Though it took her some time to become comfortable singing in front of an audience, sophomore Danica De Dios now sees music as an integral part of her life. Just this year, she has become a member of the select a capella group Oxfordians, performed a solo at WIAF, and most recently, took on the role of Irene Malloy in the winter musical, “Hello, Dolly!”
“Music has been with me my whole life,” Danica said. “I grew up in a very musical family; my mom loves singing and my dad played in various bands when he was younger. It’s always been around me.” She realized she had an aptitude for music at a very young age and began working with vocal coaches at five years old. Almost every summer, she attends music camps to further her talents and ability.
Danica learned that she loved performing in front of audiences when she made her opening night debut as Connie Wong in “A Chorus Line” last year. “I thought I’d be very nervous, or I’d shake or something,” she recalled. “But on opening night, I didn’t really feel anything. I was just excited for the performance. I wasn’t nervous at all when I was on stage.”
When discussing musical rehearsals this year, Danica mentioned the challenges she faced when preparing for her role as a woman in the 1890s. “It took a while to know my role, in a way, because Irene’s very elegant,” she said. “[Life] was very different back then. It took a lot of time to get to know Irene, but once I got to know her more, it really helped in the musical preparation.”
Some may have seen Danica take the stage at the Wyvern Invitational A Cappella Festival on Jan. 25, where she performed Rihanna’s part in the song, “Disturbia.” “It took a long time to prepare,” she said. “During auditions, I figured out I was good at pop singing, so I’ve stuck with that. We worked on the song for probably three weeks.”
Danica reflected on the teachers who have particularly helped her throughout her time at KO, noting Performing Arts Department Chair and Director of Theater Kyle Reynolds and choral director Steve Mitchell as significant influences on her musical journey. “I feel like he’s [Mr. Reynolds] helped me a lot, and not just with the musical; he helped with my public speaking and being more comfortable on stage,” she said. “Mr. Mitchell exposed me to Oxfordians. He was the one that told me, ‘It will really help with your singing.’ So I did that and it really helped.”
Danica takes inspiration from Broadway stars, including actress and singer Eva Noblezada. “I really like her because she’s a very beautiful singer and has a great voice,” she said. She also listens to SZA, whom she admires for her vocal talent.
In the future, Danica plans to continue singing as a hobby. She offered advice for anyone looking to start their vocal journey. “It takes time to be comfortable with singing because at first, I wasn’t really comfortable with singing, especially in front of a crowd,” she said. “But ever since I came to KO, I got more comfortable and learned that it builds up over time.”
Aside from singing, Danica plays on the varsity volleyball team in the fall and practices fencing outside of school in the spring. Additionally, she founded and runs the Asian American Pacific Islander affinity group at KO.
We wish Danica the best with her future performances!
