Donnie Klang
Donnie Klang | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Donald Joseph Klang |
Born | Brooklyn, New York City, New York | January 23, 1985
Genres | Pop, R&B |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, model, record producer |
Years active | 2007–present |
Labels | Bad Boy, Eight72, Twenty Two |
Associated acts | Danity Kane, Aubrey O'Day, Day 26 |
Donald Joseph Klang (born January 23, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, producer and model. He won Making the Band 4 and was awarded his own solo contract by Diddy. He released his debut album, Just a Rolling Stone in late 2008.
Life and career[]
Klang was born in Brooklyn, New York.[1] He began modeling as a baby and doing television and film work from a young age, getting minor roles on NYPD Blue to The Nanny.[2] He was in a band in middle school, later attending chorus in high school.[3] He was part of pop groups in St. Dominic High School and Island Trees High School, namely Playa Deception and INT. The latter which released an independent record called Hip-Pop.[2] He attended Hofstra University briefly studying music management and business and minoring in music.[2][3][4] Klang decided to take a semester off of college to pursue a music career with his group.[3]
Klang had been in INT for nine years before it broke up because their parents wanted them to go back to school as the band was going nowhere.[4] He auditioned for American Idol twice but never got past the first round.[2] These events led to him being apprehensive of pursuing music further.[5] Not long after returning to Hofstra and working at a warehouse, the opportunity came for Making the Band 4 and he again took time off from college in 2007.[6][4] An acquaintance had entered his MySpace account into an audition which he later attended at the encouragement of his family.[5] He was awarded his own solo contract by Diddy instead of a spot in the group. Klang released his debut album, Just a Rolling Stone, in late 2008 which peaked at number nineteen on the Billboard 200. He later opened for Janet Jackson in the fall.[2]
Klang split with Bad Boy Records in mid-2010, signing with independent label Eight72 Entertainment.[7] He began working on his second album at the same time.[8] He later started his own record label, Donnie Klang Entertainment and released his first single "Falling 4U" in 2011. He also released a mixtape on Valentine's Day.[9] "X-Miss" was also released as a single for Christmas in 2011.
Artistry[]
Klang has listed Boyz II Men, Dru Hill, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Usher, The Fray, OneRepublic, Justin Timberlake, Brian McKnight, Michael Jackson and James Brown as musical influences.[10][11] He co-wrote most of Just a Rolling Stone.[11]
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
US [12] | ||
2008 | Just a Rolling Stone
|
19 |
Singles[]
Year | Single | Album |
---|---|---|
2008 | "Take You There" (featuring Diddy) | Just a Rolling Stone |
Music videos[]
Year | Song | Director |
---|---|---|
2008 | "Take You There" | Ray Kay[13] |
2009 | "Prisoner Of Love" | Littles |
2011 | "Falling 4U" | Michael Dispenza[14] |
"X-Miss" | Kraze[15] |
References[]
- ^ Collar, Matt. "Biography: Donnie Klang". All Media Guide. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e La Gorce, Tammy (2008-09-21). "From Levittown, a New Voice Emerges". The New York Times.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Levittowner Competes on MTV's Making the Band 4". Antonnews.com. 2007-08-03. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "AMPED UP | The Re-Making of Donnie Klang « Full Blast Magazine". Fullblastmagazine.com. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Interview with Making the Band 4's Donnie Klang « Crushable". Crushable.com. 2008-08-21. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ Gamboa, Glenn. "Donnie Klang gets a push from Diddy < PopMatters". Popmatters.com. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ "Bits: Big Boi, Lollapalooza, Donnie Klang, Daniel Lanois and More". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- ^ Date: 05/24/10. "Bad Boy 'No More,' Donnie Klang Readies New Album". Singersroom.com. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ "Valentine's Day Mixtape Mixtape by Donnie Klang Hosted by DJ Spin King & DJ Swivet". Datpiff.com. 2011-02-14. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- ^ "Donnie Klang - Interviews - Entertainment". ALLOY.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Date: 09/01/08 (2008-10-07). "Donnie Klang: One Man Band". Singersroom.com. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ "( Donnie Klang > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )". allmusic. 1985-01-23. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ "Music Video News: SHOT: Donnie Klang f/ Diddy - Ray Kay, director". Video Static. 2008-06-17. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- ^ "Donnie Klang - "X-Miss" (Official Music Video) Dir. By Kraze". YouTube. 2011-12-25. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
External links[]
- 1984 births
- American male dancers
- American male pop singers
- American contemporary R&B singers
- Atlantic Records artists
- Bad Boy Records artists
- Living people
- Musicians from Brooklyn
- Singers from New York City
- 21st-century American singers
- 21st-century male singers