Dante Thomas has become one of Europe's hottest new stars with the release … Read Full Bio ↴Dante Thomas has become one of Europe's hottest new stars with the release of his groundbreaking debut disc, Fly, with America following closely behind. Brandishing an incredible vocal style, and displaying impressive songwriting chops on the deeply moving and inspirational title song, Thomas possesses the edge of a compelling new voice in contemporary pop music.

His first single, the sizzling track "Miss California," achieved gold status in Germany, Sweden, and France.

Discovered by multi-talented superstar Pras, Dante Thomas exudes old school soul with the young-gun swagger of the new breed of R&B singers taking over pop. On Fly, the first album for Pras' appropriately named Rat Pack label, Dante's hypnotic vocal style wraps itself around ten indomitable songs, all of them guided under Pras' watchful eye.

The album also relies on the 23-year-old singer's gift for interpreting a lyric, as he burns his searing vocals into a diverse array of tracks such as "Never Give Up," "Wait For Day," and the album's stirring title opus, "Fly." The heart wrenching ballad a bold examination of prejudice - was penned by Dante and Sam Hyman.

"There's too many of us that's parted by prejudice/When you look in the mirror who do you see/Is it somebody else, or who you really wanna be?"

"That song speaks to me," says Dante. "I'm trying to say were all susceptible to ignorance." The energetic performer cites some pretty important influences that he has looked up to along the way. "When I was younger I was always listening to Stevie Wonder and Donnie Hathaway, singers like that," says Dante. "I had this friend who was also into music. One day he told me: 'You want to sing like those cats? Go listen to what they listen to. Then you'll be a singer!"

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dante bought a bus ticket to New York City soon after graduating high school to pursue his dream. "I didn't know anybody. I slept in the bus station my first night there." But New York was also a wake-up call for the aspiring singer. "I made progress, then I'd find I was losing myself a bit." He eventually made his way back to Utah. "I was thinking about giving it all up. You know, getting an electrician's job like all my friends."

"I went back for one more try. I decided to take my demo around again. One night I went to the New York recording studio, The Hit Factory. Pras happened to be there. He was with Vada Nobles. I knew I had to get him to listen to the tape."

Pras promised he'd listen to the demo when he returned, and Dante's patience finally paid off. "He said he wanted to do something together, and for me to call his assistant about making a time to meet. But this was my moment, and you never know what could happen if you let a chance slip away. I knew I couldn't let the opportunity pass." Dante auditioned live, right then and there, causing a duly impressed Pras to begin working with the dedicated vocalist that same evening.

It's that same undeniable intensity possessed by Thomas that has made European and American audiences respond so positively to the Salt Lake City native. An extended trip through Europe this past May and June to promote Fly opened his eyes to the passion of overseas fans. "I just felt really good being able to go over there and give them my all," says Dante. "I was able to give people an honest glimpse of myself and their reaction was incredible."

Acclaim from the international press also helped fuel the buzz about Thomas here in the U.S. Said Germany's Yam: "Dante's soft and laidback voice_goes hand in hand with unbeatable beats." Lycos.de also declared the singer a star: "The wonder voice from Utah is sure to be our hero_.", and Bild raved: "A perfect mixture of soul, pop and R&B, just hot..."

Dante, however, has a kept a cool head throughout the incredible ride that Fly has enjoyed. "I have always believed that no matter where you end up, you have got to be true to yourself. I could still be in Utah. Everyone would be saying: 'Dante is a good church singer.' And that would be all right with me too."

Miss California
Dante Thomas Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She's a rich girl from the top of the food chain
Love and material things, kinda lonely
Til I met her at the Grammys, 10mil on a diamond ring
She invites me to spend a day on the jet skies
At first it didn't mean a thing
Then she told me I'm the one that she searched for
It was hard to believe.

[Chorus]
She's miss California, hottest thing in west L.A.
House down by the water, sails her yacht across the bay
Drives a maranello, Hollywood's her favorite scene
Loves to be surrounded with superstars that know her name.

In a couple a days she had me a bracelet
Made, from Harry Winstons place
Went horseback up to the mountain top
Shown me the land she's got,
Well its alright but something else is on your mind,
Looking past all that shines now the tears are running through
All those things are nice but it's not why I'm here
I will wipe away your tears simply by just loving you.

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dante Thomas's "Miss California" depict a rich and famous woman who seems to have everything one could ever wish for, except true love. She is from the upper part of society, wealthy and famous, but still lonely. The singer, who met her at the Grammys, spends some time with her riding jet skis and discovers that she really desires to find true love, and he could be the one she's looking for. The chorus portrays her life as Miss California, always surrounded by superstars who know her name. She has a luxurious home by the water, a yacht she sails across the bay, and always drives the latest car models. In the bridge, the singer talks about being given a bracelet made by Harry Winston's place and going horseback riding through her land, but noticing that something else is bothering her. She may have everything she ever wanted, yet she is still unhappy. The singer then promises to wipe away her tears simply by loving her.

The song speaks about the emptiness that can come with the pursuit of material wealth and celebrity status. It portrays a common scenario where someone who seems to have it all, still struggles with loneliness and lack of love. The song suggests that love is the only real antidote to this condition. The lyrics are simple yet effective, set to a catchy melody that reflects the glamorous lifestyle depicted in the song.

Line by Line Meaning

She's a rich girl from the top of the food chain
She comes from a wealthy background and is at the top of the social hierarchy.

Love and material things, kinda lonely
Despite having everything she wants in terms of possessions, she still feels empty and alone without love.

Til I met her at the Grammys, 10mil on a diamond ring
He met her at a high-profile event where she was wearing a very expensive diamond ring.

She invites me to spend a day on the jet skies
She invited him to spend a day riding jet skis with her.

At first it didn't mean a thing
At first, he didn't realize the significance of spending time with her.

Then she told me I'm the one that she searched for
She revealed to him that he was the person she had been looking for all along.

It was hard to believe.
He found it difficult to believe that he was the person she wanted in her life.

She's miss California, hottest thing in west L.A.
She is a well-known and attractive woman who is highly regarded in West Los Angeles.

House down by the water, sails her yacht across the bay
She owns a home near the water and enjoys sailing her yacht across the bay.

Drives a maranello, Hollywood's her favorite scene
She drives a fancy sports car and enjoys spending time in Hollywood.

Loves to be surrounded with superstars that know her name.
She enjoys being around famous people who recognize her and her status.

In a couple a days she had me a bracelet
She gave him a bracelet as a gift after spending only a few days together.

Made, from Harry Winstons place
The bracelet was made by a high-end jewelry store named Harry Winston.

Went horseback up to the mountain top
They went horseback riding up to the top of a mountain together.

Shown me the land she's got
She showed him the land that she owns.

Well its alright but something else is on your mind,
He acknowledges that everything she has is nice, but he senses that something else is bothering her.

Looking past all that shines now the tears are running through
He sees beyond all the material possessions and realizes that she is crying.

All those things are nice but it's not why I'm here
He is not interested in her possessions, but rather in being there to support her emotionally.

I will wipe away your tears simply by just loving you.
He will be there for her and support her through her difficulties, simply by loving her.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RASHEEM SHARRIEF PUGH, VADA NOBLES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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