Dante Palminteri has a soft spot for brunettes. Or perhaps it’s just for those spontaneity-filled relationships. In his latest single, aptly titled “Brunettes,” Palminteri rocks out in honor of the times when a brunette has swept him off of his feet in the name of adventure.
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“I wrote this after moving back home from NYC due to covid,” Palminteri tells American Songwriter. “Staying cooped up really made me miss the type of life I had before and I wanted to write about it. I was feeling anxious and upset at everything that was going on and wanted to write about going to the completely opposite place of where I was.
“My biggest inspiration for this song is, of course, the girl who I wrote it about,” he continues. “And the type of girl I always find myself with. That’s why I called it ‘brunettes’ plural because I always seem to find myself with people who take me out of my comfort zone and throw me into new experiences. And I love it always.”
Palminteri’s ode to the brunettes who have more fun is uniquely catchy and shamelessly fun. Inspired by contemporary artists like John Mayer and Ed Sheeran, “Brunettes” sounds at home among today’s summer anthems, sharing the daunting notion of putting yourself out there and being open to new possibilities.
“This song is about losing yourself and leaving your comfort zone. Even when it terrifies you. Maybe you have someone to yank you out like me or maybe you have to go out yourself,” Palminteri says.
Filled with magnetic builds and punchy pop hooks, “Brunettes” showcases the singer/songwriter’s confidence in crafting soundscapes. “Everything usually starts on the guitar for me. Then builds off that. On the rare occasion it doesn’t, the other instruments act as a springboard for me to use my guitar to really turn on the inspiration. It’s a lot of trial and error, it’s very messy,” Palminteri explains.
“I heard some advice once that I should always play what I thought was funny. Always lean into the ‘jokes’ because your guard is totally down and that’s just you having fun. I always try and remember that because most of the time that’s completely true. The parts where you were just goofing off and having fun very often are the best things you write,” the artist concludes.
While Palminteri isn’t new to the spotlight—he’s also known for his roles in Orange Is the New Black and Sharknado 2—his budding music career is quickly catching the attention of brunettes and anyone else who likes to jam out to alternative rock.
Watch Dante Palminteri’s “Brunettes” below.
