Ensuring her voice is central to the music she produces is important to singer-songwriter Sophia Danai.
“Sonically, I wanted the focus of the songs to be built around my voice,” said Danai. “I wanted to make something where the melodies and stories were there and build a sonic landscape around it so it doesn’t take away from my voice.”
Danai said she wants her vocal emotions to come through to the listeners.
“I want to create music that people can hear all the timbres and textures and emotions and vulnerabilities in the voice.”
The Vancouver-based musician combines elements of alternative R&B, soul, pop and electronic beats.
She released her fifth album Love Royale this March. The album draws from Danai’s personal experiences.
She left her small label, ended a relationship and took a larger hands-on role in all aspects of producing the album.
She co-produced the album with Jon Brown, who has worked with artists such as Pink and Meghan Trainor.
“This record was kind of a metamorphosis,” said Danai. “It was a very explorative record. Songs like Bitter and Around You deal with many aspects of relationships … and also taking responsibility for my piece.”
She said people are sometimes ruled and led by love. In some of the songs she deals with how people empower themselves in love instead.
Danai also recently released the music video for her song Bitter.
Ever since she was a child, Danai loved performing and expressing herself.
She would write in diaries when she was a child, write poetry and express herself through music.
“It’s been a beautiful relationship with music, always since I was little and always ongoing,” said Danai.
Danai said this tour is about giving people the closest experience to the album as possible. She is on a summer tour promoting the album and performs at the Vault Café on Friday (Aug. 19) at 9 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door. She’s performing with Nanaimo’s Jan Orsag.
For more information, please go to http://sophiadanai.com.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com