Danielle Nicole’s new studio album Fireflies is due out on Friday 28th August via 40 Below Records, and she’ll be making her way over to tour the UK in February 2027.
The upcoming Fireflies album features the singles ‘Gaslight’ and ‘Tug Of War’, the latter described as a soulful anthem about reclaiming strength in the face of imbalance and emotional exhaustion. “I wrote ‘Tug Of War’ for anyone finding themself no longer willing to accept the terms of a one-way relationship,” said the vocalist and bass player.
Nicole traces the beginning of her own musical journey back to a transformative moment in her teenage years: “We had a great blues festival in Kansas City,” Nicole recalled, “and I was able to see Etta James perform. She was fearless. My parents were musicians who played in cover bands, so music was always part of my family, but I didn’t realise I wanted to sing and perform, too, until I heard Etta.”
That reverence for the great soul singers, storytellers, and trailblazers who came before her has fuelled a career spanning nearly 25 years, including 10 Blues Music Awards, a Grammy nomination, induction into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, and the South Canada Blues Hall of Fame, as well as international acclaim as both a songwriter and performer. With Fireflies, word has it that Nicole delivers what may be her most personal and musically adventurous statement yet, a raw, deeply felt collection recorded live to analogue tape that explores grief, resilience, empowerment, and transformation through a rich blend of blues, soul, R&B, and roots music.
“There’s a lot of soul-driven music here,” she said. “A lot of storytelling. It’s a major step forward in my songwriting.”
Produced by Tony Braunagel (Back Street Crawler, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Burdon) 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 (Robert Cray Band).
“Every album is an era of your life, where you write about whatever you’re going through,” Nicole explained. “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 the envelope 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 realise it.
Fireflies can be ordered via 40 Below Records, and UK tour dates are listed below.
DANIELLE NICOLE FIREFLIES FEBRUARY 2027 UK TOUR
Tickets via The Gig Cartel
London, The 100 Club, Wednesday February 17
Manchester, Academy 3, Thursday February 18
Glasgow, Òran Mór, Friday February 19
Leeds, Brudenell, Saturday February 20
Newcastle, Cluny, Sunday February 21
