Check out our interview with power punk bubble grunge band Daisy Grenade (Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittaker).
Made up of two sharp yet afflicted young women, they use femininity as a weapon and, with a bit of sugar to help the medicine go down, they bring you through the pains of being a girl today which is quite frankly, a grotesque, nightmarish, and dark experience. Due to their vast theatrical background, not only are they story tellers but they can sing their faces off in a way that’s unexpectedly striking. With Pete Wentz (as in THE emo prince of our generation) as a mentor and Executive Producer on their first two EPs, they turned their glittering angst into sickeningly catchy, morbidly worded bubblegrunge bops that are dripping out of a saccharine shell.
Follow Daisy Grenade @daisygrenade
Hi girls, please tell us a little about you?
Dani: “Hi! I’m Dani. I grew up on Long Island in New York. I live in the city now with my boyfriend and our sweet pup Lola. I love Shakespeare, horror movies, and buying myself a little treat as a reward.”
Keaton: “I’m Keaton and I am from Seattle, i have one (1) lazy eye and all 4 of my wisdom teeth. Dani would like me to add she also has all 4 of hers. We have 8 together. I live in Brooklyn with my partner and our lizard who is the light of my life.”
Describe your sound in 3 words?
Dani: “Glittery, grungy, gory– three cheers for alliteration!”
Who influenced you and why did you choose to make music?
Dani: “I grew up watching both of my parents as musicians, so it’s been a crucial part of my life and personality since before I was born. I was always around them at rehearsals, showcases, gigs, etc. Their musical tastes spanned everything, and I grew up listening to a lot of classic rock and 70s & 80s music which holds a special place in my heart. Nothing brings me serotonin quite like 90s alt rock & early 2000s pop punk though.”
Keaton: “Yeah, growing up in Seattle I was influenced by a lot of grunge obviously, but it wasn’t until high school that I branched out and started developing a taste of my own. I got into bands like Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and Paramore (my emo trinity) while learning more about my roots with Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam.”
Do you play any instrument?
Dani: “I play a little guitar. And I was first chair clarinet in middle school, so.”
Keaton: “I play a little guitar, the bass badly, and the world’s smallest violin.”
Tell us about your new EP “Cult Classic?”
Dani: “We wrote the title track ‘Cult Classic’ with Jordan Witzigreuter and Cameron Walker back in 2021. It had some horror themes that we dug that were brought forth by our wonderful creative director Hannah Klein, and then we thought we should thread that theme throughout a whole EP. I love anything horror themed so I had a blast writing this one. We tried to blend the raw rock sound of our first EP ‘Sophomore Slump’ with a bit more of a pop sensibility on this EP.”
And about the single “Riot?”
Keaton: “‘Riot’ was a song brought to us by our producer Courtney Ballard (rock legend) who said that when he’d started working on it, he imagined our voices on it. There wasn’t much of a vocal line written or many lyrics so we took it over and made it sound like us. I wanted to encapsulate the cynicism i feel about modern America, without being obnoxious. We both work day jobs while were not on tour, so being able to bitch about feeling like we work our asses off without making a dent financially was therapeutic and crucial. The bridge gets that point across loud and clear, we think.”
How was working with Fall Out Boy on their “So Much For (Tour) Dust” run?
Dani: “A dream and a half. Their entire crew was so unbelievably welcoming to us; they helped make us feel so safe and comfy. Pete, Patrick, Joe & Andy are truly angels. We are beyond grateful to have been a part of this tour!”
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
Dani: “I love any time someone reaches out to us and tells us that they feel seen and heard by our lyrics. Writing something so personal and then knowing it’s reached someone else makes the world feel a little bit smaller and better.”
What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
Dani: “It’s great to have a plan, but it’s also really super okay if things change. Do what you love and what makes you happy– it’s all gonna work out.”
If you are a book, what would be the title of the book and why?
Keaton: “‘Sorry, my phone died.’ Because my phone always dies.”
What’s next for Daisy Grenade 2023?
Dani: “More tours! And hopefully an LP at some point? I’m just happy to be here.”
How would you explain your fashion style?
Keaton: “I really just wear what makes me feel good. If I put anything on that makes me feel like im wearing a costume or something that makes me feel less like myself I have to take it off. I don’t love wearing a lot of color, but I’m trying to branch out and give myself a splash here and there.”
What is your own definition of happiness?
Keaton: “I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”
Best advice ever given?
Keaton: “‘What is for you will not pass you.’ Words to live by.”
Where do you see yourself and your career in 5 years from now?
Dani: “Kicking ass, taking names. I’d love for us to be selling out a decently-sized US headliner by then– my end goal is to get on Hot Ones so if anyone has a connect, let’s chat. And SNL. That too!”
What is your favorite song to belt out in the car/for karaoke?
Dani: “I’m actually extremely karaoke shy and refuse to do it because it makes me incredibly nervous (she says after singing for 20,000 people in an amphitheater) In the car? I’m belting ‘Karma Police’ by Radiohead.”
Where we can follow you?
Dani: ”On Instagram @danis_modernlife but I am soooo bad at posting.”
Keaton: “My Instagram is @neverkwhitt and my Twitter is @keatowhittaker but that one’s fairly unhinged, follow at your own risk.”
Book:
Dani: “I Hold a Wolf by the Ears by Laura Van Den Berg”
Keaton: “Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner “
Movie:
Dani: “I’m Thinking of Ending Things”
Keaton: “The Beguiled”
Tv Series:
Dani: “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”
Keaton: “Vanderpump Rules”
Travel Destination:
Keaton: “‘Tayto Park’– the Irish potato themed amusement park
Sports Team:
Dani: “NOOOOO!”
Keaton: “Team Ariana”
Photo Credit: Sabrina DiGeorge @sabrinadigeorge
