For the young, Canadian songstress, YouTube has served as a virtual studio, a place between the public and private where she can exercise both fear and courage through performance. Since she first appeared there in 2008, that clarity has broken through the noise of the world’s biggest open-mic and garnered millions of fans across the globe (1.8 million subscribers on YouTube, 150k followers on Instagram, 1.8 million followers on Facebook, and 280k followers on Spotify). From early, mop-headed takes on Lisa Hannigan to soaring renditions of Gnarls Barkley, Daniela’s intentions have always been clear: do right by artist and audience, sing fiercely, sing earnestly. The diary that she compiled with those videos is all too characteristic of her generation’s novel take on autobiography. And, over the years, that practice has crystallized into an inimitable personhood, a glowing sincerity.

In 2016, their online successes breached the real world with her first international tour and the release of her debut EP, Shore. Selling out on three continents, that tour took her from Paris to Kuala Lumpur and to venues like the Gramercy Theatre in New York and the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Business was booming: there were syncs in popular TV shows like Suits and Supergirl and in commercials for Hyundai’s Winter Olympic campaign, as well as national brand activations for Roots and Canon.

Now, in 2019, new roads. Where once she did covers for her audience, the last few years of Daniela’s career have been characterized by a steady turn inward. Her last EP, Shore was the first step towards finding that self-awareness. Her next project, releasing this fall, takes that direction to a more mature place. Three years later, now as a producer, writer, performer and creative director, Daniela’s voice is coming full circle, back to the DIY spirit that sparked her initial creations. In these songs, the clarity of her voice once again captures a stunning sonic and thematic image. Throughout the rest of the genre- bending-pop project, the fruits of that labour are celebrated. How does someone ripe with independence spend their time? For Daniela, a few things come to mind: brushing off expectations, dancing alone, falling in love. There’s a sound track for each of these contained, and each rings true at every turn.