D.R. King, aka Donald Ray King, Jr., premieres “Gravedigger” on CelebMIx.
Co-written by Brielle Brown and two-time Grammy winner Marc Swersky, who also produced the song, “Gravedigger” blends cool, funky R&B with oodles of soul. “Gravedigger” speaks to the prevailing societal concept of Black Lives Matter with passionate aspiration, confronting the ineffable notion of parity head-on. D.R. King communicates his lesson unpretentiously, but legitimately: “Love and value your self-worth. Always believe in yourself, even when no one else will.”
If you watch NBC’s The Voice, then you probably remember D.R. King’s appearance on Season 14, when he and Jackie Foster hooked up to perform Harry Styles’ “Sign of the Times.” Their version of the song hit #71 on iTunes’ single chart and #22 on iTunes’ pop chart. A member of Team Kelly Clarkson, King was later eliminated from The Voice.
https://soundcloud.com/drkingnyc/gravedigger
Prior to The Voice, D.R. King grew up in Cleveland, where his mother and father worked to shelter King and his six siblings from the drugs and gang violence endemic in their neighborhood. Later, King graduated college, becoming a high school music teacher in Louisiana, followed by teaching first grade in Cleveland. Music allowed King to travel the world and move to NYC, where he worked as a background vocalist with Eli Paper, Boy Reed, Eric Benet, Andy Grammer, and 50 Cent.
King, recently signed by Monocentric Music/ONErpm, once again hooked up with Jackie Foster on his debut single “Love Is A Drug,” off his It’s My Life EP. In January 2019, King will tour nationally with Kelly Clarkson.
“Gravedigger” opens with a potently glowing intro of radiant choir-like voices flowing into a funked-out R&B tune with heavy doses of soul essence. A rumbling, roiling bass line infuses the tune with a beefy rhythm, as King’s rich, rasping tones light up the soundscape. Smoldering background harmonies add multiple layers of cool sonic textures and depth.
Replete with raw proximate dynamics, “Gravedigger” simmers with huge dollops of soul, relentless R&B momentum, and penetrating robust colors. D.R. King hits the sweet spot.