"Everyone has their own outlet - something to turn to when life hands them obstacles, good or bad. Writing is mine."
That's how Daisy Mallory describes the motivation for what has become her life's passion. At the tender age of nine, she penned her first song to express her feelings about one of her biggest inspirations: her grandmother, a poet and artist who fueled the spark of creativity she saw in Daisy from the age of four.
As a nine year old, Daisy developed an interest in the guitar, ...
"Everyone has their own outlet - something to turn to when life hands them obstacles, good or bad. Writing is mine."
That's how Daisy Mallory describes the motivation for what has become her life's passion. At the tender age of nine, she penned her first song to express her feelings about one of her biggest inspirations: her grandmother, a poet and artist who fueled the spark of creativity she saw in Daisy from the age of four.
As a nine year old, Daisy developed an interest in the guitar, which led her easily into singing and then to writing her own songs. While it was obvious to those close to her that she had a gift and was a natural performer, she suffered terribly from stage fright. It was her heart that paved the way to overcoming that particular obstacle. When Daisy was twelve, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. A benefit for the victims had been planned in her hometown of Cave Creek, Arizona and, after persistent prodding from a friend, Daisy agreed to perform. From the moment she stepped on stage that night, all the insecurity and trepidation gave way to a full-blown love affair with her audience. Stage fright cured, Daisy began performing at every opportunity.
At thirteen, Daisy attended Seth Riggs' SLS vocal camp in Los Angeles, CA, and through auditions made his Master Vocal Class. As for her performance, she chose her own arrangement of Heart's "Dog and Butterfly" - a choice that belied her years and experience. One judge proclaimed her "the next Sheryl Crow." Her experiences during SLS lit a fire of ambition in Daisy to make writing and performing not just a hobby, but a career. She returned to Arizona and began booking her own gigs. Daisy also recorded her first four-song EP in Phoenix, AZ.
In June of 2008, Daisy sent that EP to the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, without having any idea of the significance of that venue. She was selected to perform three songs during a Sunday Writer's Night at the Bluebird and, when she began playing her first song, she instantly felt at home. Nashville was giving her an ear through its people and its history, and Daisy was intoxicated by all of it. She was honored by the opportunity and humbled by the experience. After the performance, she returned to Arizona and delved into writing with new fervor.
October of 2008 brought even more opportunities for Daisy. After a local NSAI meeting in Arizona, Daisy met Jeff Dayton, who suggested that she should go to Nashville to meet with other songwriters. She began making regular trips to Nashville for writing sessions and other networking opportunities.
In December 2008, she was discovered by Henry Neuman of Waterfront Management, who signed her just a few months later in March 2009. March also brought Daisy back into the studio to record her second EP, "I'm Just Sayin'" in Nashville - an album that would be the catalyst for the biggest opportunities of her young career.
In May of 2009, Daisy performed her first Nashville showcase which was attended by Rod Essig of CAA, who immediately took on her representation. Then in July, she returned to the Bluebird Cafe as a featured writer in ASCAP's "Writer's in the Round" for several representatives from Sony, Universal and other major publishers. Soon after, Daisy's song "Posin'" from the EP "I'm Just Sayin'" was chosen by NSAI as a selection to be played for their publishers at the quarterly meeting in Nashville. One of those publishers was Melrose Music, who sought Daisy out and immediately put her in writing sessions with two of their staff writers. With instant chemistry, Daisy co-wrote the title song of her next EP, "Girl Time" with Jeff Bates and Aly Cutter.
2010 has been a busy time for Daisy. In March, she began a whirlwind of performances, including singing the National Anthem for a Phoenix Coyotes game. Shortly after, she experienced the highlight of her career thus far: performing alongside Reba McEntire, David Foster, Glenn Frey and Kris Kristofferson at Muhammed Ali's Celebrity Fight Night to benefit Parkinson's Disease. Just a few days later, Daisy began filming her first music video, "Do You Think of Me" from her CD "Girl Time", which can now be seen on GAC's web site.
In April, Daisy and her family made the move to Nashville to pursue her career in Music City itself.
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