Blind since birth, Danielle Hollobaugh has let nothing get in the way of her larger-than-life dreams. Her persistence to that dream has resulted in her winning the national Talent Quest karaoke competition in the Women’s Country category, the Southeastern Idol competition in Florida, and taking home Best Songwriter and overall winner at the Florida Ignition showcase.

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Danielle Hollobaugh, singer/songwriter

How long have you been making music? Did you have any other musical projects?

I've been making music since I was about 16. I've been singing since I can remember and performing since I was signed up for a theatre camp at 6 years old, but I was strongly advised to start writing my own music and that's when I finally took the leap.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

I have a hand in writing all of my songs. I'd say 80% are written exclusively by me, but in recent years I've embraced collaboration with others. I wrote the lead single for my Christmas EP by myself, but there's another original, I Made a Wish, that my fantastic lyricist friend Rachel Starr sent me a lyric sheet for. I composed a song around it and my friend Steve Vito put his magic production touch on the song, so we made a great writing team for that.

I'm so blessed to work with the people I do! Besides Christmas music (my favorite thing to write, actually), I'd say the theme I keep coming back to is following your dreams despite what anyone else thinks. My lyrical themes have branched out, and sometimes I'm just as surprised at what comes out of my brain as any listener. I'm kind of excited to see what will come to me next!

What bands/artists are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

It's hard to pinpoint artists, as I'm inspired by so many sounds I may hear throughout the day, even if it's not just music. I'd say I'm inspired a lot by Sia and demi Lovato, but also EDM artists like David Guetta, The Chainsmokers and Matoma.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start making music?

I'd say the people around me inspired me the most, they saw something in me and encouraged me to use my gift. Britney Spears songs inspired my first bit of music.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, ect …

Mostly, I just drink a lot of water. I also re-listen to my songs because I can get lost in the moment so it's good to make sure I remember all my words!

What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Over the past couple of years, I've shifted my focus to sync/licensing, so getting a placement in a movie trailer for the first time felt amazing!

If you could tour with anyone, past or present, who would they be and why?

I've always dreamed of singing with Celine Dion so she'd be fun to tour with!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I hope you enjoy my new Christmas EP, and my username on almost all social media platforms is Daniellehmusic if you wanna see what's coming next!

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