EXCLUSIVE: D. WOODS STEPS OUT OF THE GRAY AREA…

EXCLUSIVE: D. WOODS STEPS OUT OF THE GRAY AREA…

Destined for stardom from birth, Wanita Woodgette known to the world as ‘D. Woods’ finally got her big break after being discovered by producer/rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2005. D. Woods quickly became a household name as millions of television viewers tuned in each week to watch her journey to fame on MTV’s “Making the Band”. After “making the band”, D. Woods  achieved success as a member of Danity Kane; selling over a million records worldwide with their self-titled debut album Danity Kane. While she was well on her way to reaching the peak of her career, she unfortunately found herself booted from the group. Determined to persevere D. Woods took her departure from Danity Kane as a new chapter in her music career. Check out Str8NYC’s exclusive interview with the multi-talented singer–where she discusses her relationship with Diddy & thoughts on Bad Boy, clears up those pesky Danity Kane rumors, her debut solo album, her new movie and more!

Str8NYC: I must say, you were my favorite Danity Kane member.

D. Woods: Aww. Thank you!

Str8NYC: When did you realize you were destined to be an entertainer?

D. Woods: Um… [it’s] so funny that you say that because I don’t remember. I was that young! [laughs] I was little. I remember my first, [well] I don’t know if it was my first performance, but the first performance I do remember is when I was three years old I [played] Pinocchio. I got no strings! [I got the] “I’ve Got No Strings” number from my dance school and I remember my mother was worried ‘cause rehearsals were running late and everything. And she was thinking that I would probably get irritable and [catch] stage fright. And I was like, ‘No! No!’ [laughs]. I just remember being so focused back stage– getting ready to go on. That’s the first time that I remember I got the little stage bug, stage fever…whatever you want to call it.

Str8NYC: I was shocked when Diddy dismantled the group [Danity Kane]. When it all happened it was like, ‘WTF! Diddy are you serious?’.

D. Woods: Yep! That’s how the cookie crumbles.

Str8NYC: When Diddy fired you, did you feel like your career was over or did you view it as a new chapter/beginning in your life?

D. Woods: I definitely didn’t feel like it was over. It was almost kind of like a sixth sense ‘cause I kind of sensed things coming together when he actually came out his face. It was almost like I knew he was going to say it. So that’s why it was just like, ‘Oh wow! Okay. So um…cool. I guess I’ll see you next time’ [laughs]. It was like, ‘Well that’s cool. Um… thanks for everything you’ve done, but it was great! You will be seeing me later and you know maybe it will work out better’. You know, that’s kind of how I was looking at it. Like alright, now it’s time for me to get started on what I wanted to do because there were so many things I had to kind of dumb down, restrict and put on the back burner that I wanted to do to express my talent and my capabilities or just my vision and it wasn’t the platform for it. I was finding out more and more the longer I was in the situation [Danity Kane] that this wasn’t the platform that I was really going to be able to exercise my full potential. So it was kind of like, ‘Well, now let me go find that next plateau where I’m going to really take off. This was fun, but now it’s really time to get it cracking’.

Str8NYC: How did you feel when Diddy announced that Danity Kane was no more and he was only keeping Dawn [Richard] on Bad Boy’s roster?

D. Woods: Once again, I kind of saw things [laughs]. Realizing it coming into place and the stars aligning; where I knew that was happening already too.

Str8NYC: Wow! What do you think played a role in the demise of Danity Kane? Rumor had it that members of the group were mad at the relationship Diddy and Dawn had.

D. Woods: Well, those rumors are really totally false [laughs]. The only thing that I can say that we as the other people who weren’t involved in the extracurricular activities that Dawn and Puff had were just like, you know just communicate. Everything is communication, you know what I mean? It’s not about what you do, but it’s about how you do it and how you handle it. That was really the feeling of discontent we felt or I felt. I really want to speak for myself ‘cause it’s like don’t let me be the last person to find out. If we’re all in here together, living together and working towards a common goal, but you got another goal going on and it’s kind of productive towards overseeing what our common goal is…you know just communicate that! [Laughs] ‘Cause we can all come together and find out how everybody can win and how everybody can be happy and feel satisfied and appreciated for what they bring to the table. But, don’t let me be a pawn in your chess game, you know what I’m saying? I’m worth more than that, I deserve better than that and I’m putting in more than that! Almost from the beginning the onset of the group coming together, being put together I feel like the plan was never really put in place to make it be longevity, you know what I mean? So I feel like it started from before we were put together that there was never really a plan for longevity in the first place. [It seemed like] things kind of took off and it was always a catch up and it was never like, ‘Okay, we’re really trying to make this win’. From then on it was a downward spiral.

Str8NYC: Do you still talk to the other members [Andrea, Dawn, Shannon & Aubrey]?

D. Woods: Uh…just here and there. [It’s] very seldom.

Str8NYC: How is your relationship with Diddy? Are you guys cordial? Do you guys even speak at all?

D. Woods: I really don’t have um… [a] reason to speak to him.

Str8NYC: Wow! [laughs]

D.Woods: [Laughs]. I’m keeping it all the way 100, you know what I’m saying? It was a business relationship. The business is longer in existence; therefore there’s no communication really.

Str8NYC: If Diddy were to offer you a solo deal to come back to Bad Boy Records, would you hop on it or would you decline it?

D. Woods: Um…everything is negotiable. Put it on paper [and] let’s talk about it! That’s how I think about things. There’s no ill will. It’s like if you present me a good opportunity business wise and it’s beneficial for me and that was part of the reason why I sat and really soul searched where I want to take my career, where I think will be the best move for me to execute my vision and my dream as a deal I should seek leaving that situation [laughs]. And knowing the state of the industry and what deals are being offered to artists and things of that nature, I thought it was smart for me to establish my own company and then seek distribution. So anyone who can come and align their interest with my interest and it’s beneficial to both parties then… yeah we can do business together! But, if I’m not benefiting as much as you are, why would I put myself back in that position, you know what I mean? Why would I take a situation that’s not going to benefit me the way I feel that I deserve? [Especially] if I’m putting in as much work as I know I’m going to put in.

Str8NYC: With the experience you had with Diddy and Bad Boy, would you recommend other artists if they ever had the chance to sign with the label to sell their soul to the “Devil”?

D. Woods: Well, if that’s how you feel then I don’t know [laughs]. I don’t know that if somebody came to me and said, ‘Should I sell my soul to the Devil?’. I would say, ‘Well that comes with a big price sweetheart and I hope you can deal with that price’. But, I would never tell anybody not to take a situation that they feel in their heart and their spiritual soul searching. If you feel like that’s something that you should do to take you where you want to go–do it! But, if you look at the pros and cons and it’s not lining up the right way and you have your family members and people who are close to you not feeling like it’s a good look and they have your true best interest at heart then don’t do it! There’s no right or wrong way to do this thing. It’s different for everybody.

Str8NYC: Okay, this is the last Diddy and Danity Kane question! [Laughs] ‘Cause I know you’re probably saying, ‘Got damn I’m trying to get over that!’. So what do you think about Diddy and Dirty Money?

D. Woods: [Laughs] Uh…not much. Not to be funny, [but] I don’t really have an opinion.

Str8NYC: So how is life post-Danity Kane?

D. Woods: Life is good! Life is full of possibilities and it’s really all what you make of each possibility. I came up with the concept for my EP “The Gray Area”, kind of labeling and symbolizing what this past year has been like for me. Kind of like this in between transitional stage. The music that “The Gray Area” consists of is the music that I started when I was really starting to focus on getting in the studio experimenting and just getting work in my system out without any limitations or boundaries. Just staying productive and staying connected to who I am as a person. I had to dig up a lot of my own emotions that I suppressed and you know [let them] out. It was almost like a detoxification process that I went through [laughs]. And then you know reintroducing myself; going to the same places that brought me to where I am artistically. Going to my same vocal coaches, acting coaches, dance instructors– just getting back to what it was that made me love and cherish and respect and hone my craft. So that’s kind of like what “The Gray Area” has been for me and I titled the EP that because it’s the music that I made while [going] through that process. [The album] kind of bridges the gap from where I was in the group to where I am now. The beginnings of where I am now as full fledge. This direction, you know D. Woods? I really want the audience to see a distinction and see who I really am. Really reintroduce myself to them and then we’re really seeing all the different facets that I am as a triple threat, you know what I mean? [Laughs] Very theatrical. So it’s been good! That process has been really good, very fulfilling. You know, it’s challenging. Everything is always challenging when you don’t have a full machine behind you that’s why my mixtape series, I kept saying, ‘Man against the machine, man against the machine. It’s the movement!’ [laughs]. And it was like really doing things on my own. Really tearing down a perception and a stereotype that was made for me by a machine, but not really in my best interest. It was fun because I got to really connect with my fan base that I wasn’t really able to [connect with] before and experiment with a lot of things and also test my own business savvy and marketing insights. A lot of different people I didn’t have a chance to work with for a long time are also producers on the project like Adam Blackstone, Soundz, the Band Geeks they’re through Grand Hustle, and some really talented new and up-and-coming musicians. So it’s been a good year! A very up and down roller coaster, but it’s exciting cause you don’t know what’s coming next.

Str8NYC: You’re releasing your debut album My Favorite Color on your very own label Woodgrane Entertainment, are you in the least bit nervous about your debut as a solo artist? Do you feel like you’re in competition with yourself to match the same success you had when you were part of Danity Kane?

D. Woods: I think any artist when they’re releasing a new body of work there’s anxiety, there’s nervous energy and that’s a good thing because if you don’t care about it when it comes out then obviously you didn’t put your heart and soul [laughs]. It’s like sending your child off for their first day of school, you know? But, at the same time I’m not necessarily nervous about matching the level of success that Danity Kane had because that’s the level of success that Danity Kane had, you know what I mean? This is totally different because it’s me and that [Danity Kane] wasn’t me. I was a part of something and I played my part in that and accomplished what I accomplished as a part of that [Danity Kane]. I did my part and I’m proud of it! I got the plaque up on my wall and no one can ever take that away from me. Nobody went through the process like I did. But this is my own, so it’s almost like starting all the way new and fresh. I have higher expectations for myself because it is my vision and I’m more excited because I know that this is all me and the idea I came up with when nobody was in the room with me or [when I] was walking in the street or whatever [laughs]. That’s my biggest joy, like seeing the idea. The day “Legalize Me” when up on iTunes I was just jumping up and down and I hadn’t felt that excited about something in a long time, you know? And it was just like ‘Why am I so excited?’.  ‘Cause I remember when we came up with the idea for the cover art, I was standing over the kitchen sink and I was like, ‘Damn this is what it should be’ and now I’m standing over the kitchen sink looking at it on iTunes and a lot of other people have it in their possession. That’s like one of the biggest joys I have! So I’m excited to feel that more.

Str8NYC: When can we expect the album to drop and what can we expect to hear? Any collaborations?

D. Woods: Yes! You can expect [it] in late Spring of 2010. Collaborations…I am going to keep under lock and key for right now because there’s still a lot of things developing. There’s already been some really great collaborations that are dope, but I kind of want to wait before I unveil all those things. But, I’m definitely doing a lot of writing with my team “The Girls Club”, a lot of dope producers, new up-and-coming producers [who are] established, but [are] still fresh in the game, you know? I’d like to get the new blood up in there [laughs]. [There’s] a lot of high energy [on the album]. The best thing for me is knowing that it’s going to be very visual and live performance. That’s going to solidify the whole experience of the music for the audience member. Like, you’re going to listen to it and I’m definitely going to take you somewhere when you listen to it, but when you come and see it you’re going to have a whole ‘nother experience! So I’m already in talks in planning a lot of performances, touring and stuff like that. So that’s what can you expect.

Str8NYC: Can you explain the message behind the lyrics of  your single “On My Side”.  Is it really “better on your side”?

D. Woods: Haha! Well actually “Legalize Me” is the debut single. “On My Side” is also one of the songs that will be released. Umm…the leaks, those things happen. Can’t get mad [laughs]. But, I’ll explain both of those songs. “Legalize Me” was produced by Soundz, written by myself and TC, a new young writer. It was something that I came up with at first just like ‘Yo what if I was just like intoxicating this illegal substance–like me!’. I’m just going to get these boys sprung and we just went on and on with the metaphor. And of course the track has a very enticing type of sound to where you just get into a trance. So we were buggin’ out in the studio that day [laughs]. And of course the video when I got with the director his name is Mo the Mogul, we took it there too and made it come to life. “Legalize Me”, we can take it a couple different ways in relationships. You want to make it official, put it on paper, sign a prenup, put a ring on my finger and make it legal [laughs]! Or also just being [a] young, hot, lil’ female running around in the industry; there’s a lot of older men who try to be hollering [and] I’m like, ‘wow man!’. I am legal at this point, but when it started I was like, ‘How you know I’m 18? How you know I’m legal son?! I could be your daughter’ [laughs]. So it’s like I kind of mixed all of those different interpretations in “Legalize Me”. But “On My Side” is real sassy and it’s real boastful. Like you’re in a relationship with her, she gets on your nerves and she ain’t keeping her body tight, you know she doesn’t cook anymore [laughs]. We really just ran with the whole saying, ‘The grass is always greener on the other side’. But, then you never know when you get to the other side what kind of weeds, grass rats, stones and broken glasses [are] in the yard [laughs]. It’s just being real sassy and sexy. When I perform it we do that too [laughs].

Str8NYC: This question is for the fellas. I’m pretty sure they want to know if you’re seeing anyone right now. So are you currently linked to anyone?

D. Woods: I’m seeing these old men that be on these lil’ green pieces of paper [laughs]. He old. He old. He’s just so old, but he is sooo good to me girl! I’m just playing [laughs]. I’ve just really been working hard. I’m kind of like a late bloomer or whatever. I don’t really be thinking about really being tied to anybody like officially, officially because I’m moving so fast and a lot of guys are intimidated by being persistent. Guys, the number one thing is be persistent! Let me know you really mean business when you want to holla at me and it’s just not, ‘Come over here and talk to me’. If you see me over here doing this other stuff, why would I stop to talk to you when you ain’t talking about nothing? [Laughs]. That’s kind of what it’s been like. My goal is to have somebody for Valentine’s Day [because] the last couple [of] Valentine’s I’ve been very much the Valentine’s scrooge [laughs]. I even did a lil’ comedy video last year. I was like, ‘I’m about to just run around and pop everybody’s balloons and stomp on their teddy bears’. I’m hoping this year it will be different. I got a lil’ while to find somebody [laughs].

Str8NYC: Yeah, you got a lil’ while.

D. Woods: Right! It’s going to sneak up on me now. So, I gotta wear some cute clothes for New Year’s or something [laughs]. Maybe I’ll just walk around with a mistletoe hanging over my head for the whole month [laughs].

Str8NYC: Are you currently working on anything else besides music? You recently completed filming “We Are Family”, can you share your on-set experience and dish on what the film is about and the role you play?

D. Woods: Yes! “We Are Family” is a story about these different characters that you would think would never even know each other in life, like they wouldn’t even be in the same room together. But, it just so happens that they do get thrown in the same room together and in that process they find that they are family–they’re related. And it’s just the whole crash and burn and then come back together experience. It’s different personalities coming together. I play the character by the name of Broweena and she is like the around-the-way, kind of like hood chick on the come up looking for a scheme, looking for the check. I support Chyna Layne (Precious), she and I and our two other friends are all scheming trying to get paid [laughs]. Chyna’s character, we set her up to go get the check for us and in the process she finds out that she has all these other family members. It’s pretty funny. We had a good time. David from American Idol is in it, Monique Coleman (High School Musical), Christian Keyes–the fine ass what Christian Keyes (Tyler Perry Films) is in it! [Laughs]  It’s quite a few people. It’s a lot of different characters that come in and out of the movie. So it was a good experience.

Str8NYC: When is it coming out?

D. Woods: In 2010. I don’t have the exact date, but I know it’s going to be in the latter part of 2010.

Str8NYC: You’re a founder and member of “The Girls Club”; can you explain how you guys came up with idea?  Can you also explain for those who don’t know what “The Girls Club” is all about what it pretty much is?

D. Woods: Well, “The Girls Club” is pretty much a sorority. A networking system—a group of like-minded females who want to see each other win in the industry and aren’t threatened by each others accomplishments. Ain’t hating on each other. Ain’t trying to swagger jack each other, you know? [laughs] It’s all celebrating our differences and finding different ways that we can collaborate and pull one another up and support each other in the individual projects. So Shanell aka SNL of Young Money Entertainment, Mika Means of Motown/Universal and myself we came together before we had any of our situations—when we were just D.Woods, Shanell and Mika [laughs]. We came together and we just started helping each other. Shanell and I kinda have no choice [but] to help each other because we’re blood sisters. So my mother would’ve been looking at us like, ‘Look you better go over there and help your sister!’[laughs]. You know, collaborating in the studio, writing for each other as well as teaming up to write for other artists, film scores, commercials, jingles and whatever we could find. And we started just going out and performing ‘cause you know there’s always strength in numbers. We always liked the way that these males present themselves when they click up and they look stronger, you know G-Unit, Wu-Tang, Rocafella. We always joke and say that Jermaine Dupri, Brian Michael Cox and Usher copied us with their “Ocean 7” [laughs]. Because man they wasn’t doing that until we was runnin’ around Atlanta talking about “The Girls Club”…now they’re Ocean 7 [laughs]. But, we started doing performances and people liked it. It was like, ‘I don’t do what she does, but I’m still going to be her hype man. And I know a bunch of girls who are dancers and we’re going to get them to dance for us. And you know make sure that [when] we go on tour that they’re our dancers. And you know that female DJ she’s gonna be our DJ’. We just make sure each other is up on their business and be supportive.

Str8NYC: If I wanted to get down with “The Girls Club”, would I be able to join? ‘Cause you know it takes a lot to get into a sorority–you gotta go through a lot of stuff!

D. Woods: Right, right, right! We haven’t started doing any hazing or anything like that [laughs]. It’s kind of like an invite type of thing, you know. Feel each other out. Like if we meet this new girl [and] she’s a really dope artist– I’ll look at her website, I see what she’s been doing [then] I think we should invite her to our next gathering or our next get-together. It’s kinda like that. You get invited in.

Str8NYC: Well, I’ll be waiting for my invite D. [Laughs]

D. Woods: Okay! Okay! I’ll be checking up on you to see how you rep your business!

Str8NYC: You better! ‘Cause I’ll be waiting for it in my inbox [laughs].

D. Woods: Okay [laughs].

Str8NYC: How do you feel about industry packaging? You mentioned earlier, when you were a member of Danity Kane that wasn’t really you and that was just the mold of the group. Do you feel that industry packaging hinders or helps artists?

D. Woods: [Sighs] I feel like it could do both, you know. That’s why you have to have a great team around you as an artist so that they really understand what you need to portray and who you are as a person and finding a happy medium. ‘Cause sometimes you know you’re feeding a persona. You’re selling a brand. Especially these days when it’s so much larger than just your music or your song being hot, you need to sell a whole like campaign and movement. So you better have the right people around you, who can find something that is cohesive with your vision and the individual artist and also what they know is going to help you win and help you go further. It can help and it can definitely hurt if it’s not on the same page. You see all the time artists start of like this and it don’t necessarily work and then the artist goes off and cuts their hair or whatever or vice versa where they have a really great image and then the artists went haywire and started doing all kinds of crazy stuff. It’s not about just throwing something on somebody and making them a puppet, making them a muse for somebody else’s interest because we’re humans at the end of the day. No one’s a machine. And especially like us “creative people”, we’re very sensitive people [laughs]. We need love and attention and care [laughs].

Str8NYC: Nowadays blogs are taking over. Even reputable media outlets are looking on the blogs for their latest news and updates. How do you feel about blog sites?

D. Woods: It’s all entertainment. It’s all entertainment [laughs]. Very entertained. We know some of that stuff is not true. Like, ‘Oh my goodness why are we zooming into Beyonce’s crotch to see whether or not she shaved’. Like I don’t want to see that MediaTakeOut. I don’t want to see that Perez Hilton. Hey it might’ve been an off  day [laughs]. But it’s all entertainment. And you know when they say, “no press is bad press”? Sometimes bad press is really bad press. Sometimes it can be really hurtful. But, it kind of comes with the territory a lil’ bit. It can also be very helpful–another vehicle to get your project or whatever your doing out in the world to fans to let people know what you’re doing.

Str8NYC: Have you ever been affected by something a blog wrote about you? Where you just felt like saying, ‘F these people! I feel like emailing the blog owner and just letting them having it’?

D. Woods: Oh yes! [Laughs] Yes, girl! But, you know you have to take things with a grain of salt. Also you can’t read all of it. You can’t be on it everyday. I can’t be on those things every day. It will literally drive you crazy a lil’ bit and you’ll start to feel so much more inhibited and self-conscious ‘cause you can’t please everybody.

Str8NYC: Your sister Shanell is signed to Young Money Entertainment and the blogs often compare the two of you and pass judgment, does it bother you when people do that?

D. Woods: It does sometimes although I know it’s going to happen. But the only thing about the blog sites that bothers me is that it makes everybody a critic. And everybody feels like they have the authority to pass judgment and it’s not about that. We’re two different people. You can’t compare stuff. That’s why Shanell and I do things separately [laughs]. I really feel like we do a good job as sisters to give each other the space to be ourselves, but still love and support each other. I don’t know how my mother did that because we’ve been doing the same thing together since we were born. She found a way to always make each one of us feel appreciated. She didn’t have one person feeling like ‘Uh you’re [the] favorite or I’m the ugly duckling’. I’m sure it happens to the all the other sibling sets that are out there in the industry– Venus and Serena, Beyonce and Solange, Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad. You can’t compare…we’re two different people.

Str8NYC: Is there anything else you’d like to share with your fans?

D. Woods: Go buy my single “Legalize Me” on iTunes–NOW! This is the first release of Woodgrane Entertainment so it’s like, ‘Whoa it’s really a reality!’.

Find out more about D. Woods HERE. And if ya just can’t get enough of D. Woods follow her on Twitter.

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