Meet Danke

One of the most polite names anyone has ever had for a project. Danke pops off. Seriously with an album name like “Mouth Confetti” It is no surprise that they know their way around a good pop tune. Now I know what you are thinking. Not an NYC based artist. This is true. However, our fantastic writer Catherine Richards caught Danke’s show at C'mon Everybody. In the midst of the NYC music scene, they got some of Danke’s thoughts on all kinds of neat stuff. Have a look for yourself. It’s all in the interview below.

Some questions with Danke

Do you remember where you when wrote your first song? And if not you can make up the most likely scenario. 

I’ll tell you what I do know is that my mom said I was in the bathtub when I was a baby. It was kind of recently, within the last five years she said I used to sing songs in the bathtub - but songs that weren’t fucking like twinkle twinkle little start-i used to like make up melodies, and she was keen to that. I was a baby and before I could even speaker form sentences I was making up melodies and singing to myself. I don’t know if that qualifies as a written song. 

Do you see your songs visually?

No

What do you get the most out of performing?

Connection probably. II record a lot, and im in studio by myself, Im a solo artist, and I’m by myself writing new songs. I don’t have anyone to bounce ideas off of, its insular, and its nice to perform songs and connect. It feels like you’re giving something and receiving from an audience. It’s more cathartic. 

How would you describe your energy on stage?

Bombastic- I don’t know. I don’t know. Honesty I feel, actually, I think I'm a little, I wish I was more rock and roll with Danke / and these electronic songs. It’s very intentional and kind of serious. I kind of wish there was something more energetic about it or lively. It requires a lot of energy to sing the way that I do, so I have to be pretty still. There is not a ton of physical movement- there is a lot of vocal movement. And it’s kind of hard to sing the songs sometimes. I write things that are difficult for me to sing. So I’m not able to be as performative - I guess, physically, as id like to. I would describe it as intentional and kind of serious. Yeah. 

What food experience would you best associate with your music? 

(Metaphorically) Toco’s maybe? No, Id go with beignet- a croissant, maybe like steak frites? Maybe filet mignon- is not my favorite- honestly id rather have a strip steak - filet minion is really nice texture wise but not flavor wise. I think I’m like, Honestly, let me think about this really quick because I think there is a good answer, and I think its jerk chicken wings. 

Do you ever hallucinate while performing?

No

How would you describe your stage body language? 

Freaky. Freaky Deaky. 

Do you pick a more beautiful or comfortable shoe to perform it? 

Balanced. I have a balanced shoe. It really depends though. Tonight Ive got a really good shoe. Paul Kaufman makes these shoes and he is a really wonderful shoe, designer, and these are comfortable and hot. And that’s my shoe choice in all aspects of life. Balanced shoes. 

Can you visualize and describe your favorite type of sound?

I like moving music. I like music that moves you. I like soulful music. Yeah. I wanna believe it I guess. I want if someone is singing, playing, they are saying something and I want to ingest that. Can you ask the question again? Aliens. I do like other worldly sounding things. And I want to be challenged. And I guess its like salients playing saxophones made of dicks. 

Who have you been listening to recently or what?

I really love Tierra Wax so much- she is super fucking cool. My friend has this band called The Beat Awful's and I cant get enough of it. And what’s his name, billy, what’s his name, this great guitar player, it’s instrumental. The other things I s I like a sense of humor in music in general, even if it’s instrumental, where you can hear someone is not taking themselves too seriously, or anything too seriously, but they are dead serious about making work. Hold on, Let me find this guy, because he’s so fantastic, and my friend who has a podcast  played on of his songs, Bill Frisell. The intro to the podcast was one of his songs. I also really love Cornelius. Cornelius is a great artist.

What songs are you most excited to perform tonight?

I have a new song,  Because I am releasing an EP kind of song. I am excited to play this song that’s new my friend Mike worked on, its called Exoskeleton.