Featured Artist: Joy Daniels
Date: 11.1.14
Artist: Joy Daniels
Artist Website: http://joyforthepeople.com
It's been an incredible year for Joy Daniels, artist and long-time friend of Hink Creations. Joy masterfully juggles a life of creation and performance split between the East Coast (Boston + New York) and Los Angeles. In recent months, Joy has shared the stage with artists such as Sam Smith, Bastille, and Twin Shadow, on some of America's most beloved television shows: Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan O'Brien Presents, Ellen, and others. Joy recently informed us that she is expected to spend more time during the next couple months performing at similar gigs, which is incredibly exciting!
Ultra-Official Hink Questionnaire
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Love and good vibes turn me on in every way. I love laughter and fun times. I know that life is hard and I understand the struggle all too well but I still expect amazing moments from my life and the lives of others. Sharing those moments is what I live for. In my personal and professional life all I ever want is for things to FEEL good. And I don't mean feel good in a carnal sense. I'm talking about the higher spiritual feelings we all experience in the moments we know that our lives are aligned with our GOD given purpose. That's what makes me get up in the morning.
What turns you off?
I think nothing turns me off more than people who don't have the balls to admit when they are wrong. We all have to be vulnerable at some point and admit to our part in our life's condition. I am not perfect but I've learned from trial and error it's easier to correct the behaviors we don't like in ourselves by allowing ourselves to acknowledge and and correct them to change our lives for the better. Oh yea and homophobia. (Enough said.)
Who is your biggest artistic inspiration?
I think my inspiration comes from four very distinct places. First and foremost the black church. My parents have been pastors my whole life so my musical birth happened in the church. Secondly the great soul singers and soul era including all of Motown (mostly Michael Jackson and Marvin Gaye), James Brown & Chaka Khan. Thirdly the hip hop innovators of my teens and 20's, Pharrell & Kanye West, and lastly the rock music I grew up listening to in small town America: Incubus, No Doubt, etc.
What artistic tool could you not live without?
My artistic tool is the live performance. Without this I have nothing. I sing because I want to change lives and help people reach spiritual enlightenment. That cannot happen without the live performance.
What sound or noise do you love?
I love a good guitar. Well played guitar makes me emotional. And birds, specifically birds singing at night. I enjoy the nightingale.
What sound or noise do you hate?
My ears are very sensitive so anything that's too loud gives me anxiety. I have bad dreams about being somewhere with loud music and I can't turn it down. I will turn my radio all of the way off in my car if I'm lost. It adds to the fear.
Space or Time Travel? Where would you go?
Time travel definitely. Let me go back and see James Brown live at his peak. Wow! Or Jimi Hendrix!
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
If it weren't for the amount of schooling I think I'd make a great lawyer. (Contrary to popular belief music school is so demanding. Getting a bachelor's in music is TOUGH. For that reason I can't say at this point I'd ever commit myself to more school.)
What profession would you not like to do?
I wouldn't want to be a garbage man simply because I'm squeamish. I gag when I look at the garbage in my own house, even if it's simply a little bit of food and paper. I would def freak out seeing anything more than that.
When it's all said and done, how do you want to be remembered?
I think I want to be remembered for being JOY literally. Happiness and warmth. Thats what I want people to think about when they think of me. Love and good vibes. Good feelings. I'd love to be remembered as the girl who could light up a room with my smile, my voice and my love.
Joy recently released a video of her performance of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," recorded at the Bridge Sound & Stage by Hink's own Ryan Hinkle and Walker Brawner. Her next cover will be of Coldplay's "Yellow" -- we can't wait to both hear and see it!