Aubrey O’Day is an American singer and reality television personality, best known for being the lead member of the mega-successful girl group, Danity Kane. Aubrey sat down with Alexandra Cooper, host of the popular podcast Call Her Daddy last week and revealed some interesting stories from her MTV | Diddy days and a hush hush relationship with Donald Trump, Jr.

Aubrey always knew she wanted to perform, dance, sing and just be on stage to entertain people, but she never actively pursued that dream growing up. She actually had plans to become a lawyer, pass the bar and settle for that 9-5 life. As Aubrey was preparing herself for law school, her mother said that Diddy was looking for a new, hot girl group and was holding auditions in L.A. That was it. Aubrey O’Day was born.

In 2005, girls from across the country flocked to Los Angeles to audition for MTV’s third season of Making the Band. Aubrey was one of those girls. To be honest, Aubrey was that girl; she exuded confidence, beauty and also had a stellar voice making her an immediate sensation and global phenomenon. She was the perfect blend of Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, with a cherry on top.

We have to give major credit to her mom for telling Aubrey about the amazing opportunity to audition and also to her boyfriend at the time, for driving her to Hollywood to try out for the extremely popular reality show. Aubrey left home and never looked back.

Fortunately, Diddy was looking for girls that sounded like Christina Aguilera and looked like Britney Spears. While Aubrey obviously had the look, talent and confidence to boot, she told Father Cooper (Alexandra | Call Her Daddy), that she didn’t see herself as a sex siren, or the “hot one.” She didn’t lose her virginity until well after high school, was pretty private in her personal life and dressed more conservatively as a young girl. It was pretty shocking to Aubrey that she was labeled as the sexy one from Danity Kane, as she didn’t think of herself like that. I mean, is that the total truth Aubs? You had to know how stunning and talented you are.

Aubrey shared that when she arrived at the theatre in Los Angeles to audition for Diddy, girls were lined up, wrapped around the building. She thought to herself, there’s no way I can compete with these bad ass chicks. Aubrey didn’t have very much experience in the biz, and she closely observed how on point and disciplined her competitors were. Feeling unprepared, Aubrey had a minor freak out and hesitated for a minute as to whether this was her calling or not. As she stood waiting in line watching these talented girls get ready for the audition of their lives, a producer came up to Aubrey, plucked her out of the crowded line and had her audition immediately. Her life was changing right before her eyes and soon after was cast on the hit show Making the Band. Sometimes just having that IT girl factor is promising enough to become a successful entertainer.

Aubrey said meeting Diddy wasn’t necessarily intimidating for her as she had a thick skin growing up, music was her passion, just like Diddy’s and she also generally respected him as a businessman. During the Call Her Daddy interview last Wednesday, Aubrey told Alexandra that Diddy’s presence was so strong, he literally sucked the oxygen out of the room. His tough demeanor and hard work ethic taught a young Aubrey how to read the room and to work her ass off, creating an even thicker exterior to aid her in the challenges she would ultimately experience throughout her underrated career.

Making the Band was pulling in huge numbers for MTV, comparable to what The Hills and Jersey Shore did for the network, yet Aubrey dished to Alexandra that Danity Kane only received $4,000 total throughout the four years of being on the show. The girls had no idea at the time they could negotiate contracts and demand for more money. If they were on television today, they’d be raking in millions of dollars, almost per episode. Aubrey alluded to the fact that Danity Kane was almost like a scientific experiment. They were put in these unrealistic, labeled boxes and each member of the group had to abide by Diddy’s ridiculous stereotypes. However, Making the Band turned Aubrey, Shannon, Dawn, D Woods and Andrea into superstars as the world watched their every move, without Instagram and TikTok.

During the Call Her Daddy podcast, Aubrey shared the real reason why she was fired from Danity Kane, summarizing that since she wouldn’t adhere to some of the expectations Diddy and music moguls around her demanded, they fired her. Diddy basically made it sound like Aubrey got kicked out of Danity Kane because of her rebellious attitude and excessive party-girl lifestyle. She was seen hanging out with numerous celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and partying with many artists with bad reputations. That royally pissed off Diddy and made him uncomfortable around Aubrey. It’s obvious that Diddy created a superstar that he could no longer control. What do powerful men do when they feel out of control? Ignore the conversation and eliminate the “bad girl” from Bad Boy Records.

Aubrey was only 100 pounds at one point during the shows successful run and she explains how often the girls were body shamed, betrayed and lied to by the Diddy Gang. She alluded to some pretty dangerous experiences that both her and the girls will never forget. Unfortunately, it’s a traumatic experience that still haunts Danity Kane to this day.

While Danity Kane went on to sell millions of records from 2006-2008, with both Danity Kane and Welcome to the Dollhouse albums debuting at number one, Aubrey is thankful she got out when she did. Who knows what could have happened years after the group split. Of course, fans across the world were upset, including myself. Their talent was evident, and I believe Danity Kane would have been as big as Destiny’s Child, but health and safety comes first, just like the rest of us. So, bravo Aubrey, for not bowing down to overly righteous men, especially in such a cutthroat and competitive environment.

Since Aubrey was a bonafide superstar and free from Bad Boy Records, she had the privilege of landing any man she wanted. She posed for Playboy and modeled for various agencies after leaving Danity Kane. During her newfound fame, Aubrey dated multiple famous people. From Pauly D to her relationship with Donald Trump, Jr., Aubrey wasn’t afraid to drop bombs in the interview last week, bringing light to the misinterpreted judgements regarding her love life and the role she played in the music industry.

In 2012, Aubrey was a contestant on Donald Trump’s highly rated show, Celebrity Apprentice. She met Donald Trump, Jr. and Aubrey fell for him pretty quickly. The two would embark on a steamy, love affair that was everything but an affair. They weren’t just screwing and lying to the Trumps and the media, they genuinely cared for each other. They were in love; she was a part of many of the families’ activities and political conversations. Aubrey and Donald Trump, Jr., discussed the future and if the secrecy that haunted them so early in their love story, would ever feel real, honest and genuine. That’s all she really wanted. To be seen, heard and acknowledged as a smart businesswoman, which was clearly demonstrated in her season working for Donald Trump. Yes, she was fired, but her wit, charm, intelligence and quick power moves showed another fascinating side of Aubrey. Trump Jr. and Aubrey desperately craved a normal, private life, but Aubs just knew that it would be a disaster to take their relationship to the next level. It would be almost impossible for their careers to align and flourish like other celebrities often can with polar opposite careers.

She stated that Donald Trump Jr., was the love of her life and what they shared was basically forced to be a secret. Aubrey was this beautiful, provocative pop star and Donald Trump Jr., the son of our future President of the United States, had a conservative, serious image to maintain. This is probably why the public thought Aubrey was delusional regarding their romance or making it up completely. Come on people, I don’t think Aubrey O’Day was too concerned of her ability to win over successful, influential and powerful men. She didn’t need to fabricate anything and could legit have any guy, or girl that she wanted.

Aubrey O’Day has been a prominent artist that I have looked up to and followed since the very beginning of her career. When I saw her performing on stage during her first season on Making the Band, I knew she was going to be a force to be reckoned with. Social media wasn’t really a thing in the 2000’s like it is today, so these “musicians” that are discovered overnight for showcasing everything about themselves, except for actual talent in todays society, is so frustrating to her. Aubrey struggles to grasp the concept that aspiring entertainers in todays market can expose themselves on an app, and then score a record deal the very next day. Where’s the hard work, going door to door to shop record labels, being rejected and facing constant failures? The blood, sweat and tears these women went through and their dedication to create great pop music, working alongside with one of the biggest music producers of our generation, is extremely respected by pop fans of the 2000’s and industry folks in the entertainment business.

Danity Kane represents the true definition of perseverance, courage and resilience. The girls 100% deserve credit for launching a new, funky sound of pop music and recognition for breaking records during their brilliant run. If you think about it, Making the Band was the original American Idol and X-Factor. Their seasons on MTV paved the way for singing competitions that still grace our screens today.

The Britney’s, Gaga’s, Missy’s and Danity Kane’s of the 2000’s proved that they had so much more raw, consistent talent and had to work extremely hard just to be seen. They are our pop legends that ruled the 2000’s. Artists today need to recognize that they started it all and did so without any social media to promote themselves. Aubrey O’Day, in my opinion, belongs to an elite group of female entertainers that changed the course of pop music, paving the way for kids trying to sneak in through the back door.

DK Best Tracks:

Showstopper, Damaged, Strip Tease, Bad Girl, Pretty Boy, Lemonade, Roulette, Want It, Right Now, I Wish, 2 Of You, All In a Day’s Work & Secret Lover 🎵