Danielle Aykroyd is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who performs under the name Vera Sola. Sometimes called the "lost love child of Leonard Cohen and Nancy Sinatra," Vera Sola’s smoky vocalization and searing, soaring songs have a cinematic aspect to them, and would feel equally at home in a David Lynch film or a prairie full of phantoms. A trained poet, her lyrics are twisting and imagistic, marked alternatively by restrained mystery and a resplendent, wild-eyed rage.

Her 2018 debut LP, Shades, which she plays every instrument on, is a study in shadowy Americana and mesmeric incantation. Her sophomore album of 2024, Peacemaker, is a more expansive extravaganza with lush orchestration, dark dreamscapes, and tales of vengeance, heartache, and haunting. Vera Sola’s new EP, Ghostmaker is a pared-down resurrection of Peacemaker tracks, and features a brand new song, “The Ghostmaster’s Daughter.”

On this episode, Danielle discusses howspirits guide her music, her relationship to ghosts, and the liberating power of finding her voice.

Pam also talks about the feminist history of Spiritualism, and answers a listener question about a precarious prediction.

Vera Sola’s songs featured in the audio version of this podcast episode are as follows:

“Circles” from Shades

“Bad Idea” from Peacemaker

“The Ghostmaster’s Daughter” from Ghostmaker

“Blood Bond” from Peacemaker

“Instrument of War” from Peacemaker

Check out the video of this episode over on YouTube (and please like and subscribe to the channel while you’re at it!)

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#145 - Vera Sola AKA Danielle Aykroyd, Spirited Songstress