Hey readers and Monolith attendees - meet Danielle Ate the Sandwich.

As we've been (constantly) reminding you for the past couple of weeks, we're thrilled to be one of the sponsors of this year's Monolith Festival, taking place on September 12th and 13th at the beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado. We'll be bringing you interviews with everyone playing our stage. Danielle Ate the Sandwich is the project of Danielle Anderson, a funny, talented songwriter whose weapons of choice include acoustic guitar, ukulele, and goofy faces.

First of all, are you well-acquainted with fellow uke player and Monolith performer Rachel Goodrich? Something tells me you'd like one another. Maybe we can see some sort of uke duet during the festival? Heart or more Tina Turner, perhaps?

I didn’t know of Rachel Goodrich until I saw her on the lineup for Monolith. When I finally heard her music, it felt like I was listening to my older, cooler, really pretty sister.

So, about that sandwich...did you eat it? What's that all about?

I pass up so many singer/songwriters with first and last names. I wanted something visual and memorable. I don’t ever want to be ordinary. Danielle Anderson...you’d flip that page, wouldn’t you?

You've got a plethora of great covers on YouTube, including a very nice cover or "What's Love Got to Do With It." Do you find it exciting and/or challenging to reinterpret these songs just on the ukulele?

I approach doing a cover as a challenge. I want to make sure it’s worth it. There are a lot of great songs in the world that I would love to do, but when I try to play them they end up sounding like something really ordinary and boring. For me, there’s got to be little bit of a light, whether it’s in the way I sing it, or the way I play it. It’s got to be special.

How long have you been performing as just Danielle? What prompted you to write that first album, and did you know you were etching out a musical career for yourself?

I’ve been a solo act for three years. I’ve always written songs for myself (notebooks full of songs date back to my sixth grade years), but just recently found the confidence to sing them and share them. After singing in the band Backdraft: the Musical, I kind of got over those fears. Performing solo, was a much scarier thing, however, because the songs I write for myself have always been a bit different then the songs I wrote when I was in Backdraft. Those songs were more for the sake of writing things I thought people would like or what I thought a song was suppose to sound like. The songs I write for just Danielle are bare bones alone on the floor of my apartment trying to say something that’s important to me and close to me and something that I think is lovely and interesting. No matter what it’s about or who, I just want my songs to be lovely. Words are too good to not be lovely every time.

I had no idea I was creating a musical career for myself. At first, I thought of it as a hobby, a side gig. I wrote songs because I had them running around in my head and I made the album because I had enough finished songs to do so. I can’t say I’ve ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SINGER, but only because I guess I never thought it was a reality. Now, as it’s becoming a real “career” I’m looking around thinking, “You’re kidding, right? This is too amazing! I am too lucky!”

Speaking of, you've now got two records. How has your sound changed as you've continued to write music?

I like to think I’ve built up a personal style and a presence. I feel the ukulele has brought out a new side of me. It’s a better compliment to my voice and what I do, in my opinion. I’ve lived a little more and grown up a bit, which hasn’t changed much of what I’m saying, I just have more of it to say. I’ve grown as a performer, too. I don’t fumble around as much or worry about little mistakes. I have fun. I get in to it. I’ve developed this kind of awkward unpleasant dance-bop when I’m really feeling a song. It’s pretty unsatisfying.

Given the chance, with whom would you like to collaborate?

I’ve always wanted to be one of Sufjan Stevens’ background singers. I’d like to sing with Bob Dylan or Joni Mitchell, maybe Townes Van Zandt. I’d be Art Garfunkel too, if Paul Simon needed me. I’d like to sing jazz songs with Peggy Lee or sit on a porch swing with Mississippi John Hurt.

You're crafty, and make bags and cd cases and whatnot. What is appealing to you about creating in this way, and do you think it adds something to the Danielle Ate the Sandwich experience to have the album at least partially (or completely) homemade?

I think being crafty and handmade adds a lot to the experience of Danielle Ate the Sandwich. I feel like I’ve always been a “homemade” type of person and I’m really happy that a lot of people are getting that vibe from what I’m doing with my music. I also LOVE to sew and craft and create so I’m glad I get to bring that into the music side of me. Making something from nothing or not much is very satisfying, as is getting to say, “I made this!” I like getting credit for things and the idea of being completely self-sufficient is an idea I like. I think the bottom line is, what I do is all pretty simple, but still thick, somehow, with meaning and heart. At least I hope it is.

You're a Colorado resident, so I imagine you've seen some of the bands we met last year - Paper Bird, or The Wheel, for example. Who do you like to see in town?

I really like Paper Bird and The Wheel! Ian Cooke, Cody Crump, Boulder Acoustic Society...I opened a show for Elephant Revival and felt like I was wrapped in a blanket during their set. Two of my favorites are close friends of mine and based in Fort Collins - Otem Rellik and Lifeboat Etiquette.

Have you played many festivals before? What acts are you especially looking forward to seeing at Monolith?

I’ve never played a festival and I don’t think I’ve ever even been to one. I’m excited to see it all happening. I usually avoid large groups of people doing anything, but like the idea that people who are enthusiastic about music and festival culture can get their fill. I feel really lucky to be a part of that. I feel like I got invited to a really cool party. A cool party with Red Man and Method Man, who I am pretty excited to see. I’m excited about Rachel Goodrich, as mentioned before and Of Montreal, The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs and M. Ward.

What do you like to do out on the road when you're not performing? Are you a big fan of tourist traps or truck stops or museums?

I love tourist traps as long as they are free and REALLY awful and cheesy. Truck stops, for sure. I like looking at junky souvenirs and stuff. I like walking around and stopping in coffeeshops and fabric stores. My boyfriend usually comes with me and he likes toy stores and comic book shops, so we always go to a few of those. Plans for California include Legoland, Medieval Times and going to a taping of Family Feud. We are also going to wait around the capital building in Sacramento and try to see Arnold Schwarzenegger. He and I both being extremely mature and intellectual, we make sure to bring along the Super Nintendo when we head out. A good day for me, on tour, is to sleep late in a strange hotel bed, wake up younger and play the shit out of Super Mario Kart in my underwear.