One third of the remaining members of Danity Kane, Dawn Richard, spoke with Essence Magazine about the drama surrounding the group following the sacking of Aubrey O’ Day and D. Woods, as well as speaking on the the group’s future. A long, yet interesting read: ESSENCE.COM: Last night’s finale of “Making The Band 4” was sort of subdued drama with a pretty ambiguous ending. Diddy has left the ladies of Danity Kane to decide what the group’s future will be. What is your hope for the group?
DAWN RICHARD: We talked about it and there’s a fear we have of losing our fan base. But at the end of the day, Diddy made his choice to let us decide and we would like to continue with the name and the group. This is our lives and you can’t just say no to your dreams. I love working with the group. However, it’s so hard to say what will happen. I would prefer that the original group members remain. It’s hard enough for fans to follow as is.
ESSENCE.COM: Diddy is a beast when it comes to whipping his groups into shape and his truth hurts. He already let Aubrey go and then D. Woods was a no-show last night. Have you spoken or plan to speak to any of the ladies?
RICHARD: No, I haven’t. Honestly, we really don’t talk that much, but I wish them the best of luck. I showed up, and as one person, I can only do so much. If they want to get in touch with me, they will because I totally support them and always will. All of this stuff affects us because these are our lives. Diddy tells us to try to save our group and some of us don’t show up? We’re making a serious statement to him about the future of this group by doing so.
ESSENCE.COM: There’s been much hearsay about Diddy’s intentions of making you the lead of Danity Kane as well as offering you a solo record deal. Is that true?
RICHARD: It’s so interesting how the media chooses to interpret or report things. I have never said that I was pursuing a solo deal. I told someone that I have waited so long for my dream, and singing is my dream and has been for so long. I have done nothing on the side as far as solo projects; I’m not sidestepping. I have totally been supportive of the group—that’s my priority. We had shows where Aubrey didn’t show up and we had her back and no one wrote about it or said anything. Some of the other girls have pursued their interests and I have sat back and supported them in their individual pursuits. It truly hurts my feelings because I work so hard and I’ve been so honest from the beginning. I can’t control it if someone says, `I respect your artistry and I’d like to work with you.’ What’s wrong with that? Instead of getting support there is nothing but negativity. Again, my priority has always been Danity Kane. I’ve never missed a show or meeting so it’s just interesting how people perceive things. I can only put it in God’s hands.
ESSENCE.COM: But has Diddy ever approached you personally about a deal?
RICHARD: Everyone should ask Puff if that’s what he has in line for me. If he does, then I’m honored and I will work hard as I’ve always done. What I know for certain is that he would never break up Danity Kane. I’ve always been on that same train, too. At the end of the day, I’m going to rock with the first priority, which is Danity Kane. Who knows what can happen, because Puff changes his mind every five seconds. I’m going to work hard. I’m going to be the same person I was in the beginning. What’s honest and true is that I respect people. I respect and love the group. I wish it could still be five of us. I didn’t make Aubrey leave. I didn’t make D. Woods not show up. People choose their paths and you do what’s best for your situation. This is your job and you do the best you can do. All we’re trying to do is survive.
ESSENCE.COM: Because you’ve written songs for the group and named the group, do you think the other ladies might be envious of you?
RICHARD: I will never say anyone is jealous of me, because that’s not the type of person I am. I just never see it like that. You work hard, people respect you or you don’t. Growing up in my household, nothing was ever easy, especially as an African-American woman. You can be perceived as a b—-. When I work so hard, some people say all these mean things when you’re trying to be righteous and it’s so hurtful. I’m human, so in the beginning of my career when I read those things, they were the worst and meanest things. I couldn’t conceive why my own people wouldn’t be more positive and support me, so I couldn’t help but be hurt and think, Why don’t you have my back? I’m doing something positive? I’m not a hater. You don’t even have to like me. I’m going to respect everyone. Now I don’t let the negative talk affect me; I just do me, because no one is perfect and you can’t live for everyone else.
ESSENCE.COM: Dawn, you’re extremely positive and that is to be respected. Do you have any personal issues with the group?
RICHARD: I stated this once before when Diddy asked what the problems were. The reality is that some days we get along and other days we don’t, but it has never made me feel differently about the girls or the group. I always wanted to rock with those four girls. I’m about business and how do we keep the fans happy and how do we make our business work better. I’m pro-Danity Kane.
The drama continues…
Your thoughts?
The more she talks the less I like her
I still think that everything is a stunt to boost the ratings for the long over ran show of theirs
I don’t like dawn nor do I care for the group but damn they need to get their s*** together how are you going to kick 2 of the main members out the group
You can’t go solo in a group that wasn’t that important in the first place nor that popular I mean half of the tour got canceled they went on and it was at very small places so if you cant sell out a place that holds a good 1,,000 then what makes you think you can go solo plus she looks manish IMO
I think diddy kick them out so dawn could get one step closer to going solo
and if she does and doesn’t make it diddy’s going to drop her like he does to everyone that signs with him
Yea! She is saying one thing but her attitude is portraying another! We’ll see what is in the near future for them
I love D.Woods! I hope she continue to be sucessful
IDK. Dawn seems happy about the situation
katebozz
I really can’t believe they would get rid of Aubrey just based on the fact that if u really think about it. Aubrey’s the only one getting the group noticed. I mean you hear about Aubrey way more than Shannon, Audrea, D Woods, and even Dawn. Cuz she’s alway out at some event doing something so personally i think the group is screwed without her
What i wanna know is why they keep asking dawn everything setting her up to look like the bad one whos doing a solo career yet we aint hearing from aundrea and shannon….and actually aundrea is the one happy about them leaving….and if you ask me d.woods ass quit because diddy reniged on what he said to her and gave her a choice and she decided she was cool without the group….hell she is probably going solo. Dawn sweety if you are reading this please stop doing interviews these people are trying to make you look bad,no matter how respectful you try to sound. I still like dawn the most and actually without dawn dk would sound souless and boring..
i'm tired of hearing about this s***,lets move on——->
To the first poster, you forced it! The more she talks the more I like her. She actually said things the others are afraid to say. And what u mean d woods and aubrey being the MAIN two members of the group, when Dawn gets the most parts in the songs, and has the overall best voice, aside from Aundrea. Dawn and Shannon along with D woods are the best dancers. Aubrey just has the s** appeal (in a good way lol) and yea…
D woods and aubrey def. show more personality then audnrea and shannon.. but i think dawn has the overall package..
why are yall jumping on dawn she said she is pro danity kane thatmeans she wants them together so stop making up s*** about her
Dawn seem abit in a daze from what i reading and slyly attackin D.Woods…
Now D.Woods is a strong gal and Diddy humiliated her 4no reason so why should be apart of that circus.
She repped it in da London Town instead woohooo at the Mobo awards..
The interview comes across like “me me me” and u could tell at the end of the finale the way she ran off the stage 2get away from Aubrey she ain’t feelin her…
Aubrey spoilt her own ting and she can do her thing now BUT D. Woods is the most real and fans favorite cus she genuine with the crowd since day 1..
Love Dawns sweet vocal and dance talents but she gotta accept her part in the situation because as an Afro/American u would think she’d have understanding towards the other black group member D.
U shouldn’t get kicked out a group just for hangin with another member who’s wild and fun..(MAKES NO SENSE!!!)
Constant communication is what the group needs which is even harder when your thrown 2gether and 5 different individuals but they look great as a group and they perform at the highest level wen i see the shows they do.
GET IT 2Gether DK as a foursome!!
Why is she doing all this talking and where is andrea and shannon? I really think this is being set up for dawn to go solo and i think they was going about it in a shady way.
Remember when the group was first formed, Aubrey and Aundrea were the best of friends. They went through so much, thinking they were in the band only to be recalled back for more auditions. They were close.
Now fast forward to today, to see how far apart Aubrey and Aundrea have become you have to think that something is wrong. It wasn’t Dawn’s fault that these two girls drifted apart. It had to be down to one of them or both.
I personally feel that Aubrey got out of control. She had that massive weight gain after the first album and then poses n*** and starts talking about s** in a magazine when they are a group who are aimed at teenagers as well as young adults.
Obviously there was friction within the group. During the MTV news segment about the bad girl video it was D. Woods and Aubrey together. Then after that report of a massive argument between the girls, it was D. Woods and Aubrey who showed up at an event together, whilst the other three arrived later on. I think that D.Woods and Aubrey began to distance themselves from the others and that really can’t work in a group. The strain in their relationship will eventually show up in the music and their performances and it will be to the group’s detriment.
Hopefully the FIVE of them can solve these issues as they were my favourite girl group around at the moment (along with Cherish … if on Missez made an album, they would be up there too because they make hot songs). Danity Kane should have been bigger than what they are. Their 2nd album was brilliant and would have been a huge hit internationally, especially in the UK. They had songs that could have done damage on the charts, but poor promotion put paid to that. Hopefully they can solve their issues and take the world by storm because it’s a shame seeing a group as good as Danity Kane fall by the side.
WHO CARES, BUMP ALL THE S*** SHE’S TALKING, I DIDN’T EVEN WANNA READ IT ALL!
The last poster/anonymous had some valid point. As much as I didn’t think putting 5 females, strangers at that, together wouldn’t work. It turned out to be much better than alot of people thought. Somehow, they worked. The first album was decent, and the second album showed growth. IMO, success goes to your head sometimes. In a group, they should be equal and when you in the beginning of your career, I don’t think they should be doing outside projects, that take their focus away from the group. When Aubrey did Complex magazine, that was like her fourth or fifth magazine piece without the group. Drama rears its ugly head in many forms. For someone to say that Aubrey and D. Woods were the main members of the group, was just ridiculous. Dawn and Aundrea have the best voices. D. Woods, Aubrey and Dawn are the best dancers, but the fact is, five people make up Danity Kane and at thi time, I can’t see any of them making big solo with this being so messy right now. If they are going to get their act together then do it and step your game up. If they are not going to reconcile, then give the ordeal some closure. Either way, there is no unity when one person is giving solo interviews and the other voices are not being heard. Diddy is messy so that is what he promotes.
Dawn is definatly throwind D under the busin a sly way. she say she’s so “real” and “Positive” but in the same interview she’s throwing D. Woods under the bus AGAIN for not showing up when they all knew, Like the lovely Shannon stated that D already had a prior engagement and that when that event (MOBO awards) was scheduled they all had no idea about the live taping of MTB. The same way she stated in that very interview that if someone , Let me cut and paste so I won’t misquote,(“I can’t control it if someone says, `I respect your artistry and I’d like to work with you.’ What’s wrong with that? Instead of getting support there is nothing but negativity.”) but yet she turns around and fault the other girls loyalty to the group for doing it. very Contradictory
Is Dawn’s comic book not considered a side gig. Is all the DK members getting credit and paper (money, profits) from the comic book? I don’t think so. She also hosted parties solo as well as all 4 other girls. Also is Dawn going to the studio with Diddy (Not working on DK material) not considered a side gig. I think it is so yes Dawn did side gigs too.
This is out of hand, so much drama.. and the funny thing is that we still don’t completely know what’s going on. I think they are showing, especially through their interviews, that their is misconception between all of them. As well as miscommunication. They need to step up and i feel what they should have done was all leave diddy as a group.. I’m sure timbaland or someone else that was big would take them in. I feel like Shannon is the only one who truly is the center of these girls. She is the only one who clearly doesn’t have issues with anyone IMO. Aundrea and Aubrey def have some weird issues with each other.. but in the end why? Why don’t they work it out. WHy did Diddy have to force it and kick them out, and really diss Aubrey at the same time?
It’s upsetting and i hope they get back together, and then leave DIddy. He sucks, he is not the same superb producer like he was in the 1990’s. He sucks now as a manager too.
Dawn needs to fess up and stop fronting and being fake. I used to respect her but I have lost ALL of my respect towards her. She is not being being completely honest. We already know how all this drama started. The blogs were all on top of it.
Dawn was starting a solo career under the table with Diddy and thought she could hide it from the rest of the group but they obviously found out and felt betrayed. If you keep so real and you call them your sisters, why didn’t you just be honest from the gate and let them know the deal.
The break up has nothing to do with Aubrey’s attention from the media (secretly Diddy liked is because it gives people something to talk about and keeps the group relevant, nor does it have anything to do with Aundrea and Aubrey not being so close. Friends grow apart and find they no longer have anything in common, nothing is wring with that.
Sorry to say bit Dawn’s solo career is going no where. She’s putting her trust in a Man who is all about the paper and the fame. When he realizes that Dawn does not have a fan base and cannont generate significant sales, he’s going to drop her just like his dropped others in the past NO MATTER HOW TALENTED YOU ARE!
Dawn is not fake she is one of the realest ones in the group. She has been recording songs during this entire process because she is honing her skills and trying to shop songs to other artists. Just because the rumors started about her having a solo deal does not mean it is the truth! And besides Shannon and Aundrea she had the least amount of side jobs. Now Aubrey and Dwoods on the other hand clearly thought they were better than the other girls and was using Danity Kane as a means to promote themselves and their side ventures. And if Dawn really was a selfish b**** she would want Danity Kane to stay together because she created the name and she just released a Danity Kane comic book on Sept 29th which is AFTER the infamous meeting where Aubrey and Dwoods were kicked out/walked out of the group so why would she relase the comic book if she knew damn well that Danity Kane was going to go thru all this mess? The girls have admitted that they never know what’s next and it was reported that Dawn was crying backstage after the finale because she was upset that the turmoil was being made into a joke and there was no resolution as to whether or not all 5 members were going to remain in Danity Kane. People need to get their facts straight before they start commenting on stuff and do some research first.
Danity kane is PISSING ME OFF SO I’VE MOVED ON. EVERYBODY THE NEW HOT GROUP TO PAY ATTENTION TO IS SOPHIA FRESH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BECAUSE THE SUPERBAD (LOL THAT’S FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY KNOW WHO SOPHIA FRESH IS
Aubrey had gotten way out of control. She began to think she was more famous than what she was. D.Woods, I don’t know what to say about her she never really seemed to click with the rest. I have to give Dawn much respect because she is speaking a real reality. If you had to choose between your dream and the dream of the group what would you do? Go back home and start all over again…because some Christina Aguilera wanna-be can’t keep her mouth shut. Aubrey forgot that she is new in the industry and she was not coachable. I couldn’t agree with Puff more she is about to be in a loney dark world. She is not humble and she did change. She thought she was bigger than the group…she is not even that talented to have become so big headed. She was negative and like a cancer spreading within. She had to go. To the remaining girls in the group, keep doing what you do and don’t let anyone kill your dream.
I definitely think aubrey was way out of control… she is way too loud and does not act professionally….. and D woods was just about to follow in her footsteps just before diddy drop them both…lmao…. however i think the group should stay together and just clean up their act..cas it would be sad to see them split up…. diddy told the girls to make thier decisions so they all need to jus have a meeting all five of them and decide to stay together and work things out..then tell diddy what they have decided to do… he can’t reject their decision because its thier group and they should have a say as to what they want to do he can’t just be makin all the decisions for them and he’s not (technically speaking) apart of the group…. so if they girls really want to stay together… they should take my advice…….whta do u guys think?
and by the way i think dawn is by far the most talented she can sing,write etc..and aundrea is talented as well she has them kickin vocals and shannon her queit self i love her too….but it would’nt be danity kane without aubrey and d woods.