Dwele facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dwele
Dwele in 2006
Background information
Birth name	Andwele Gardner
Also known as	Dwele G, Elleuud
Born	(1978-02-14) February 14, 1978 (age 47) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	R&B progressive soul
Occupation(s)	Singer rapper songwriter record producer
Years active	1998–present
Labels	E1 Koch Virgin Ubiquity

Andwele Gardner (born February 14, 1978), known professionally as Dwele, is an American R&B singer, rapper, songwriter, and music producer. He comes from Detroit, Michigan. Dwele is well-known for his guest appearance on Kanye West's 2007 song "Flashing Lights". He also sang on Kanye West's 2010 song "Power", though his name wasn't always listed. Both songs were very popular, reaching the top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. His first solo song, "Find a Way" (2003), helped launch his first album, Subject, released by Virgin Records.

About Dwele

Early Life and Music Journey

Andwele Gardner grew up in Detroit, Michigan, in a family that loved music. He started playing the piano when he was just six years old. Later, he learned to play the trumpet, bass, and guitar.

When Dwele was ten, his father passed away. This was a very sad time for him. He shared that he learned to put his feelings into music. Music became his "therapy" and helped him cope with his emotions.

He looked up to many famous artists like Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, and Miles Davis. He also found inspiration from the hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest. Dwele started out as an MC (a rapper) and worked with the group Slum Village.

Becoming a Recording Artist

Dwele began his music career by recording songs in his own bedroom. He made a demo (a sample recording) called The Rize. He sold about 100 copies of this demo from the trunk of his car, and they sold out quickly!

His music caught the attention of the local hip hop group Slum Village and their producer J Dilla. Slum Village asked Dwele to sing the main part (called the "hook") of their song "Tainted" for their album Trinity (Past, Present and Future). This song was a success and led to Dwele working with other well-known artists like rapper Bahamadia and the group Lucy Pearl.

In 2001, Dwele signed with Virgin Records. His first album, Subject, came out in 2003. This album blended neo soul (a modern type of soul music) with hip hop. A music review in 2005 described his style as "rooted in vintage soul but isn't stuck in the past... there's a major hip-hop edge which betrays his original incarnation as a rapper."

Working with Other Artists

Dwele released his second album, Some Kinda..., in 2005. He later signed with RT Music Group and KOCH Records in 2008. His fourth album, W.ants W.orld W.omen, was released on June 29, 2010.

He became even more famous when he was featured on songs by superstar Kanye West. Dwele sang on "Power" from Kanye West's 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. He was also on "Flashing Lights" from West's 2007 album Graduation.

In 2012, Dwele released "What Profit," the first song from his fifth album, Greater Than One. This song was written and produced by Mike City, who also worked on Dwele's other popular songs like "I Think I Love U."

Dwele's Music

Dwele has released several albums and many singles throughout his career. He has also been featured on songs by other artists.

Albums

Here are Dwele's studio albums and how they performed on music charts in the United States. The charts show how popular an album is.

Singles

These are some of the songs Dwele has released as singles. Singles are individual songs released for radio play and digital sales.

Songs He's Featured On

Dwele has lent his voice and talent to many songs by other artists. Here's a list of some of them.