New, Now, Latinx
Daniela Brooker, the singer/songwriter taking Latin music across the pond and beyond
The half-Venezuelan is doing it for the culture
Daniela Brooker is fighting the quarantine blues – with music. 2020 was set to be a year of new music, touring and travel. However, Coronavirus put a damper on her plans. After recovering from the illness at home with family – the star on the rise put her best creative foot forward. “I’ve been a lot more creative in other ways with my project and putting my new song out,” she tells HOLA! USA. “It’s hard to write songs when you’re cooped up and not out living to be inspired.”
For the British songstress, now is the perfect time for the world to find out who she is. “I’m just going to be releasing new music during the quarantine because I think it’s the best time,” she shares. “Everyone’s at home and music is such an amazing way to lift people’s spirits.”
And she’s doing just that with her latest single Playita. Thanks to the half-Venezuelan beauty, there’s some feeling of being outside with your best girls. “I wanted to make a song that when you put it on, immediately it transports you to that tropical beach feel good; happy women encouraging one another,” she noted.
In this edition of New Now Latinx, Daniela tells us about how she is doing it for la cultura from across the pond, the thing that sets her apart and her kick-ass message.
HOLA! USA: Who is Daniela Brooker?
Daniela Brooker: “I‘m born and raised in London, England, but my family is half Venezuelan. I spent a lot of my childhood growing up there. I really claimed both halves, so totally bang in the middle of the two. I’ve been making music for a while, but I discovered making music in Spanish about two years ago, and I’ve been on this kind of journey of exploring what my sound is in Spanish. I’ve really fallen in love with the music and my heritage and everything.”
Why did you decide to sing fully in Spanish versus mixing the two cultures?
“I always mix a little bit of English into my music now like a few phrases here and there, but it was predominantly in Spanish. I just fell in love with it. I thought that my voice sounds better in Spanish than English, and it‘s just like a challenge for me. I think the language is so romantic and the way you can write. I just fell in love with it. I think for me, it’s so familiar but so exciting at the same time because it’s not a hundred percent the language I’m living in. I just enjoy it so much and it just feels natural.”
What’s your musical style?
“It‘s definitely Latin pop as a general, but it has a lot of urban influences like in the beats and the production. Lyrically, it can get to those different levels, and it’s always from personal experiences. I love that people can feel joy and dance and vibe to that at the same time. I love writing a slower tune, that real romantic song. I try and give it a little variation.”
Which sound do you find yourself gravitating to the most?
“I love a rhythm that you can move to, but it’s still soft, and it has really beautiful melodies over it. I also explore with all my stuff. Stuff that’s more tropical sounding because that’s the whole kind of going back to my roots. I love the kind of fresh sounds of the Caribbean, so just kind of finding a way to incorporate it all together.”
What sets you apart from other Latin music artists?
“I think it’s just because I obviously grew up in the UK, in London and that whole culture. That’d be my perspective on my lyrics and stuff could be quite different, even the sound, the melodies that I write. I think that kind of gives me a different flavor without trying to do it. I just can’t help it. I love collaborating with all the writers who are a hundred percent Latin. That mixture I think gives me my own sound.”
Do you have any dream collaborations in mind?
At the moment there’s the artist Jhay Cortez. I think he writes amazing songs. He’s super cool. Obviously, I think Rosalia is an amazing artist and the things she’s doing is cool especially for women. I’ll give you a different answer every day.” [Laughs]
You have already nailed the girls’ night out vibe with Playita...
“I just loved the idea of working with Martina [La Peligrosa] because I think she’s so amazing and talented, and she gives that real flavor, like the whole Caribbean style. We went to Mexico for the video, and we had the best time together. I couldn’t be more grateful she’s on the song.”
Overall, what’s the message that you want everyone to receive from your music?
“I’m a lot about being independent, positivity and loving yourself. That’s a big thing for me, especially with body positivity as well.”
What’s next?
“A lot of collaborations and just getting the music out there. A lot of visuals. I actually shot the other day a video at home during this time, so I’ll be putting that out as well eventually. And just trying to think of cool, creative things to do to make sense in this time. Then, hopefully when we will get back to normal, we can start doing some shows. That’s the end goal.”
