Who Is DaniLeigh? Music, Career, Songs and Everything You Need to Know
DaniLeigh is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer and choreographer best known for her blend of contemporary R&B, hip-hop and Latin-influenced music.
Born Danielle Leigh Curiel in Miami, Florida, DaniLeigh has built a career that stretches far beyond singing. She started as a dancer and creative performer before working with Prince, signing a major-label record deal and releasing songs including “Easy,” “Lil Bebe” and “Levi High.”
Here is everything you need to know about DaniLeigh, her music and her career.
Who is DaniLeigh?
DaniLeigh is the stage name of Danielle Leigh Curiel, who was born on December 20, 1994, in Miami, Florida. Her family has Dominican roots, something that has regularly influenced her identity and music.
Before becoming known primarily as a recording artist, DaniLeigh developed her skills through dance and choreography.
She began dancing when she was young and later moved to Los Angeles, where she worked around the entertainment industry as a dancer while developing her own music. Her early career also included uploading song covers to YouTube.
That mixture of music, dance and visual creativity would eventually become an important part of DaniLeigh’s identity as an artist.
How did DaniLeigh become famous?
One of the most important moments in DaniLeigh’s early career came when she worked with Prince.
At just 18 years old, Danielle Curiel directed and appeared in the music video for Prince’s “Breakfast Can Wait.”
The Los Angeles Times reported at the time that Prince selected the young creative after being impressed by a treatment she had submitted for the song and gave her considerable creative control over the video.
It was an extraordinary opportunity for an emerging artist.
Prince would become an important early supporter of DaniLeigh’s work, giving her exposure and experience before she had established herself as a solo recording artist.
DaniLeigh’s music career
DaniLeigh began releasing her own music during the mid-2010s before signing with Def Jam Recordings in 2017.
Her early releases helped establish a sound that combined R&B melodies with hip-hop production and elements of her Dominican and Latin background.
She released the EP Summer with Friends in 2017 before following it with the project The Plan in 2018.
The latter featured collaborations with artists including Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, YG and YBN Nahmir.
However, it was a number of individual DaniLeigh songs that would push her name much further into mainstream music.
What are DaniLeigh’s biggest songs?
DaniLeigh has released a large catalogue of singles and collaborations, but several tracks have become particularly associated with her career.
Easy
“Easy” is arguably DaniLeigh’s signature song.
The original track gained momentum before a remix featuring Chris Brown helped introduce DaniLeigh to an even larger international audience.
“Easy” reached the Billboard Hot 100 and also generated significant streaming and video activity internationally.
The song’s relaxed R&B production and melodic vocals became representative of the softer side of DaniLeigh’s music.
It also appeared on the UK’s Official Video Streaming Chart in 2019.
Lil Bebe
Another major DaniLeigh song is “Lil Bebe.”
Released during her breakthrough period, the track was later remixed with Lil Baby and became one of the songs that helped establish DaniLeigh within the US R&B and hip-hop scene.
Its combination of melodic vocals and rap-influenced production demonstrated DaniLeigh’s ability to move comfortably between R&B and hip-hop.
Levi High
In 2020, DaniLeigh collaborated with DaBaby on “Levi High.”
The track appeared as part of the era surrounding her album Movie and continued DaniLeigh’s move toward contemporary hip-hop-influenced R&B.
Dominican Mami
DaniLeigh’s Dominican heritage has also appeared directly within her music.
“Dominican Mami,” featuring Fivio Foreign, celebrates that side of her identity while combining it with modern hip-hop production.
DaniLeigh albums and projects
DaniLeigh’s catalogue includes several albums, mixtapes and EPs.
Some of the main DaniLeigh projects include:
- Summer with Friends – 2017
- The Plan – 2018
- My Present – 2019
- Movie – 2020
- My Side – 2022
Her music has continued beyond these projects.
As of 2026, DaniLeigh’s streaming catalogue also includes newer releases such as “Step,” “NEW ME,” “G.O.D.” and “Expensive,” showing that she remains active as a recording artist.
What type of music does DaniLeigh make?
DaniLeigh is generally classified as an R&B artist, although her music crosses several genres.
Elements of hip-hop, Latin music, pop and contemporary R&B can all be heard across her catalogue. AllMusic describes her work across R&B, Latin, contemporary R&B and urbano styles.
This genre flexibility has allowed her to collaborate naturally with both singers and rappers.
Her background as a dancer also means performance and choreography have remained closely connected to her music.
Rather than approaching songs only as audio releases, DaniLeigh’s career has frequently incorporated dance, visual direction and performance.
DaniLeigh and Prince
DaniLeigh’s relationship with Prince remains one of the most interesting parts of her story.
Very few emerging artists can say that one of their earliest major opportunities came directly from one of the most influential musicians in modern music.
Prince’s decision to hand an 18-year-old DaniLeigh responsibility for the “Breakfast Can Wait” music video demonstrated the confidence he had in her creative ability at an extremely early stage of her career.
It also highlighted something that would continue throughout DaniLeigh’s career: she was never simply a singer.
Dance, choreography, directing, songwriting and visual creativity have all been part of her work.
Is DaniLeigh still making music?
Yes.
DaniLeigh continues to release music, with new singles appearing on streaming platforms into 2026. Her Spotify profile also continues to attract millions of monthly listeners, demonstrating the lasting streaming audience surrounding both her newer releases and established tracks such as “Easy.”
Like many contemporary R&B artists, DaniLeigh’s catalogue has also benefited from streaming platforms allowing older songs to continue finding new listeners years after their original release.
Why is DaniLeigh popular?
DaniLeigh’s career is unusual because she developed skills across several different areas of the music industry before becoming widely recognised as a recording artist.
She has been a:
- Singer
- Songwriter
- Rapper
- Dancer
- Choreographer
- Video director
That experience helped create an artist whose music and visual identity are closely connected.
Her biggest releases also sit comfortably between R&B and hip-hop, allowing her music to reach audiences from both genres.
Tracks such as “Easy” and “Lil Bebe” remain important parts of her catalogue, while continued releases show that the DaniLeigh story is still developing.
Frequently asked questions about DaniLeigh
What is DaniLeigh’s real name?
DaniLeigh’s real name is Danielle Leigh Curiel.
Where is DaniLeigh from?
DaniLeigh was born in Miami, Florida, and has Dominican family heritage. She later moved to Los Angeles while pursuing her entertainment career.
How old is DaniLeigh?
DaniLeigh was born on December 20, 1994, making her 31 years old as of August 2026.
What is DaniLeigh’s most famous song?
“Easy,” particularly the remix featuring Chris Brown, is one of DaniLeigh’s biggest and most widely recognised songs. The track reached the Billboard Hot 100 and became an important breakthrough record for her.
Did DaniLeigh work with Prince?
Yes. DaniLeigh directed and starred in Prince’s “Breakfast Can Wait” music video when she was just 18 years old.
Is DaniLeigh still releasing music?
Yes. DaniLeigh has continued releasing new music, including several singles appearing on streaming services during 2025 and 2026.
DaniLeigh’s journey from dancer to R&B artist
DaniLeigh’s route into the music industry shows that there is no single path to becoming a successful artist.
From uploading covers and working as a dancer to directing for Prince and eventually releasing her own records, she built experience across multiple parts of the creative industry before developing an audience around her own music.
For independent musicians, that career is also a reminder of how valuable it can be to develop skills beyond simply recording songs.
Whether you’re producing music, creating videos, building an audience through social media or releasing your first track, artists today have more ways than ever to build their career independently.