Dria (recording artist)

Dria
Born Diondria Thornton
Houston, Texas
Residence Los Angeles, California
Occupation Songwriter, Singer

Dria (born Diondria) is a multi-Genre Singer and Songwriter born in Houston, TX and Raised in Southern CA. She is Co-Founder of The Frontrunnaz Writing and Production Team alongside Christopher Thornton and is currently pursuing a solo artist career. Her breakout single is "ATM" Ray J Ft Dria and The Migos. She has also been featured on Logic's "Till the End" and "Stainless" as well as in numerous songs on "The Incredible True Story" and "Under Pressure" albums, and collaborations with Seamus Haji, Mobb Deep, and MONN. She has also been featured in MTV's artist's directory.[1]

Early life

Growing up in Fullerton, CA she attended Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts where she studied Musical Theatre, Dance, Actors Repertoire, Show Choir, Chamber Choir and Chamber Orchestra. She attended the University of Houston where she joined a local girl group by the name of D'Adale. After the group parted ways, she moved back to California to pursue a solo career.

In 2008 alongside her partner Christopher, Dria founded the songwriting and production team The Frontrunnaz, which has since collaborated in several pieces for successful hip-hop artists such as Logic, Ray J and Young Thug. Dria is also childhood best friends with tennis player Serena Williams[2]

The Frontrunnaz and her solo career

As co-founder of the Frontrunnaz, Dria has co-written records such as Seamus Haji's Remix of "After Midnight"[3] and Logic's "Stainless" and "Till the End".[4] She recently began a solo career and has either been featured or provided additional vocals for artists like Rick Ross, Logic, Mobb Deep, Young Thug, Meek Mill, Lecrae, and others. While on The Frontrunnaz songwriting and production team, Dria collaborated with several hip-hop artists such as Ray J and Logic. As part of the launching of her solo career, since 2013 she has been collaborating as herself in several projects.

In 2014 she was featured in the successful Ray J "ATM" ft. The Migos,[5] and this served as her 'coming out single'. Initially written by The Frontrunnaz team as a song for Miley Cyrus or Rihanna, Dria was originally on the verses and hook but her vocals were replaced by Ray J's along with other lyrical changes. After an attempt to secure a Nicki Minaj feature, the team decided that vocally they preferred Dria to stay on the song. Dria's voice is featured on the Pre-Chorus and the Chorus of the song.[5] ATM received generally positive reviews with ThisisRnB describing it as a "bouncy single for his unreleased album"[6] and Sue Robinson (from AXS) commenting on how "the trio [Ray J, Dria and Migos] creates just the right blend to this energized rhythm which contains a multitude of sexual innuendos – possibly a hint to fans on what can be expected in the upcoming studio album"[5]

In 2015, she was a featured artist on the mixtape release: "Frontrunnaz presents Ready, Set, Go ft. Dria, Keme Davis and Dutchess"[7] produced by The Frontrunnaz.

She contributed as a guest in ‘Stainless’, in Logic's successful hip-hop album The Incredible True Story (2015) that debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 in the US and sold 135,000 album-equivalent units and 118,000 copies in its first week.[8] The album also debuted at number 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, surpassing Under Pressure, which opened at number 2.[4][9]

On 2015 she also helped compose alongside Drake the soundtrack for Serena Williams’ Signature Statement Fall Collection for the HSN with KIA STYLE360.[10]

Dria was also featured on Lecrae's Illuminate[11] released in February 2016, where she performed the chorus and background vocals. Illuminate was released as an exclusive pre-download for the people that preordered Lecrae's new book, Unashamed, that was released on May of the same year.

On August 2016 she was featured in Young Thug's new album "No, my name is Jeffery" with additional vocals as well as in Monn's "Not Missin U", on which the Crssbeat critics stated "The sweet vocals of Dria are one of the key elements which flow through the track alongside the melodies which have been made."[12]

Upcoming projects

In September 2016, Dria teased in her Twitter account about a new project to come that was "completely God driven" and she was very excited about[13]

Award Nominations

GMA Dove Awards 2016: Nominated with Lecrae's "Can't Do you" as Rap/ Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year.[14]

Discography

Collaborations

Vocals

"Till the end" by Logic in Under Pressure (2014): Additional Vocals[17][18]

"ATM" by Ray J ft. The Migos (2014) Vocals[17]

"Stainless" by Logic (2015) Vocals[17][19]

"Like whoa", "Contact" and "Neva Been" by Logic in The Incredible True Story (2015)[19]

"Money Dance" by Rick Ross (2015) Additional Vocals[17]

"Illuminate" by Lecrae ft. Dria (2016) Vocals[20]

"Not Missin U" by Monn (2016) Vocals[12]

"Wyclef Jean" by Young Thug (2016) Additional Vocals

Songwriting

"After Midnight" by Seamus Haji (2013) Co-Written

"Till the end" by Logic (2014): Co-Written[18]

"Stainless" by Logic (2015) Co-written[19]

"Missin U" by Monn Ft Dria (2016) Co-Written[12]

"Can't Do You" by Lecrae ft E-40 (2016) Co-Written[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Dria Bio | Dria Career". Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  2. ↑ "Serena Williams on Twitter". Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  3. ↑ MrSimplisticBunny (2013-10-06), Seamus Haji & JunkDNA & Olic feat. The Frontrunnaz - After Midnight (Aurora Lights), retrieved 2016-09-22
  4. 1 2 "Logic: 'Do Something For Yourself'". Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  5. 1 2 3 "Ray J: New 'ATM' song released featuring Migos and Dria in the mix". Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  6. ↑ "New Music: Ray J feat. Dria & Migos – ATM | ThisisRnB.com - Hot New R&B Music, Videos, News". www.thisisrnb.com. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  7. 1 2 "Ft. Dria, Keme Davis, Dutchess and Torsha Lynn - The Frontrunnaz Present: Ready, Set, Go! Hosted by Hosted By Nappy Boy's Slick305". DatPiff. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  8. ↑ "Logic's 'Incredible True Story' Crowns Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  9. ↑ "Check Out The 15 Best Selling Hip Hop Albums Of The Year". 2015-12-30. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  10. ↑ "Celebuzz". Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  11. ↑ Daniels, David. "Music: Lecrae - Illuminate ft. Dria". Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  12. 1 2 3 "Monn Feat. Dria - Not Missin U - crssbeat". 2016-08-01. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  13. ↑ "Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  14. 1 2 "2016 Nominees | The 47th Annual GMA Dove Awards". doveawards.com. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  15. ↑ ""VOICES" The S1 Vocal Collection Review". 2014-06-04. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  16. ↑ "VOICES VOCAL COLLECTION (feat. The Frontrunnaz)". S1Kits. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Diondria Thornton | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  18. 1 2 Logic – Till the End, retrieved 2016-09-22
  19. 1 2 3 The Incredible True Story by Logic, retrieved 2016-09-22
  20. ↑ Publishing, Lecrae / B&H. "Pre-Buy Song Download - Unashamed". Retrieved 2016-09-22.

External links

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