At just 20, Victoria University student (studying Finance and Marketing) Dani Josie has already made a name for herself with a fearless sound that blends pop hooks with punk urgency. She has been featured twice in Rolling Stone magazine, including her own profile article, cementing her place as one of Aotearoa’s most exciting new voices. Her debut single Go Go Go rocketed to #8 on the Hot Aotearoa Singles Chart in 2024, while Lovebomber and Suckerpunch won support from ZM, The Edge, and indie tastemakers nationwide.
“Music became my safe space when I was 11,” Dani says. “I was going through a tough time at school, and songwriting was how I coped. My mum used to leave Taylor Swift quotes around the house reminding me to stay resilient, and one of them stuck: ‘Don’t you worry your pretty little mind, people throw rocks at things that shine.’ That gave me the courage to start writing songs seriously.”
That sense of resilience and honesty now fuels her mission: to get young people reconnected through live music.
“In a world dominated by screens, gigs are one of the last places where you can really be present. Telling people to “put down their phones” isn’t about rejecting technology, it’s about reminding them to be present. When you’re at a show, you don’t need to capture every second – the real magic is in experiencing it together in the moment. That’s where the memories come from, not the videos you’ll never watch again.
For me, live music has always been about connection, freedom, and community. I want my shows to feel like safe spaces where people can forget about the pressure of being online all the time and just exist, together, in the music.”
Dani says one of the reasons she’s so passionate about live music is because it reminds us that we’re not alone.
“When you’re surrounded by people who are all feeling the same thing at the same time, it creates this really powerful sense of belonging. Especially for young people who might be spending hours online, comparing themselves to others or just feeling disconnected – being at a gig offers something totally different. It’s real. It’s human. And it can make you feel seen in a way a screen never could.”
