Daisy Close – Grinch I Am

By starrymag | February 17, 2025

By: Ashlee Dell’Arciprete

 

 

Q) How would you describe the music that you make?

A) First and foremost, thank you so much for having me. Starry Constellation Magazine, I’m so thrilled to be able to share my journey so far in the entertainment industry with you and all of your readers. I would describe the music that I make to be a blend between pop, R&B and rock genres combined with meaningful lyrics and a catchy melody. Many people classify me as a singer, and while that’s true, I mainly write my own music and lyrics because I’m also a storyteller. Being a creative individual, I live to tell stories, whether that’s through my music, acting or modeling. I truly feel that I can most authentically portray myself and the stories I want to share with the world through my music and my artistry. I make a lot of power anthems for girls and people the same age as me, as I know how tough it can be to navigate your early twenties and the many pressures we face when it comes to navigating who we are and discovering exactly what it is that we want in this world. It can become overwhelming, and I think making music that speaks out about many of the struggles we resonate with not only heals my twenty-year-old self but also shows others just like me that they’re not alone and that all their thoughts, feelings and struggles are valid and normal. While I think being at this age is often a messy period of our lives, I find beauty in chaos. I think we should all embrace our youth and the beauty that comes with finding ourselves and who we are destined to become in this lifetime. Life is hard and the world is so vast, but I like to be a reminder that one day we’ll be able to look back on all of our hardships and realize how they molded us into our future selves and to just enjoy and trust the journey and moment, as it won’t last forever because one day we’ll be reminiscing even the messiest of times just as much as the good ones.

Q) Who were the top artists on your 2024 Spotify Wrapped?

A) My top artists on my 2024 Spotify Wrapped were Beyoncé, Rihanna, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande and Reneé Rapp.

Q) You released a Christmas song in December, “Grinch I Am.” What inspired you to write a Christmas song?

A) Yes, I did! I’ve always loved Christmas so much; it’s my favorite holiday and I really enjoy the holidays as I feel they bring so much magic, whether it’s getting into the spirit of the season, gathering with friends and family or just being reminded of what’s really important at this time of year. It’s been a huge goal of mine for so long to write and release a Christmas album, but I was thankful to at least have been able to make that dream partially true by releasing a Christmas single. I’m a huge fan of Christmas music; Yes, I’m that girl that goes full Christmas mode the second it hits November 1st. All jokes aside, I love all of the classic Christmas songs, but when it comes to pop Christmas music, I am inspired by many songs from Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter – just to name a few. I wrote and recorded several Christmas songs, trying to decide which one I loved the most to release as my single, and I ultimately ended up choosing “Grinch I Am” as I found it to be such a festive and fun holiday tune that I had such a fun time both writing and recording. “Grinch I Am” is about the Grinch being “back in business” and ready to wreak havoc once again this Christmas season, all while spreading joy, smiles and laughter with an upbeat hip hop holiday jingle. “Grinch I Am” brings a “merry madness” of fun for everyone, from the electric beat down to the catchy lyrics that are sure to stay stuck in your head, leaving you feeling “downright delicious!” “Grinch I Am” was released on December 20th, 2024 at 12 AM PST on all music streaming platforms and 25% of all proceeds are donated directly to St. Jude’s Research Hospital to help kids battling cancer and their families. 4You generously donated 25% of all proceeds on “Grinch I Am” to St. Jude’s Research Hospital to help children battling cancer and their families.

Q) What made you choose St. Jude’s as a cause to support?

A) I chose St. Jude’s as a cause to support because I believe the holidays are all about spending time with the ones you love, and I realized that many kids each year have to spend their holidays in the hospital and are unable to partake in the many Christmas traditions and festivities that we often take for granted. I wanted to support a cause that could help everyone enjoy the season even if it just meant being able to help pay for some of their expenses so that both the patients and their family could shift their focus on what truly matters at this time of the year. I wish that all these kids and their families have to think or worry about this time of year just creating fun memories together, enjoying each other’s presence and company, and sharing laughter and smiles that they’ll be sure to remember for years to come. I wanted to do whatever I could on my part as an artist to help that wish comes true as much as I could.

Q) What is it about this single that will make it a timeless holiday classic?

A) I believe “Grinch I Am” definitely has the potential to become a timeless holiday classic, at least in my household, because it shares so many fun memories and moments with so many loved ones. Whether it was creating the song in the studio or laughing as we danced along to it blasting in the car at two in the morning, every time I hear “Grinch I Am,” I’m not only reminded of all the hard work and creativity I’ve put into creating the song, but also how something I created put so many smiles on so many people’s faces. That feels really rewarding to me as an artist, and it’ll always have a special place in my heart for having that effect on others just as it did on me.

Q) You also released another single last year, “Don’t Wanna Know.” What has the response been to the track so far?

A) Yes, I did. I released “Don’t Wanna Know” as a pop single last year. “Don’t Wanna Know” was about the hardships that many teenagers face as they transition into adulthood. I wrote “Don’t Wanna Know” at eighteen years old and released the single at nineteen years old. Shortly after “Don’t Wanna Know” was released, it received radio airplay and heavily resonated with girls and young individuals alike all over the world. It felt so liberating to be able to write and release a women’s empowerment anthem as a young female artist in the music industry and have so many others reach out to me expressing how my song helped them feel less alone. Having that response made me in turn feel less alone and ultimately made me want to be more vulnerable and share more parts of myself through my music and artistry with my fans and supporters.

Q) Do you plan on releasing a music video for “Don’t Wanna Know?”

A) Not at the moment, but that could change if fans were interested in that! I’m always open to hearing what my fans would like and doing everything I can in my power to bring those interests to life in the most creative way possible. I will say; however, that it has been a big dream of mine to release a music video, and you can surely expect to see one along with my debut EP set to release in 2025!

Q) Your debut EP is set to be released this year. Are you able to share its release date, and is there anything you can share about any of the songs or themes you’re working on?

A) Yes, it is! You have no idea how long I’ve been working on making this ultimate dream of mine become a reality for both me and my fans. While the release date is still undetermined, I can assure you I’ve been doing everything on my end to work my hardest into setting the ball in motion to get a release date announced and set for you all. I will say that my debut EP is a collection of several songs that have encapsulated my years as a late teen transitioning into my early twenties now as a young adult. I believe many of my songs will resonate deeply with others who are also on their path towards discovering who they are in a world that can feel like everyone else is trying to influence us into who to become. I don’t want to give too much away, but if there’s one takeaway or overall theme from my debut EP, it would be to embrace the good and bad about yourself, feel everything, and be authentically you regardless of what others say or who’s watching. I’m excited for you all to experience my debut EP and what I like to call this time capsule of everything I’ve learned from the past few years of my life through song form. I’ve put literal blood, sweat, and tears into creating this debut EP that I can only hope you all fall in love with as much as I did. This debut EP means everything to me, and I can’t wait for you all to hear it so soon.

Q) How involved are you in the production on your upcoming debut EP?

A) I am heavily involved when it comes to creating and releasing my own music as an independent artist. Every song I release was one hundred percent written and revised by me. As of right now in my music career, I don’t work with any co-writers or editors, and I don’t see that changing, as I want my work to come from the flesh. I’m always open to feedback and constructive criticism, but I feel as an artist it’s my responsibility to make any major musical decisions myself. Music is subjective and you’re never going to create a song that everyone is going to love, but I know that as long as I am happy with the message that is being portrayed through my music, lyrics and vocals, I have done my job at the end of the day. As an artist, I don’t want to lose any of that authenticity from either my lyrics or vocals when it comes down to the sheer emotions and vulnerability I want to give my fans through my music, so aside from having my producer help me with the technical and studio aspect, mixing/mastering and developing the backing track, I’m a one-woman show. And I’m very proud of that because I work extremely hard to make it so.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need to have music before you can craft lyrics?

A) That’s a great question! Honestly, my song writing process is never the same and I think that’s what makes it so fascinating being an artist and pursuing a career in the music industry. However, it either goes one of two ways…Usually, I’ll think of a topic and start creating lyrics from scratch resonating to that predetermined topic that I already know I want to create a song about or that was on my mind at that moment and I’ll sit down and let the ideas and creativity flow out and begin to piece together a song lyric by lyric. The other instance that is less likely, but still common is hearing an incredible beat and having that particular track inspire me to write a song about a certain theme that either I’ve been wanting to write about waiting for the perfect beat to come into alignment to or whatever topic just comes into light when inspiration from listening to the track sparks my creative mind.

Q) You’ve been recording yourself performing on YouTube since you were as young as 9-years-old. What have you learned about performing since that time?

A) Yes, I have. Oh my goodness, that seems like a lifetime ago. I think it’s very evident that I’ve always wanted to become a performer ever since I was young. I think at four-years-old I sort of somehow knew that performing was my destiny. Singing and acting was my first love. Somehow, ironically, I was a little shy of the spotlight and dealt with some stage fright when I was much younger, which of course ceased to exist over time, and now you’ll practically have to drag me offstage because I live for any opportunity I can get onstage. I grew up as an only child, so I sort of had to fend for my own entertainment and imagination, so I’d always use music as my outlet to pass the time. I would spend hours in my room writing songs, listening to the radio and practicing for when I’d put on mini concerts for my mom and stuffed animals. I was quite the shy kid; it took me a while to come out of my shell in school, which is strange because I consider myself an extrovert now. I participated in every music, acting and dance class and opportunity you could find near me throughout the years and was always a part of local community productions and began building a portfolio for myself in modeling. I have to give all the credit to my amazing mother; she saw the immense passion and love I had for the performing arts from my young age and presented me with the opportunities I had to dive deeper and learn and explore more about my passions. I can only hope every child has as supportive of a mother as I did growing up and I hope that I one day can be just as caring and selfless a mother to my child as my mom was and still is to me one day. I’ve been through so many ups and downs throughout pursuing a career in the entertainment industry for over a decade now. I’ve grown in so many unimaginable ways and discovered sides to myself that I would have never seen if it wasn’t for pursuing this challenging career path. I believe what really made me grow and blossom as both an individual and performer pursuing a career in the entertainment industry was learning how to face rejection constantly and using it as fuel to make myself better. This was such a valuable lesson to me because it was a lesson that I’ve been able to apply in several areas of my life outside of my professional pursuits. All the rejections and failures I’ve faced have pushed me to challenge myself and always strive to reach my full potential in everything I do. I’ll never settle for less in any of my personal or professional pursuits and I’m confident in the woman I am today because I know how hard I have worked and still work to achieve everything I have achieved so far in my life as well as everything I am destined to achieve in my future. I live for the hustle now; it has been a struggle making ends meet while chasing my dreams for the past couple of years, but now I realize how lucky I am to be young and have the capacity to go after my dreams to my heart’s fullest extent. Most importantly, I learned that you can’t change who you are. Performing is my first love and it’ll always be my greatest, and there’s nothing anyone can do or say that will ever be able to take that away from me. I find that to be both a beautiful and scary thing. I just remind myself to be consistent every day in taking steps that will get me closer to achieving the dreams I have for myself and for that little girl that still lives inside me. And on the days that I feel unmotivated, I remind myself why I started in the first place and I always find the capacity in my heart to do it for her.

Q) You’ve performed in some incredible venues so far at an early age, from Carnegie Hall to “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” Which performance is your most memorable and which was the most nerve-wracking?

A) Thank you so much! That’s a tough one; they were all such memorable experiences for me in such different ways, but I would have to say “The Kelly Clarkson Show” would have to be the most memorable just because (I know it’s cliché), but some people indeed do wait a lifetime for a moment like this. I felt like that was my moment to showcase everything I had worked so hard for up until that point as a vocalist, and I had big shoes to fill as I wanted to make the most of the breathtaking opportunity I was receiving to sing alongside one of my biggest idols in the music industry. Carnegie Hall was definitely the most nerve-wracking out of the two opportunities, as so much preparation and hard work had been put into the competition, and a lot was on the line for me to place. I was so proud of myself for ultimately receiving both first place and judges’ distinction, but I remember being so nervous and having many sleepless nights in anticipation of the big day. I remember taking the stage in awe of the remarkable opportunity it was to perform at Carnegie Hall but also feeling the pressure to perform my absolute best and bring home a victory to make my community proud. I had a lot of people rooting for me from back home and I didn’t want to let anyone down, including myself. I wouldn’t have traded these performance opportunities for anything and I often look back on these performances, reminiscing about the memories they both brought me as a performer.

Q) What was your biggest takeaway from competing on “American Idol?”

A) I think my biggest takeaway from being a contestant on “American Idol” would have to be tapping into my own personal journey of self-discovery and authenticity as an artist. It made me realize that being authentic to myself and my artistry wasn’t something I should shy away from, as it was ultimately what was going to set me apart from other artists. I learned to embrace everything about myself: who I am, who I want to become and who I want to be perceived as, as an artist, to the fullest extent. I discovered the unique qualities and traits I brought to the table as an artist and learned how to use them to my advantage instead of simply dismissing them. I also really enjoyed meeting all of the other contestants. I find it so interesting when I am able to meet and work with other like-minded individuals who are just as passionate about the performing arts as I am. I’ve never felt so accepted, appreciated and seen by those around me like I do when I’m able to share my passion with others who understand exactly how I feel. I’ve created so many amazing friendships over the course of filming last season, and for that, I am so grateful. I’m also just thankful for the opportunity to have shared my passion and love for singing and songwriting with Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. I am honored they took the time to hear both my voice and the story I wanted to tell for myself as an artist, even if it wasn’t what they were looking for. I’m grateful for every opportunity because I know one day, when the right opportunity comes my way, there will be no stopping it. Like a present with my name written all over it, it will be destined for me and me only, with no strings attached. Like it was always meant to be.

Q) One of your reels on Instagram was about your love for iced coffee. What’s your go-to coffee order?

A) Yes! I love coffee so much. I could talk about coffee for hours. I’ll take it iced, hot, honestly any way I can. I am the real-life version of Lorelai Gilmore from “Gilmore Girls” when it comes to coffee. My go-to coffee order would have to be a medium iced coffee with two pumps of caramel and a splash of almond milk!

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and the music you make?

A) I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been a fan of mine as well as supporters of my music. You all truly have no idea how much you mean to me. It’s because of you that I’m able to live out my dreams and have my music and voice be heard in so many wondrous ways. I thank you for your continued support, and I ask that you stick with me throughout my journey in the entertainment industry, as it’s only up from here! I can promise much more music to come as well as acting and modeling content. I hope all of my work can leave you feeling inspired and motivated to go after your dreams to your heart’s fullest extent, whatever that may be, and all I ask is for you to love yourself and find beauty in who you are. You were put on this world at this very time for a reason and once you discover what that reason is, I want you to lock it in your heart and never give anyone or anything the power to take it away from you. I believe we’re all capable of achieving such amazing things, and the sky’s the limit for us. Thank you again for all of your constant support and here’s to much more success together in 2025!