NEW Quay singer songwriter Danielle Lewis has spoken of how growing up in West Wales has influenced her music, as she prepares to release her latest song.

Described as Spectral folk/pop with a tender Welsh soul, Danielle has recently released her latest single Help Me and has worked with some big names in the music industry over the past few years recording material in English and Welsh.

Her music is gaining critical acclaim, with magazine Clash saying of her latest single: “Everything she puts her name against is driven by an appetite to accept the exceptional.”

Danielle told the Cambrian News: “Growing up by the sea in New Quay has been a long-standing source of inspiration throughout my music.

"Its peaceful effect helped bring out my inner thoughts and ideas.

"I enjoy evoking those sounds through my ethereal production.

“I developed my voice further at Aberaeron Comprehensive school where I attended through classical training and playing live at the Urdd and National Eisteddfods as well as regular gigs along Cardigan Bay.

“I worked alongside gold awarded producer Secondson on my EP Live Forever. Soon after, I found out Cian Ciaran from the Super Furry Animals had heard the title track and really liked it. He then reached out to make the remix. It was thrilling to hear it in a whole new dimension.

“Being able to share my craft through the Welsh language has not only been creatively rewarding but also reached far and wide. Following the release of my EP Yn Gymraeg I was selected to represent Wales at the Folk Alliance International 2018 in America.”

Danielle is now based Cardiff and is making friends in all the right places – Secondson has produced this new track, with TJ Roberts on guitars.

Help Me was written on a chilly afternoon in Cardiff in 2019 after Danielle had just returned from a UK tour, gazing out at the January gloom beyond her window she was gripped by what she describes as a “sudden and cathartic moment of journaling”.

Describing the song, she said: “On reflection of Help Me, the lyrics shed a light on my inner dialogue at that moment in time, perhaps even another aspect of myself. It’s a reminder of the importance of self love that ultimately starts from within.”

Channelling these spiritual observations through Lewis’ unearthly vocal, Help Me’s startling potential was immediate.

Reaching out to TJ Roberts, frontman of the eponymously titled Welsh indie/americana quartet, he added the brittle starkness of his acoustic guitar to crystallize a track of haunting, breathtaking beauty.

“There’s an underlying sense of power and drive from TJ Roberts’ beautiful guitar playing,” says Danielle.

“I felt the track warranted an acoustic and stripped back feel, almost as if it could be recreated time and again.

"Help Me ended up feeling despairing and enlightening all at the same time.”

Help Me was recorded at Sail Loft Studios (Cardiff). Mixing and mastering was contributed by Leon West at After Life Studios (Cardiff), with additional engineering by Thomas V Westga?rd.

Breaking-out with her Live Forever EP in 2018, its bold authenticity began to attract attention on a wider scale, including that of Super Furry Animal Cian Ciaran, who even offered to remix its title track.

Returning in 2019, the singer grew her reputation with the acclaimed single A Woman Like You, an empowering track that expanded into the realms of dream pop and drew warm comparisons to Karen Carpenter. With her live plans shelved in 2020, Lewis took the opportunity to release two further tracks: Life of Worth and Flower, each of which find the singer delving into new sonic territory.

Planning her debut album for release later this year, expect much more to come from this promising talent.

You can listen to Danielle’s latest release by visiting https://orcd.co/daniellelewishelpme