American soul singer Danielle Ponder is both empowering and a powerhouse. In 2018, after five years as a public defender, she made the gutsy decision to quit and pursue her No.1 passion — music. Before receiving her Juris Doctorate, the Rochester, New York native performed for a decade in soul band Black August, releasing an album, toured Europe as a solo artist three times, and opened for John Legend, The Roots, George Clinton and St. Paul and the Broken Bones, but now she’s going full-force with music and has the undeniable star-power to do so.

“My mom always said, ‘You gotta know that you know that you know,'” says Danielle of leaving law.

Blessed with a booming effortless voice that hits you right-there, she has the kind of presence that commands attention, as she did all those times in court. “The courtroom is a stage,” she reflects. “In the court room, your goal is to tell your client’s story in a way that elicits empathy from the judge or jury; a good songwriter is trying to do the same thing, get the audience to feel and connect.”

Danielle’s forthcoming album, Some of Us Are Brave (due this fall) — self-produced with help from, Dave Drago and musical director Avis Reese — is a mix of complicated emotions covering social justice, love, and self-worth.