DANIELLE...I'm ready to enjoy life and take my career to that next level (Photos: Marlon Reid)

In a Splash exclusive, the dancehall vixen opens up about the collapse of her nine-year love affair, her new projects and how she's putting the drama and painful past behind her.

Danielle Isaacs is sitting in the corner of a quiet, dimly lit Chinese restaurant in Liguanea, St Andrew on a warm Wednesday night. She's simply dressed in a sleeveless pink blouse, matching slacks, slippers, gold jewellery and shimmering gloss on her lips. If it weren't for the make-up, long and dazzling blonde hair with dark highlights, she would seem much younger than her 24 years.

Vacillating between certainty and ambivalence, the dancehall artiste is speaking about breaking off a relationship with a man she fell deeply in love with nearly nine years ago.

"It just wasn't working out," she confides to Splash. "It's like we started wanting different things. We were on two different pages with different wishes for the future."

Not that long ago, Danielle triumphantly declared to us that the love she shared with Reggae Boy and England-based soccer star, Ricardo Fuller, was something larger-than-life, something we could never understand. That's why their amicable decision to walk away from the relationship this past February came as a shock to many.

DANIELLE... I learn from my mistakes and I've become a better person

Speaking with Danielle now, the first thing she'll tell you is that the 'long distance' wasn't the main factor that led to the break-up. There were many issues: she wasn't happy; she was tired of putting her needs on the back-burner; it was time for Danielle to take care of Danielle. And it was only a matter of time before things became completely undone.

"It was my first meaningful relationship. We were together since I was a young girl. It was also my longest relationship; almost nine years out of my life. So you will always remember someone like that no matter how much you try to move on with your life," she says of Fuller, whom she met at a best friend's house back in the day. "I wish him all the best but I don't think I'd want to speak to him. It hurts too deep right now. It's better we just stay apart."

Even so, Danielle remains resolutely upbeat, casting her current situation in the most positive light possible with smiles and chuckles. No tears.

"I'm ready to enjoy life and take my career to that next level. There's a lot I want to do," she says.

GROWING PAINS

It's been almost six years since the Kingston-born, St Andrew High grad burst onto the music scene with a brand of sass and sensuality we haven't seen since Patra and a younger version of Lady Saw. Downtown Man, a Chris Birch-produced salute to the hardcore men she admires, was an eye-raising debut single while Brown Girl In The Ring (with Beenie Man) proved playful and catchy.

But it wasn't until she released Beat It, a racy and deeply personal acknowledgement of the attention she craves between the sheets that she stopped us dead in our tracks. Today, she proves that she's still got an edge with the release of Ready Body, a tongue-in-cheek missive aimed at female haters.

Getting to know Danielle, you realise she has never been shy about telling folks exactly what's on her mind. From declaring her independence to asserting her sexuality, Danielle has become known for her personal and provocative proclamations. But she wants to make it clear that there's much more to her than that. And she hopes her upcoming releases will show off her diversity and prove to listeners that she's more than just a pretty face in the music biz. More than just a sex symbol.

However, many would argue that her 'vixen' reputation was duly earned and over the years her brazen attitude and brow-raising lyrical content has opened a flood-gate of harsh criticism and provided fodder for the rumour mill.

"When I hear a rumour that I know is not true, I just ignore it. Keep them talking. But when it gets too personal, that's when it gets to me. At one point it got so bad that I almost cried. But you just have to keep stepping towards your goals," she says confidently.

And when it comes to setting the record straight about her 'beef' with fellow dancehall bombshell D'Angel, she is quick to point out that she doesn't consider her an enemy.
"I wouldn't even call it a rivalry so to speak. But I still did my song which people really gravitated towards," she explains, "I don't consider our relationship to be one of hatred but we are not big friends either. In my career, it's all about love and positiveness," she adds, laughing.

Looking back, Danielle says she feels no bitterness. And while there are a few regrets, she is determined to put the painful past and the drama behind her.

"There are some things I regret in my personal life but I have added them to the list of life experiences that I hope will make me stronger. I learn from my mistakes and I've become a better person because of my experiences," she tells Splash. "I have learnt never to put your trust in people 100 per cent. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer and always keep back something for yourself. People don't have to know everything about you."

WORKING GIRL

Admittedly single and ready to get back into the dating game, Danielle has vowed to stay open and pace herself in matters of the heart.

"Eventually I will be ready to enter a new relationship but I don't think I'm ready to commit to a man right now. It's all about having fun and boosting my music career. But that doesn't mean I don't want to have children one day. I want four or six kids," she says, bursting into a contagious cascade of giggles.

By month's end, Danielle will have completed work on several new singles with the Truck Back Label and dancehall hitmaker DJ Karim. She has new music videos to shoot and a debut album in the planning stages. Her enthusiasm is contagious when she speaks of her many upcoming projects, including her budding desire to slip behind the scenes as a producer and hit the gym more regularly to shed a few pounds from her already-gorgeous figure.

"Nowadays, I'm extremely weight-conscious. I'm trying to get back to my original weight, between 126 and 130 pounds. It's a personal goal I'm working on right now."

So here is Danielle today, laughing it up in the relaxing warmth of a high-end Chinese eatery on a Wednesday night. She's living in an upscale St Andrew home with her mom ("My biggest fan"), she has a burgeoning music career poised for greater heights and a passion for acting she's determined to pursue. And most importantly, she's got her freedom.

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