Danielle Nicole – Fireflies

She has turned the blues into a launchpad for a broader, bolder sound

Danielle Nicole – Fireflies
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital
Label: Forty Below Records
Release: 2026

Release date: August 28, 2026

With an internationally-acclaimed career that spans career spans nearly 25 years, 10 Blues Music Awards, and a Grammy nomination, Danielle Nicole has turned the blues into a launchpad for a broader, bolder sound

That sound reaches a new height with her fourth solo record, ‘Fireflies. ‘Fireflies’ burns bright, deepening Danielle Nicole’s exploration into soul, R&B, and the rich tapestry of American roots music.

Produced by Tony Braunagel and recorded in Nicole’s hometown of Kansas City, Fireflies emerged during a profoundly emotional chapter in her life following the loss of her brother Kris — her lifelong friend, bandmate, and musical collaborator. Though grief initially made it difficult to complete the songs, Nicole found renewed inspiration through collaboration with guitarist Brandon Miller and legendary keyboardist Jim Pugh.

“Every album is an era of your life, where you write about whatever you’re going through,” Nicole explains. “When my brother passed away, I was still writing a lot, but my grief kept me from completing some of these songs. I had to push hard through the mental blocks.”

The resulting album balances vulnerability with strength. Songs like “Soulside” channel heartbreak into perseverance, while “Gaslight” and “Tug Of War” emerge as defiant, empowering declarations of self-worth. Elsewhere, “Take Me Back” reflects on Nicole’s Missouri upbringing and features Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars.

If previous albums like ‘Cry No More’ and ‘The Love You Bleed’ showcased the breadth of Nicole’s modern roots sound, Fireflies pushes even further into classic soul and R&B territory while remaining grounded in the blues tradition that launched her career. The album’s title track reflects on the quiet transition from innocence to adulthood — those fleeting moments when life changes before you even realize it.

Ultimately, ‘Fireflies’ is both deeply personal and universally resonant: a record that honors loss while searching for light, connection, and what comes next.

Website: https://daniellenicolemusic.com/

Tracks:
01. Radical love
02. Take me back
03. Memories
04. Souldside
05. Gaslight
06. Piper
07. The same love that made me laugh
08. Chameleon
09. Tug of war
10. Dreams
11. Fireflies