D.N.A. is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer Mario. It was released first in the United Kingdom on October 12, 2009, by RCA Records and the following day in the US with J Records. On the album Mario has worked with some songwriters he already worked with, including Bryan-Michael Cox as well as new collaborators including The-Dream, Soundz and Jim Jonsin amongst others.
The album's lead single "Break Up" features Sean Garrett and Gucci Mane. It was released on April 28, 2009, in the US, peaking at number 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Chart and 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his most successful single in five years since "Let Me Love You". The second single, "Thinkin' About You" was released on September 4, 2009.
Recording and production
At the end of 2007 Mario told Billboard Magazine that he had already begun designing the concept for his new album and that production would begin in February 2008. Later in an interview he described this album as World music, an old school R&B influenced with a modern dance pop sound and calling this the "most personal, colossal album of his career".
In late 2008 a track titled "Emergency Room" leaked to the internet, credited to Mario and featuring Rihanna, and also played by various radio stations throughout the country. Initially people were quick to assume it was Rihanna on the track, as the studio vocalist Priscilla Renea's voice resembled Rihanna's. The song is produced by Soundz Also the song's title was especially controversial, because of the situation which Rihanna is with her boyfriend Chris Brown, which Vibe.com has documented extensively. Of the song Mario said "This was a rough cut that I was working on and wanted to present it to Rihanna and her record label. Those aren't Rihanna's vocals on the song at all. The record was far from done. I'm still proud of the record but want to make sure that the truth is out there."
Concept and themes
Mario described the song "The Hardest Moment" which is set to be on his album as "Personal, because I say things in the record that have multiple meanings. Like the chorus says, "A man that ain't afraid to cry is a man that's not afraid to die." That to me, even though I'm talking about a relationship in the song, I'm talking about that point in a relationship where everything is over. It's like, you guys are cool, you guys are friends, but you're totally going separate ways. That's probably one of the hardest things a young man and young woman can go through in their relationship. And, so that's what I'm saying in that line. But it also means to me that a strong man is not afraid to be vulnerable, to cry and let it out. In a previous interview the song "Starlight" produced by The-Dream, Mario has explained the record: "the song is about going after a woman and describes it as dreamy and swaggerized".
The album was originally scheduled to be released under the title And Then There Was Me. But on January 10, 2009, Mario told Singersroom.com that the album title may change for his effort. When asked to explain what they original title meant he said "And Then There Was Me is more than just me sayin' my music is fresh, but who I am as a person. That title for me is like, you've got the Trey Songz', the Ne-Yos, and you've got the Chris Browns of the world—you've got all these new artists. This is my fourth album, and some of them aren't even on their third [album]—I'm coming back with something fresh and new. And then there's me, there's Mario." The album title has since changed to "D.N.A" to reflect the musical changes that Mario has gone through since his last album.
Release and promotion
Mario was initially unsure of when the album would be released. However, in an interview with Rap-Up.com, he was considering March or April 2009. The release date was pushed back to June 2009. But then on Twitter he said "It's getting close "And Then There Was Me" late summer". Online retailers, Amazon later confirmed a September 22, 2009 release date for the project, which later changed again to October 13, 2009, by J Records and Mario's official website, for a United States release. It is Mario's second album to feature a Parental Advisory warning for strong language, the first being 2007's release of Go.
In early September 2009, Mario, Trey Songz, Day26 and Sean Garrett announced on 106 & Park that they will all tour with RichGirl across the U.S.