album that explored psychedelic concepts.
“’The Future’ was an expression of being cooped up because of the pandemic. So this one is going to be less beamed that way. This (project) is going to be more about songs that are personal to me and from the heart.”
After going through a host of health scares, Davis states the theme of her music will reflect these experiences.
“My last project was very 70s and psychedelic-funkadelic. For this next project, there is cinematic 60s-type music, and emotional topics, with me feeling closer to the edge of existence,” Davis said, “There are also those scary moments where I don’t know what’s going to happen or if I’m going to be okay. There will be more deep themes. I want more emotion if that’s possible.”
The upcoming project, which does not have a name yet, is set to release this Summer. According to Davis, the lead single, “Bossa,” will be released in early April. For longtime fans of Davis, you will recognize the single for being one of her set-list mainstays.
“This song evolved over the years. The cool thing will be for people to hear a song that they heard me perform, but now they will hear it as it was intended.” Said Davis, “This will be my big-bold song like La Femme was with ‘The Future.’”
Davis, who leads a four-piece band, states the project will feature the band, along with some of her self-produced work. According to Davis, after she finishes this project, states for this year, she wants to continue to perform around the country.
Davis concluded with a message to her fans that was encouraging and reflective of her journey.
“Hopefully, this project and my story will encourage people. The thing I focused on is resiliency,” Davis said, “When bad things happen to you, when horrible things happen, or when you’re faced with huge challenges, resiliency is that thing that keeps you going. It keeps you pushing through to be stronger out of it. Everyone can be resilient. You have to ask for help when you need it. You have to care for yourself and love yourself. My last single was titled Trying, and it’s about the importance of each little step. I love my fans, and I hope that they are ready for more dreaming-cosmic Dani Darling.”
Antonio Cooper is a freelance journalist from Detroit, Michigan. His coverage of music festivals and interviews with local celebrities appeared in The E-Current Magazine, The Detroit Metro Times, XXL Magazine, RichMagDigital, The Ann Arbor Observer, and Pop Magazine.
