Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Santilli.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Since I was very young, I always loved music and singing. My mom claims that I actually sang my first words which were the Barney theme song. Growing up, I participated in choirs, musical theater, really whatever musical opportunities were available to me. I eventually received a singing scholarship to my university (The George Washington University), but after graduating college, I decided that I would work at a healthcare consulting company because it was the “responsible” thing to do. I figured that I could always do music on the side but didn’t want to have to live the “starving artist” lifestyle. After working in the corporate world for about two weeks, I knew it wasn’t for me. I craved more freedom and creativity. I was singing outside of work but wanted more time and flexibility to work on my craft. During this time, I felt really trapped and anxious. I wanted to leave my job but didn’t want to disappoint anyone. I also had an even greater irrational fear that if I left my secure job to pursue my musical dreams, I would fail and never get a job again.
I guess this internal struggle opened up something inside of me because all of a sudden, I started writing songs (for the first time) and couldn’t stop. I fell in love with the process and this is what ultimately fueled me to leave my job (after a year) and try out the artist life. For the last four years, I made it work. I was singing cover gigs at bars/restaurants, writing songs, recording, waitressing-I enjoyed the variety and flexibility of my days, and of course having more time to pursue music. At the end of 2018, I moved from Philadelphia (my hometown) to LA so that I could be around more people in the music industry and hopefully get more opportunities. It has been a wild ride with lots of ups and downs. After the move, I experienced many people in the industry telling me who/what I should be or that I had to “pick a lane” for my musical genre and “raise my numbers on social media.” I spent lots of time looking into marketing techniques and trying to “keep up,” and it started getting kind of exhausting. I just wanted to get back to the music and my own authenticity! Then-covid hit.
For me, it was a huge transformational period because I was finally able to slow down and take the time to change the things in my life that didn’t feel right. I have always had a strong passion for wellness and meditated pre-covid on a daily basis, but covid allowed me the time to go even deeper and work out some of the things I had been avoiding. I can’t believe that it has almost been a whole year since the pandemic started. We were all changed somehow, but I truly feel like a different person. I’m now in the process of developing a wellness company with one of my best friends and have more clarity in my music career than ever before. My goal now (especially during this time) is to heal others through wellness practices and music. We all need to come together now more than ever, and after working on my own baggage and feeling the change in myself, I feel responsible to pass what I’ve learned along to others.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think life is a series of ups and downs and it’s all about learning how to bring yourself to a neutral space without over-reacting. I’ve had to learn to let myself feel the bad, instead of running from it, and how to really be kind to myself in those moments. It has also taken me many years to learn how to trust myself, my body, my intuition and decipher who to trust around me. I’m still practicing! I’m transforming failures into lessons and learning how to stop over-attaching to certain outcomes. I think with anything you do in life, whether it’s a career or relationship, learning to be present and have fun along the way is also key!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Right now, I’m building a wellness company with my best friend where we teach individuals how to bring more freedom and joy into their lives and also guide corporate companies to create a new culture that includes stress reduction, creativity, and outside of the box practices. As someone who has experienced major depression and anxiety and learned how to heal, I feel so grateful to be able to share these practices with others. I also learned what doesn’t work by being an employee at a corporate office and seeing the lack of resources and follow-though. I look forward to changing these kinds of spaces. In terms of my music, I’m working on creating a way to blend these two worlds together. My recent awakening during covid catapulted me into a higher vibration and I’m feeling more confident than ever to share what I’ve learned with others! I want to create a healing energy and open space that is judgment free!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I think that I come off sweet and pure to lots of people (which is what I’ve been told), but as I’ve been gaining more confidence and stepping into my power, there is a stronger side coming out of me. I’m learning to set boundaries and say no to the people and opportunities that don’t serve me. I am standing up more for what I believe in and offering constructive feedback to those that are open. I’ve learned that I’m sweet and supportive but also strong. Sometimes that is a surprise for others and now I’m glad it is not a surprise for me!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/danielle.santilli
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daniellesantillisongs
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX4Paq-2_vf89oq2n6RQlbw
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/daniellesantillisongs
Image Credits
Photographer: Lucy Helena
