That Grape Juice Interviews Aubrey O’Day

Published: Monday 11th Apr 2011 by Sam

Following her sudden departure from the Diddy-forged group Danity Kane, many assumed that Aubrey O’Day’s career had come to an an end. However, with a hit reality show, ‘All About Aubrey’, and a new single, ‘Automatic’, under her belt, it seems that Aubrey  will indeed have the last laugh.

In this exclusive interview with That Grape Juice, the singer/dancer revealed interesting details about her upcoming solo debut album, being signed to a new label and what we expect to see on the season finale of her show tonight on Oxygen at 10pm. Aubrey also spoke candidly about her stuggles as a celebrity and why she thinks people have problems with accepting her as a real artist.

Check out the full discussion below:

Aubrey O’Day Shouts Out That Grape Juice

That Grape Juice: Your new single, ‘Automatic’, will be released to iTunes on April 12th. Tell us about the concept behind the record?

Aubrey: ‘Automatic’ was actually the first song that I recorded when going back into the studio. You actually see me recording it on my show on Oxygen, ‘All About Aubrey’ – it comes on Mondays at 10pm – and with this song we wanted to keep in touch with what’s hot right now with Dance/Club music on the radio.

The track is about not having to put on the expensive shoes – Louboutins or the Jimmy Choos. It’s also about not having to put on the expensive dresses or looking a certain way to get people’s attention. It’s about having the confidence to be able to walk into a room and being able to steal everybody’s attention automatically. It’s about all of that!

That Grape Juice: Are you planning to shoot a video for the song?

Aubrey: Absolutely! We’ve got to get all the fans out there to buy the single and really show the label how much they want to see that video! {laughs}

That Grape Juice: Who will be directing it? Do you have anybody in mind?

Aubrey: No but there are a lot of fabulous directors out there. I will definitely make a video that is heavily dance-oriented like back in the day with the breakdowns – the JLo breakdowns with a heavy dance-concentrated music video. That’s what I love to do. I’ve been a dancer first before anything else so I definitely want to give people something to look at.

That Grape Juice: Have you picked the second single from the album?

Aubrey: There are a lot of songs that the label are considering for a second single  but right now we’re really just concerned and focused on promoting ‘Automatic’.

That Grape Juice: So, as you said, you’ve recorded a lot of songs. Does this mean that you’ve finished with the album or are you still in the process of getting it together?

Aubrey: I actually recorded a tonne of music on my own prior to getting this deal as you may have seen on ‘All About Aubrey’. I basically set everything up on my own with regards to making music, choreography, an image, a look, a brand I wanted and then I brought it to a label which you’ll see [tonight] at 10pm on the season finale.

I made this music to present to labels on a showcase and now that I’ve bee signed to SRC/Universal [Motown] it’s matter of going in there and running through the music week after week with A&Rs and getting everyone adjusted to my sound, my perception of music and figuring out what everybody wants to roll with. Now that I’m part of a bigger team they’re going to bring on a lot of their people to really advise the direction.

That Grape Juice: What I’m taking from what you just said is that there still isn’t a release date or at least a projected release date for the album…

Aubrey: Nope!

That Grape Juice: Apart from Adonis, whom else have you worked with on the record? On the show, for instance, you hooked up with The Underdogs but are there any other writers or producers that you worked with on this project?

Aubrey: I think you’ll see a lot of that coming up soon with regards to getting other people on track – rappers, other singers and working with other producers. I think that where I am now musically and where you’re seeing my story unfold on the show is solely around the process that I created prior to being signed.

That Grape Juice: We know that you’re collaborating with Aundrea but are there any other artists who you’ve collaborated with that you might want to name or are you keeping that under wraps until you get that finalised?

Aubrey: Most of it is under wraps until finalised but actually, prior to Aundrea, I did a song with Donnie Wahlberg, from New Kids On The Block, who I love. He was tonnes of fun to work with. I’ve also done music with Cupid.

I’ve definitely been in the studio with other people and collaborated but the people that are on my record and I’m working with, especially after being signed to Universal, are incredibly talented and I’m very excited to show all of that to the world.

That Grape Juice: Moving on to your reality show…it has been a major ratings hit, breaking all types of records for Oxygen. What experiences have you taken away from filming this first season of the show?

Aubrey: I would say every experience was very memorable. I definitely love to be able to document my struggles, personally and professionally, to the world. Unfortunately, most of celebrity life is glamorised. Most celebrities tend to focus on all the good that they’ve done instead exploring the down periods where it was hard to get back up and believe in themselves again.

Every celebrity has a story like that and the industry is definitely no walk in the park and you have to be strong, you have to be persistent and you have diligent about believing in yourself and believing in your talent even when nobody else does. I loved being able to watch my struggle and watch me overcome each lesson piece by piece.

That Grape Juice: Now, as you say that, we know that you’re a very talented singer and dancer yet, as your manager, Johnny Wright, pointed out on the show, some people have trouble looking pass the glitz and the glamour of the celebrity who is Aubrey. In fact, some people think that you’re just a party girl when underneath it all there is a talented artist.

Why do think that people have problems seeing you as the gifted person that you are?

Aubrey: Part of it is society in general and people wanting to focus on celebrity more than talent. Part of it relates to some of the decisions that I made in my past and doing things like Playboy and Peep Show, which were sexy, salacious celebrity career moves vs talent-based career moves such as when I did Broadway.

Another part of it was simply not being aware. I think my show did a really good job at showing who I am – showing my nerdy, making fun of myself and my life is not some glamorous, perfect existence. I struggle a lot with things like weight, confidence, dating, family issues and just being able to stand back up as an artist and believe in myself again. I’m glad that all of those things were shown because whoever is watching gets an honest interpretation of the industry and what being an entertainer really is about.

Hopefully, blogs and the viral media, which touch more people than even television can, will share those talents with the world and portray me in a different light. There’ve been a lot of media and blogs in the viralsphere have attacked me or label me as certain things, which obviously make it harder to be taken seriously.

It’s not like you do one big, life-changing thing and all of a sudden people think that you’re talented or a nice person or whatever. I think it’s about doing lots of small things over and over again until you starting to build a fanbase and allow people to see who you really are.

That Grape Juice: Would you have any apprehensions doing reality TV again?

Aubrey: No. I had a great time. It’s always based on the quality of a show and what it’s about what I could add to it. I was offered a lot of reality TV prior to this Oxygen show which I turned down because it wasn’t the right fit for me, it wasn’t the right fit for my career and it wasn’t the right direction that I was hoping to moving toward.

That Grape Juice: So does that mean that there will there be another season?

Aubrey: I think that if the fans know want it badly enough and they let Oxygen know that then there will definitely be another season of ‘All About Aubrey’!

That Grape Juice: This next question should help people to get to know you better as an artist: which 3 acts would you say have influenced you the most as Aubrey the entertainer?

Aubrey: Janet Jackson, Madonna and Michael Jackson/Prince! {laughs} I can’t really pick between Prince and Michael Jackson; I say both of them were just as influential although possibly Prince was more. I think that those 4 artists defined the way that I approach the stage and music in general.

That Grape Juice: Well Aubrey, it has been great talking to you. We hope to see and hear more from you in the near future!

Aubrey: Thank you for supporting me! It really means a lot!

What do you think of the interview?

Comments 31

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  1. S*** April 11, 2011

    MY, AM I 1ST??

  2. Spunkypoop April 11, 2011

    MICHAEL JACKSON JANET JACKSON MADONNA AND PRINCE NUFF SAID….. THE LEGENDS OF BOOM!!!!

  3. Peebo April 11, 2011

    Great interview! Aubrey > Britney, Rihanna

  4. pau April 11, 2011

    do you suport this but you hate britney??? WTF

  5. royalkev April 11, 2011

    Love Aubrey! … I hope she continues giving Janet those props if she’s around 10years later and don’t get all quiet about it like some people do!

    **Updated**ThePagewithroyalkev.b*******.com

  6. LOL April 11, 2011

    Hmmmmm….Interesting.

    Good luck to her. I will be supporting Kelly Rowland this week….same label, love the song and I think after all the s*** she’s been through she deserves the support. Aubrey has a bright future SRC know that they are sitting on a potential gold mind with Aubs so she can hold.

  7. royalkev April 11, 2011

    LOL @ S***’s gif.

    **Updated**ThePagewithroyalkev.b*******.com

  8. Ayo_ronnie April 11, 2011

    Yass Mrs oday better bring a nice dance breakdown

  9. S*** April 11, 2011

    *listening to the HOT MESS that is the S&M Remix*

    LMAO @ METHney’s Vocals!!!!, seems she LOST the little voice she had. 😐

    AUBREY is Coming for METHney!, WATCH!!

  10. GangsterA April 11, 2011

    Oh Hell No Where’s The Rihanna Q And Shade Cute Interview Aubrey Betta Bring Some Hot S***

  11. Steffon April 11, 2011

    Ask her what artist does she admire? who she wants to work with? does she think Diddy is gay?

  12. Steffon April 11, 2011

    lol..oops you already did the interview lol

  13. Ab April 11, 2011

    Uhm Great ratings it has an average of 0.510 million so its OK for her after all she did.
    I love Thatgrapejuice for supporting underground artists like Aubrey.

    Src is just looking what her fanbase is, thats why they are releasing Automatic.

  14. QUEEN BEYONCE STANN April 11, 2011

    Wow If Anything I Bet Trent Was Excited About This Interview Since He Thinks This Chick Will Be Big SMH

    #QueenBeyonce2011

  15. dabest April 11, 2011

    AUBREY IS THE QUEEN

  16. OSO April 11, 2011

    Automatic SUCKS BALLS!
    that songs is horrible, and dated…
    sounds like a Danity Kane leftover!
    I smell a flop coming! 😛 lol

  17. wateva April 11, 2011

    OFF TOPIC BUT YOU BEY STANS LISTEN UP!

    BEYONCE IS SHOOTING HER VIDEO RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK. LES TWINS (TWIN MALE DANCERS FROM UK) JUST POSTED ON THEIR FACEBOOK THAT THEY ARE AT THE VIDEO SHOOT BUT CAN’T TAKE PICS…

    #THANKMELATER

  18. AubreyLover April 11, 2011

    So happy Aubrey is Releasing Automatic on April 12th! Go Support, She’s Next Big Thing evryone Buy the Single!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  19. wateva April 11, 2011

    ^ chile please.. she’s already the next BIG thing #noshade

  20. tammy April 11, 2011

    ” the JLo breakdowns with a heavy dance-concentrated music video” – I think she means Janet because Janet was doing that way before Jlo was even thought of.

  21. wateva April 11, 2011

    @tammy not to mention jlo was janets back up dancer!

  22. automatic April 11, 2011

    every buy auberellas single tonight at midnight on itunes…lets make it top 10 so we can see a video and show diddy whats good!!!

  23. Lola April 11, 2011

    Go Aubrey!

  24. Licious April 11, 2011

    So I just listened to automatic. It reminds me of Feedback by Janet Jackson but with a hella lot of auto-tune. I don’t think it will break the Hot 100… But it could with enough promotion. You play something enough times on the radio people are going to buy it like crazy cause it’ll get stuck in your head.

  25. Dave April 12, 2011

    I watched the show & she seems cool. I’ll be supporting Kelly Rowland 1st this week, will probably get Aubrey’s single too. But Kelly is 1st priority, because I don’t really care too much for “Automatic.”

  26. MC_BFLY April 12, 2011

    i hope her sound ends up towards the pop/RNB category,….like dare i say it Beyonce…..the Danity Kane sound suited her really well it showed vocals but still kept songs fun, but im thinking that the label is going to push for the pop sound, either way i will definitely be getting her album

  27. boytoy1814 April 12, 2011

    THAT’S MY BABY SISTA………………………………………..LET’S GET EM AUBREY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  28. dabest April 12, 2011

    #23 on pop

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