1. Early Life and Background
Daneliya Tuleshova's early life was marked by a diverse upbringing in Kazakhstan and an early introduction to the performing arts, which laid the foundation for her musical career.
1.1. Childhood and Education
Daneliya Tuleshova was born on July 18, 2006, in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Her parents are Elena Tuleshova and Alexander Tuleshov, both of whom come from mixed Kazakh and Tatar families with long histories in Kazakhstan. She has two younger siblings. Although born in Astana, Tuleshova considers Almaty her hometown.
At the age of four, after recovering from a gymnastics injury, Tuleshova began practicing ballroom dancing. She also took contemporary dance classes in Almaty and simultaneously attended acting and singing classes, demonstrating an early interest and aptitude for various artistic disciplines. In late 2018, she was a sixth-grader at the Ukrainian Physics and Mathematics Lyceum, where she focused on mathematics as a primary academic interest.
1.2. Early Career Beginnings
Tuleshova's musical journey began at the age of eight. She was discovered by the organizers of Ayaglagan Astana, a Kazakh singing competition that served as a selection round for the renowned Children's New Wave. This international contest for young performers is held annually in Russia. In 2015, Tuleshova won the Ayaglagan Astana competition, which allowed her to advance to the finals of Children's New Wave. At this prestigious event, she earned the Audience Award, marking her first significant achievement in the music industry.
2. Career
Daneliya Tuleshova's career is highlighted by her participation in major international talent competitions and her subsequent development as an independent recording artist.
2.1. Major Competition Participations
Tuleshova's rise to prominence was significantly shaped by her appearances and accomplishments in several high-profile national and international talent competitions.
2.1.1. The Voice Kids Ukraine
In January 2017, Tuleshova participated in the international singing competition Hopes of Europe, where she was awarded the grand prize. Later that year, she auditioned for the fourth season of The Voice Kids Ukraine. During the Blind Auditions, she performed "Stone Cold" by Demi Lovato. All three coaches-Monatik, Natalia Mohylevska, and Vremya i Steklo-turned their chairs for her, and she chose Monatik as her coach. She successfully navigated through all stages of the competition, reaching the grand final. There, she performed the song "Ne tvoya viyna" and was ultimately declared the winner at the age of 10. At the time, she was the first non-Ukrainian contestant to win the competition.
In March 2018, Tuleshova received the Glimpse into the Future Award at the inaugural International Professional Music Premium Bravo Awards held in Moscow. Following her award reception, she performed the song "Je veux" alongside French singer Zaz.
2.1.2. Junior Eurovision Song Contest
On September 22, 2018, Daneliya Tuleshova was selected to represent Kazakhstan in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018, which took place in Minsk, Belarus. Her entry was the song "Ózińe sen", which she co-wrote with Artyom Kuz'menkov and Kamila Dairova, with music composed by Ivan Lopukhov. In the final competition, she performed third, following Portugal's Rita Laranjeira and preceding Albania's Efi Gjika. At the conclusion of the voting, Tuleshova received a total of 171 points, comprising 68 points from the international juries and 103 points from the public vote, securing a sixth-place finish. An English version of "Ózińe sen", titled Seize the Time, was released on October 21, 2018.
2.1.3. The World's Best
In 2019, Tuleshova participated in the American television talent show The World's Best. For her audition, she performed "Rise Up", originally sung by Andra Day. In the battle rounds of the competition, she successfully defeated Japanese contestant Manami Ito, which allowed her to advance to the champion rounds. In the champion rounds, she performed "What About Us" by Pink, but she was ultimately eliminated from the competition, finishing among the top 8 contestants.
2.1.4. America's Got Talent
In 2020, a concert scheduled for Daneliya in Texas, United States, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June of that year, she auditioned for the fifteenth season of America's Got Talent. She performed "Tears of Gold" by Faouzia and received "yes" votes from all four judges: Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel. Her audition was highly praised by Faouzia, who described Tuleshova's voice and stage presence as "amazing".
Tuleshova advanced to the live shows of the competition. During the Quarterfinals on August 18, she performed "Sign of the Times" by Harry Styles and progressed to the Semifinals via the online public vote. In the Semifinals, she sang "Who You Are" by Jessie J, which earned her a spot in the Finals. For her final performance, Tuleshova delivered a rendition of Sia's "Alive". She did not advance to the top 5, ultimately placing 6th in the competition.
2.2. Music Career and Releases
Beyond competitions, Daneliya Tuleshova has actively pursued an independent music career, developing her artistic identity and releasing original works.
2.2.1. Da NeL Project
In February 2020, during an interview with Kazakh TV channel Gakku TV, Daneliya announced the launch of a new music project under the stage name "Da NeL". Her first single released under this new moniker was "хзчздз" (хзчздзNobody freakin' knows what the homework isRussian), which premiered on February 4, 2020. This was followed by her second single, "Мой день" (Мой деньMy DayRussian), which premiered in April 2020. Subsequent singles released as "Da NeL" include "OMG" and "FIRE", which premiered in May and June 2020, respectively.
2.2.2. Record Label Signing and Activities
In May 2021, it was reported that Tuleshova was named the Flagship Artist of the American record label '4 Chords Records'. Her first single released with this label, titled "Like You Used To", quickly garnered significant attention, accumulating over 100,000 streams on various platforms within days of its release. She has also been associated with other labels including Daneliya Tuleshova Production, DT Music Group, and VANNS Music.
3. Discography
Daneliya Tuleshova has released numerous singles throughout her career.
| Year | Title | Language |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Космос (English: Cosmos) | Russian |
| 2016 | Другие (Romanized: Drugiye, English: Others) | Russian |
| 2018 | Ózińe sen (English: Seize the Time) | Kazakh, English |
| 2018 | Seize the Time (English-only Version of Ózińe sen) | English |
| 2019 | Mama | Kazakh |
| 2019 | Don't Cha | English |
| 2020 | ХЗЧЗДЗ (Romanized: KhZChZDZ, Nobody freakin' knows what the homework is) as Da NeL | Russian, English |
| 2020 | Glossy | English |
| 2020 | Мой день (English: My Day) as Da NeL | Russian, English, Kazakh |
| 2020 | OMG (as Da NeL) | Russian, English |
| 2020 | FIRE (as Da NeL) | Russian, English |
| 2021 | Like You Used To | English |
| 2021 | Lucky Me | English |
| 2023 | Fck Hm | English |
| 2023 | Main Event | English |
| 2023 | Trouble | English |
| 2023 | Tied | English |
| 2023 | Cynical | English |
| 2024 | it's only pain | English |
| 2024 | memories | English |
| 2024 | bye bye baby | English |
4. Live Performances
Daneliya Tuleshova has performed live at various events and venues.
| Date | Event/Venue | City | Country | Performed song(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 13, 2024 | Barboza | Seattle | United States |
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