Vocalists Shannon Bex and Aubrey O'Day formed Dumblonde following the second split of Danity Kane, which was announced in August 2014. While ex-DK mate Dawn Richard continued to take contemporary R&B down a left-of-center course, Bex and O'Day did something slightly similar with standard dance-pop. They linked with several figures, including fellow songwriter Candice Pillay and producer Dem Jointz, both of whom were significant factors in the making of Dr. Dre's Compton, and recorded a self-titled album released in September 2015. Though the songs were certainly accessible and filled with hooks, it didn't seem as if they were made with much concern for mainstream reception. Despite minimal fanfare, the independently issued, Universal-distributed set debuted at number 129 on the Billboard 200 and at number three on the publication's Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi