Have you ever wondered....what you would say to someone...if you had a chance to interview them, or ran into them on the street, or bumped into them while cashing in tickets at Dave N Busters, or maybe even see them while catching the same flight, or possibly a nightclub while taking flicks at the picture booth, hell...or even waiting inside the Marathon on 55th for a corned beef sandwich.....hey...it could happen. Let's just say...you ran into a celebrity..and you had a chance to get to the bottom of a few things.Well....I had an amazing opportunity to speak with DAWN RICHARD...YES!!!!!...the DAWN RICHARD...formerly from BAD BOY's DANITY KANE (*Diddy always breaks my heart with breakups)....and the eclectic, awesomely creative, and futuristic DIRTY MONEY!!!! YUP!!!! That DAWN RICHARD!!!!
I can't front...I was a lil nervous when she called me and I saw her number pop up in my phone. I mean...I admit...I used to be yelling at my television watchin Making The Band 3...like "ughhhh really DAWN, you jus gon let em act crazy around you like dat"....or "It sure seems like Dawn is serious as fugggggg...why won't she lighten up". I've even been guilty of thinking "is she jus tryna play it safe and not rock tha boat so Diddy can think she's better than everyone else"...yup...I said and thought all of these things...sho did *headroll fingasnap. I was hoping that DAWN RICHARD would be honest , open, hopefully candid...and real...during our interview...and guess what...soon as I picked up the phone DAWN RICHARD...broke through like "Heyyyyyyy Wat's up!!!". Automatically I could tell...she was down for whatever, she sounded confident, ready, and open to share her story...so with that we got started...Q. Sooooooo there is sooooo much I wanna talk to you about...is it cool if I get some answers...to some questions I've wondered about so long?
A. Hell Yeah girl!!!!! I'm down for whatever...you can ask me anything....I'm open to whatever you got
Q.AWESOME!!!! (*me smiling like an insane fan on the other end of the phone) How have you been, are you ready for Christmas?
A. I've been great...actually fantastic! And yes I love Christmas so I'm ready..well almost.
Q. You seem real outspoken....yet on MAKNG THE BAND you seemed...kinda quiet, almost to quiet...was that "quiet good girl persona"...all just an act for tv and DIDDY?
A. HA! Girlllll...after the show aired...people had some kinda wrong impression of me. I mean after I looked back I could kinda see how people may have misjudged me.
Q. Soooo are you saying your not that "serious"all the time?
A. NAW!!! I'm not saying that....I'm jus about my business...do you understand? I mean when I made MAKING THE BAND...I felt like...I wasn't sure if I would ever get another chance like that to make my dream come true. I mean an opportunity like that doesn't come around much. So when I made the cut...I was new coming into the situation...you gotta understand...Drea, and Aubrey had already been through it...I was the new comer. So it wasn't a game to me..
Q. What do you mean when you say...MAKING THE BAND...wasn't a game?
A. I mean...I wasn't used to all the cameras, and all that, I had never been in a situation like that. For the other girls that had already been through it...they kinda knew how to "portray" themselves on camera...ya kno...as far as making sure their makeup was on right, hair, emotions etc. But I was being me...maybe that's why I looked and acted so "serious"...it wasn't a game to me....it was a competition...I wasn't really there to make a new bestie or whatever...I was there to Make the Band.
Q. People kinda thought you didn't really get involved in the "drama"...because you already knew DIDDY was kinda planning something bigger for you by yourself...is that true?A. Hell no! I mean...me and DIDDY have always kinda creatively clicked. But as far as Danity Kane...at that finale...I was shocked when he said that he wanted work with me...even tho Danity Kane was over...I was like WHOA!!!
Q. Yeah,,,honestly...when I watched it...the expression on your face was like ...TOTAL SHOCK!You really had no idea?
A. Nope. I was thinking...it's all over....but then DIDDY...I dunno...it was crazy!
Q. What were doing before Making the Band?
A. Alot people don't know...but I've always been a singer...that's my passion. I love to sing and dance. I was actually a dancer for the New Orleans Hornets for 3 years. I'm from New Orleans!
Q.WHAT!!!!Are you serious??
A. Yeah...my mom had a dance studio back in New Orleans...I grew up with music.
Q. Did your mom ever get a new studio? I remember when Hurricane Katrina destroyed it...that was sad.
A. Yeah...well...it hasn't been rebuilt...but I'm in the process of getting her a new studio...so it should be pretty awesome!
Q. Is DIDDY easy to talk to, is he easy to come to when you have ideas or creative suggestions? He seems kinda...intimidating...?
A. HAHAHAHAH girllll.....he is cool....he's not really like how he acts on tv...I mean don't get me wrong...he's mos def bout his business...but...the shades he wears...and all that...that's for tv lol...n yes...Me n Puff have made hit songs together. I mean...I write alot of songs, I wrote alot of songs for Dirty Money.
Q. Soooooo your like an original songwriter?
A. Yes!!! that's kinda how Dirty Money got together....
Q.Dirty Money.....what exactly is Dirty Money?
A. Dirty Money ...was an idea that DIDDY had been kinda tossin around for actually a few years. He wanted a group...with 2 girls and a guy. I had been writing songs and he liked a few songs I wrote...I had already known how dope of a songwriter Kaleena Harper was...I mean she is cold ...1 of the coldest songwriters.
Q. So DIDDY jus decided to make a mini band?
A. I wouldn't call it a "band"...I mean...DIDDY thinks ahead of the times almost always...he wanted a group....that wasn't about illegal activity, or any of that...more or less he wanted to tell love stories...in a futuristic kinda way...a futuritic sound, a way to express love.....
Q. What's it like walking through Bad Boy, do all the labelmates walk bye and say hi to everyone?
A. HA! Kinda...I mean you see alot of faces...but Cheri Dennis is 1 of my close friends, and CASSIE...yeah CASSIE...now that's my bitch...she's my girl mos def!!!
Q. LAST TRAIN TO PARIS...was awesome!!!! WHAT was PARIS like the 1st time you went?
A. OMGGGGG!!!!! I've always been in love with PARIS. I mean...my parents and I grew up speaking Creole, I speak alot of french...and when I 1st landed in Paris...it was exactly like I had seen in pictures, movies and everything!!! Mos def 1 of my favorite places!!!
Q. Over the years...you style has seemed to transition from cool....to super high fashion. Have you always been into high fashion?
A. YES!!!! I've always been into fashion, but you have to realize....when I was on Making the Band...I was with other females....and I'm a dark skin girl...with ass, and kinda built up ya know...so when the stylists would come in with a rack of clothes ...all the girls would grab what they wanted...fast as hell...and I'd usually be the 1....with the last of the pickings....I mean with Dirty Money...it was cooler cuz it was just me and 1 other girl...so I was able to get all the good stuff lol
Q. Now that you are independent...what labels if any...catch your eye?
A. Honestly...I'm not really looking...I'm in control of what I'm doing right now....
Q.Are you involved with any charities?
A. YES!!! I'm involved with Music Cares, and Habitat for Humanity. After Hurricane Katrina destroyed my city...I realized how important it is for charities like Habit for Humanity to exist.
A. AMERICAN IDOL (*if y'all missed it it was AMAZING *headroll fingasnap), I mean we went out there is gave it our all. The audience went insane...American Idol had never had all of that much chocolate all at once lol....we felt really good bout that performance, we looked good, our fits were on point and we put it down!
Q. What artists are you currently enjoying at the moment?
A. R n B is really taking over right now in the industry. Frank Ocean, Miguel...they r dope. I listen to alot of Prince, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, and Jimi Hendrix...I love all types of music.
Q.How have you managed to stay under the radar...as far as not being caught up in any scandals, or fuckery on TMZ?
A. Lol.....I mean...it's easy for me...I do me, I'm not out here tryna be all extra. Most people actually put themselves out there...they do it on purpose.
Q. Wait a second!!! Are you saying that some celebrities actually do crazy stuff on purpose just to attention?
A. Hell yeah...they call paparazzi on themselves, or have people tell other people where they are going to be. They literally pay for attention...
Q. In an industry fueled by men...and you working with some of the hottest men...how do you uphold your clean reputation?
A. I mean...it aint hard...we are all grown...I'm mos def grown, if it's a guy im interested in..then I will say "wat's up"...but i'm not fuckin with this person and that person....I don't need to....don't get me wrong..."I love hoes too, hoes are great"...lolololol..."gotta love the hoes" lol (*she laughs..sarcastically kinda)
Q.So are you saying the world needs hoes?
A. Lol...alot of females...have hoe in em..lol...let me make this clear...I'ma hoe for 1 person, and 1 person only....my MAN.....my man only...lol
Q. Your new music...sounds like dance R & B kinda...is that what you were going for?
A. I wouldn't call my music "dance"....I'm not really a fan of the word "dance"...to describe my sound....I mean I love to dance...but I like to think of it more as a tribal kinda sound...more of a "movement". We are ancestors of tribal people...the music has beats that make you move...I guess dance can be used...but it's more of a tribal feel......body movement!
Q. What's the name of your new album?
A.I'm very blessed....to be putting out GOLDENHEART...it's actually part of a trilogy that I working on. It's about Love, and all things in it...its beautiful.
Q. How many songs are on the album?
A. 16!
Q. How would you describe GOLDENHEART?
A. A musical journey....yeah...like a new wave of music...from the heart.
Q. How is it different...putting out music..your music...being an independent artist?
A. It's kinda cool...cuz like I said...I have full creative control, I get to style myself...I mean if I want to hire a stylist I can...but I have say so over everything...I get to fully express myself thru my music, and fashion!!!
Q. What are your expectations for your new music?
A. I just hope everyone loves what I'm doing, I love my fans, and I just really want people to feel my music. I am very proud of the work I've put into this new album!!!
@dawnrichard
http://www.dawnrichardblog.com
CONTACT frichard@cbafreedom.com
*all pics from dawnrichardblog.com
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