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My dad was a teacher. He has a Masters in music. He taught elementary school, and he played gigs his whole life, and we lived good.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
I did write more mainstream stuff with DK. But you could always tell the records that I wrote in contrast with everybody else's because the format was a bit different. The harmonies were used in a different type of way. Way more metaphors in the mix.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard
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I really got back to my New Orleans roots - my grandfather played with Fats Domino. We had to leave after Katrina, but I feel like, spiritually, I'm back there.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
My grandmother had a Ph.D in library science, so I grew up in a library, and I would appreciate those books and the smell of them and how they'd have these series, and it was cool to me. I always felt like, if I had an opportunity, I'd create an album that felt like a series.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
It's a lot of work being an indie artist, but it's worth it.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
I want to get up and celebrate something - and why not celebrate being a woman?
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
Fashion is my lover on the side, but I am married to music.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
I promised myself that I wouldn't be afraid to be who I was when I chose to do this music thing.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard
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Hair pieces and head dresses have always been something that's been part of my culture.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
You don't need validation from other people. You've gotta find it within yourself and sit in it and roll with it.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
I do not have a history in set design. I have a history in art. I draw. But I learned set design when I couldn't afford to have a team and I didn't want to look like I was indie. I wanted to give fans the visual.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
When I was 4, I had a schedule. I was playing softball. My brother was playing football. My parents were teachers, and they'd owned businesses. We like to work hard. Work and then books. Books and then work. We just knew that we had to excel. It sounds militant, but trust me, it was fun.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
I would describe my personal style as putting Twiggy and Yoko Ono together. It is hobo with no rules.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
There's definitely that tribal Africana thing going on in my sound. It's that marching band, second-line music, that Creole-influence in the kick, and the snare that drives everything for me. I think it's really what's separated my sound from a lot of the R&B and pop music out there.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard
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'Armor On' explains why I needed armor in the first place. Sonically, you'll hear this battle of, 'I love you, no I don't. I love you, I hate you.' That's what you'll feel. You see the story kind of fight against itself.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
I lived in the library with my grandmother as a child. I still love the smell of books; the library card is still my friend.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
I can be a little messy and wild and carefree with my creativity as a solo artist. In a group, there's a certain structure, and everyone has a part to play, and being a solo artist, I can do as I please.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
I've grown so much in the music industry. From 'GoldenHeart,' it was just about me and the music and me in this dream. With 'BlackHeart,' its more about me and who I am and what role I play in my own life and in the business.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
Originally, I was set on going to Hawaii Pacific University. We visited the campus in Hawaii. I was gonna be a Rainbow Warrior. I was gonna play softball. I was gonna major in marine biology. Everything was set. Then my dad was like, 'So you're not gonna do music? If you do go to Hawaii, there's no studios there, baby girl.'
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
'Blackheart' was the moment for me to really open up and let people into the world that is me.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard
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I got in the audition line called 'Making the Band' because I wanted to be in a band. If I didn't, I would have done 'American Idol.'
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
I connect so much with Peter Gabriel's sound because, to me, he always had that South African vibe. His drums were always something to move to: it was almost like Calypso. I'm a big fan.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
Besides music, I was all school, school, school. And softball. I played the game since I was four, and I wanted to go to the Olympics for softball. I got a full scholarship through softball.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard -
I've had two platinum albums. I have worked with thousands of people. But the most rewarding feeling is to see people on Twitter say, 'Do you see what Dawn and them are doing? They are number one.' It's the most rewarding feeling because of all the tears, all the bad stuff, and the people that said I couldn't do it.
Dawn Angeliqué Richard