My Garden

Last updated
My Garden
My Garden by Kat Dahlia.png
Studio album by
Kat Dahlia
ReleasedJanuary 13, 2015 (2015-01-13) [1]
Recorded2011–14
Genre
Length42:44
Label
  • Epic
  • Vested in Culture
Producer
Kat Dahlia chronology
Seeds
(2013)		My Garden
(2015)
Singles from My Garden
  1. "Gangsta"
    Released: March 1, 2013
  2. "Crazy"
    Released: February 18, 2014
  3. "I Think I'm in Love"
    Released: February 12, 2015

My Garden is the debut studio album by American recording artist Kat Dahlia. It was released on January 13, 2015, by Epic Records, distributed by Vested in Culture. The album was supported by two singles; "Gangsta" and "Crazy", as well as the iTunes' "instant gratification" tracks; "Mirror" and "Clocks".

Contents

In January 2014, Complex listed My Garden, as the forty-sixth most anticipated album of 2014. [2] After several delays, from being scheduled to be released in February 2014, to being rescheduled to September 2014, in October 2014, Epic Records settled in January 2015.

Background

At the age of 18, after saving money from jobs as a waitress, Dahlia decided to leave Miami and moved to New York City a month later, "on a whim." [3] Shortly thereafter, Dahlia became involved in what she describes as a "toxic relationship," which she would later come to regard as a source of inspiration and "writer's gold." [4] After self-financing an extended play (EP) and a music video, Dahlia was discovered by Vested in Culture (VIC) Vice President of A&R, Amanda Berkowitz. Berkowitz quickly brought Dahlia to the attention of veteran record executive Sylvia Rhone. [5] In 2012, describing Dahlia as "more than just a pop artist," Sylvia Rhone signed Dahlia to her newly launched label, VIC, a joint venture with Epic Records. Dahlia's debut album is set be VIC's inaugural release. [6] [7] [8]

Recording and production

In April 2013, it was announced Kat Dahlia was scheduled to collaborate with English music producer Naughty Boy, for her upcoming debut album, My Garden. [9] In July 2013, Dahlia revealed she was working with fellow American rapper and singer-songwriter Missy Elliott, on her debut album My Garden. [10] In addition to Elliott, Dahlia revealed further collaborations with American record producers Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley, Salaam Remi and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart. [10]

During a May 2013 interview with Interview magazine, Dahlia expressed wanting to work with Detroit-based rapper Eminem, Fugees singer Lauryn Hill and American pop singer Madonna. [11] In a May 2013 interview with Fuse, Dahlia spoke on her collaborations with Timbaland, Snoop Dogg and Meleni "Polly A." Smith, the latter of which contributed to Dahlia's song "Money Party". [12]

In a June 2013 interview, Dahlia revealed she co-wrote song with some friends, such as Tawanna "Frankie Storm" Dabney, who wrote "Don't Stop the Music" for Barbadian singer Rihanna. [13] During the same interview, when asked about her dream collaborations, Dahlia stated: "I'd love to work with B.B. King. I would love to work with Robert Plant and Kendrick Lamar who is a great writer. Eminem is an amazing writer, Ellie Goulding, Emeli Sande, I like writers. I like people that have a message in their music. Damian Marley,..". [13] In July 2013, Vested in Culture founder Sylvia Rhone, announced via her official Twitter account that Dahlia had entered recording sessions with Timbaland and Missy Elliott. [14] Rhone spoke highly of the sessions, adding that it "felt like good 'ol days" and cited it as "magic". [14]

Release and promotion

In May 2013, Dahlia stated that she wanted to release the " Synematic " –produced "Fireman", as a follow-up to her debut single, "Gangsta". [11] [15] On July 25, 2013, Kat Dahlia performed an acoustic version of her song "Mirrors", for Perez Hilton's Perez TV. [16] On August 8, 2013, a song titled "Clocks". was released by Epic subsidiary label Vested in Culture, exclusively via VEVO. [17] The following month, Dahlia performed a live acoustic rendition of "Clocks", as part of Billboard's Tastemaker Sessions. [18] On August 22, 2013, an album teaser of My Garden, was released. [19]

In September 2013, Dahlia announced she would be releasing an extended play (EP) titled Seeds. [20] In support of Seeds, Dahlia set out on a nine-date concert tour along the east coast. Beginning on October 8, in New York City, at Webster Hall and end on October 20, at Culture Room in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. [20] On November 21, 2013, Dahlia released the EP for free via digital download. [21] The project includes six songs, including "Happy and I Know It" and "The High", which Dahlia released music videos for. [22]

The album was at one point scheduled to be released in February 2014, and more recently moved to September 2014 by Epic Records. [1] On October 25, 2014, it was revealed the album would finally be released on January 13, 2015. [23] On November 19, 2014, Vested in Culture released "Money Party", featuring Polly A., as a single via iTunes. [24]

Singles

On December 13, 2012, Sylvia Rhone, founder of Vested in Culture (VIC), premiered a song titled "Gangsta", by her newly signed artist, Kat Dahlia. [25] On March 1, 2013, "Gangsta" was officially released via digital distribution, by Vested in Culture and Epic Records, as Dahlia's commercial debut single. The digital download also featured the songs "Mirror" and "Money Party", the latter of which features fellow American singer, Polly A. [26] The music video for "Gangsta", directed by Samantha Lecca, was released on March 5. [27] [28] In May 2013, Dahlia released a Spanish-language version of "Gangsta". [29]

On December 17, 2013, Dahlia released the album's second single, titled "Crazy", on her official website. [30] On February 20, 2014, Dahlia premiered the music video for "Crazy", during an appearance on BET's 106 & Park . [31] On July 28, 2014, Vested in Culture released a remix of "Crazy", featuring new production and vocals from Puerto Rican reggaeton producer and singer, Jose "Gocho" Torres. [32] [33]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [34]
Billboard Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [35]
Exclaim! 5/10 [36]

My Garden received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 63, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on four reviews. [37] Andy Kellman of Allmusic wrote, "'Gangsta,' a tough ballad about self-reliance with a twist on 50 Cent's "Wanksta," was released in early 2013 as her debut single and topped out at number 40 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop chart. It made for an ideal introduction to her as an autonomous individual and throaty vocalist, but her progress stalled. Two years of delays preceded the release of her first album. Regardless of the time taken for preparation, My Garden is an assertive, fully formed debut." [34] Writing for Exclaim! , Ryan B. Patrick described Dahlia's sound as "a bit dated" and the release "a tad obligatory" after the delay, further explaining that "though the album aims high, it runs out of steam landing in the realm of just okay." [36] Meaghan Garvey of Billboard , gave the album three out of five stars, saying "she sings, writes and raps; she has a bit of Rihanna's swagger and the gravelly vocals of 1990s grunge. If that sounds like a lot to balance, well, sometimes it is. But if nothing else, on Dahlia's debut, My Garden, she transcends the sum of her seemingly disparate influences, proving herself to be a relatively distinct artist, even if her risks don't always pay off." [35] Judy Cantor-Navas of Billboard praised the song "Tumbao", which adopts the chorus of Celia Cruz's "La Negra Tiene Tumbao". [38]

Track listing

Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."My Garden"
J. Dens3:57
2."Gangsta"
  • Huguet
  • DeSantis
J. Dens4:05
3."Crazy"
  • Kirby Dockery
  • Glass John
Glass John3:31
4."Saturday Sunday"
  • Huguet
  • Tawanna "Frankie Storm" Dabney
  • Andrew "Broadway" Williams
  • Curtis Troy Austin
Young Boyz3:20
5."I Think I'm In Love"
  • Jon Levine
  • Huguet
  • DeSantis
Levine3:22
6."Tumbao"
Redwine3:50
7."Mirror"
  • Huguet
  • Meleni Smith
  • Dabney
  • Williams
  • Jared Blake Scharff
  • Danny King
  • Williams
  • Scharff
4:17
8."Lava"
Salaam Remi4:13
9."Walk on Water"
 Manny Marroquin 5:29
10."Clocks"
  • Remi
  • Huguet
  • Smith
Salaam Remi3:04
11."Just Another Dude"
  • Huguet
  • Javier Garcia
  • Dave Julca
  • Johnny Julca
Julca Brothers3:36
Best Buy bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Pleasin"
  • Huguet
  • Smith
  • DeSantis
J. Dens3:38

Personnel

Credits for My Garden adapted from Allmusic. [39]

Charts

Chart (2015)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [40] 54

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Missy Elliott</span> American rapper and singer (born 1971)

Melissa Arnette Elliott, better known as Missy Elliott or Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the early-mid 1990s and later became a member of the Swing Mob collective along with childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland, with whom she worked on projects for American R&B acts Aaliyah, 702, Total, and SWV. Following several collaborations and guest appearances, she launched her solo career in 1997 with her debut album Supa Dupa Fly, which spawned the top 20 single "Sock It 2 Me". The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, the highest charting debut for a female rapper at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epic Records</span> American record label

Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was founded predominantly as a jazz and classical music label in 1953, but later expanded its scope to include a more diverse range of genres, including pop, R&B, rock, and hip hop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timbaland</span> American record producer and rapper from Virginia

Timothy Zachery Mosley, known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter, record executive and rapper. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinctive "stuttering" rhythmic style. In 2007, Entertainment Weekly stated that "just about every current pop trend can be traced back to him — from sultry, urban-edged R&B songstresses ... to the art of incorporating avant-garde sounds into No. 1 hits."

Gangsta may refer to:

<i>Supa Dupa Fly</i> 1997 studio album by Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott

Supa Dupa Fly is the debut studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released July 15, 1997, on The Goldmind, East West, and Elektra Entertainment Group. The album was recorded and produced solely by Timbaland in October 1996, and features the singles, "The Rain ", "Sock It 2 Me", "Hit Em wit da Hee" and "Beep Me 911". Guest appearances on the album include Busta Rhymes, Ginuwine, 702, Magoo, Da Brat, Lil' Kim, and Aaliyah. The album was recorded in just two weeks.

Sylvia Rhone is an American music industry executive. Since 2019, she is the chair and CEO of Epic Records, a label owned by Sony Music Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keri Hilson</span> American R&B singer (born 1982)

Keri Lynn Hilson is an American R&B singer, songwriter and actress. She was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia and spent most of her youth working with producer Anthony Dent as a songwriter and background vocalist for several R&B and hip hop artists. By the age of 14, Hilson had secured a record deal with the girl group D'Signe, which later disbanded. She attended Oxford College of Emory University in Georgia while she continued writing songs for artists including Britney Spears, The Pussycat Dolls, and Mary J. Blige, with the production and songwriting team The Clutch. In 2006, Hilson signed with American producer and rapper Timbaland's record label Mosley Music. Her breakthrough came in 2007 after appearing on Timbaland's single "The Way I Are", which topped charts around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kat DeLuna</span> American singer

Kathleen Emperatriz DeLuna, known professionally as Kat DeLuna, is an American singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jhené Aiko</span> American R&B singer (born 1988)

Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo is an American singer and songwriter. Aiko embarked on her music career contributing vocals and appearing in music videos for R&B group B2K. In an effort to promote and cultivate a following for her, she was marketed as B2K member Lil' Fizz's cousin; she is not actually related to him. In 2003, Aiko was set to release her debut album, My Name Is Jhené, through her labels Sony, The Ultimate Group and Epic; however, the album was never released, and Aiko asked to be released from the label in order to continue her education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Future (rapper)</span> American rapper (born 1983)

Nayvadius DeMun Cash, better known by the stage name Future, is an American rapper. Known for his mumble-styled vocals and prolific output, Future is considered a pioneer of the use of melody and auto-tune in modern trap music. Due to the sustained contemporary popularity of his musical style, he is commonly regarded as one of the most influential rappers of his generation.

<i>Ciara</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Ciara

Ciara is the fifth studio album by American singer Ciara, which was released on July 9, 2013. This album is the artist's first release under Epic Records, since publicly asking the now-defunct Jive Records to release her from her contractual obligations. The singer cited a lack of label support and financial funding for her previous albums Fantasy Ride (2009) and Basic Instinct (2010). On this fifth studio album, Ciara is reunited with her long-term mentor and friend L.A. Reid, chairman of Epic Records. Reid is credited with discovering Ciara in 2003 along with signing her to his LaFace Records label and executive-producing her debut studio album, Goodies (2004).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mila J</span> American R&B singer

Jamila Akiko Aba Chilombo, known as Mila J, is an American singer, rapper and songwriter. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she is the older sister of R&B singer Jhéne Aiko and is known for being in Prince's video for "Diamonds and Pearls" and appearing on tracks by RaRa, IMx, Trey Songz and Omarion. She released several singles in 2006–2009 under the name "Mila J" and then went on a hiatus for a number of years after the shelving of her original debut studio album, Split Personality, before returning as "Japallonia" in 2012 and then reverting to Mila J a year later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crazy Kids</span> 2013 single by Kesha, will.i.am, Juicy J

"Crazy Kids" is a song by American singer Kesha. It was released on April 29, 2013, as the third and final single from her second album Warrior (2012), with will.i.am or Juicy J as the featured artist depending on the version. An additional remix surfaced online featuring Pitbull. The lyrics were written by Kesha with assistance with Dr. Luke, Benny Blanco, Cirkut, who also helmed production of the track. Each featured artist wrote their own contribution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zendaya discography</span>

American singer Zendaya has released one studio album, 10 singles, three promotional singles, 15 music videos and some album appearances. Her first appearance was as part of Kidz Bop Kids on the album Kidz Bop Dance Party, in 2010. In 2011, Zendaya released her debut independent single, "Swag It Out". Her next single, "Watch Me", peaked at number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Oxymoron</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Schoolboy Q

Oxymoron is the third studio album by American rapper Schoolboy Q. It was released on February 25, 2014, through Top Dawg Entertainment and distributed by Interscope Records. Oxymoron was his first album released under a major record label to music retailers, whereas his previous albums were released independently to digital retailers only.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kat Dahlia</span> American singer-songwriter

Katriana Sandra Huguet, better known by her stage name Kat Dahlia, is a Cuban-American recording artist. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Dahlia is a singer, songwriter and rapper, known for her "razor sharp" lyrics and her "unique, aggressive flow". She released her debut single "Gangsta", in March 2013, to rave reviews. Dahlia released her debut studio album My Garden, in January 2015, with Vested in Culture and Epic Records, the latter of which she secured a recording contract with in 2012. In 2013, Dahlia ranked number eight on Billboard's "Next Big Sound".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freebandz</span> American record label

Freebandz is an American record label founded by American rapper Future. The label's releases are distributed through Epic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sevyn Streeter</span> American singer and songwriter from Florida

Amber Denise "Sevyn" Streeter is an American singer and songwriter, best known for being a member of the girl groups TG4 and RichGirl where she was known as Se7en. She signed to Atlantic Records and released her debut single "I Like It" in 2012.

<i>Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1</i> 2015 soundtrack album by Various artists

Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1 is the debut soundtrack album by the cast of the musical drama television series Empire, which airs on Fox. The album includes songs that featured during the first season of the show, and performed by various artists. The album was released by Columbia Records. The soundtrack received positive critical reception and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. On September 11, 2015, another soundtrack titled Empire: The Complete Season 1 was released containing every song heard on the show that weren't included on the official soundtrack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gangsta Boo</span> American rapper (1979–2023)

Lola Chantrelle Mitchell, better known by her stage name Gangsta Boo, was an American rapper. She rose to prominence as a member of Three 6 Mafia, which she joined at the age of 14. After releasing six albums, she left the group and its record label after the release of her second solo album, Both Worlds *69 (2001), due to financial disputes and issues regarding promotion of the album. She subsequently released several solo albums and became known for collaborating with artists such as Eminem, Run the Jewels, La Chat, Latto, GloRilla, and Yelawolf.

References

  1. 1 2 "10 New Artists You Need to Know: June 2014". Rolling Stone . 18 June 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  2. ↑ Yuscavage, Chris (6 January 2014). "46. Kat Dahlia, My Garden - The Most Anticipated Albums of 2014". Complex . Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Kat Dahlia Interview With Vibe TV". March 13, 2013. Huffington Post . Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  4. ↑ Gonzales, Nicole (February 28, 2013). "New Artist Kat Dahlia". Latin Recap. Archived from the original on 23 March 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  5. ↑ "Kat Dahlia's Gangsta Video". Broadway World. March 5, 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  6. ↑ Mitchell, Gail (February 5, 2013). "Sylvia Rhone Talks Vested In Culture". Billboard . Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Vena, Jocelyn (January 31, 2013). "Kat Dahlia Is Prepping 'Swaggy' Follow-Up To 'Gangsta'". MTV . Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Sylvia Rhone Announces Joint Venture". The Hollywood Reporter . January 30, 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  9. ↑ "Kat Dahlia to work with Shahid "Naughty Boy" Khan for debut album | Hamada Mania Music Blog". hamadamania.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
  10. 1 2 "Kat Dahlia works with Missy Elliot for debut album 'My Garden'". hamadamania.com. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  11. 1 2 Holmlund, Marcus (20 May 2013). "Exclusive Song Premiere and Interview: 'Fireman,' Kat Dahlia". Interview Magazine. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  12. ↑ James, Nicole (21 May 2013). "Miami Rapper Kat Dahlia Chats Working With Snoop Lion and Timbaland". Fuse.tv . Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  13. 1 2 Pajer, Nicole (25 June 2013). "Q&A with Rising Latin Star Kat Dahlia". Living Out Loud LA. lol-la.com. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  14. 1 2 "Twitter / IamSylviaRhone: In with @KatDahlia and the ..." Twitter. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  15. ↑ "New Music: Kat Dahlia - 'Fireman'". Rap-Up . Rap-Up.com. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  16. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE! Kat Dahlia Tones Things Down For An Acoustic Mirror Performance! | PerezHilton.com". perezhilton.com. Archived from the original on 2013-07-28.
  17. ↑ "Kat Dahlia - Clocks (Audio)". VEVO . YouTube. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  18. ↑ "Kat Dahlia - "Clocks" LIVE Billboard Tastemakers Performance". Billboard . Billboard. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  19. ↑ "Kat Dahlia - My Garden Album Teaser". VEVO . YouTube. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  20. 1 2 Breezy, Elle (20 September 2013). "Kat Dahlia Readies New 'Seeds' EP, East Coast Tour (Tracklist & Dates)". Singersroom.com. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  21. ↑ "Kat Dahlia To Release 5 Song EP "Seeds"". Epic.com. Archived from the original on 2013-09-21.
  22. ↑ "New Mixtape: Kat Dahlia – 'Seeds'".
  23. ↑ "Kat Dahlia "My Garden" | Release date: January 13 | ☆ HeartBeatMusik (♥BMK)". Archived from the original on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
  24. ↑ "Money Party (Feat. Polly a.) - Single by Kat Dahlia". iTunes . 19 November 2014.
  25. ↑ "New Music: Kat Dahlia – 'Gangsta'".
  26. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Gangsta - Single by Kat Dahlia". iTunes . Apple.com. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  27. ↑ "Video: Kat Dahlia – 'Gangsta'".
  28. ↑ "Kat Dahlia - Gangsta". VEVO . YouTube. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  29. ↑ "Gangsta en Español - Single by Kat Dahlia". iTunes . 14 May 2013.
  30. ↑ "New Music: Kat Dahlia - 'Crazy'". Rap-Up . Rap-Up.com. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  31. ↑ "Tune In: Kat Dahlia on 106 & Park Tomorrow". The Official Epic Records Site. EpicRecords.com. 19 February 2014. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  32. ↑ "Crazy (Remix) [feat. Gocho] - Single by Kat Dahlia". iTunes . 28 July 2014.
  33. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Kat Dahlia - Crazy (Remix) (Audio) ft. Gocho. YouTube .
  34. 1 2 Kellman, Andy. "My Garden - Kat Dahlia - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  35. 1 2 Garvey, Meaghan (January 15, 2015). "Album Review: Singer-Rapper Kat Dahlia's Debut 'My Garden' Transcends Sum of Her Disparate Influences". Billboard . Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  36. 1 2 Patrick, Ryan B. (January 13, 2015). "Kat Dahlia - My Garden". Exclaim! . Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  37. ↑ "Reviews for My Garden by Kat Dahlia - Metacritic". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  38. ↑ "Kat Dahlia Channels Celia Cruz, Flys Cuban Flag on 'Tumbao'". Billboard .
  39. ↑ My Garden (Media notes). Epic Records.
  40. ↑ "Kat Dahlia Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.