
SOULFUL SISTER: Third-year B.A student Nicole Daniella sings her way to the top. Photo: Ilanit Chernick
Third-year B.A student Nicole Davie aka Nicole Daniella, is a neo-soul jazz singer and songwriter who travels between Johannesburg and Cape Town performing her music at the local hang-out spots. This hippie-chic artist is currently working on her EP whilst juggling student life. Her family calls her Boskasie, meaning wild and unruly, which she says refers both to her hair and nature.
Why did you choose music?
Music chose me, I didn’t choose music at all. Like with anything I feel like I was born with that kind of passion inside of me. People know me as a musician now it cultivated itself for the past two years and it’s become an outlet for me. It’s become a place where I can be real, be true. I can write what I feel and sing what I feel and play what I feel, that’s what I love about any creative outlet.
How do you balance being both an artist who’s currently working on her EP and a student?
Recording takes so much out of me, it’s emotionally draining – because it’s coming from a true and real place and your sitting there till the early hours of the next morning and I might have an assignment due the next day, it’s going to be challenging but it’s two things that I love the most and I know that I’m going to find the time to balance.
What do you think makes you a cool kid?
I don’t think I’m a cool kid [laughs]. It’s being myself, being true being real. In terms of style a lot of people sees one being cool because of their style and my style is based on completely what I feel. People call it street style, but my style can change from day-to-day. So being a cool kid is about being you and letting people see your aura your vibe and expressing that to the universe.
Who do you want Witsies to know you as?
First of all I want them to have their own interpretation of me, I don’t want to enforce a kind of ‘being’ to them. But they must see me as someone chilled, cool, focused- focusing on school focusing on what I love – someone real, someone authentic. Someone they can come talk to if they see me sitting alone.
You have a manager what’s that like?
It’s cool first of all because with workloads he’s the first person I would call and say “ok where do I start” because I have assignments and a gig on Saturday and he’ll kind of put it into perspective and direct me. But at the same time it’s tough because now I always have to report to him, I always have to make sure he knows what I’m doing as well.