DK3 is the third studio album by American girl-groupDanity Kane. It was released on October 27, 2014, by Stereotypes Music and Mass Appeal, in association with BMG Rights Management. It was the group's first album in six years following their first disbandment, as well as their first album without original group members D. Woods, who left the group in 2008, and Aundrea Fimbres, who left five months prior to the album’s release.
Background
Following Aubrey O'Day and D. Woods departures from the group in 2008, the remaining members, Shannon Bex, Aundrea Fimbres, and Dawn Richard, split up. In 2013, Bex, Fimbres, O'Day, and Richard reunited with plans to release a new album. The group later initiated the No Filter Tour in the USA to promote their comeback and new music. Following a few promotional performances, Fimbres announced in May 2014 that she would be leaving the group due to being engaged and her desire to start a family, despite already having had recorded vocals for the album. Bex, O'Day, and Richard revealed that they would stay a trio and continue to perform together. However, tensions between O'Day and Richard lead to a fight in early August 2014, and the group split a few days later. On September 24, 2014 O'Day and Bex announced that the album would still be released as a thank you to their fans.
Critical reception
Upon the release, DK3 was very well received by critics and audience. Gerrick Kennedy of LA Times stated the album "captures Danity Kane's essence" despite murky origins, "DK3 is effervescent and completely primed for dance floors – even if the ladies have long left the party." Jonathan Brown of Rant Lifestyle says "DK3 still proves that in spite of their downfall, they still had amazing things to offer" and lauded the pulsing beats and production. Nicole Tucker of FDRMX notice the album "overall sound is very diverse and commercial. Though it doesn’t exactly FIT the R’n’B genre it’s listed under, the urban lyrics and brilliant engineering make a definitive sound for the collective. DK3 is a great album that’s simply an inevitable result of one of this year’s biggest music comebacks." PressPlay lauded the production, drawn praising to tracks Lemonade and All In A Day's Work "..the glorious “here’s to the haters” rip-up of Lemonade, Danity Kane sound more alive as a trio than ever before. The harmonies sound effortless – you can practically picture the shoulder brush when they sing about making it look easy on All In A Day’s Work – and there’s zero reflection of discord in the music. Danity Kane clearly still have a lot to offer us so, girls, a message: sort your shit out before we call Oprah to intervene. Ya heard." Elliot Robinson of SoSoGay praised the songs' harmonies and hooks, calling the tracks Lemonade, All In a Day’s Work, Secret Lover and Bye Baby as standout from album "DK3 being such a superb album, the only silver lining to the girls’ abrupt disbandment and derailing of the Danity Kane comeback train is we’ll undoubtedly be getting some more excellent solo material from O’Day and Richard a lot sooner than expected. In the meantime, DK3 serves as a decisive reminder of Danity Kane’s short-lived brilliance, full of tight harmonies and killer hooks, and a definite Album of the Year contender. As O’Day rightly proclaims on the chorus for the irrepressible ‘All In a Day’s Work’, they’re ‘makin’ this shit look easy’. Now if only these girls can get their collective shit together, let bygones be bygones, and bring us album number four in the near future, this would be music to our ears.
