Donnie Klang

Donnie Klang
Birth name	Donald Joseph Klang
Born	January 23, 1985 (1985-01-23) (age 26) Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	Pop, R&B
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, model, record producer
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Bad Boy, Eight72 Entertainment

Donald Joseph Klang, better known as Donnie Klang, is an American singer, songwriter, producer and model. He won Making the Band 4 and was awarded his own solo contract by Diddy. He released his debut album, Just a Rolling Stone in late 2008.

Life and career

Klang was born in Brooklyn, New York.^[1] He began modeling as a baby and doing television and film work from a young age, getting minor roles on NYPD Blue to The Nanny.^[2] He was in jazz band and band in middle school, later attending chorus in high school.^[3] He was part of pop groups in St. Dominic High School and Island Trees High School, namely Playa Deception and INT. The latter which released an independent record called Hip-Pop.^[2] He attended Hofstra University briefly on a scholarship studying music management and business and minoring in music.^[2][3][4] Klang decided to take a semester off of college to pursue a music career with his group.^[3]

Klang had been in INT for nine years before it broke up because their parents wanted them to go back to school as the band was going nowhere.^[4] He auditioned for American Idol twice but never got past the first round.^[2] These events led to him being apprehensive of pursuing music further.^[5] Not long after returning to Hofstra and working at a warehouse, the chance came for Making the Band 4 and he again took time off from college in 2007.^[6][4] A friend had entered his MySpace account into an audition which he later attended at the encouragement of his family and friends.^[5] He was awarded his own solo contract by Diddy instead of a spot in the group. Klang released his debut album, Just a Rolling Stone, in late 2008 which peaked at number nineteen on the Billboard 200. He later opened for Janet Jackson in the fall.^[2]

Klang split with Bad Boy Records in mid-2010, signing with independent label Eight72 Entertainment.^[7] He began working on his second album at the same time.^[8] On December 6, 2010, Klang released his first single after spliting with Bad Boy, titled "X-MISS". On May 31, 2011, a second single was released on iTunes titled "Fallin For You".

Artistry

Klang has listed Boyz II Men, Dru Hill, *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Usher, The Fray, One Republic, Justin Timberlake, Brian McKnight, Michael Jackson and James Brown as musical influences.^[9][10] He co-wrote most of Just a Rolling Stone.^[10]

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
		US [11]
2008	Just a Rolling Stone Released: September 2, 2008 Label: Bad Boy Records Format: CD, digital download	19

Singles

Year	Single	Album
2008	"Take You There" (featuring Diddy)	Just a Rolling Stone

Music videos

Year	Song	Director
2008	"Take You There"	Ray Kay[12]
2009	"Prisoner Of Love"	Littles

References

1. ^ Collar, Matt. "Biography: Donnie Klang". All Media Guide. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p1058364. Retrieved 8 May 2010. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} La Gorce, Tammy (2008-09-21). "From Levittown, a New Voice Emerges". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/nyregion/long-island/21klangli.html. 
3. ^ ^{a b c} "Levittowner Competes on MTV's Making the Band 4". Antonnews.com. 2007-08-03. http://www.antonnews.com/levittowntribune/2007/08/03/news/. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} "AMPED UP | The Re-Making of Donnie Klang « Full Blast Magazine". Fullblastmagazine.com. http://fullblastmagazine.com/2010/03/the-re-making-of-donnie-klang/. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Interview with Making the Band 4’s Donnie Klang « Crushable". Crushable.com. 2008-08-21. http://crushable.com/entertainment/interview-with-making-the-band-4s-donnie-klang/. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 
6. ^ Gamboa, Glenn. "Donnie Klang gets a push from Diddy < PopMatters". Popmatters.com. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/article/donnie-klang-gets-a-push-from-diddy/. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 
7. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/news/billboard-bits-big-boi-lollapalooza-donnie-1004096257.story
8. ^ Date: 05/24/10. "Bad Boy 'No More,' Donnie Klang Readies New Album". Singersroom.com. http://www.singersroom.com/news/5806/Bad-Boy-No-More-Donnie-Klang-Readies-New-Album. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 
9. ^ "Donnie Klang - Interviews - Entertainment". ALLOY.com. http://www.alloy.com/5/86/7903/1/. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 
10. ^ ^{a b} Date: 09/01/08 (2008-10-07). "Donnie Klang: One Man Band". Singersroom.com. http://www.singersroom.com/interview/123/Donnie-Klang-One-Man-Band. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 
11. ^ "((( Donnie Klang > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic. 1985-01-23. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p1058364. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 
12. ^ "Music Video News: SHOT: Donnie Klang f/ Diddy - Ray Kay, director". Video Static. 2008-06-17. http://www.videostatic.com/vs/2008/06/shot-donnie-kla.html. Retrieved 2010-08-31. 

External links

• Donnie Klang on Twitter

Preceded by Danity Kane

Making the Band winners 2007

Most recent

Persondata
Name	Klang, Donnie
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1985-01-23
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death