Five weeks before her wedding in 2022, singer, songwriter and guitarist Danni Hoshino realized she was trans. Soon after coming out, her old life unraveled. In its unwinding, Hoshino wove together the life she was always meant to live. Releasing under the artist name Light Bird, her debut 11-song collection, 'SEE HER', explores the challenges and found beauty that arose in this new phase of life. “From the uncertain years leading up to my transition, the realization and fallout of coming out as a trans woman, and navigating the world as a baby queer, I suddenly found myself with a voice and perspective that was always missing,” Hoshino says. “It felt vital that I represent that perspective and share it, especially at a time when the trans community is being villainized and attacked daily.” “I had an existing solo project, but realizing how much my life had changed, I decided it made sense to start fresh with a new project and stage name,” she continues. “The term ‘Light Bird’ is an evolution of one of my older songs. Becoming this new version of myself, a person who is now much more confident and extroverted and actualized, felt like stepping into the light.” The weeks after Hoshino came out were joyous, but also littered with fear, doubt, and questions. Was she really trans? Was she misinterpreting her feelings? Those thoughts were quickly trumped by gender euphoria when she caught her reflection in the mirror, changed the spelling of her name, or found herself dancing in the living room. These were pivotal moments in her story. She recorded a reminder to her future self; crafted a touchstone should she ever doubt who she really is. The original note is the introduction to the album’s title track. It’s a song she says is the crux of everything. Within it, Hoshino revisits three different points in her life. How did she see herself at seventeen? At twenty-three? And thirty-three? And why couldn’t she see who she really was during all that time? “For so many trans people, it’s a discovery that takes years of experiences and exploration and, ultimately, self-love to finally put the pieces together,” Hoshino says. “This was the case for me. I’m so grateful to myself for the clarity I found, and the kindness, grace and compassion I gave myself to help me answer the question I had never known to ask.” ​After coming out, Hoshino moved from the Boston suburbs to Brooklyn. It marked a further genesis of her new life. While she had played in folk-country band The Novel Ideas in her 20’s, she’d long ago set aside any artistic aspiration for the security of a nine-to-five corporate ladder. The decision to return to music was something she always wanted. This time, she had a necessary perspective to share and a renewed sense of purpose. To make the album, Hoshino pulled from a well-known cast of characters in the storied Boston folk scene. 'SEE HER' was produced by Don Mitchell of Darlingside, engineered by Zachary Hinkman, and mixed by Harris Paseltiner of Darlingside. Sonically, the collection features collaborators Csilla Bonnie on bass, Dave Brophy on drums, with backup vocals from Ri Lotz. The bulk of the full band songs were recorded live in the studio. The organic tempo achieved allows the songs to breathe. The album’s lead single, “Williamsburg Bridge,” is an ode to a tradition for all New Yorkers—crying on public transit. “I would ride the J train from Manhattan back to Bushwick and reflect on all these changes. Some were beautiful, life-giving, and mind-expanding. Others were hard, sad, and incredibly costly,” she says. “But I also just love the experience of crying on the train. It’s cathartic. It’s both exposed and anonymous.” “Big Time Texter” is a lighthearted look at how Hoshino’s attachment style collides with the chaotic queer and poly dating scenes in Brooklyn. “It can all so easily make you feel like you’re too much for people,” she says. “But it also challenges you to accept that things around you will just keep changing. There are as many chances for love as for heartbreak.” “Alright” is the album’s only duet, featuring Lotz. It’s a bittersweet folk-country ballad set at the end of Hoshino’s engagement. The song celebrates good, persistent love, alongside the resignation that sometimes things change—like a person’s gender—and that a good thing must come to an end. ​Most songs on 'SEE HER' were written right after Hoshino came out or in the years since. She also revisits a few older songs through the lens of her transition. ​“I’m so grateful to the people who helped me and challenged me to peel back the layers and try to be a better, more authentic version of myself,” she continues. “I love singing ‘See Her' for other trans people, who can see some of their own journey in the story. But just as significantly, I love performing it for cis people who don’t have that experience with gender transition. Perhaps they can see other moments of self-discovery and acceptance in their lives reflected back to them, and help to further humanize the trans experience.” ​“I want people to hear something of an experience that they haven’t had, and still find words and moments to relate to and find catharsis in,” she says. “And I want people to play it in the car with the windows down.”