Musician Spotlight: Singer & Songwriter Danielle Lowe

Edmonton, Alberta Canada - There is a very talented 17 year old Singer & Songwriter from Canada whose great singing voice got our attention. This talented Singer & Songwriter is Danielle Lowe from Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Danielle is a Singer & Songwriter to watch as she has a very bright future in the music industry.


Danielle Lowe is a 17 year-old country music singer/songwriter who has been singing since she was 10 years old. Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, she is presently a grade 12 student at Louis St. Laurent Catholic School. Danielle is one of the most active young performers in the province of Alberta and has been a strong community contributor, donating her time and her voice to numerous non-profit organizations over the past several years. Danielle has performed for many charitable organizations such as the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Positively Pink in Calgary, the YWCA Women of Distinction Gala, Little Warriors, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the Youth Emergency Shelter, Rotary Clubs of Canada in Edmonton and the list goes on.

In addition, Danielle’s big voice and sparkling stage presence has been featured at many high-profile events in Edmonton, some of which include being an anthem singer for the Oilers and Oil Kings at Rexall Place, singing at the Premiere’s Dinner, being the anthem singer for the final race-day at the Edmonton Indy in 2009 and having been a guest performer at the Canadian Finals Rodeo at Rexall on two occasions.



This past summer, Danielle was a guest performer at the Alberta Summer Games in Peace River and was the feature entertainer at the Vermillion Annual Exhibition’s grand stand show. She was also invited out to the Big Valley Jamboree for her third year in a row. Also, over the past few years, Danielle has been featured on 97.7 Calgary FM (Calgary radio), CityTV’s Breakfast Television, CBC, Global Morning (Edmonton television), and 790 CFCW (Edmonton radio).

As one of the group of ‘Pure Artists’ (affiliated with Premiere Entertainment) in Edmonton, over the past 3 years Danielle has helped to put on charity concerts for Edmonton’s Hot Lunch Program and for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, raising thousands of dollars for those organizations. In 2009, Danielle wrote and recorded a song called ‘Jesse’ that she donated to the Little Warriors non-profit organization, and which was adopted as the theme song for their ‘Stand Up For Our Kids Campaign’. Danielle’s work for not-for-profit organizations resulted in her being awarded the Catholic School Board’s 2010 Superintendant’s Award of Excellence as well as a nomination for the AFP Youth Philanthropy Award.

Danielle's talent and hard work has translated into unparalleled competition success. She is the only singer in Edmonton’s history to win all three major vocal competitions as a junior in the same year: Futures Fest, Country Vocal Spotlight and Northern Star. In November of 2008 Danielle also became the youngest singer in history to be crowned the Grand Winning Act of Northlands’ Country Vocal Spotlight (youth/open division - ages 13 to 99 years). She has also competed in Tennessee’s esteemed North American Country Music Associations, International competition where she received top awards for vocals, performance style and song writing. Vocally, Danielle has been compared to singers like Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood.

Danielle continues to perform and write music, working towards her goal to become a successful country music recording artist. Her first CD, currently in production at Alberta’s CCMA award nominated studio, MuzikHaus, will be released in the spring of 2011.

Recently, we had the great opportunity to interview this 17 year old Singer & Songwriter from Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Here are her answers to our questions.


When did you start singing?
I started singing when I was 9 years old.

Was it your dream to be a singer?
Well, singing was always fun but I didn't really recognize how much I loved music until I was about 11 or 12. I guess I needed to test the waters. But about that time I started writing music too and then started learning to play guitar and it all came together. It’s hard to say exactly when I knew that I wanted to pursue it as a career… it just kind of happened and then it seemed like it had always been the plan. It’s a pretty solid goal now to be a professional recording/touring artist.

Tell us about your style of singing?
Well I’m a country singer but, I like to sing and write modern/pop-rock country. Some artists that I get inspiration from are Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, Adele, Carolyn Dawn Johnson (a Canadian artist) and the list goes on.

Are there challenges pursuing a singing career?
There are definitely challenges in the music industry in general. There will be challenges in anything you do no matter what it is. Sometimes I get people who don’t think what I’m doing is practical or they think I won’t make it because the odds are so low. But a lot of times those people are thinking about careers like ‘Taylor Swift’ or ‘Carrie Underwood’. You don’t have to be a MEGA star to be successful and definitely not to earn a living at music. I think you have to start with being happy to earn a living at it and if huge fame comes with it, so be it, but as long as you can share your music with your fans and enjoy what you do, that’s ‘making it’ as far as I am concerned.  I just try and ignore those comments and keep pursuing my dream.

I would have to say that one of today’s biggest challenges in this industry is understanding how it has changed and how to modify what artists have done in the past to keep alive in the digital world we live in now.

Do your parents and friends support you?
Yes, I have great support from many friends and family members. My mom is definitely my biggest fan and supporter – she is also my manager, co-writer, soundman, driver… and a million other things. I don’t know what I would do without her! I also have an amazing mentor and vocal coach who has been with me since I was 10. I wouldn't be where I am today without his help and guidance. Having the support of my friends and family means the world to me.

Do you write your own songs?
Yes I do, some on my own and some with co-writers. I also have recorded a few songs that I did not write but that were perfect for me.

If so, tell us what goes into writing a great song?
Well, a lot or even a little can go into writing a great song! Sometimes writing a song can take many months, sometimes it can take only a couple of hours. It all depends on your inspiration and how creative you can be. They say that a good song almost writes itself and that is sometimes true… sometimes writing a song can go really smoothly and come together very easily but other songs have been written, re-written and edited long after they were done. One of the easiest ways to write a song is to pick something you know a lot about or that affects you directly. I guess that’s why so many songs are written about relationships lol.

Where was your first performance, were you excited?
My first performance was when I was 9 years old - at my community hall’s talent show! We used to have a summer community ‘Country Fair’ every year and one year they decided to put on a talent contest. I didn’t even know about it until we got there so my mom ran back home, and got my karaoke track of ‘Blue’ by LeAnn Rimes and quickly entered me. I had never competed before and I was extremely nervous but I actually ended up winning! It was an awesome day and I was very excited.

Where have you been able to perform?
Well, I have performed for hundreds of events actually… and have done everything from coffee shops to corporate events to TV performances, NHL Hockey games, plenty of charity concerts and big fancy galas. One of the most memorable performances for me would have to be the night I released my first CD. The band consisted of 6 of the very best professional musicians in Alberta and all of my friends and family were there … the show sold out and it was the most incredible evening for me.

Who inspires you with your singing and songwriting?
I mentioned earlier all of my favorite artists who inspire me but really any other singer/songwriter is inspiring. As for songwriting, you can find inspiration from anywhere. When you’re driving, talking to someone, online, really anywhere. If you think something could turn into a song, then it can!

If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
If I could perform anywhere in the world? Well, there are a few places but it would be pretty cool to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville… I would also love to perform at Rexall Place in Edmonton which is where all the big stars perform and where I have grown up going to concerts. It would be cool for different reasons.

Along the same line, who would you love to perform with?
Performing with any one of my idols would be incredible. I absolutely love Miranda Lambert’s style of music and voice, but I also love Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum’s music and styles as well. All of the artists I listed before would be a dream come true to perform with.

What are some of your goals for your Music?
Well my goals do tend to slightly change as I get older, as the path I take comes up to different road blocks and even as the music industry changes. But, my ultimate goal in my music career is to be able to make music and perform as my ‘regular job’. I want to share my music with the world and be a professional recording and touring artist.

What do you hope to accomplish with your singing/songwriting?
Songwriting is a big component in anyone’s music career. A lot of times it’s about the song, and how good it is, how catchy it is, and whether it has the ability to ‘touch’ someone – make them happy, sad, feel good, or remind them of someone special or a moment they have had that was important to them. I hope to continue to improve on my songwriting skills and hopefully one day to write a big hit song (or more)!

Do you have any advice for those wanting to start a career in singing and songwriting?
The most important piece of advice I can give anyone who wants start a career in singing is that it’s going to take hard work, sacrifice, staying positive, and never forgetting your ultimate goals and dreams. There have been many times where I've been either frustrated or fed up and just wanted to give up. But, I keep pushing and keep focused on my dream and remember how much I love to make music and that’s what keeps me going. It’s so easy to just say it’s too hard, but you have to keep your head on straight and push through all of the tough times.

Is there anything else you want our readers to know about you, your singing/songwriting?
Social media! It’s also a key component nowadays to be active on your social media. You can check me out on Facebook by searching ‘dlowemusic’, you can follow me on my Twitter at ‘daniellelowe1’ and also visit me on my YouTube channel, DLSings! I have a very active YouTube channel where I post videos every couple of weeks. I just hit 31,000 + subscribers there and love that it’s like a history of my growth as an artist and a singer.

Do you have any other talents?
I play guitar as well! I've been playing for about 4 years now. I also take dance class at my school but that’s more just for fun, not because I’m terribly good!

We wish Danielle all the best of luck in her pursuit of a career in music. You can find out more about Danielle and social network sites by going to her official site clicking here.

Rocky Coast News is pleased to have Danielle Lowe featured as our latest "Musician Spotlight", where we highlight, promote up and coming musicians that have amazing vocals, sound, style and/or who are able to play an instrument well singing.