Wiping "D." Slate Clean...

D. Woods will not allow her voice to fade to black.

The former Danity Kane singer/songwriter treated a few of us to a sneak preview (and some heavy Grey Goose signature cocktails) of her EP, The Gray Area, on Mon., Jul. 11, 2011 at Atlanta's Zac Recording Studios. It was all in chill mode: a time for the starlet to put her days of Diddy’s tight grip (and humiliation on national television) behind her and to focus solely on her career: releasing the effort on her own imprint, Woodgrane Entertainment.

“I just stepped all the way into the role,” she tells us. “It’s like somebody you meet, but you don’t remember their name.”

Hosting the listening session on the eve of her iTunes release (at midnight nonetheless) before selected media and tastemakers in the A Room, the dancer; entertainer and actress (and Tri-Cities High School alumnus) says the last two years had been “an emotional rollercoaster.” She adds on that The Gray Area was an all-too familiar term to her grind. “I had to prove myself and reintroduce myself as an artist and my craft. I don’t like to use genres. It’s just music. The Gray Area is what I felt like during the time.”

Collaborating with producer/songwriter Kyle Lucas; producer Simon Illa, her artist Life Da Great and Young Money’s Shanell (also D. Woods’ sister), The Gray Area is a tour-de-force of D.Woods’ past, present and future. “Outta Here,” her foray into what she calls “urban experimental” sounds. “Lady in the Street” is her battle of the sexes anthem (part two is an ultramagnetic dance remix). “Wonder Woman,” the set’s lone ballad depicting someone who is looking for some form of human salvation (Woods tells the crowd prior to playing the set that she wanted somebody to save her), was inspired by her mother (who was also present and smiling the entire time). “Liar Liar” is her ladies’ anthem, and “Foolish Dreamer” is for the people that live in their imaginations.

The Gray Area is an indicator that Ms. Woods is not in “D.” nial – she knows what she wants and is determined to go after it. Point blank.