|
Written by Erin Evangela Gannie
Dondria Nicole Fields is a prime example of how amazing the Digital Era is to music. Dondria took something so simple like the internet and a webcam and it changed her life. She made a You Tube video of her singing an acapella version of Musiq Soulchild’s song Love and opened the door to her future. This video upload quickly gained plenty of views and left viewers asking for more. Viewers started making requests and she obliged to some of those requests. She blessed her viewers with soulful renditions of hit songs like Rihanna’s Unfaithful, Alicia Keys Diary, and Ciara’s Promise. This turned her YouTube channel into a hit with over a million views. Dondria knew she had a voice but didn’t realize the serious power of her voice until YouTube and was take by the responses to it. She also caught the eye of someone that had the power to take that soulful voice to the next level. She probably never would have guessed in a million years that a man like Jermaine Dupri would have saw her singing her heart out on YouTube.
CRUNK: Singing on the internet lead up to you linking up with Jermaine Dupri, what was your reaction to that?
Dondria: J.D. wrote me on MySpace and basically he was just saying that he had been trying to get in contact with me. I looked at the message the first time and was like (“Okay, here goes another one, throw it in the bag “.) I didn’t think it was him because so many people were just acting; people were coming at me with all kinds of stuff. I initially ignored the first two times he contacted me. It wasn’t until the third time that he contacted me I was thinking this may be real. I ended up giving him my number and we talked.
CRUNK: So what happened after you all talked?
Dondria: All he said was that he wanted to do a video with Jagged Edge on You Tube. I was like “Oh, okay”. When the day came he was like he had a change of plans. He said that he was going to fly me and my mom to Atlanta. So we flew there and went to Jagged Edge’s listening party and met everybody with So So Def and met Jagged Edge. That’s the first time he expressed that he wanted to work with me. He asked me was I ready and all that. I signed the contract maybe like 8 months later.
CRUNK: That’s amazing; it’s a good thing you didn’t block him.
Dondria: I know. I might have missed out.
CRUNK: Walk me through that moment when you got that contract in your hand.
Dondria: This is the funny part; I signed the contract at church. My lawyer is also one of my church members. It was kind of funny because my mom had already been spreading the word that J.D. wanted to work with me and things like that. You know how people in church can be and they were like you should be singing gospel. I was really proud of it, we took pictures of me holding the pen and signing it.
CRUNK: When you were putting those YouTube videos up, did you expect people to react that way to your singing?
Dondria: Not at all. I honestly was just putting the videos up to see what people would say. They were saying good things and then they wanted more and more and more. The word kept traveling, and its still growing. People know me and I am not even out yet. It still surprises me and I’m excited about it, but it’s overwhelming.
CRUNK: What have you been doing from then (when you signed the contract) up until now to groom you and prepare you for this debut album?
Dondria: I have been recording. When I first got signed I was recording but within this past year we have really been discovering “Dondria” as an artist. We have been trying to figure out my limits and my potential. We have been doing more challenging songs than what we were doing when I first got started. Right now I am in promo overload. I just put out a mixtape “Dondria Duets”. It’s doing really well and I am excited about that. My single comes out this month. Outside of that I have just been preparing for what’s to come. I don’t think I am ready. I say that I am [ready], but I don’t think I know what’s really about to happen.
CRUNK: I think this situation is one of those things that you are never really ready for it, you learn as you go. The more you do it, the more experienced you are, and preparation comes with experience.
Dondria: You are right.
CRUNK: There’s a motive behind why I asked you about your preparation for this debut album. You have people that want to get into the business and think success happens overnight. I wanted people to know from someone in the business that success doesn’t exactly come overnight.
Dondria: Right. So many people have said to me “What’s going on, you are never going to come out”. If I wouldn’t have been putting music out on YouTube they still wouldn’t have known me until my album comes out. They really wouldn’t be complaining because of that whole artist development thing comes before the promo, so they wouldn’t have known. It’s just the fact that because of the videos on YouTube we have been giving them something to see and follow with me throughout this whole journey.
CRUNK: So tell me about the album Dondria vs Phatfffat.
Dondria: My biggest goal with this album is to do my part in bringing real R & B back. I’m talking about life, love and everything in between. Even with the singing, you are getting a voice with power and emotion. I think that a lot of that is missing, so that’s my biggest goal. I want to do my part in bringing it back (I don’t want to say that I am bringing it back, I don’t want to say I am bringing it back all by myself). With that, fans can expect a lot of soul from this album; I also have pop song and some hip hop (I have a song with Bow Wow). There are different things on there; everybody will have their one favorite song.
CRUNK: Is Bow Wow the only collabo you have on the album?
Dondria: I also have a collabo with Johnta Austin. Those are the only two.
CRUNK: When does the album drop?
Dondria: It is due to drop next year (2010) in the spring.
CRUNK: What single are you releasing first?
Dondria: My single You’re the One is out now. It was released on November 23rd.
CRUNK: Sounds Interesting! What’s the story behind this single?
Dondria: Basically I’m in a relationship and we are pretty serious but I am not taking it that serious. This person is the one for me but I don’t realize that. I finally realize that because I never acted like it before, I never really appreciated him. I never treated him like I should have because I didn’t realize that he was “The One”. So now that I do know, I am like “I know now and I’m ready”. It’s like a wakeup call with me saying “you’re the one for me”.
CRUNK: My goodness! That’s an everyday thing that happens with a lot of ladies. Sometimes we don’t realize a good man until it’s over.
Dondria: Yes!
CRUNK: Let’s talk about your mixtape.
Dondria: My mixtape is titled “Dondria Duets”. Basically I did the top 10 male R & B songs that are on the radio and did mine and other women’s perspective on them.
CRUNK: What are the some of the songs you did on the mixtape?
Dondria: I did Pretty Wings (Maxwell), Under (Pleasure P), So Beautiful (Musiq Soulchild) and Sexual Therapy (Robin Thicke), I absolutely love that song.
CRUNK: J.D. is one of the greats when it comes to the music business; what has been the most valuable thing that he has taught you about the business and his work ethic?
Dondria: The best thing he has taught me is to do what you love and be passionate about. If you do what you love, then you should not have a problem working hard for it. Once you become successful or even if you get a little bit of success; you should always capitalize on it. You should never get comfortable. He taught me that if you make one dollar figure out how to turn it into five dollars. So basically he taught me the hustle. He is never sitting down, he is always doing something. I will never be his only project because he is always doing something; he is always trying to make more money. The biggest ting is never to get comfortable, always fight for your success.
CRUNK: Vocally who have you been compared to?
Dondria: Right now, I am hearing a lot of Beyonce’. That’s a good and bad thing; it’s good to be compared to someone like her and to put me in that category, it says something about my talent. It’s bad because I want to be recognized individually.
CRUNK: Do you hear the similarities in your voice?
Dondria: There are some similarities but I don’t feel like we have the same voice.
CRUNK: Where does Dondria fit in or stand out in this vast variety of music and artist out here in the world?
Dondria: The biggest thing is that I came into this business with my own following. I have a following of over 127,000 (that’s just the MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter) I have over a million views on my channel, so I am bringing people to the table with me. Those include the ones that are dedicated fans. So when I do come out, that’s even more that will show love to me. I don’t think that anyone has done that.
CRUNK: What promotions are you doing now?
Dondria: We are definitely promoting my mixtape now, and the single. In December, I will be in Atlanta doing a local high school tour. I will also be performing at the Kwanza fest in Dallas.
CRUNK: What’s been the greatest thing so far about your success?
Dondria: The love from the fans. I am not getting mobbed or anything but there is always at least on person that will stop me and say “Aren’t you the girl from the YouTube videos”? That is the greatest feeling of all. I think they feel like I am their baby and they are watching me grow. Now that I am signed and everything, it’s like I am growing up before their eyes. They are my little proud parents that are watching me room all over the world.
|
