Dini: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• Faith Evans
• Erykah Badu
• Lauryn Hill
• Patrice Rushen
• Deniece Williams

Formed:

Sep 30, 1975

Genre:

Rock Music

Decades Active:

2000's

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Dini is a female urban contemporary/neo-soul singer whose material is jazzy, yet very hip-hop-influenced. The Philadelphian (who also does some producing, arranging, and songwriting) has a voice that is soft and girlish without being thin or wimpy. Born Dionne Nicole Drummond on September 30, 1975, Dini was only in the fourth grade when she first studied music. The Philadelphian was in her late teens when she entered Swarthmore College, where she majored in both music and economics and was a member of an African-American a cappella vocal group called Black Coffee. In 2001, Dini recorded and circulated a sleek six-song demo CD that contains two songs she co-wrote ("Love Is Love" and "All the Time") and two she wrote by herself: "So Good" and "Tell Me How" (which she also arranged and produced). The demo's other two tracks -- "Serenade" and "Wondering" -- were produced by the East Coast production team Black Fluid, who has worked with Wyclef Jean protégés City High. Other people who have helped Dini in the studio include singer/producer/songwriter Kenny Whitehead and producer/engineer Aireck Zoser.

- Alex Henderson, All Music Guide