Danni Nicholls

With the wind in her sails from receiving three consecutive Americana Music Association UK award nominations (Album, Artist and Song of the year in 2017, 2018 & 2020 respectively), and releasing three acclaimed studio albums, all recorded with the finest musicians in Nashville; singer/songwriter Danni Nicholls is continuing to gain presence and reach.

Hailing from Bedfordshire, England, growing up on the American roots music of her Anglo-Indian grandmother’s record collection Danni has been paving her way in UK Americana for over a decade, building a loyal fan base and much critical praise. 

Danni has toured extensively and played shows with the likes of Shakin’ Stevens (28 date UK wide tour), Lucinda Williams, Sturgill Simpson, The Secret Sisters and other notables. She has been invited to perform at festivals around the world, including Cambridge Folk (UK), Tønder (Denmark) Folk Alliance International (Kansas US) and AmericanaFest, Nashville, US)

The word that recurs most often in reviews of Danni’s songs and performances is “elegance.” She’s too modest to agree, but it’s a style she has lovingly, honed across what is truly an entire lifetime in music, and one with all sorts of interesting cultural twists and artistic turns. 

The small town of Bedford served as the backdrop to Danni’s childhood, scored by her grandmother’s collection of American folk, country, and rock ‘n’ roll records. At 16, Danni inherited her Uncle Heathcliff’s 1963 Burns London short-scale jazz guitar (rumoured to have once belonged to Billy Fury). Danni’s connection with the guitar was instantaneous, and having played saxophone since age 9, she had a musical foundation upon which to build her songwriting skills. As soon as she knew two chords, she was off writing her own songs.

Eventually, she recorded and released two EPs, Heavy Shoes in 2009 produced by Tim Bidwell (Lucy Rose) in Brighton, UK) and Time in 2012 produced by Iain Archer (Snow Patrol, Jake Bugg) before meeting bassist/producer Chris Donohue in 2011 with some of Nashville’s finest musicians in tow including the legendary Al Perkins (Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, The Rolling Stones). The pair have made two critically acclaimed albums — 2013’s A Little Redemption and 2015’s award nominated Mockingbird Lane.

April 2019 saw the release of her third. The Melted Morning was produced by Jordan Brooke Hamlin (Brandi Carlile, The Indigo Girls, Lucy Wainwright-Roche) at the idyllic woodland studio MOXE, Nashville TN. Closely personal yet widely relatable, the themes of this album span an array of life’s takeaways; from the pain and darkness of rejection, the fear of losing yourself and the power of human connection to offering up hope and new perspectives in the face of adversities.

​Her vibrant, captivating performances are guaranteed to melt your heart into the soles of your boots. Danni’s passionate delivery, captivating velvet voice and charmingly engaging between-song banter compel you to fall under her spell.