Nashville-based British artist Danni Nicholls is going through a period of transformation. Her fourth studio album, Making Moves, is on the way, and she’s exploring a new perspective. Using the excitement from her move to Nashville to power her Americana-inspired sound, Danni has us awaiting an album that is about powerful change and clarity.
Our first look at Making Moves comes in the form of a haunting single called “The Wreckage,” and according to Danni, the journey hasn’t been easy. “It’s been a long road to get here,” she said of “The Wreckage” debut. For any artists, this release would mean moving on to the next, but Danni shared that she’s “taking a moment to let it land.”
Now that “The Wreckage” is firmly on the ground, we’re enjoying it too. We caught up with Danni to explore the inspiration for “The Wreckage” and how it prepares us for her new album.
Showstopper Magazine Online: Tell us a bit about yourself. What defines you as an artist?
Danni Nicholls: I’m a British-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter, rooted in Americana but shaped by a lifelong love of storytelling across genres. What defines me as an artist is honesty — I’ve always been drawn to writing songs that sit in the uncomfortable, human spaces. The in-between moments, the questions without clear answers. I’m not interested in perfection as much as I am in truth, and I think that’s what connects us.
SMO: Your new album, Making Moves, is a transformative shift into your next era of music. What inspired that move?
Danni: The past few years have been incredibly transformative on a personal level — relocating countries, navigating loss, and facing my own mortality. There was a sense that I couldn’t go back to who I was before all of that. Making Moves came from a need to honour that change rather than resist it. It’s about choosing forward motion, stepping outside of what feels comfortable, and trusting that something new is waiting on the other side. I also felt a lot of joy and freedom in the making of this album, and I think that comes through in the sound. It’s a pretty fun record with some hard-hitting moments, too.
SMO: We got our first listen to Making Moves with your lead single, “The Wreckage,” on March 27! Why did you choose “The Wreckage” for your lead single?
Danni: I think “The Wreckage” felt like the doorway into the album. It captures that suspended moment between an ending and a beginning — when everything familiar has fallen away, and you’re left asking who you are now. It sets the emotional tone for the whole record and introduces the central theme: returning to yourself. After a couple of years of significant personal challenges, I felt it was aligned, and I wanted to share the message.
SMO: Do you have a favorite moment from that song?
Danni: I love the chorus lines “I rise above the wreckage, hover in the space between the end and the beginning.” There’s something about that image that really resonates with me — that still, suspended place where everything feels uncertain, but also full of possibility. There’s also a long, killer electric guitar solo played by Joshua Grange that gives me goosebumps whenever I hear it. It soars.
SMO: Your recent projects include a cover album inspired by your family’s favorite country and pop songs. Do Making Moves and “The Wreckage” follow this trend of reflection?
Danni: In a way, yes — but this time the reflection is much more inward. The covers project was about looking back and honouring where I come from and was essentially a gift for and tribute to my Grandmother. Making Moves is about looking at who I am now and allowing that to evolve. It’s less nostalgic and more about presence and growth. And essentially, it was a gift to myself.
SMO: What does it mean to you to “rise above the wreckage”?
Danni: To me, it means creating a little bit of distance from the chaos — enough to see clearly again. It’s not about denying what’s happened, but about not being defined by it. It’s the moment you realise you still have a choice: to stay stuck, or to come back to yourself and keep going.
SMO: You’ve said that “The Wreckage” honors the strength required to return to self, to trust, and to keep moving forward.” Can you tell us more about that mindset?
Danni: I think we often underestimate how much courage it takes to trust again — whether that’s trusting yourself, other people, or life in general. After you’ve been knocked off course, it can feel safer to stay guarded. But there’s a quiet strength in choosing openness again. That mindset is about rebuilding that trust with yourself, piece by piece, and allowing yourself to move forward without having everything figured out.
SMO: What is your advice for “moving forward” in 2026?
Danni: Be gentle and compassionate with yourself, but keep going. Get still and quiet, then see what truth bubbles up. You don’t have to have the whole map — just take the next step. And try not to rush the process. There’s power and value in the in-between, even when it feels uncomfortable.
SMO: Is there anything else you want listeners to know about you or your music?
Danni: They might well find a thread of connection, hope, and understanding in them since I write from a place of human vulnerability and lived experience. And that there are varying themes and vibes, so dig in, and you might find something good for your soul/ears/heart!
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“The Wreckage” is out now on your favorite streaming platforms, and the official music video is out now!
