Vinyl Visionary: Dwele

Dwele has come a long way since his debut with Slum Village on “Tainted.” With his fourth album hitting stores this past June 29, he has established himself as a vocalist, writer and producer.

Dwele did not land into music by accident. He has always been inspired by singers such as Miles Davis and Stevie Wonder. However, Motown artists were only a fraction of his decision to become a vocalist. “A major thing that happened in my life that pushed me to go in the musical route was loosing my father. Before he passed he taught me about music. That’s a way to keep me with him.” Dwele used his loss as a way to channel feelings the studio. Dwele sold his demo The Rize, out of the trunk of his car which eventually landed him his first record deal. Since the music industry has changed over the years, he feels there are more advantages of getting your voice heard than when he first started. “Take advantage of the free promotion of the internet. It’s a whole new game. This is the time of the self made star.”

Dwele has been able to keep his personal life off the gossip sites, but he is not completely exempt from the media’s scrutiny. The crooner took a more comical approach when addressing certain rumors. Around his first album Dwele recalls hearing that he was gay. Instead of getting upset he took it as a sign that he finally made it.  “You know you’ve made it as a singer when they call you gay.”

When it comes to juggling his private and professional life, Dwele feels the two go hand in hand. “At the end of the day when you step off the stage, you have to go live a regular life. I want to be myself whether I’m on stage or not.”
Dwele is known for his mid-tempo and contemporary music. With every album he has been able to seductively sing his way into his fans hearts. The process of making an album can be tedious, and this time around, Dwele wanted to give fans something different. “I let the music dictate what I write. Really I just try to lock myself up. I grab inspiration from everyday living.” With each album the singer challenges himself by trying something new. Whether it’s an instrument or a concept, Dwele wants to keep growing as an artist. With W.ants W.orld W.oman he decided to express three different sides of him: the inner alter ego, his political awareness and his softer side (as he appropriately called it, baby making music). “I just really wanted to do something different and a little more creative. Its not saying I want worldly women, I’m just breaking it up into three different sections.”

Dwele has never been short of executing to his fans. From his first to his last, he has managed to deliver something new every time. With WWW hitting shelves next month, fans are sure to have a tasteful three-section album.

Words by Crystal Hardman