D∆WN at Kantine am Berghain / Sunday, 19.06.2016

Dawn Richard, known professionally as D∆WN, is a multi-platinum American singersongwriter.

Between 2005 and 2014, Richard was a member of US girl group Danity Kane and Diddy-Dirty Money – a group featuring Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs. Having scored a number of platinum singles and albums during this time, as well as reaching Number One on the iTunes R’n’B/ Soul chart with Danity Kane’s final album ‘DK3’, Richards is now concentrating on what she has dubbed ‘The Black Era’.

https://soundcloud.com/fadetomind/sets/dawn-richard-infrared-ep

This project isn’t just about the musical experience but also the visual as well. From an incredible collaboration with visual artist Caleb Hahne for the ‘Blackheart’ album cover, to a high fashion and choreography-heavy based music video for “Blow”, to the launch of her shoe line with Lust for Life, and the release of her Black Era Shades collaboration with Coco and Breezy; Dawn has set an entire brand around The Black Era.

Sonically, with influences from trip hop to electro pop to soul, this album solidifies Dawn as more than just a progressive R&B diva. This album takes her to Future Electro Stardom. The second installment to her heart trilogy differs drastically from her previous masterpiece, ‘Goldenheart’, as this work of art has much sharper edges, more experimental electro sounds, and is just more aggressive overall. You can tell Dawn chose fearless as this album’s lead companion. With Dawn producing and writing alongside her partner in crime Noisecastle III, these two make genres a thing of the past and future a thing of the now.

Since the release of ‘Blackheart’, Richard has been receiving critical acclaim from Fact Magazine, New York Times/LA Times, and Billboard. Many are saying that this is her best work yet. Andrew Ryce of Pitchfork gave the album an 8 out of 10 saying, “Blackheart is the singular, visionary work that she’s been hinting at since she struck out on her own post-Diddy in 2011.”