Legal career
After college, Ponder attended law school at the Northeastern University School of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor in 2011. Following this, she worked as a public defender in the Monroe County Public Defender's Office. In 2018, she pursued music but eventually returned to the legal field.
Music career
In December 2021, she left her public defender position to pursue a career in music. In 2022, she performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers. In the fall of 2022, she released her debut album, Some of Us are Brave. It is a collection of 8 songs characterized as a mix of soul, RnB, and trip hop. In April 2023, she performed on General Hospital. In August 2023, she performed at Lollapalooza.
Thoughts
Danielle Ponder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm failing fast
I gave it all I got and now I'm gone
I'm here with my new friends
The doubts the fear
They tell me I will never get put on
And these thoughts surround me
And these thoughts surround me
I'm falling just like their prey
I find my strength again, my voice, my pen
I want the things that God has promised me
But I end up right back there
Contrast compare
What do they have that maybe I can't be
And these thoughts surround me
They're haunting me night and day
And these thoughts surround me
I'm falling just like their prey
I ain't quite where I used to be
Don't know where I am going
I'm not quite where I used to be
Don't know where I am going
In Danielle Ponder's song "Thoughts," the lyrics reveal the struggles that come with trying to pursue one's dreams. The singer admits to being new to the life that they have, and in this new world, they feel like they are failing fast. They've given it their all and feel as though they've reached a dead-end. Despite finding new friends on this journey, their doubts and fears seem to take over, telling them that they will never make it. This feeling haunts them day and night as they struggle to stay afloat.
However, the singer finds their strength again through their voice and pen. They desire the things that God has promised them, but they always end up back where they started. They compare themselves to others who seem to have made it, wondering what they have that they don't. These thoughts continue to surround them, causing them to feel as though they are falling prey.
The song's chorus emphasizes the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by these thoughts, which are haunting the singer day and night. They feel like they are falling, unable to escape or break free from these negative thoughts. The repeated line, "I'm falling just like their prey," conveys the feeling of being trapped and hunted by these thoughts.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm new to the life I have
I am inexperienced with the current circumstances of my life
I'm failing fast
I am struggling and deteriorating rapidly
I gave it all I got and now I'm gone
I put forth all my efforts and now I feel defeated and lost
I'm here with my new friends
I am surrounded by new people who I associate with
The doubts the fear
I harbor feelings of uncertainty and anxiety
They tell me I will never get put on
They convey to me that I will never attain success
And these thoughts surround me
I am overwhelmed by these persistent thoughts
They're haunting me night and day
These thoughts are distressing me consistently
I'm falling just like their prey
I am becoming trapped by these negative thoughts
I find my strength again, my voice, my pen
I discover my tenacity, my self-expression, and my writing abilities once more
I want the things that God has promised me
I desire the rewards that I believe God has assured me
But I end up right back there
However, I continually revert to my initial state of mind
Contrast compare
I assess and compare myself to others around me
What do they have that maybe I can't be
I contemplate what qualities or traits they possess that I may lack
I ain't quite where I used to be
I am not in the same position or mindset as I previously was
Don't know where I am going
I am uncertain about my future and direction
I'm not quite where I used to be
I have progressed to some extent, but not to where I desire to be
Don't know where I am going
I am still grappling with uncertainty regarding my path forward
Writer(s): Edward Cregan Quinn, Danielle Ponder
Contributed by Caden I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.