Dawn Richard - 'creole culture'
What’s Good Y’all! I'm excited about this next feature because it really surprised me. The cover caught my attention. I told y’all I’m a sucker for a good cover, and this one right here was GOOOOODDDD! At 43, Dawn Richard beautifully posed with her head and face facing forward, a gold-jeweled grill in her mouth, and hands (supposedly hers) covering her face in a way that turned her facial features into a look that says “Don’t play with me,” with her hands and neck adorned in gold jewelry. With the release of her 10th studio album, ‘creole culture,’ Dawn pays homage to her hometown, New Orleans, Louisiana, and her Creole roots. It’s evident not only in the album's name and cover but also in the music.
This is my first time listening to a Dawn Richard album. I was hesitant to check this project out because I wasn't a fan of her previous group, Danity Kane. And I never got into her short stint with that random group project Diddy (Dirty Money) put together to put himself back in the spotlight. So a few things from her past gave me pause, but I set it aside and tapped in anyway. And I am so glad I did!
The album opens up sounding like it came straight out of a party in New Orleans with Big Freedia on the track, adding a flair of bounce, house, and hip-hop to the electronica sound. Big Freedia is not the only New Orleans native blessing this album, as Dawn also collabs with Anjelika Jelly Joseph, Frank Richard, and Tarriona ‘Tanka’ Ball from Tank and the Bangas.
The sampling is perfect on this album, from classic Sister Nancy vocals on the song ‘enough’ to the timeless Aretha Franklin sample on ‘baby, can we?’ featuring Durand Bernarr. What I love about these samples is how effortlessly she owns them and makes them her own. Also he voice melds with Durand's so beautifully on this track; it feels like if it were a spread, it would glide easily onto the toast!
There's a quick excerpt from Dawn in which she explains that this album affirms Black women within the musical space of electronic music, and I was so proud she pointed that out, as Apple Music lazily categorizes the album as Pop. Quite often when it comes to house, electronic, and dance music, Black people and especially Black Women are constantly removed from the conversation. And this is a beautiful reminder that they are here, they exist, and they ain't goin’ anywhere! The album felt like one big ode not only to R&B, but also to her culture, as the blend of sounds throughout the album provides a front-row window into why Dawn is 'THAT GIRL.'
I honestly love this entire album; I’ve been playing it and doing a little 1, 2 step with a shimmy every time. It’s only 43 minutes long; I'm not sure if that was intentional, but this project definitely made me want to dive into her past projects. I feel like I’ve been sleeping on such a talented artist, but this album woke me up in the best way!
Check out the Album Below:
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