Welcome to Setting your Songbird Free!

The road to writing and performing your own songs can be fraught with self doubt, nervousness, noisy inner critics, and blocks to your creative flow.

That’s a lot to try to navigate alone! So why not alight here awhile and let me share with you a story or two from my own musical journey, which may just shine a light on how you too can connect with your inner power, find flow, and experience true creative freedom.

Why you might like to join me here

I believe that the path of a songwriter can be one of life’s most joyous and energising. It also takes a huge amount of courage. I know, because I’m walking it.

This journey has taken me from closet singer, completely overwhelmed by performance nerves and unable to write a single song, to becoming a teacher of vocal improvisation, piano-based songwriter, and performing artist. The ideas and practices that have got me here are revolutionising not just my music, but all areas of my life.

I’m human, so I’ll always be a work-in-progress and forever have further to go. It’s not that I don’t feel nervous about performing now (if only!), or that I’m never faced with self-doubt. However, I’ve found reliable ways to return to centre. I know that when push comes to shove, my Truest Self can rise up and outshine my doubt and fear. I’ve felt and seen just how much evolution and expansion is possible.

It’s not just possible for me – it’s possible for us all. And it matters. I’m of the opinion that sensitive, artistic people have a medicine that the world, in its current state of crisis, desperately needs. I’m here to support you as a singer and songwriter to bring more of your precious artistry into the world – and have the best time doing it.

What to expect when you subscribe

About once a month, I’ll send you an idea or insight to help you find flow in your songwriting, overcome performance nerves, and/or connect with your inner confidence. They’ll all come wrapped up in stories. You can expect to hear a lot on the themes of vocal improvisation, piano playing, and embodiment, as well as the odd reflection on the Afro-Brazilian art form of capoeira (which has been one of my greatest teachers).

From time to time I’ll also share about workshops and courses I’m running, either online or in-person. (In-person offerings are most likely to take place in Bristol, UK.) If I’ve got a gig or performance coming up, I’ll also let you know.

About me

I’m Danielle, a singer, piano-playing songwriter, and songwriting and improvisation coach. I help other singers who write songs to overcome creative blocks and performance nerves, so they can find flow, and perform with full freedom and confidence.

I used to be an extremely nervous singer who mostly sang in the privacy of my bedroom. I longed to write my own songs, but didn’t know how (or so I believed).

Then, at the end of 2017, I made a discovery that changed everything. I stumbled on the art of Collaborative Vocal Improvisation (CVI), a practice in which a group of singers comes together to co-create a cappella music on the spot. Learning to improvise music with my voice, starting with short and simple musical phrases on a loop, unlocked so much in me. To my utter joy, musical ideas began to flow through me, and I found myself writing songs at last.

However, when it came to singing in front of others, I was still a bundle of nerves. This challenge became a ‘call to adventure’ that opened up a deep exploration of my voice, my nervous system and my past. After seeking help from various embodiment and music coaches, I discovered ways to overcome the intense fear of being heard singing and improvising.

Since then I’ve had all sorts of musical adventures, including working in partnership with jazz vocalist and vocal coach Lise Huber (AKA Lil Maxine). Together we’ve run classes and courses to help nervous and under-confident singers find freedom through vocal improvisation. In 2021 I contributed vocals and voice acting to Gabriela Stanizewska’s multi-award-winning short film, Yummy Mummy. In summer 2025, I played my first festival gig as a piano-playing songwriter at Connect near Bath, UK. I’m also still writing and arranging songs on the piano, taking a cross-genre, exploratory approach that draws on my training as an improviser. The next step will be to record these songs, and my dream is to make them into an album.

I’d be honoured if you’d join me on this journey. I have so many rich past experiences to share, and I know many exciting ones also lie ahead. To get us started, perhaps you’d like to know why I think of my singing voice as a free-flying bird – and what that means for your voice too, and its incredible potential?

Grab a cuppa, pull up a chair… it’s time for me to tell you:

The Tale of a Bird who Flew Free.