Clad in a mod-style dress, plus long hair and vampish bangs, the making her name and face known in a variety of ways, from playing live shows to hosting Fashion Fridays at the Cardinal Bar, where she recently brought the house down with her version of Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl."
From Brittany's singing, however, it's not clear whether she's trying to be a guitar-toting Perry or a bluesy Britney Spears (come on, the two even share a name). Either way, it's pretty certain the artist is cultivating a considerable amount of mojo.
Brittany's hoping this mojo will help win her a In the meantime, Brittany's growing her catalog of original material, from which she'll release her debut album later this year, according to her manager. One of the songs on the list is "Rome," a single that isn't really about the city of fighting gladiators but a lovers' quarrel -- if there was ever any love at all. The song starts with a three-chord guitar line that's strummed with a slow and angry intensity, then unveils a hook that's built upon a these chords but somehow transcends them with a soaring vocal. Unlike the real Britney and Katy, this Brittany's voice has a quality that's more organic than plastic as she sings about someone who's spurned her love and banished her to a night of loneliness. A current of Kelly Clarkson-style pop-rock smolders at the surface rather than an exhibitionistic declaration of independence from a less-than-stellar romance. And while Brittany's no Nico, she seems to have some substance to complement the style. In the world of Top 40 radio, it's the kind of thing that can make a hometown girl both a local hit and a nationwide sensation. An MP3 of "Rome" is available in the related downloads section at right. More music by Danielle Brittany is available on her MySpace page. MadTracks highlights and provides MP3s of songs performed by local musicians. All tracks here are provided with permission of the artist. If you are a musician based in the Madison metro area and are interested in sharing your work as a MadTrack, please send a message.
