Dru
| Dru | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Andrew Grange |
| Also known as | Dru |
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | R&B, hip hop, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, record producer |
| Years active | 2000-present |
| Labels | Effortless Entertainment/MMG/JVC Records |
| Associated acts | In Essence, Doman & Gooding, Lincoln |
| Website | http://www.druofficial.com |
Dru (Andrew Grange) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. The R&B/Soul Juno Award[1] and MuchMusic Video Award (MMVA)winner’s[2] major influences include Marvin Gaye, Donnie Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, D’Angelo and Jay-Z.
Dru released his solo, debut album The One in 2008, and the album was rated 3.5 out of 4 stars by the The Toronto Star.[3] He was also named Emerging Artist of the Month" by Canada's #1 CHR/Top 40 station, CHUM FM. Dru's first three singles "The One", "Stay with Me (Always)" and "Seasons" received strong rotation nationally, with videos for all three songs appearing on all major media outlets.
In 2009, Dru topped the radio and video charts in both Canada & the UK as the featured artist on the hit single “Runnin” by renowned DJs Doman & Gooding. The single earned Dru yet another Juno Award nomination in 2010 for “Dance Recording of The Year.”[4] Dru has been identified by Billboard Magazine as "One of the most important emerging Canadian artists"[5] and his success to date reinforces why he deserves such high praise.
Before becoming a solo artist, Dru was the front man for the R&B group In Essence. The group released the critically acclaimed album The Master Plan with hit songs such as "You'll Never Find," which was also featured on Funkmaster Flex's gold release 60 Minutes of Funk Vol. 4, and quickly became a club anthem in New York, Atlanta and Toronto.
Dru's single "Gettin It In," from his album On The Brink, went to radio in August 2011.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Information |
|---|---|
| The One |
|
| On the Brink |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | CAN | Certifications | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Stay With Me (Always)" | — | The One | |
| 2008 | "What You Wanna Do" | — | ||
| "Seasons" | — | |||
| 2010 | "This Christmas" | — | non-album single | |
| 2011 | "Gettin' It In" | 50 | On the Brink | |
| 2012 | "She Can Ride" | 39 | ||
As a featured artist
| Year | Title | Peak | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | |||
| 2009 | "Runnin'" (Doman & Gooding featuring Lincoln & Dru) | 43 | non-album single |
References
- ↑ "R&B/ Soul Recording of the Year 2004". http://www.ctv.ca/mini_v2/junos2004/nominees/rnbsoul.html''. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ↑ "2004 MMVAs Winners". http://www.muchmusic.com/events/mmva04/winners/''. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ↑ Infantry, Ashante (30 September 2008). "Dru - The One". http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/508505'' (Toronto). Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ↑ "2010 Juno Award nominees announced!". http://www.tribute.ca/news/index.php/2010-juno-award-nominees-announced/2010/03/03/''. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ↑ "Canadian R&B sensation Dru goes solo with his new album The One.". http://www.pennantmediagroup.com/press_releases/tablearticle.php?articleid=65&articleType=''. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ↑ "Canadian digital certifications – Dru – She Can Ride". Music Canada.