DaniLeigh is a creative multi-hyphenate who's showcased an ability to curate chart-topping hits or choreograph dance routines. The 28-year-old has been everywhere, from DaniLeigh's controversial public relationship with DaBaby to spearheading Beyonce's Renaissance World Tour choreography. The Def Jam Recordings phenom has worked with the likes of Cardi B, Jennifer Lopez, and Pharrell. Unfortunately, she was reportedly arrested during Memorial Day Weekend. According to TMZ, she was driving under the influence when she hit somebody with her car. DaniLeigh was arrested early Tuesday in Miami Beach and is accused of causing severe bodily injury to the victim. Now facing three felony charges, her career is seriously under threat.
Named Danielle Curiel, she was born in Florida to Dominican parents. That Latin influence appears in her sound, blending the worlds of R&B, Latin, and Hip-Hop. She referenced this when talking to Unclear, stating, "Plus growing up Dominican... that’s our way of life. Family Sundays we get together, sing, dance, enjoy life." When DaniLeigh was a teenager, she began singing and dancing. Similar to the beginnings of many other artists, she would begin to garner attention by posting covers of songs on YouTube. Moving to Los Angeles at 16, she would quickly make connections in the creative capital of the US.
Rock Icon Prince Kickstarted Her Career
However, her teenage success is largely attributed to her close relationship with the iconic singer Prince. The flamboyant rock icon initially reached out to DaniLeigh to dance to his new song, 2013's "Breakfast Can Wait." After submitting the video, Prince decided to have her direct the video. At only 18 years old, she suddenly found herself directing a set after years of re-enacting covers in her childhood home. Nicole Kirkland, another choreographer associated with the music video, dispelled DaniLeigh's claims regarding her role. She stated, "Did the choreography? But I did the choreography for the submission. And then I & @antoinetroupe choreographed the video,” wrote Kirkland, before she went off on the singer. DaniLiegh clarified her stance but stood firm on Prince wanting her to be involved.
DaniLeigh & DaBaby Were In A Relationship
DaniLeigh's musical and directorial experiences eventually manifest into roles like her sophomore album, MOVIE. Released with a visual counterpart, Dani told us, “Just the fact that I got to do something like this for my album showed people that I am a creative person. This pandemic has either made people be like, ‘Bro, I don’t know what to do,’ or the other way around where they have time and they’re just, really excited type of thing.” MOVIE depicts how she was forced to move on from the relationships. One of the exes is meant to mirror DaniLeigh's experience in her relationship with DaBaby.
DaniLeigh has been the source of media drama for reasons beyond her DUI incident this Memorial Day weekend. DaniLeigh and DaBaby were in a very public relationship throughout 2021 and 2022. She gave birth to a daughter, Velour, back in December of 2021. However, the relationship between the two went sour shortly after the child's birth. While DaBaby has claimed that Dani was a side-piece, she is steadfast in her knowledge that the two were more. In addition, she received backlash for releasing "Yellow Bone," which usually references light-skinned or mixed-race Black women. Audience members went after DaniLeigh, leading to a full apology from her over Instagram Live.
Career Successes
Not long after her successful directorial debut, DaniLeigh's career took off. After releasing a slew of singles, she was signed to Def Jam Records ahead of the release of her debut album, Summer With Friends. "All I Know" would be the hit track off of the project, sampling Aretha Franklin amid groovy R&B production. After signing with Def Jam, she collaborated with MCs such as Lil Yachty, YG, and, most recently, Fivio Foreign. By the end of the 2010s, DaniLeigh had gone from recording covers on YouTube to choreographing music videos for DaBaby and releasing hit tracks such as the Chris Brown-aided "Easy." There were rumors that she was working with some Hip Hop icons on her next project. However, her recent arrest could spell disaster for her career. While that plays out in real-time, her fans wait impatiently for updates.