Danica Muscat is a remarkable woman who is currently studying a Master of Arts in Health, Medicine and Society at the University of Malta. She also works at Agenzija Support as a Residential Leader taking care of young men who have severe autism. However, you are more likely to know Danica for her musical talents such as winning the public vote for her song at Mużika Mużika in 2021 and her participation on Io Canto on Italy’s Canale 5 singing with Italian superstars.
So, how does Danica describe herself as an artist?
‘I first started off by taking piano lessons, but I don’t like sitting down for too long and using both hands at the same time, so I quit at a young age. Singing has always been my passion. I started singing at the age of four. I told my mother I wanted to sing because of Titanic. I started singing Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart will Go On’ and she started taking me to singing lessons. I loved it from the first lesson. You can say that I mostly enjoy power ballads and contemporary ones because that’s where my emotions come out the most.’
Danica started participating in local competitions at the tender age of five years old. However, one of her biggest career highlights happened 12 years ago when she gained fame on Canale 5 at just 15 years old.
‘By that time, I had moved on to a new Italian coach for singing lessons. She used to come to Malta to teach. There was this talent hunt, and she chose around 5-6 people to go to Italy with her. I didn’t know why I was going to Italy – I thought it was just a contest. I did not know I was going to be on Canale 5! As soon as I sang, they told us to go upstairs to sign the contract. They told me I was also going to be signed with Sony and that I would open each programme by singing the first part of their opening theme song.’
During this time, Danica did not permanently live in Italy. For a whole year, she commuted between Italy and Malta because she wanted to continue going to school with her friends and just be herself!
‘It was hectic, but I do not regret it. I had a lot of support from my family and friends. I used to keep in touch with everyone. After the year was over, I decided to come back to Malta. I love Malta. No regrets here either. I submitted a song for the Eurovision, and I managed to be with the finalists when I was just 16 years old. This is another incredible highlight in my career.’
Earlier on this year, Danica was picked by a professional jury to join the capital’s big band in 2022 and, this summer, Danica will be performing alongside a Spanish superstar.
‘My manager pushes me a lot, so we decided to apply. It was a fantastic experience to perform with the live band. The opportunity to sing with them for a whole year is incredible. A lot of amazing things happened this year. This was one of them, alongside Mużika Mużika and collaborating with Kapitlu 13.’
Moving on to Mużika Mużika 2022, the concert was well appreciated on the island since it was one of the first big events coming out of the pandemic.
‘I was fortunate enough to make it to the final again this year. Both experiences were completely different. This year, I had a different style than people are used to hearing me sing. I missed being on stage. This year it was better because the audience could be present, and the vibe was incredible!’
Moving on to Danica’s day job, her career is an impressive one since she works with young men, on a daily basis, who have severe autism. Her goal is to give them as much of a normal life as possible.
‘I have been working within Agenzija Support for five years. My current role is Residential Leader and, together with my team, we ensure that these young men are being provided with daily living skills and given the opportunity to integrate in society while also reducing stigma on these disabilities. I wouldn’t change my job for anything. The best reward you can get is a smile or a thank you. For other people, these are insignificant but for me, these small gestures mean the world.’
Malta is known for being a talented nation when it comes to the arts. So, we asked Danica…how does one stand out from the crowd? Her answer was simple yet captivating.
‘By being yourself. I never tried to be anyone else. I live by the saying ‘either you love me, or you hate me’. Everyone has their own opinion…I don’t like everyone either!’So, where will we see Danica next?
‘There’s the upcoming concert happening this summer and we also have some music videos we’re working on. I might also have some material on my own and others with Kapitlu 13 coming out soon. And, of course, I am also working on Mużika Mużika for next year!’
Thank you, Danica for being inspiring and for sharing your story with us. Thank you for inspiring other women to make a change!
