Dawn Richard

Keyana:Hi Dawn it’s such a pleasure to speak with you.
Dawn: It’s a pleasure to speak with you as well.

Keyana:How’s everything been going?
Dawn: Good, working hard.

Keyana: That’s good!
Keyana: Well’ I’m not going to hold you to long, your publicist told me about some of your new ventures you have going on. So I want to ask you a little bit about that.

Keyana: First, I want to ask you about the comic book you’re releasing or released.
Dawn: Yeah, the comic book is out right now.

Keyana: So it is out right now?
Dawn: Yes, it’s availableable now at Danitykanecomics.com. So yeah I have my first issue out and my second issue will be out at the end of the year.
Keyana: Okay, that is so good! How did you get into comics, are you the one who actually draw them too?
Dawn: Yeah I did it in high school, and it just kind of blossomed into what I’m doing now. But I always have been a fan animating.

Keyana: Yeah, okay that’s how the whole DK (Danity Kane) name came about right it was like a comic?
Dawn: Yeah it was.

"It’s a slow process because everyday you learn something new, but I’m grateful for the transition."

Keyana: That’s so good. So Dawn let me ask you what was it like when Diddy called your name to be in the group.
Dawn: Um surreal I’m still trying to understand what happened.
Keyana: really?
Dawn: It’s a blessing I was really happy.

Keyana: I watched the whole process and I’m like a big fan of yours by the way, I was rooting for you the whole time I was so excited for you when he choose you.
Dawn: Thank you!

Keyana: You were one of my favorites, I thought you had the whole package from the dancing; the vocals and you just have that likable personality. You had it all and I just really respect your hustle and how you worked hard for it. I’m a big fan!
Dawn: Awe thank you, your making me blush.

Keyana: I am. I was so excited all day that I was going to be interviewing you. Let me ask you this, you know how everybody always talk about their first major purchase when they made it. So what was your first big splurge?
Dawn: Oh no I had to pay bills; we didn’t make that kind of money in the beginning.

Keyana: What is it like being on Making the Band and having you’re life tape like that? I mean they’re following you everywhere you constantly have the cameras in your face through everything. What has that been like for you?
Dawn: It’s hard to deal with you know, I’m a very private person so I’m learning to be more open but you never get use to waking up with a camera in your face because you always have your bad days and seems they always get the bad days.











"You know I believe Diddy didn’t make the decision, I think God did. God help Diddy make that decision "

Keyana: So on T.V what we see you portraying is it all true or is it just for T.V.?
Dawn: its entire true none of it’s scripted.

Kenyan: Okay, have you ever had any crazy encounters with fans?
Dawn: You know what all our fans are great I never had any problems, I like the fact that we have opinionated fans and that they have their own opinions and I like that.

Keyana: How has the transition been for you, I mean going from a regular person to this big time stardom and being on Bad Boy because that’s such a big label. What has that been like?
Dawn: It’s a slow process because everyday you learn something new, but I’m grateful for the transition. I mean you wait your whole life to live your dream and I’m getting an opportunity do so, so I’m not taking it for granted.
Keyana: What have you learned most about this industry?
Dawn: It’s a shady business (laughs). That’s what I’ve learned.

Keyana: Yeah that’s true. So what advice would you have for people like yourself, aspiring artist who’s trying to get into this industry?
Dawn: Know your business be prepared because this industry is not easy and stay true to who you are because you can get lost in it. But it can be great moments if you fight through the greediness and see the positive in the situation it can be a really great thing to be apart of.

Keyana: Alright, now I want to ask you some Danity Kane questions…

So what’s going on with the group are you all still together, are you broken up or getting back together. What’s going on with that situation?
Dawn: You got watch the show; you got to watch the season.

Keyana: Ah come on, I mean I’m rooting for you girls and so is so many of your fans. I hope something good can come out of it, because like you said you have a lot of opinionated fans who really support and stick by y’all.
Dawn: Thank you, yeah it’s a hard thing but we’re staying positive.

Keyana: Are you surprised at what you were able to accomplish with DK?
Dawn: No, I knew

Keyana: Did you think Diddy made the right choice with who he chooses to be in the group?
Dawn: You know I believe Diddy didn’t make the decision, I think God did. God help Diddy make that decision , so what ever decision Diddy made it was suppose to happen, God put us together we were meant to be together and rock the stage together. That’s why we had so many great things happen for us.

"that’s just how it is you have to fight for your freedom and your freedom of creativity and I think that’s what we did."

Keyana: Yeah, I feel you Diddy was more of a vessel. What would you say was your most memorable moment of being in Danity Kane?
Dawn: Rocking on stage and standing there seeing all those people singing our songs, and headlining. Amazing!
Keyana: Do ever get bothered by all the work and travel, the long days and nights?
Dawn: I love the work, I love the work ethic you know you do miss out on part of a personal life that you don’t have but I got a take that risk because this is my dream I love what I do.

Keyana: Now watching the show I notice sometime doing y'all recording process you wasn’t to please with the song choices you were given at times. Is it frustrating sometimes having label execs controlling everything and you all not being able to be more hands on when it came to the album?
Dawn: That’s with anything, that’s in anything in music. You know that’s just how it is you have to fight for your freedom and your freedom of creativity and I think that’s what we did. You have to play a game you know and you don’t always fit in it, the label is always going to try to see it in the direction that they want to go but that’s when you have to fight for what you believe in and if you really believe that you’re an artist and ideas that you have to bring forward, you know you have to fight for that and I believe that’s what we did.

Keyana: How do you feel about auto-tune and everybody using it and have you use it?
Dawn: I feel if that’s what rocks for them, that’s what they rock. I mean to each it’s own.

Keyana: Are you planning on using it?
Dawn: Ah, well you know I like to hear my natural voice. That’s just kind of what I grew up in I grew up in the church but you never know when your in the studio working with someone’s flavor and their like auto-tune I’m not gone knock it.

Keyana: So Dawn you know it’s 2009 and I’m sure five years ago you had goals as to where you’d be, are you where you thought you’d be right now?
Dawn: No, I never imagined it would be this great, I always hoped but you know I never thought to this capacity that I be chilling in London and traveling all over the world. I never thought that in a million years. Did I want it, yeah but never thought that it would be possible coming from little old New Orleans.

Keyana: So where do you see your career going, I say in 5 years?
Dawn: In the next 5 to 10 years I want to become icon legend music. I know it’s a lot of hard work that has to come with that but hey it’s no fun to dream small.

"I feel if that’s what rocks for them, that’s what they rock. I mean to each it’s own. "

Keyana: Yeah, you have to set your goals high. I know working under Diddy I know you must get shown great examples of that because he’s such a talented artist and he’s done so many great things. So what’s it like working under him?
Dawn: It’s not easy he’s a talented business man

Kenyan: Do you have any plans to venture out and do other things on side of the comic book?
Dawn: Of course, I love fashion I would love to get into that as well. I mean the sky’s the limit; I’ve already done it with the comic book who knows what I can do next. I do want to become a brand though.

Keyana: Do you think your plan on trying to do something more with the comic book, like possibly making it into a cartoon or anything like that?
Dawn: Definitely, I would love to make it a movie. I would love to have Craig Miller direct it, he’s an amazing director who can take comic books and create them into great movies. I’d love to do a movie or a cartoon with it.

Keyana: Yeah he is. That would be great. Well it’s out there now so you never know. Now, I want to ask you some Que questions if you don’t mind?
Dawn: Not at all, not at all.

Keyana: You guy’s are such a cute couple and everyone seems to love you all’s relationship, so let me ask are you two engaged or planning on getting married anytime soon?
Dawn: Ah no we’re taking it slow, I mean you never know with him but I don’t know. Right now we’re good, comfortable at the pace we’re going.

Keyana: Well’ I know you you’ve heard about the Chris Brown and Rihanna situation and that’s crazy. I don’t have any opinions about it because I don’t know what happened but with their relationship being played out in the media like it is on such a national level. Do you wish sometime you wouldn’t have been so open with you and Que’s relationship?
Dawn: The reality is we have the T.V. show and it’s not something that we can hide it is what it is, but um it’s hard and my heart goes out to them. I just pray that you know we can keep our relationship together even with all the predicaments and being out in the open like it is.

Keyana: Do you think it’s even harder being in a celebrity relationship when you have your own separate careers and both have so much going on like you do?
Dawn: I think its hard being in a relationship like this, so yeah.

Keyana: Okay, so do you get to spend as much time together as you would like or is that hard as well?
Dawn: No we don’t spend enough time, we work a lot but we make it work. I think the thing about us is we make it happen; we work really hard to make it great.

Keyana: Oh and Dawn, last season when he song to you. I think I melted that was just so sweet I was blushing for you. That was just too adorable.
Dawn: Yeah he’s amazing, he’s an amazing guy. (Laughs)

Keyana: You guy’s are so cute.
Dawn: Thank you!

"It’s really fun making them, it’s cool you get to become characters and act like someone else. Its film like a movie, it’s like being an actor. It’s really; really fun and I enjoy it."

Keyana: I wanted to talk to you about an album, well there’s been a lot talk going around the internet about you doing a solo album. Is that true?
Dawn: I am writing right now, song writing and getting better as a writer. I think you guy’s need to watch the show and see what happens and see where the road takes me next.

Keyana: So you gone leave it at that? Dawn: (laughs) Yeah.

Keyana: You know the last album you did with DK had some really great songs on it, do you think there will be anymore songs released from that album as a single?
Dawn: I don’t know you never know. I think all of this is a wait and see type of thing, I think if the fans make enough nose you never know what could happen.

Keyana: Tell me, what is it like making the videos?
Dawn: It’s really fun making them, it’s cool you get to become characters and act like someone else. Its film like a movie, it’s like being an actor. It’s really; really fun and I enjoy it.

Keyana: You know sometimes when you become a big star you have people in your hometown that knew and sometimes feel like once you made it you got big headed or forgot where you came from. Is it like that for you or do you still stay connected?
Dawn: I got lucky, I got to hometowns Baltimore and New Orleans and they give me love in both places.

Keyana: That’s cool, because you just don’t seem like the big headed type and that’s what I like about you.
Dawn: Oh not at all, not at all.

Keyana: That’s what I love about you, you’re so humble and down-to-earth and people can relate to you. You know, and that’s a formula for success.

Well it’s been such a pleasure interviewing you and I wish you much success and greatness in your future.

Dawn: Thank you, God bless you!

For more on Dawn dawnrichardonline.com/