“Before 2006, I had never heard of YouTube,” says the Texas native, who was introduced to the site by a friend. “I went up there to watch a fight that had happened at my school. I didn’t know people were singing on it.”
On a whim, Dondria bought a webcam and decided to upload a singing video of her own. Her choice: an a cappella version of Musiq Soulchild’s “Love.” Within two weeks, the video earned over 1,000 views and garnered tons of encouragement from visitors. Inspired, Dondria began searching for instrumentals that she could videotape herself singing along to. At the request of her rapidly growing online fan base, she posted various clips of herself covering songs from “Diary” by Alicia Keys to Rihanna’s “Unfaithful.”
However, it was her stirring rendition of Ciara’s “Promise” – which received over a million views – that took the budding singer from homebound diva to a complete Internet sensation.
“I thought to myself, ‘Wow, I really have something here,’” remembers Dondria of the overwhelming response to the video. “I didn’t get on YouTube to get a record deal. I was just having fun. But when I saw the feedback I was getting, I realized that a lot of people really liked my voice.”
One of those people happened to be So So Def CEO Jermaine Dupri, who tried for several weeks to connect with Dondria on both YouTube and MySpace. Thinking Dupri’s messages were from an impostor, Dondria initially ignored them. “I would get emails all the time from people claiming to be this or that. Most of the time, when I’d blow them off, they’d never hit back. But Jermaine persisted, so I called him up one day and the rest is history.”
Dupri flew the singer and her mom to Atlanta for what Dondria thought was a session with Jagged Edge to make a YouTube video. However, Dupri surprised the young artist by offering her a contract.
“JD was so extra cool,” she recalls. “He just walked over to me, and asked if I was ready. My answer was, ‘I was born ready.’” Officially signing with So So Def in 2007, Dondria, then 20 years old, had a record deal.
And to think, merely a year prior, the Southern songbird was just another small town girl from Sachse, Texas who got her start in music at the age of four by singing in church. “My entire family sang, but I didn’t get passionate about singing until middle school when my choir teacher suggested I take voice lessons.” Dondria took voice lessons, competed in talent shows and over the years studied the likes of Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Etta James. She even spent a year at Tarleton State University as a music education major.
All of these experiences prepared Dondria for her long-awaited debut album Dondria vs. Phatfffat. Channeling her natural talent and years of training, Dondria pours her heart and soul into her first single, “You’re the One.” Written and produced by Dupri and veteran songwriter/producer Bryan Michael Cox, “You’re the One” is a timeless throwback to classic R&B and the perfect track to showcase Dondria’s range and vocal maturity.
“Dondria is like a young Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey or Alicia Keys,” says Dupri. “There is nothing that the girl can’t sing.”
Longtime Dupri collaborator and singer/songwriter Johnta Austin also sings her praises. “Dondria has a soulfulness that is just crazy,” says Austin, who recorded a duet with Dondria entitled “Crazy About Your Love.” “There hasn’t been a voice like hers since SWV. When we were working together, I was impressed by how natural she was.”
Her debut album released August 17th, 2010, Dondria vs Phatfffat – (“Phatfffat” is a nickname she picked up in college as a contrast between her skinny physique and ravenous appetite for food) – features a diverse mix of soulful ballads, real R&B and straight up dance records.
“I’m so in love with this album,” Dondria gushes. “You can play it from start to finish without stopping. I love the feedback I’ve been getting from my fans.”
If you haven’t purchased your copy of the album yet, you are missing a treat. Dondria updates a number of online pages daily with content – from a cappellas to covers to silly behind-the-scenes moments – and really leverages the power of the Internet to maintain her relevance and grow her million-plus fan base.
Subsequently, Dondria’s keen understanding of social networking coupled with her raw talent and charisma set her apart in the music industry and is a sure sign that this rising star will be around for a long time.
“As an artist, you need to utilize every aspect of putting yourself out there,” says Dondria. “YouTube made it so easy. It allowed me to show the world the ‘real me’ – my real voice, pitch and presence. Now, with So So Def, I have the opportunity to become a real R&B artist and live a dream. And I’m loving every minute of it.”
No More
Dondria Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't take this anymore
I tried your way baby, I tried your way baby
But it just ain't workin out for me, it just ain't workin out for me
So many times you said that you would change
(so many times you said it and I believed you)
But just when I think you had, you go back to the same old games
Cause I was just wasting my time
Cause you don't know how to be a real true man
I told you I was lonely, told you what I needed
But you ain't wanna hear it,
So, I had to do what was best for me and that's
Let you and your triflin' self go
I told you what I wanted
And everything you had to do to make the situation go good
But obviously you wasn't listenin'
Or maybe I asked you to do way more than you could
You constantly callin me tryin' to get back
But what's crazy to me, is when you had me
You ain't know how to act
Got all the right things to say now
But you're a day late, and a dollar or two short
Should've thought about that when I was around
I told you I was lonely, told you what I needed
But you ain't wanna hear it
So, I had to do what was best for me and that's
Let you and your triflin' self go
I told you what I wanted, and everything you
Had to do to make the situation go good
But obviously you wasn't listenin' or maybe
I asked you to do way more than you could
I can't take this anymore
I can't take this anymore
I tried your way baby, I tried your way baby
But it just ain't workin out for me
It just ain't workin out for me
The lyrics to Dondria's song No More speak to a woman's decision to end a troubled relationship because her partner repeatedly fails to make the necessary changes to meet her needs. In the first verse, she expresses her exhaustion and frustration with the partner's lack of effort in making the relationship work. He promises to change, but never follows through, causing the woman to feel like she is wasting her time.
In the second verse, the woman reflects back on her efforts to communicate her needs and how they were ignored. She feels like she did everything she could to make the relationship work, but the partner never listened or put in the necessary effort. Now, even though the partner is trying to reconcile, it is too little too late.
The chorus repeats the sentiment that the relationship is over and that the woman has given it her all. She can no longer handle the disappointment and frustration and needs to move on.
Overall, the lyrics to No More highlight the importance of communication and effort in a relationship. When these elements are lacking, the relationship will inevitably fail, and both parties will be left with disappointment and heartache.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't take this anymore
I'm at my breaking point and can't deal with this situation any longer
I tried your way baby, I tried your way baby
I gave in to your requests and followed your lead in this relationship, but it's not working for me
But it just ain't workin out for me, it just ain't workin out for me
Your way of doing things is not suitable for me and is causing me distress
So many times you said that you would change
You've made promises in the past to alter your behavior
(so many times you said it and I believed you)
I believed your promises and trusted that you would keep them
But just when I think you had, you go back to the same old games
Every time I thought things had finally changed, you went back to your old ways of treating me poorly
I wish I never gave you a second chance
Looking back, I regret giving you another opportunity to prove yourself
Cause I was just wasting my time
Spending more time with you was a mistake and a waste of my energy
Cause you don't know how to be a real true man
You lack the qualities of a trustworthy and dependable man
I told you I was lonely, told you what I needed
I communicated my feelings of loneliness and what I required from you to feel satisfied in the relationship
But you ain't wanna hear it,
You chose not to listen or take my needs seriously
So, I had to do what was best for me and that's
Out of self-respect and preservation, I had to make the decision that was in my best interest
Let you and your triflin' self go
I had to end things and let go of you and your untrustworthy ways
And everything you had to do to make the situation go good
I provided instructions on what needed to be done to improve our situation
But obviously you wasn't listenin', or maybe
Either you failed to pay attention to my words or I expected too much from you
I asked you to do way more than you could
Perhaps, I demanded too much from you and you were not capable of meeting those demands
You constantly callin me tryin' to get back
You persistently call me in hopes of reconciling
But what's crazy to me, is when you had me
It's ironic that you didn't appreciate me when we were together
You ain't know how to act
You didn't conduct yourself properly while we were in a relationship
Got all the right things to say now
You're saying everything you think I want to hear now
But you're a day late, and a dollar or two short
Your efforts to win me back are too little, too late
Should've thought about that when I was around
You should have realized the potential consequences of your behavior and actions when I was still in your life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JASPER TREMAINE CAMERON, DONALD E. CANNON, CLIFFORD JOSEPH JR. HARRIS, LLOYD POLITE, MATTHEW PEARSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
skwmusic
LUV IT!!!
juhrano
Hella beautiful