Danika Holm

**Dame Danika Isabella Holm**, **DKR** (born 30 January 1984) is a Reshan singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and model. Born in Vurman, and raised in Duva, Holm began her career as a child, performing in musical theatre and in her school's choir. After graduating from high school in 2004, Holm moved to Hederhelm, where she began studying at the Faculty of Drama and Performing Arts at the University of Resha. In 2005, she won the role of Sheila Franklin in a Hederhelm production of the musical, *Hair*, and performed in the role for three years.

After retiring from the role in 2008, Holm was offered a recording contract with Fuchsia Records and Mason Music Resha. Her debut studio album, *A Girl Like Me* (2009), became the best-selling album in Resha, Kypa, and East Resha of the year. In 2011, she competed to represent Resha in the Pravian Song Contest 2011, with the song, "Irresistible". She won, and became the Reshan representative in the competition. She went on to win, earning the highest amount of points of all-time. Her sophomore album, *DH*, was released later that year and became an international success.

Holm has went on to release three other studio albums, *Manslaughter* (2012), *Sunny Day* (2014), and *SuperEgo* (2016), all of which have become chart-topping successes. Holm is regarded as a pop icon in not only her native country, but throughout all of Pravia. Globally, she is one of the best-selling Reshan artists of all-time, and has been dubbed the "Princess of Reshan Pop", "Princess of Pop", and "Honorary Princess of Resha", by the Reshan and international media. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, and in 2015 she was granted the title Dame Commander of the Kingdom of Resha, by Queen Sabina.

Internationally, Holm has been dubbed "the face of Reshan pop", and in 2016, she was ranked third by *Zipper Magazine* on their "100 Greatest Women in Pravian Music" list. *Forbes Resha* ranked her as the highest-paid Reshan celebrity. Throughout her career, she has been known for her elaborate stage outfits and raunchy, theatrical live performances.

## Life and career

### Early life and career beginnings

Holm was born in Vurman, Osko (now East Resha), as the youngest child of Pina Holm (née Kajer), an accountant, and Otto Holm, an actuary. She has two elder brothers, Marko and Tim. At the start of the East Reshan Revolution in 1986, the Holm family fled East Resha, and settled in Duva, Lagers. At age two, Holm began taking dance classes at a local children's studio. When the instructor told her mother that she was too advanced for the other children to keep up with, she was moved into a class with children up to six years older than her. She began taking acting and singing classes at age four, and made her local stage debut at age six, when she played Goldilocks in an amateur production of *Goldilocks and the Three Bears*.

Holm began school in 1990, but was uninterested in academic classes, instead finding a greater interest in creative subjects. Her parents removed her from public schooling after one year, and she began attending Hefermann School, a private elementary arts academy in nearby Mandak. While at Hefermann, Holm developed an affinity for performance art and elaborate costuming, after befriending two girls who wished to pursue fashion design as a career. She graduated from elementary school in 2000, and began attending a music school in her hometown. During her time at music school, Holm was a popular student who was known for frequently being cast in lead roles during school dramas and musicals. In high school, Holm became introduced to other styles of music, including glam rock, disco, and electronica, which influenced her style greatly.

After graduating from music school in 2004, Holm moved to Hederhelm and enrolled in the Faculty of Drama and Performing Arts at the University of Resha. Majoring in vocal performance, Holm was a dean's list student, was a member of the musical theatre and fashion design student societies, and was a youth mentor. In 2005, she began auditioning for musicals, and was cast as the female lead, Sheila Franklin, in a Hederhelm production of *Hair*. The production was acclaimed by Reshan theatre reviewers, specifically citing Holm as a standout. She dropped out of university in 2006, in order to prioritize the production and her burgeoning career.

### 2008–2010: *A Girl Like Me* and breakthrough

While performing in *Hair*, Holm began gaining media attention and a following. She was largely praised for her powerful performances and ability to improvise during the shows. In 2007, she was named one of "Resha's 15 Stars of Tomorrow" by music magazine, *Alexandria*. On 20 February 2008, Holm's management revealed that the 15 May performance would be her final one. After the announcement, tickets to the 15 May show sold out within 45 minutes.

The day after her final performance, it was revealed that Holm had signed a three-album recording contract with Fuchsia Records and Mason Music Resha. It was reported that the contract was worth over $1 million. Holm later confirmed the news, and that she had begun writing and recording for her debut album while still committed to *Hair*, which was the reason for having understudies perform the part of Sheila four days a week.

After recording for the album was completed, Holm embarked on a small promotional tour throughout Resha, performing at five shopping malls in Hederhelm, Riksur, and Riffer, performing four songs off of the album accompanied by two backup dancers and a backing singer. Holm later went on to describe these shows as "awkward" and "a clusterfuck". Her debut single, "She Ain't Me", was released 17 October 2008. The song took influence from urban music and hip hop, and became her breakout hit. "She Ain't Me" sold 100,000 copies in Resha on its first day of release, and debuted at number-1 on the Reshan Singles Chart. The single was also successful in Kypa and East Resha.

Her debut studio album, *A Girl Like Me*, was later released on her 25th birthday, 30 January 2009. Like its lead single, the album saw massive success, and debuted at number-1 in Resha, Kypa, and East Resha. In Resha, it remained at the peak position for two months straight, and was certified diamond. The album also became the best-selling album of 2009 in Resha, Kypa, and East Resha. The album also spawned the singles "Do It Again", "Tick Tock", and "Shine a Light", all of which cracked the top ten in Holm's home country. She then embarked on the *A Girl Like Me Tour*, which performed shows in Resha, Kypa, East Resha, Titovania, the Velkanian Isles, and Zornia.

### 2010–2011: Pravian Song Contest and *DH*

Holm began writing for her second studio album while still on the *A Girl Like Me Tour*. After the tour's completion and Holm returned to Resha, she requested time off in order to spend time with her family following her mother's breast cancer diagnosis. During this period of time, she returned to her family home in Duva, but continued writing music by herself and with friends she met in music school.

After two months, Holm returned to Hederhelm in June 2010, and began recording for the album. In an August 2010 interview, Holm stated that the album had more of a "dance vibe" and took strong influence from 1980s pop and 1970s disco. She also stated that many of the songs were inspired by her mother's bout with cancer, which she eventually survived.

On 16 December 2010, Holm was confirmed to be taking part in *ReshaSong 2011*, Resha's national final for the Pravian Song Contest 2011. Her song, "Irresistible", was to be the lead single off of her upcoming second studio album. After the announcement of Holm's participation, Resha's odds to win the competition fell rapidly, and they became the second-favorite to win. During the *ReshaSong 2011* final on 5 March 2011, Holm was declared the winner and the Reshan representative. "Irresistible" soared to number-1 on the Reshan iTunes chart, and debuted at number-1 on the Reshan Singles Chart the following week. In preparation for the contest, Holm went on a promotional tour, performing in Albernia, Asharsia, Berats, Dresperland, Fransert, Ilenia, and Jurgenkrosh.

Holm went on to represent Resha in the final of the Pravian Song Contest 2011 on 14 May 2011. She ended up winning the competition, earning an all-time high score of 284, earning a maximum amount of points from 20 of the 26 other competing countries. "Irresistible" later peaked at number-1 in 17 countries, and reached the top ten in nine additional ones. Her sophomore studio album, *DH*, was released on 11 November 2011, and became her first album to be promoted outside of the Reshan-speaking nations. The album sold over 17.9 million copies worldwide, and peaked at number-1 in every Pravian country except Maru. She later embarked on her *I Am DH Tour*, which performed shows in all 27 nations of Pravia. The tour was critically acclaimed for its theatricality and unorthodox practices, such as Holm's dressing room being on stage.

### 2011–2015: *Manslaughter* and *Sunny Day*

For her third studio album, Holm was given complete creative control by her record label, as for the direction she wished to take the album in. After suffering from a period of writer's block, Holm found inspiration after listening to some of the glam rock bands that she had listened to while in high school. In a July 2012 interview, she stated, "I was so lost. I've never had this much control over my music before and I didn't know what to do with it. I stumbled upon a mixtape my boyfriend gave me when I was 17, and was just like, 'Okay Danika, this is what we have to do'."

The album's lead single, "Black Cat", was released on 10 August 2012. The song was highly influenced from glam rock and hard rock, and had socially conscious lyrics that spoke of a narrator whose lover was involved with gangs and criminal dealings. The song was praised by critics for its lyrics and for the 1980s nostalgic aesthetic. It was a large success, peaking within the top ten in fifteen countries.

Holm released her third studio album, *Manslaughter*, on 12 October 2012. She revealed that the album got its title after she met a woman who was convicted of manslaughter for accidentally killing her abusive husband during a physical fight, while she was touring her home country, East Resha. Regarding the title, she has said, "The mood [of the title] is really up to interpretation. Some people look at it and say, 'Oh that's so sad, her life was ruined because of this', while some see it and say, 'What a powerful woman, wear that conviction with pride'. I wanted the album to be able to convey both of those themes." The album received rave reviews for its artistic direction, and peaked within the top five in twenty-four countries. She promoted the album with *Danika Holm's "Manslaughter!" Live Tour*.

After releasing her third studio album, Holm signed a five-album contract with Fuchsia Records and Mason Music Resha, and began work on her fourth studio album. In a November 2013 interview, Holm stated, "*Manslaughter* was such a dark album, and now I want to switch it up completely and do something happy and fun". The album was reportedly heavily influenced by new wave, synthpop, and disco. The album's lead single, "Hunting for You", was released on 7 March 2014. The song heavily incorporated new wave music, and was dubbed "the most danceable song of the 21st century" by music magazine *Alexandria*. The song became an instant success, partially due to its popular tongue-in-cheek music video, which featured Holm portraying several different exaggerated fairytale characters.

Holm's fourth studio album, *Sunny Day*, was later released on 27 June 2014. The album peaked within the top five of every Pravian country's album chart, and was certified multi-platinum in every single one. It became her most critically acclaimed album as well, receiving a score of 95% on *SuperCritic*. To support the album, Holm embarked on a year-long tour, performing in multiple cities of every Pravian nation. The tour, titled *The Sunny Day Extravaganza*, became the most successful Pravian tour of all-time, selling out all of its shows and receiving $545 million in revenue.

### 2015–present: *SuperEgo*, marriage, and motherhood

While on *The Sunny Day Extravaganza* tour, Holm began writing and recording for her fifth studio album. She married her fiancé, actor Jon Defermann, on 20 June 2015, and later said that their relationship will have a large influence on the songs on her upcoming album. In a September 2015 interview, Holm stated, "The new album is all over the place. I'm calling it 'eclectopop' because of how eclectic it's sounding. There's some pop, some dance, some rock, even some traditional Reshan folk".

Holm went on to release the album's lead single, "Come and Get It", on 4 December 2015. The song was very eclectic in style, containing frequent tempo changes and taking inspiration from dance, glam rock, and Reshan folk music. The song was a massive success, peaking at number-1 in sixteen countries, and being certified multi-platinum in five additional countries.

Her fifth studio album, titled *SuperEgo*, was released on 15 April 2016. She has stated that the title references the psychological theory of the id, ego, and superego, which she learned about after taking a psychology course at a local polytechnic institute. Holm promoted the album as the interval act during the Pravian Song Contest 2016 in Emilet, performing a medley of her greatest hits. The album was a massive success, and peaked at number-1 in eighteen countries. After the album's release, she embarked on the *SuperEgo Tour*. She announced that she was going on a hiatus from music in March 2017, in order to prioritize family and motherhood.

## Artistry

### Musical style

Following her debut in 2008, Holm was commended by the media for her innovative stage performances and outfits, which has remained a focal point throughout her entire career. During the *A Girl Like Me* era, Holm was categorized as a pop and R&B singer with a musical theatre background. Many of her songs also incorporated urban music, such as hip hop and grime. However, later on in her career, Holm has went on to say that she "can't stand" the music she released during this era, and that it "wasn't up to [her]" to release it.

Around the time of her sophomore album, Holm began distancing herself from R&B and urban music, and instead began experimenting with dance music. Critics also noted a clear influence from genres such as disco, new wave, synthpop, EDM, and house in some of the songs on *DH*. Her musical style changed drastically for her third studio album. While still maintaining a pop core, *Manslaughter* incorporated genres such as hard rock, glam rock, alternative rock, and post-punk.

She returned to the style seen in *DH* for her fourth studio album, being heavily inspired by 1980s synthpop and new wave. Her fifth studio album, *SuperEgo*, saw a wide range of influences, including dance, rock, electronica, traditional Reshan folk music, and jazz, in addition to non-musical influences such as pop art and the culture of Southern Pravia. Holm's live concerts have been a source of both controversy and praise, due to her often sexual and raunchy performances. Holm has been described by both the media and herself as an "exhibitionist".

## Personal life

### Family and relationships

Throughout her career, Holm was rarely linked romantically to anyone. In 2012, Reshan tabloid magazine, *Heard It Here*, published an article "outing" Holm as a closeted lesbian with apparent photographic evidence of her and a female lover. However, Holm denied the allegations, saying, "If I was a lesbian I would've told everyone about it by now". Holm sued the tabloid for libel, and they settled outside of court. About a month after the allegations, the woman claimed to be Holm's lover, Alja Desmult, came forward, and revealed that the paparazzi had been following her and her girlfriend, Holm impersonator Franka Karjan, for hours, believing that Karjan was actually Holm.

In 2013, it was revealed that Holm had become engaged to actor Jon Defermann, after dating secretly for three years. In an interview, Holm stated, "It's quite amazing no one caught onto us. We weren't careful at all and even kissed in public. I guess people don't care about us as much as we think". They were married on 20 June 2015 in a beachfront ceremony in Ale, Myla. The couple honeymooned in Kypa. The family resides in the Neverhahn borough of Hederhelm.

On 15 January 2017, Holm revealed that she and Defermann were expecting their first child together, with a due date in August 2017.

### Politics and activism

Throughout her career, Holm has been outspoken on matters of politics and activism. She has stated that she was raised in a "leftist pro-monarchy family", and that her family's political beliefs were what forced them to flee East Resha. Because of her East Reshan heritage, Holm has been particularly vocal on the issue of Reshan reunification. She supports the peaceful reincorporation of East Resha into the Kingdom of Resha, only until they pay for damages caused during the East Reshan Revolution and accept the Reshan monarchy as their leader.

Holm has stated that she voted for the Peace Party in every election that she's been able to vote in, and greatly opposes the policies of the United West Resha and Conservative political parties. She supported the Social Democrats during the 2017 parliamentary election, and was invited to speak at a summit regarding Reshan reunification with the leaders of Resha, East Resha, Kypa, the Velkanian Isles, Zornia, and Gregaria.

Holm is also an activist for LGBT rights, women's rights, and reproductive rights. She performed in a concert in Hederhelm in 2010, after Resha legalized same-sex marriage and adoption. In 2013, Holm performed and spoke at a protest after the government of Fransert made all abortions illegal, and enacted a law which made women who receive abortions and doctors who perform them, eligible to be indicted for manslaughter and child abuse. Despite advocating for women's rights, Holm has frequently rejected the label "feminist". In a 2015 interview, she stated this was because of the hate she receives from so-called feminists for the way she presents herself, and thus doesn't want to be associated with the movement. She instead identifies herself as an "egalitarian".

## Discography

*Main article: Danika Holm discography.*

* *A Girl Like Me* (2009)
* *DH* (2011)
* *Manslaughter* (2012)
* *Sunny Day* (2014)
* *SuperEgo* (2016)