Words By: Brianna Vacca

Singer, songwriter, and producer Sug Daniels is hyper-focused on the power of healing — especially through a sonic portrayal. From individually to the healing of a nation. Primitively the influential frontwoman of the genre-hybrid group Hoochi Coochi and Flowcity, the songstress has progressed into solo ventures merging together a folk, R&B, and a low-fi alternative sonic landscape to craft a noise best suited to complement Daniels‘ affirmative nature and forward-looking wisdom. Positivity blankets the multi-faceted artist as she aims to provide a sense of comfort through her vulnerable and charismatic work of art. Her newest single “Kintsugi”  is an embodiment of all of the above.

“Kintsugi” is a ukulele-pop-driven diddy that encompasses Daniels‘ delicate and pastel vocal stylistics that drips like honey off of the songstresses’ lips. Ukulele is Daniels‘ safety net and best-known piece of armor. The song is soaked in subtle, glistening makings doused in periodical synth, and shy doses of humanly snap to coat the instrumentation akin to the materials used to fix broken pottery. Kintsugi is Japanese culture, also known as kintsukuroi, treats cracks and bruises outlined in broken pottery with ‘liquid gold’ which rebuilds the object as part of the backstory of the pottery as opposed to disguising its injury. Daniels is attracted to living by that motto.

“Named after the Japanese art of fixing broken poetry with liquid gold, ‘Kintsugi’ addresses the botched relationship between America and a black woman coming into her own,” says Daniels about the overall meaning of the song, “In a realistic but hopeful tone, ‘Kintsugi’ looks towards the future in hopes that the obvious and apparent bigotry and one-sidedness can allow for change and reparations resulting in a nation that’s one for all and all for one.”

Growing up in Smyrna, Delaware, Daniels was submerged in a rural town brimmed with oppression and isolation towards the LBGTQ+ community. But hope lies in the singer + songwriter’s eyes as she looks to progress not forget. Growing up in a Southern Baptist-style church, she removed herself from that lifestyle after coming out and has since embraced her love of music to channel her honesty. Much like kintsukuroi, the singer + songwriter is not interested in forgetting about the past, but learning from it and encouraging others to do the same.

“Heavy” is the new single’s predecessor as it speaks on the act of falling in love and having mixed feelings about the whole thing. “Tilton Park” and “Love For The Holidays” featuring Lefty The Greatest also came before the newest release. Music is a powerful drug, and Daniels has the power to do a lot of healing.

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