Danielle Ponder

One Liner: Killer-voiced former lawyer channels Aretha and Yola

Wikipedia Genre: No Wikipedia, going with soul and R&B

Home: Rochester, NY

Poster Position: 23
Both Weekends.  Sunday.

Thoughts: Ooooh, Jack likey.  Reminds me of Yola, but also, she covers Radiohead in a really great version of "creep" that showcases a voice that could rattle the rafters of heaven.  

Her bio states that she left her successful day job "working in the public defender's office" to take a shot at full time music.  Does that mean she is a lawyer?  Or was that successful job being like an intake counselor or something?  Oh wow, yeah, lawyer.  She went to Northeastern University law school in Boston.  The sixth of seven children, she apparently chose law after her brother received a 20 year sentence under a three strikes law.  Her father was a pastor, so she only listened to gospel growing up.  I feel like you can hear that in her tunes.  But at first she was trying to do music and law at the same time - "I would do a small tour in Europe, come back, and on Monday I'd be in court like nothing happened."  Which sounds awful.

Before she did the solo stuff, she was in a few bands, including one called Black August.

Strangely, her bio talks about an eight song debut called Some Of Us Are Brave, but that isn't on Spotify.  Only singles are available on the Spotify, and some of those are repeats.  Too bad.  her most streamed is "Look Around," from a 2020 single.  839k streams.

Featuring something called Karate Boogaloo, which is just a dope as hell name.  That track is on some classic Marvin Gaye sounding stuff.  Wait!  Tiny Desk!  I love the Tiny Desk!

Oh, not a full Tiny Desk, just an entry into the contest.  Great voice, good tune in the back, this is some tasty stuff.  I wish she had more songs!  Stop defending people from misdemeanor charges and write some more shizz!  And just because I mentioned it, you should get to hear the Radiohead too.

Hot damn when she gets to those hot notes!  I'd absolutely go see her do this live.  I've seen Yola three times and every time I feel drained by hearing someone so powerful sing.