Danah

By Janelle Husbands

HOW often is it that someone can ask what you are listening to these days, and you can give him or her a group right off the top of your head?

Well, that would have been me, less than one week ago, until I encountered the local group “Danah”.

I recently interviewed lead singer Dana Ward and guitarist David Thomas about the origin of the band, what inspires them and where they intend to go in the future. I did all of this, unfortunately without actually listening to their CD “Out of Darkness”. I had a good listen though as I made my way through the maddening pre-hurricane traffic a few Mondays ago, and literally have not listened to anything else since.

Dana and David explained that while some of their lyrics deal with Christianity, it was never really meant for Christians at all. At first, this logic went over my head, but after listening to their music, I totally understood where they were coming from.

Not only is their music very uplifting, relaxing and inspiring, but the listener (especially non-Christians) will relate to the songs which deal with a number of issues, emotions, wants and desires through the clever use of their lyrics.

It just rang home to me that we are so caught up in the generic music that is played time and time again on our local stations from international artistes, that we have never really opened our minds to our own local music.

I literally cannot stop singing the praises of the 18-year-old lead singer, who not only impressed me with her intellect and vision, but also her voice which to my mind, if given a chance, would blow up all the charts in the United States and Europe.

So great is their total package, and with the fear of sounding like a groupie, I think that they should forego their second album, which is set to come out next year, and continue promoting their “Out of Darkness” album, so that it could be heard on every radio station in Barbados, the region and the world. While I would not consider myself to be overly critical, there are few things that impress me, and this album would be at the top of that list. - Barbados Advocate

By Janelle Husbands

HOW often is it that someone can ask what you are listening to these days, and you can give him or her a group right off the top of your head?

Well, that would have been me, less than one week ago, until I encountered the local group “Danah”.

I recently interviewed lead singer Dana Ward and guitarist David Thomas about the origin of the band, what inspires them and where they intend to go in the future. I did all of this, unfortunately without actually listening to their CD “Out of Darkness”. I had a good listen though as I made my way through the maddening pre-hurricane traffic a few Mondays ago, and literally have not listened to anything else since.

Dana and David explained that while some of their lyrics deal with Christianity, it was never really meant for Christians at all. At first, this logic went over my head, but after listening to their music, I totally understood where they were coming from.

Not only is their music very uplifting, relaxing and inspiring, but the listener (especially non-Christians) will relate to the songs which deal with a number of issues, emotions, wants and desires through the clever use of their lyrics.

It just rang home to me that we are so caught up in the generic music that is played time and time again on our local stations from international artistes, that we have never really opened our minds to our own local music.

I literally cannot stop singing the praises of the 18-year-old lead singer, who not only impressed me with her intellect and vision, but also her voice which to my mind, if given a chance, would blow up all the charts in the United States and Europe.

So great is their total package, and with the fear of sounding like a groupie, I think that they should forego their second album, which is set to come out next year, and continue promoting their “Out of Darkness” album, so that it could be heard on every radio station in Barbados, the region and the world. While I would not consider myself to be overly critical, there are few things that impress me, and this album would be at the top of that list. - Barbados Advocate

May 15, 2003.
by Ricky Jordan

When choral leader David Thomas heard Dana
Ward singing a line during an event at the Berean
Bible Church three years ago, he immediately
knew she was the artiste with whom he wanted
to record.

Since then, the duo, under the title of Danah, has
released some popular singles which have
evolved into a new chart-topping 11-track album
entitled Out Of Darkness, which includes
numbers like Free and Smile, both hits among
Christians and non-Christians alike.

After their first encounter, Thomas and Ward
realised they had much in common - both were
learning to play the guitar - and they eventually
discussed ideas for chord structures and the
possibility of an original song.

That idea led to Ward's first solo effort and a
recording entitled Highway To Heaven, which
became a staple on the Barbados Community
College's radio station.

"I had a lot of songs and was actually working on
my own album, but, definitely, her voice was
better suited to some of the songs," Thomas
recalled.

The rest is history, and the 17-year-old Ward has
come a long way from being a shy girl who never
liked to sing in public.

"I never liked to sing for anyone to hear me really,
so having to record under constant scrutiny has
been a bit difficult. But it's better now because I'm
getting used to it. It's always good to use your
talent, that's the reason why I started doing so,
because I began to fear that one morning I was
going to wake up and not have it anymore," said
the Combermere student.


She became a Christian at age 11, recalling it
was just before entering secondary school.

"A lot of children's lives are ruined at that point.
That was when I got to hear about salvation and
Jesus, so when I entered secondary school I
was fresh with that, though I wasn't quite as
serious as I am now. But as time progressed, I
saw many wasting their lives and realised I had
something that was beautiful, that was worth
taking seriously and worth telling people about,"
she recalled.

David, on the other hand, is a 29-year-old
husband and father of two who met Christ some
12 years ago. Besides participating in the
musical aspects of church worship, he also
grew up on the pop/rock grooves of U2, Chicago,
Toto, The Police and Phil Collins; hence the
heavy influence of '80s music on the album.

In fact, David played all the guitars - bass,
electric and acoustic - on the CD, earning praise
from other musicians, producers and sound
engineers.

As far as his songwriting is concerned - he wrote
nine of Out Of Darkness' 11 tracks - the themes
of storms and darkness pervade his songs.

"A lot of my songs come from an expression of
knowing where I was and where I am, where God
has brought me and from where He brought me.
The ongoing struggle is to stay where I am and
to be in God's presence and in His will, and to
know that there is constantly this storm;
because being a Christian or being saved doesn't
mean that everything all of a sudden becomes
perfect," he explained.

Dana's songwriting has a lighter, happier feel,
though, and provide a balance of her bright side
versus David's depth.

The April Congaline festival provided them with an
opportunity not only to capture a wide market
but to take The Word to non-Christians.

"We always hear Christians saying we're here to
make a change or to witness to the world, but
then they only sing at Christian events. To me,
that doesn't make sense. If you want
non-Christians to hear you, you have to go where
non-Christians are . . . . We get lambasted for
that often," said David.
- The Sunday Sun

May 15, 2003.
by Ricky Jordan

When choral leader David Thomas heard Dana
Ward singing a line during an event at the Berean
Bible Church three years ago, he immediately
knew she was the artiste with whom he wanted
to record.

Since then, the duo, under the title of Danah, has
released some popular singles which have
evolved into a new chart-topping 11-track album
entitled Out Of Darkness, which includes
numbers like Free and Smile, both hits among
Christians and non-Christians alike.

After their first encounter, Thomas and Ward
realised they had much in common - both were
learning to play the guitar - and they eventually
discussed ideas for chord structures and the
possibility of an original song.

That idea led to Ward's first solo effort and a
recording entitled Highway To Heaven, which
became a staple on the Barbados Community
College's radio station.

"I had a lot of songs and was actually working on
my own album, but, definitely, her voice was
better suited to some of the songs," Thomas
recalled.

The rest is history, and the 17-year-old Ward has
come a long way from being a shy girl who never
liked to sing in public.

"I never liked to sing for anyone to hear me really,
so having to record under constant scrutiny has
been a bit difficult. But it's better now because I'm
getting used to it. It's always good to use your
talent, that's the reason why I started doing so,
because I began to fear that one morning I was
going to wake up and not have it anymore," said
the Combermere student.


She became a Christian at age 11, recalling it
was just before entering secondary school.

"A lot of children's lives are ruined at that point.
That was when I got to hear about salvation and
Jesus, so when I entered secondary school I
was fresh with that, though I wasn't quite as
serious as I am now. But as time progressed, I
saw many wasting their lives and realised I had
something that was beautiful, that was worth
taking seriously and worth telling people about,"
she recalled.

David, on the other hand, is a 29-year-old
husband and father of two who met Christ some
12 years ago. Besides participating in the
musical aspects of church worship, he also
grew up on the pop/rock grooves of U2, Chicago,
Toto, The Police and Phil Collins; hence the
heavy influence of '80s music on the album.

In fact, David played all the guitars - bass,
electric and acoustic - on the CD, earning praise
from other musicians, producers and sound
engineers.

As far as his songwriting is concerned - he wrote
nine of Out Of Darkness' 11 tracks - the themes
of storms and darkness pervade his songs.

"A lot of my songs come from an expression of
knowing where I was and where I am, where God
has brought me and from where He brought me.
The ongoing struggle is to stay where I am and
to be in God's presence and in His will, and to
know that there is constantly this storm;
because being a Christian or being saved doesn't
mean that everything all of a sudden becomes
perfect," he explained.

Dana's songwriting has a lighter, happier feel,
though, and provide a balance of her bright side
versus David's depth.

The April Congaline festival provided them with an
opportunity not only to capture a wide market
but to take The Word to non-Christians.

"We always hear Christians saying we're here to
make a change or to witness to the world, but
then they only sing at Christian events. To me,
that doesn't make sense. If you want
non-Christians to hear you, you have to go where
non-Christians are . . . . We get lambasted for
that often," said David.
- The Sunday Sun