Dana Williams (singer) facts for kids

Dana Williams is an American singer, songwriter, and musician from Los Angeles. She is known for her unique mix of folk, jazz, and soul music. Williams became famous in 2014 when she finished fourth on the TV singing show Rising Star.

Many people also know her from her popular YouTube videos, where she sings cover songs. She appeared in a well-known 2014 Apple Christmas commercial called "The Song." She has also worked with famous rappers like Freddie Gibbs, Boogie, and Rejjie Snow.

Dana has released several EPs (short albums), including The Lonely One in 2014 and Let's Fall in 2015. She continues to release new songs for her fans and has released over 25 singles so far.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Dana Williams was born in Los Angeles on July 17, 1989. Her father was the famous musician David Williams. He was a guitarist for Michael Jackson for over 30 years. Because of her dad, Dana grew up around music and even got to meet Michael Jackson.

As a child, she was inspired by her father's work. She would go home from the recording studio and practice writing her own songs. Her grandmother, who was a jazz singer, also introduced her to jazz music. Dana learned about the legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald for a school project, which made her love jazz even more.

When she was in fourth grade, she was chosen to sing with Jay-Z for a TV special. As she got older, she started listening to Billie Holiday and performing at jazz clubs in New York City. She began writing her own music when she was about 14 years old.

Dana went to college in New York and studied music and creative writing. She became a skilled guitarist and a published poet. She says her love for poetry helps her write emotional and meaningful song lyrics.

Music Career

Getting Started

In 2012, Dana Williams was the opening act for a tour with singer Leighton Meester. She also worked with rapper Freddie Gibbs on his mixtape Baby Face .... In 2013, she started posting cover songs on YouTube. Her cover of the Fleetwood Mac song "Dreams" with Leighton Meester became very popular, getting millions of views.

In 2014, she released her first EP, The Lonely One. A song from this EP, "Keep Me Waiting," was used in the award-winning movie Whiplash. It was also featured in the movie La La Land.

Rising Star

In the summer of 2014, Dana competed on the TV show Rising Star. She did very well on the show, singing songs by artists like Rihanna and Maroon 5. She made it all the way to the finals and finished in fourth place. This made her well-known across the country.

After the Show

Later in 2014, Dana was in a famous Christmas commercial for Apple. In the ad, she finds an old recording of her grandmother singing. She then creates a beautiful duet with her grandmother's voice. The commercial was loved by many people.

She continued to work with Freddie Gibbs and released her second EP, Let's Fall, in 2015. Over the next few years, she released many singles and worked with other artists. She was featured on the song "Sunroof" by rapper Boogie in 2016.

From 2017 to 2021, Dana released a steady stream of new music. She worked with artists like Rejjie Snow and Aminé. During 2020, she released her third EP, Thank You For The Memories, and performed in online shows. By 2021, her music had been streamed over 100 million times on Spotify.

Personal Life and Music Style

Dana is good friends with actress and singer Leighton Meester. They went to the same middle school and have recorded several popular duets for YouTube.

She describes her music as "ethereal soul folk." Her biggest musical influences are great singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Nina Simone. She gets ideas for her songs from everyday life and finds that writing about her feelings helps her.

Dana currently lives in Los Angeles. When she was a child, she thought about becoming a veterinarian because she loves animals. Today, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her dogs.

Discography

Extended Plays (EPs)