Dumblonde Tickets

Dumblonde in Concert

When the R&B-pop group Danity Kane dissolved in 2015, two of its principal members, Aubrey O'Day and Shannon Bex, decided to continue making music together. The duo wasn't interested in repeating past glories or sonic approaches, however. O'Day told MTV the women looked to the '70s and '80s for inspiration, and then merged these retro sounds with "current sounds of dance and alternative music." 

The result of this reconfiguration was Dumblonde, whose self-titled 2015 debut album distills decades of electro-pop and dance music into a glittery, seductive package. While there certainly are echoes of Danity Kane in the empowered rhythmic strut of "eyes on horizon" or the tropical house music swerve "you got me," O'Day and Bex are naturals at dabbling in other genres. Soulful synth-funk, dynamic EDM, minimal techno, breathy R&B-pop — 'Dumblonde' touches on them all, while still having its own strong identity.

The album certainly resonated with fans too, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and No. 3 on the Top Dance/Electronic Album chart. Yet it's also clear that O'Day and Bex aren't resting on their laurels or taking any support for granted: In advance of a second album, Dumblonde released the lithe disco-pop jam "White Hot Lies," a fun and futuristic tune that would fit on a playlist next to Justin Timberlake, Chic, and Daft Punk.

In concert, the women foster a good-time party atmosphere with dramatic costume changes, synchronized choreography (including plenty of sizzling dance moves left over from their girl-group days), and a high-energy set list that often includes a few Danity Kane gems. Consider all their past moves a great warm-up for Dumblonde's fall 2018 tour with former DK bandmate Dawn Richard — a kind of reunion tour showcasing their individual solo work and also their Danity Kane favorite tunes.