Ann Arbor’s Dani Darling spreads positivity, self-empowerment with soulful new music
By Lori Stratton
EDITOR’S NOTE: Today, Local Spins introduces a new partnership with Ypsilanti’s Grove Studios. Once a month, we’ll showcase a musical artist from the east side of the state courtesy of Grove Studios, which in turn, will share a Local Spins Artist Spotlight on a West Michigan musician or band. It’s an endeavor aimed at bridging the gap between east and west, exposing audiences to artists they might not otherwise embrace. Today, writer Lori Stratton profiles singer-songwriter Dani Darling and a Washtenaw County fellowship program for black artists. (Local Spins, meanwhile, shared its recent feature on Grand Rapids singer Sarena Rae, which you can find here.)
Ann Arbor chanteuse-guitarist Dani Darling had a vision for a new song steeped in ’70s psychedelia.
So on Saturday (May 1), she’ll not only revisit past neo-soul and jazzy favorites but also debut this track wrapped in vintage psychedelia during a ticketed, live-streamed “Amplify Kickback” show at The Ark in Ann Arbor.
“One of the main visions I had for this whole psychedelic ‘70s-type sound was the flute,” said the emerging singer-songwriter.
“That’s a theme that’s throughout the whole project, and the flautist I worked with, James Russell, is going to be at the Kickback. It’s going to be cool to see what he does with some of the old stuff.”
