Daniela Brooker is back this week with her brand new single Breathe, which come before the release of her debut album P.S.
We caught up with the singer songwriter to chat about the new track, the success that she has been having in the U.S. and what lies ahead.
- You are about to release your new single Breathe so what can we expect from the new track?
It is a pop/rock song that is about two people that are friends and how one moment being together changed it forever.
It is a light-hearted love story this song, but it is not too obvious. It does have a bit of a boogie feel to it and I am just excited for everyone to hear it.
- There is a pop/rock feel to this track and it is unlike anything else that is on the album and the most pop of all the tracks. So how far would you go along with that? And how would you describe your sound overall?
It definitely has had a different vibe to all of the other songs that are on the album.
With every song on the album I tried to make it individual so it doesn't get boring; do there are some different flavours in it.
In general I would describe my album as a pop album but there are a lot of Americana and soul influences.
I guess Breathe is one of the only tracks that is really rocky. But I do have a little bit of everything in there.
- How are you finding the reaction to the track so far, both here in the UK as well as in the States?
I am finding it incredible. The single has come out yet but the video has had a great response online.
In America it is going really well too. So, fingers crossed, when it comes out it carries on that way.
- Speaking about the States you have already been having some real success over there so what have you been up to on the other side of the pond this year?
I am half-Venezuelan and so I went to Miamito do a lot of the Latin TV shows - that was just incredible because I did everything in Spanish.
That side has opened a lot of doors for me out there. I did a couple of tours through New York and LA as well.
So it has just been amazing to be honest. I have been getting loads of different responses when I went somewhere new, it has been really exciting.
- You have also been doing some writing in LA so how has that been?
I actually went to LA with my dad for a tour and just starting writing the album there; I actually called it P.S. after the hotel that we were staying in.
My album is really California inspired and I did do back with my band half way through it to write some more. I just love the vibe there as I do find it really inspiring.
- That does lead me into my next question as a lot of British artists do go over to LA to write, so what is it about this city that musicians like?
I think it is because that it has such a massive history of the entertainment industry and music in general; you will be driving around and you will just see so many artists about.
There is a massive music scene and every night you can go and watch different shows - whether it be big artists and new artists. We were staying in West Hollywood and so there were so many creative people around that area.
It is just the whole vibe of the place as it is a city with entertainment and it is on the beach. It just has that amazing feel to it.
- You have been having some great success in America so where are the plans to push your music further over there this year?
At the moment I am focusing on releasing the album here in the UK. When it comes out here we are going to over to America to do a couple of tours - hopefully we will get on a support tour with a big American artist.
- Speaking of that debut album P.S. is going to be dropping this summer so how does the debut single introduce us to the rest of this record?
I think this song, like you said, it the most poppy out of all of them and it just eases people into it. The whole thing about my album is that is has a live feel; there is no auto-tuning and no programmes.
The top line on the song is definitely that way that I write all of my songs; so it is a little bit more pop/rock. But as we get into the album it does get a little bit jazzier I guess.
- You have mentioned that you recorded with a live band so how did you find that experience?
Incredible. I have been with my band for about four years now. I think that it is great to write with people that you know and get along with; I can write something and think it’s great, but they can give me their perspective and say ’no you need to change this’. You can just bounce off each other really.
I have got two guitarists in my band called Jim and Joe and so they help me a lot with the music side of things. I tell them exactly what I want played, and then they play it and I am like ’yeah, I like’.
Then I will write the top line over it. Every time it is different to be honest but that is main way that we write songs.
- Who has served as producer? And how hands on are you when it comes to that side of making a record?
Actually, one of the guitarists Joe Webb is also an incredible producer and so he has produced the album as well. That is why it has been such an incredible experience, it has just been amazing.
I definitely get involved with that side of things as I am there throughout the whole producing and mixing part. I like to have it specifically the way that I like (laughs). So I definitely get involved.
- So where did your love of music start and what music were you listening to as you were growing up?
I have always sung and been interesting in performing in stuff. At the age of thirteen I went to a studio locally to me and I got to record some songs. Ever since then I have been addicted to becoming artist, I guess.
I grew up listening to artists such as Fleetwood Mac. But I also like big singer such as Christina Aguilera, Etta James. I am a big Michael Jackson fan; he has influenced a lot of the stuff on the album. I am a big John Mayer fan as well. So I really do listen to a whole host of different stuff.
- I was wondering how you felt that the music that you grew up listening to has influenced the music that you make now?
Obviously there was some teeny stuff that I use to listen to that I don’t necessarily like anymore. Vocally the artists such as Christina Aguilera and Etta James I think that they have influenced me in the way that I like to wrote and sing.
But artists such as Fleetwood Mac and John Mayer have been the main influences. So I have definitely carried that on from when I was younger.
- In your early teens you were writing and by 15 you were in the studio trying to develop your sound. So can you talk a bit about that process and what influenced you to go down the path that you have in terms of your sound?
To be honest, it really was a very difficult process and I really have tried out every single style (laughs). In the end I have got a really wide range of genres that I love and so it has to be a decision about what suits me best. I have been doing this solo for so long that I have been dabbling in all sorts of styles.
But when I got my band they were like ‘this is the way’ and ‘this sounds really good’ and I really did take on board their advice. It has just developed gradually, to be honest. It is still pop music but it does have more of a raw feel to it - that suits me better, I think.
- You have been working in the studio, writing and recording for quite a few years now so why did you decide not to go down the TV talent show route?
I think that it is an incredible opportunity for people because there is no doubt that the exposure that you get from it is insane.
But for me personally, because I like song writing and being involved in the whole process and obviously going on one of those shows it is not necessarily about the music but just singing. So that really wouldn’t suit me.
I am lucky to have a team of people around me that means I don’t need to go on one of those shows. I am doing it the long way (laughs) but I am involved with it more.
- Finally what is next you as you go through the rest of this year?
The album is coming out, so I will be promoting. I will be going out on tour; I want to be doing as many tours as possible in the UK and elsewhere as well. Hopefully it will all go well.
Daniela Brooke - Breathe is out now.