Shelley Marshaun Massenburg-Smith began his music career under the moniker DRAM, but now he goes by Shelley FKA DRAM and he just released his first album under the new moniker (self-titled), which is also his first album in five years. Shelley, who previously mixed rapping and singing, fully embraces his singing voice on this LP, and the result is a lush, rich-sounding soul record. "I want to take my sound to where you’re gonna have to reach so far to try to emulate it," Shelley told XXL. "I just want to bring it to an untouchable level. I want people to see the growth and to grow with it." Here's more from that interview:
The process of making this project really happened around the process of That’s a Girl Name EP coming because I already knew, some way or another like, we’re gonna work my government [name] into this. I didn’t really know that I was just gonna straight up drop the DRAM or whatever, but I knew that we were leading into that. You know, I love my name.
I was making these records with Josh [Abraham] and Oligee [Oliver Goldstein] over at Pulse [Recordings]. I was making records with [producer Andrew] Watt over at his spot or whatever. I was just all the way locked in. Everyone was so on board with me trying to make these heightened songs, but like, going back into the roots of things. The roots of what made certain music shine and then switching and doing different things where you get the “Best Hugs” record, “Sundress,” what have you.