Daniela Brooks, also known as Danielia Cotton, was born on September 24, 1967, in Hopewell, New Jersey, and is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Raised by a single mother who was also a jazz singer, she began her musical journey at age 12 with an acoustic guitar and singing in a gospel group. She graduated from the New Jersey School of Performing Arts and earned a full scholarship to Bennington College, where she studied acting and music. In 2004, she released her self-titled EP, marking her debut as a recording artist. Her first studio album, Small White Town, was released in 2005. Her second album, Rare Child (2008), reached the top ten albums downloaded on iTunes during its first week of release. The live EP Live Child (2009) won the Ninth Annual Independent Music Award for Best Live Album. In 2017, she released The Mystery of Me, an album that features a mix of rock and soul.
