Although she didn't get too much face time in Danity Kane, D. Woods remains one of the most popular member of Danity Kane. Maybe it's her quiet determination, which often took a back seat to Aubrey's vocal opposition to Diddy, or her "homegirl" demeanor that made her the member you wanted to hang out with. Whatever it is about D. Woods, she's still hot with her EP The Gray Area, appearances in music videos and movies, and references in numerous songs.
A few months ago, I spoke to D. Woods about her new music, Danity Kane, Shanell (of Young Money), and her current challenges in the music.
Congrats on the new album and single, tell us about that project?
The single is called Legalize me and it is available on online stores, itunes, rhapsody, amazon, any store you can think of produced by soundz and it has high energy and it’s kicking off what I like to call they gray area experience. The space where my fan base is familiar with me and my sound being with Danity Kane and taking them on a journey into my world where I will be for the full album. It’s not just an Ep but a transitional project.
When does the album come out?
The full album comes out this year. I haven’t determined the exact date but it’ll be sometime in 2010.
How is The Gray Area Experience different from anything fans have heard from you before?
It’s not very different just more information. It’s getting to know me and where my head is at and growing as a writer and as an artist. The independence mixtape series was about my claiming my independence, leaving the past situation behind me and making a mark for myself. The gray area is more serious and experimental and shaping my sound.
Right after Danity Kane split, you were involved in a project called "The Girls Club," what are you doing with that now?
The girls club is like a sorority, a network and support system. There are a lot of things in the works and supporting the individual projects of each female. We’re constantly out there supporting each other, keeping each other out there working, bringing each other on each one’s projects and helping to promote each other. That’s kind of what the aim is for the girls club to just get everyone to a comfortable place. One day we’ll do more visible things together but now we’re just kinda like split out and hopefully we’ll come together.
What are the challenges of being in the music industry right now?
This is a challenging industry period. It’s a challenging thing to get your vision executed and realized. Right now it’s just the economy where you’re doing a lot more but you don’t really see the profit. You still have to keep it going. A lot of people aren’t spending like that and you’re competing with how technology is advancing rapidly and it’s almost saturated with artists fighting for the same space. That’s challenging but it makes it excited at the same time. If we were the type of people who needed structure and guaranteed anything, I don’t think we would have chosen this profession because you never what’s going to happen. You have to take the pros and the cons and keep moving.
Congrats on your new label, Woodgate Records, how did that come about?
I have kind of been on that path I believe my whole life and I didn’t realize it. Each situation that I put myself in kind of prepared me for this day. Even me graduated from NYU, I graduated with an individualized major. I made up my own major in college because I was in a program and the program didn’t work for me, so I made up my own. It’s like I did that again. I started out in a structure that did what it did but I outgrew it and once the group disbanded. I was trying to gage what I wanted to do next and going out and getting another record deal didn’t really feel like what I wanted to do. I was basically promoting myself anyone, putting together my own projects and seeing the live shows and the marketing strategy and I was doing all this to a small degree so I decided to do it officially. I don’t have other artists on my label as of yet. I’m really focused on putting out D. woods material first and foremost. That’s something I want to do. I know of so many talented people who are looking for the right situation and being in the same situation that they are in now I want to establish an exception. I have to focus, one step at a time.
So do you still speak to the members of Danity Kane?
Every now and then
Are you and Aubrey still friends?
Yes, we're still friends
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from that experience?
Having the right team around you to get your vision maximized and available to the world.
Besides the album, what else are you working on?
I’m working on some film and tv projects. I just finished movie called We Are Family and some other film and TV projects in the works and fine tuning my project and getting Woodgrain entertainment up and running. I see a lot of work
What advice do you have for people who want to do what you are doing?
What do you want people to know about D.woods?
I want to be able to open their imaginations and give them an experience for what I’m doing. To be able to take them somewhere else whether they are in the car listening to it, sitting at home watching the video, or come to the actual concert. I want every time they’re in my presence or in the presence of my music for it to take them somewhere. To show them the multifacetiousness of me.
Do you have a five year goal, and if you do what is that?
I see more of the goals I’ve come up with actually happening some of the albums, tours, movies. Hopefully all the things I’m thinking of now, I’ve done or I’m doing and I’m coming up with new stuff. Rolling the snowball.
Is there anything else you would like to say?
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