Danielle Bradbery’s Advice To Her Younger Self: ‘Stay True To Who You Are’
In the past 10 years, “The Voice” alum has established a true sense of who she is and the type of artist she wants to be.
Danielle Bradbery; Photos by Trae Patton/NBC, Andrew Wendowski
If Danielle Bradbery’s younger self could see all that she’s accomplished since competing on Season 4 of NBC’s The Voice at 16 years old, it’s pretty safe to say she’d be impressed. In the past decade, she has earned award nominations, and toured across the globe and collaborated with some of the biggest names in music.
Knowing all that she does now, Bradbery revealed what words of advice she’d give that young girl with her biggest dreams in front of her if she had the chance to go back in time.
“I actually think about this all the time, cause I think about what would I tell myself, looking at 16-year-old Danielle? Just be true to who you are and don’t let anybody, either in the industry or around you, tell you who you should be or should look like,” she shared. “I feel like that really matters, and that’s where you can get kind of lost in yourself. And that’s such a scary place to be. And I would tell myself just be extra careful, and stay true to who you are.”
At 26 years old, the Texas native has had the chance to learn and grow as an artist and as a person. This has become especially clear through her newest single, “A Special Place.” This sultry tune separates itself from her previous releases as she reveals more strength and resilience in her voice than ever before. With this latest unveiling, she has stepped into a new chapter of her career.
Since its release, this confident track has empowered Bradbery’s listeners to stand up for themselves and accept nothing less than what they fully deserve. She takes things into her own hands as she highlights the rightful storyline of the narrator booking her ex into a “zero-star hotel” as a punishment for “all the heat” she endured in their relationship.
“There’s a special place in hell / a zero-star hotel / don’t worry ‘bout your stay / ‘cause I’ve already paid / there’s a special place in hell for you,” she sings in the hard-hitting chorus.
Co-writers Maren Morris, Shane McAnally, Jimmy Robbins and Sasha Sloan establish an understanding with the revengeful lyrics while producers Nathan Chapman and Derek Wells conjured up a buoyant track. “A Special Place” has already racked up over 4.4 million streams to date, and on February 13, the song will get a new life as it impacts country radio.
The lyric video that arrived with the single further demonstrates that she’s not joking around, she means business. While pointing out the grim details of the hotel like the empty minibar and thin walls, Danielle Bradbery struts around in a black ensemble paired with sheer black tights, smokey eye makeup, and black heels.
This follows her full-length project titled, In Between: The Collection, which features her airy ballad, “Break My Heart Again” and her current fan-favorite, “Stop Draggin’ Your Boots.”
Danielle Bradbery is currently on the road with “Midnight Crisis” duet partner Jordan Davis for select dates on his tour. Next up, she will launch her first-ever headlining trek, which was named after her latest release. This nearly sold-out tour will kick off on February 23 with support from special guests Tiera Kennedy on all days and Mackenzie Carpenter on select dates.
“My fans are truly incredible – the love and support they’ve shown me throughout my career means the absolute world to me,” shared Bradbery. “I’m so excited to have Tiera Kennedy and Mackenzie Carpenter on the road with us bringing all the girl power to my first headlining tour. It’s going to be a good time!”
The tour will make a total of 10 stops beginning in Indianapolis, IN, and wrapping up in Houston, TX on April 1.
Written by
Madeleine O’Connell
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.