The moment Donnie Klang heard Sean “Diddy” Combs say on the season finale of MTV’s wildly-successful reality show Making the Band that he was receiving a solo contract with Bad Boy Records, the hefty load of years of struggle, hard work and disappointment was magically lifted from his shoulders. “I dropped out of school, I lost my job, and I thought I had let my family down. I used to sing in groups over the past ten years and things never panned out. A minute later, it all changed with Diddy’s announcement.”
But, that was just the beginning of the journey for this Brooklyn, NY born and Long Island, NY raised performer. After securing a deal with one of music’s biggest moguls, an even harder mission surfaced: finding himself as an artist. Growing up listening to the R&B and Hip-Hop soul of groups like Boyz II Men, Jodeci and Dru Hill, along with the boy band pop confections of The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, Donnie’s singing style was an interesting mixture of the two genres. He found difficulty in finding his own voice until a fateful day in the studio.
Enter eccentric producer Seven Aurelius.
Seven—responsible for hits for Ashanti, Jennifer Lopez, and Ja Rule— produced one of the first songs recorded for Donnie’s debut album, Just A Rolling Stone, the funky, Prince-inspired “Dr. Love”. The track ignited a creative spark between the two and set the tone for the rest of the album. “Seven’s style fit me perfectly. I was in groups, so it took some adjusting to become a solo artist,” the 23 year-old remembers. “He told me, ‘I have some music for you, but you have to find yourself. So, go listen to old Prince and expand what you know.’ I did my homework and ‘Dr. Love’ is the first song that exemplifies where I took my artistry.”
Just a Rolling Stone is more than the typical debut in possession of a few potentially successful singles. Instead, it’s a throwback to a time when albums were cohesive collections of music. The first single, “Take Your There”, featuring Diddy, serves as the perfect introduction to Donnie’s fresh, funk-filled sound. “It was produced by The Soul Diggaz, who did Pras and Mya’s ‘Ghetto Superstar’ back in the day. Their sound has evolved and I felt it fit perfectly with the direction we were going in,” Donnie says. “Hurt That Body”, a club-banger produced by The Dream and Tricky Stewart (who also crafted Madonna and Britney Spears’ “Me Against The World” as well as Rihanna’s global hit “Umbrella) is a guaranteed smash for the clubs. With its melodic mélange of deep beats and overt sexuality (compliments of Donnie’s whispery crooning), it will command dance floors from Birmingham to Berlin.
The sexy track “Hollywood Girl” is the singer’s take on the LA club scene. “I have been travelling and experiencing different vibes in different areas. Hollywood has this whole aura about it with the girls and the clubs.” With lyrics like, “Inhale, exhale the nightlife/champagne keeps pouring all night/keep moving till the daylight,” it’s the ideal anthem for the party parade chronicled weekly by the paparazzi and tabloids. “Pretty Girls Cry”, produced by Mario Winans (Destiny’s Child, Mary J. Blige, Lil Kim) is 80s sounding soul with a modern twist. The first notes deliver instant gratification.
The lush ballad “Pick It Up” (by upstart Canadian producers The Young Boys) showcases Donnie’s passion and pure vocals (“I can do it better/like he was supposed to/I’ll make you forget him/Cause you fell in love/and lost so much”). The song expertly rides the line between R&B and radio ready Pop. “When we played this track, we were like, ‘Oh my God! This song could be a smash!’ It’s the exactly where I wanted to go. It’s perfect.”
Donnie is ready, willing and able to show the world what he’s made of. He is continually growing as a singer, songwriter, musician (he incorporates the piano into his live show) and even producer. “I wrote on almost every song on the album and I have been a sponge around all of these talented professionals. It’s a blessing.”
And the unavoidable comparisons to a certain superstar singer in the same genre, only motivates him more. “I cannot wait to get my music out. Because I just want for people to be able to say, ‘That’s a Donnie Klang song!’ Justin created his own lane and I want to create my own. When the world hears my album, they will see and understand Donnie Klang.”
music
Make sure you pick up my new single 'Take You There' feat. P. Diddy
Band Members
Donnie Klang
Website
www.donnieklangonline.com
