There are many artists in the DMV on their grind, but 21-year-old singer and songwriter Orlando Dixon was getting his Michael Jackson hustle on while most kids his age were at home singing “I Love You” with their purple friend Barney. At age 6, Dixon began singing around the house and at church. By age 8, he took his vocals to a competitive arena and battled for best voice in local singing competitions.

According to Dixon, it wasn’t until he won the grand prize of one thousand dollars at a local competition that he believed singing could be more than just an interest. “From there I started to hone my craft,” he said.

Orlando Dixon

Dixon has a few accolades under his belt, and has claimed victory at various local talent competitions. But his win using the song “Something About U” in Song of the Year’s songwriting contest, an international songwriting contest supporting VH-1’s Save the Music Foundation, is what he considers his first major accomplishment as “Orlando Dixon.”

In April 2009, he won grand prize winner of Disc Makers’ Catalog Cover Search for his CD cover for his first EP “So Fresh.” According to Dixon, the cover represented sophistication and class, yet was urban and youthful.

With his determination, knowledge and love for music, Dixon intends to bring an element of depth back to music that has been displaced due to changing generations and deaths of music greats like the King of Pop and those before him.

Some may call the melodies of Donnie Hathaway and Smokey Robinson old school, but for Dixon, these artists have some of the best music of this time. “His [Hathaway’s] music was extremely intuitive—it flowed out of him,” said Dixon. Words from the song entitled, “A Song for You,” best describe Dixon’s intentions: to create music that is loved “in a place where there is no space or time.”

He plans to take the musical formula of these music greats and others who have influenced him to add meaning to music of this generation; he sets out to create a music that transcends time. According to Dixon, as an artist, it’s important to always tell a story, and make that story beneficial to everyone.

“I try to pull from everything…life, music, people, experiences—as an artist, that shapes who you are,” he said. “My vision for my music is to have in my mind that I’m not creating for the moment—I want to create something that is timeless.”

The music industry is very competitive—and Dixon has had his share of bumps in the road. At 16, he auditioned for American Idol, but was eliminated after three rounds of judging. His dismissal from the show wasn’t entirely negative. It allowed him the opportunity to create his own path, learn from his mistakes and mature as an artist.

Despite some of his downfalls, Dixon says he maintains positivity. “I keep my perspective on the primary goal—which is to make music,” he said. “Live life and know that in due time it will happen…and I pray.”

At Suitland High School, he was involved in the performing arts program. He took voice lessons, exposed himself to different styles of music and even taught himself the piano.

Currently, Dixon attends the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, where he studies music business management and is working on his brand—Orlando Dixon. “It’s important to know how to market your songs as a songwriter,” he said.

While at Berklee, Dixon said he has been exposed to so much music and has had the opportunity to perform with Smokey Robinson and others. Being able to perform with people of this stature as an unsigned artist is something Dixon holds dearest. Dixon praised Robinson’s ability to diversify himself as a writer. “Versatility is key to be an artist that has legacy,” he said.

Orlando Dixon

Dixon’s describes his EP, “So Fresh” as being innovative, of substance and quality. It’s his first EP, but Dixon said the project came together within two months. He worked on the album with his friend Paul Mitchell, of Marvadoc Records, who had one song he wanted Dixon to cover. “It started out with one song and grew to four,” Dixon said of the rapid production process.

“In This For Us,” which is the #3 rated song on DMV Unplugged, is Dixon’s favorite track on the CD. The song evaluates the level of commitment one has in a relationship. Dixon said he was lost in a state of music euphoria as soon as he heard the chords on the track and he began to think about how the music made him feel. “I felt an emotional pull and the words just flew from there,” he said.

This October marks the start of his In My Element Mix Tape Series, a promotion Dixon hopes will open up his music more to fans. For the series, a new song from the album will be periodically released and fans will be introduced to themes and allowed to get interactive with the music. Dixon will also have YouTube performances, and music trials to see what listeners want to hear.

With the digital age of YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and others, artists are learning how to promote themselves. It’s becoming increasingly harder to obtain a decent record contract. “Record labels want to see artists have potential to sell before they even think about giving you a contract,” said Carroll Dixon, Orlando’s manager. “We’re trying to let the deal look for us.”

Dixon says he plans to continue to develop music for himself and other artists even if the outcome isn’t a record deal.

Check out Orlando Dixon:
Myspace.com/Otobias
Youtube.com/Museman18
Twitter.com/OrlandoDixon
Facebook.com/OrlandoDixonFan