A new look, A new musical direction, yet still a Star. Dawn Richard, formerly of Danity Kane, sat down with Imperial-Mag to discuss life after the group, Catching the Last Train to Paris and how she likes her money… Dirty!

Imperial: Dawn! How are you!?

Dawn: I’m great! How are you?

Imperial: I’m good! Thank You. Let’s jump right into it. I know you don’t want to dwell on this, so we won’t, however,  have you spoken to, or had any contact with any of the girls from Danity Kane?

Dawn: No, but I wish them luck, and I know that they’re going to be successful in whatever they do.

Imperial: Dirty Money…. For those who don’t know, what is Dirty Money and how did it come about?

Dawn: It’s a movement! I’m excited about it. I’ll keep it short and brief because, you know, I think, the best thing I can tell you guys is to get on the train. It’s amazing, I can say, remember the experience when you went to your first concert, and you left feeling like you spiritually were fulfilled? You felt like, I can actually go on with a better life, like I want to be better because of the music that you just heard? I felt like that when I went to hear Prince.  That’s how I feel about this music. I feel like it can change the way music is moving. It can change the way people dance! It can change their everything, their movement. That’s what I feel like Dirty Money is…. And I’m excited about that!

Imperial: Yea, you have to be! You give your best when you’re excited about something.

Dawn: Yea, I agree!

Imperial: How has it been working with Diddy on the project-it’s a little different from him looking in from the outside, you’re actually all in a group now.

Dawn: He’s amazing! Like honestly! I’ve never seen someone so in tuned with their brilliance, if that makes sense. He knows exactly his strategy, he knows what he wants, and he’s a visionary. And I appreciate that about him.  And it’s so fun to work with him because, there are days when you’re like “Yo, I don’t think I can go on” but he makes you push that extra mile. And because of that, you see greatness in yourself that you never thought you can see.

Imperial: Are you ready for, what I’m sure is going to be a major tour?

Dawn: Are ya’ll ready!? The question is not if we’re ready, it’s if ya’ll are ready

Imperial: [laughs] Well, I know it’s going to be a different experience for you, as you’ll be working side by side with Diddy for the first time on stage.

Dawn: I’m ready! I’m so excited. Kaleena, the girl that I’m in the group with is amazing, Puff, you know, his energy, like I said before, it won’t be a question of, if we’re ready, it’s going to be a question of, if the world is ready for what’s about to happen, the change in the sounds. People are watching “Making His Band” and their seeing it. It’s something new, and people can digest it with an open mind. So, that’s the thing, are ya’ll ready!?

Imperial: We’ll definitely see! Have there been any talks of a solo album for you after the Dirty Money Project?

Dawn: Well, both Kaleena and I have our solo projects that we’re working on while this is happening, so everyone is very aware. Puff stated that we do have both projects that we’re working on as well as Dirty Money. So, it’s known that this is a crew thing, more than a group thing. But, everyone knows that.

Imperial: Do you think Diddy saw something in you from the jump that he didn’t see in the other girls of Danity Kane that ultimately made him say “I’m going to keep her!”

Dawn: You know, I can’t answer that. I don’t know what he felt. All I know is that, whatever plan God had, it kind of worked out in whatever it was suppose to be. I don’t think in my spirit that anything was done with purpose. I think that everything was done in the grace of God. I don’t think, for real, that any of this was planned. I think this was something that was fell upon and you know when something is great, and God has a plan, it comes out the way it was suppose to. So, I don’t think this is anything that could have been planned. This is just too brilliant to have been planned. This is something that comes out of the blue, and then you say “Oh my goodness” and then you try to grab it. I think that’s what Dirty Money is.

Imperial: With the recent lost of our icon, Michael Jackson, how do you feel it has changed you, if any, in the way you are as an artist?

Dawn: I’ll never forget this. Michael Jackson has been such an influence on me. I remember, for real, in 88’, my brother and I sitting and watching on the big screen TV, with the VHS. We had the VHS, with the…

Imperial: [Laughs]

Dawn: No, I’m for real! And we didn’t have the actual tape. We had the burned joint. Ya know, the VHS where you put your little strip on it, you make your own strip, and you write with a pen!? “ Michael Jackson 88’ ” And when I tell you we watched that everyday; we use to mimic him, I kid you not, we knew the background dancers, when they would stop and breathe. We knew EVERYTHING about it. And like, I think, there will be no other like him. I can only strive, and I can only hope that we as artist can strive to one day be half of what he was. Not only as an artist, but as a person.

Imperial: This new look, this new Dawn… What inspired the change? I love the cut by the way, very edgy.

Dawn: You know, people say it’s a new look and a new Dawn, but I’ma be real, this is the old Dawn. This is the Dawn before Making the Band. This was the Dawn that my parents and my brother knew. Like, the Rock n’ Roll and always doing different things, I’m telling you. People don’t even know. My parents were always like “You are so weird” but this is the Dawn from New Orleans, Louisiana. You know, 9th ward on.
People say it’s new, because they’ve never seen it, but I say it’s new, because it’s new to you guys. But to the people I know, this is the old Dawn. This is the Dawn that they know. You know? I’m going back to who I am, and not letting anything around me, make me conform to anything else. I’m choosing to love myself enough to be okay with being a chocolate girl from New Orleans, Louisiana with a dream. And it’s okay to be that, and love Rock n’ Roll music. I’m being okay with myself.  And I think that’s a good thing.
When you’re in a group, you have to sometimes play a roll. That’s the choice that you make when you’re in a group with certain people and you have to make it work. So, I chose to water down myself so that it fit for the group. But with this situation with Dirty Money, it’s a beautiful thing, because we are just who we are and it’s acceptable. So, when people are like, you’ve changed who you are, you’ve changed your whole style, it’s no…. I’m not in a hurricane anymore, I’m back to who I know I am and I’m loving myself. I’m being okay with who I am and that’s a great thing.

Imperial: I know you’re a writer, aside from the Dirty Money project, have you been writing for anyone else?

Dawn: I’ve been writing for Mya, trying to get on her new project. I submitted some things for Rihanna, I know a lot of people heard that on YouTube when I was submitting stuff. I submitted some things for Brandy. People tagged it as, “Don’t sound like Brandy… Don’t sound like Rihanna”, really what it was, was that I was referencing songs for artist. But yea, I’ve been writing for a lot of artist, trying to get on all the new stuff that’s out right now. Cassie I have some stuff on too. I’m hustling.

Imperial: Danity Kane comics… How did that come about and how long have you been drawing?

Dawn: I’ve been drawing my whole life. There were so many things I wanted to do. I wanted to go to college for animation, but there were just so many other things that I was doing. But I’m so proud of this comic book. I can talk to my brother with the talks of joining with a company, I won’t say the name until we do it, but joining with a company to expand the comic book. So I’m really excited about that. The first issue is already out, DanityKaneComics.com, the second one will be out in December. There is a soundtrack with that that will be coming out in December with the second issue. So, I’m really excited. People who go to DanityKaneComics.com can purchase it. It’s doing really well right now.

Imperial: Well, I tried to hold out on it for a while, but Que… How are things going there?

Dawn: [laughs] Why did ya’ll save him for last? He’s good… He’s good…

Imperial: I’ve been hearing that you two are engaged for some time, can you confirm?

Dawn: [laughs] You know… I’m learning. You know what I told myself, this year and next year. I’m going to start keeping things a little more private for myself. I feel as though I have given the public so much of my personal life, so in fairness to myself and my relationship, I’m going to keep this one underneath. This year, it’s going to be almost like a pre-New Year’s, pre-pre-pre-New Year’s resolution for myself. So, I’m not going to answer that one. I’m going to keep that one on the hush for the first time. [laughs] But I will say that I’m happy.

Imperial: Good… And that’s what matters.

Dawn: Thank You… Thank You…

Imperial: How did you feel when he got the Dawn tattoo and the lips tattoo, those are your lips, correct?

Dawn: Well, that’s obvious. Everyone knows the answer to those questions. He said it in an interview, when he got the Dawn tattoo, we weren’t even really that serious, we had just gotten serious.

Imperial: Yea, it was fairly early.

Dawn: Yea, so it was fairly early for him to do it. It just kind of showed how serious our connection and our chemistry was. But the lips came later, and yes, those are my lips… Lips came later. [laughs]

Imperial: When you performed with Danity Kane, you had the girls on stage with you. How are you going to make that transition into almost being a solo artist so to speak and being up there now on your own?

Dawn: That’s a good question. It will be difficult because sometimes you use the girls as crutches. Beyonce said that before, when she was with Destiny’s Child, when she went solo, that you use it as a crutch and it’s kind of different when you have to do it by yourself, you feel lonely. But the beautiful thing for me in this process, is that right now, I don’t have to do it because I’m going to have Puff on one side and then Kaleena. When it comes time to do the solo thing, don’t get it twisted, I’ll be ready… I’ll be ready.

Imperial: Yea, that’s the one thing I’ve always noticed. You’re an excellent performer.

Dawn: Thank You! It’s home to me. So it doesn’t matter either way. Because, if I don’t have the energy on the side of me, I have it in front of me, because the fans are amazing.

Imperial: Any words for those fans, those following the Dirty Money movement, or the swarm of twitter followers that you have?

Dawn: I’m a huge fan of all of ya’ll. Like real talk. I’ve never met such dedicated people who stay firm and supportive of someone. Even through the thick and thin. Like those who have stuck around, I am fans of you. Whatever you need, whatever posters you need, and blow horns you need, I’m going to be right there with you and rocking with you and that’s why we don’t want to give you a bad product, because ya’ll deserve good products. Because ya’ll support us, so thank you and hopefully you guys will stick with me and continue to stick with me.

Imperial: Thank you Dawn, it’s been an absolute pleasure and good luck on the Dirty Money project and anything that follows.

Dawn: Thank You! And I love you guys!