- Photo:
- Arthur
- Wikimedia
- CC BY-SA 2.0
MTV's 'Making The Band': Where Are They Now?
For 12 glorious seasons, Making The Band was an MTV staple that generated a loyal following, millions in record sales, and a permanent place in pop culture history. But what happened to the cast and other beloved members the show assembled after they called it quits?
The first iteration of the show followed pop mogul Lou Pearlman as he attempted to put together the next great boy band in the tradition of the Backstreet Boys and N*SYNC. After the third season wrapped, Sean "Diddy" Combs took over and the show, broadening its focus to include a diversity of musical acts.
As is often the case with popular music groups, many featured bands were loaded with big personalities, epic plans, and major drama, so not all the acts managed to stick together for the long haul. However, nearly all the performers have continued working in the music industry.
- Photo:
- TonyTheTiger
- Wikimedia
- CC BY-SA 2.5
Arguably the highest-profile success story from Making the Band, Danity Kane evolved from the show's third version.
Comprised of Shannon Bex, Aubrey O'Day, Dawn Richard, Aundrea Fimbres, and D. Woods, Danity Kane released three albums and two Billboard Top 10 singles: "Show Stoppers" and "Ride for You."
Unfortunately, the group never got to enjoy a smooth ride. By the end of their Making the Band seasons, Diddy had reorganized Danity Kane, booting O'Day and Woods. In 2009, the remaining members disbanded, but four years later, O'Day, Bex, and Richard reformed the group as a trio.
Danity Kane called it quits for good in 2014.
- Genres (Music): Urban contemporary, Hip hop music, Girl group, Pop music, Dance-pop
- Albums: Welcome to the Dollhouse, Danity Kane, Bad Girl / Damaged, Lemonade, Damaged
- Photo:
- Photo:
O-Town is the boy band that resulted from the first version of Making the Band, and was originally composed of Erik-Michael Estrada, Trevor Penick, Jacob Underwood, Dan Miller (who replaced Ikaika Kahoano early on), and Ashley Parker Angel.
The group released two albums before disbanding in 2003. In 2013 they reunited as a quartet after Angel declined to rejoin the group. The more recent incarnation of O-Town released the album Lines & Circles in 2014, and the EP Part 1 in 2017. As of 2018, they are still officially together.
- Genres (Music): Pop music, Boy band
- Albums: O2, O-Town, All or Nothing, Love Should Be a Crime, Liquid Dreams
- 3
Da Band
- Photo:
Hailing from Making the Band 2, Da Band released one album before Diddy decided to disband the group at the end of the series's third season.
Initially, the group was composed of Sara Stokes, Dylan Dilinjah, Chopper (AKA Young City) Babs, E. Ness, and Freddy P. After Making the Band 2 wrapped, Diddy continued to work with Young City, Babs, and Ness, but this too was short-lived.
While Young City and Babs have since departed from Diddy's label, Ness has continued to work with Diddy as a songwriter. As of 2018, the group members have all gone their separate ways and launched solo careers.
- Genres (Music): Hip hop music
- Albums: Too Hot For T.V.
- 4
Day 26
— Day26 (@day26) August 19, 2017
Day 26 is the all-male R&B group from Making the Band 4. Composed of vocalists Robert Curry, Brian Angel, Willie Taylor, Qwanell Mosley, and Michael McCluney, Day 26 has kept making beautiful music together, despite a brief breakup in 2012.
In all, they've released two studio albums as well as an EP, and each member has worked extensively on his respective solo career.
Loading tweet... - Photo:
Donnie Klang is the only solo artist Diddy developed on Making the Band; his journey was followed along with Day 26's during the fourth version of the show.
Klang released one album on Diddy's Bad Boy Records before going independent in 2010, and later launched The Loft Sound Studio with engineer Matthew Laporte.
As of 2018, he's focused much of his musical energies on producing and nurturing up-and-coming talents.
- Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Pop music, Contemporary R&B, Rhythm and blues
- Albums: Just a Rolling Stone, Take You There
- Nationality: United States of America
- 6
Dawn Richard
- Photo:
- Alexander Vaughn
- Wikimedia Commons
- CC BY-SA 2.0
Since her days on Making the Band came to an end, Richard has proven herself a woman of many talents. In addition to her career as a solo artist (she's thus far released four albums), she worked with Diddy again as one part of the duo Dirty Money.
Richard designed her own line of sunglasses in 2013 to coincide with the release of her first solo album. As of 2018, she's involved with a virtual reality tech startup.
- Photo:
- Photo:
After releasing one solo album, Bex joined up with her former Danity Kane pal Aubrey O'Day to create the duo Dumblonde. But unlike O'Day, Bex doesn't have quite the penchant for making scandalous headlines.
Bex has been married to her husband since 2003, and they have a home in rural Oregon. "I have a very understanding husband. One of the many reasons I married him," Bex told That's My Gig. "Can you imaging touring for months? I knew it would take a special and confident guy who truly knew my heart to support this dream."
- Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Pop music, Contemporary R&B, Rhythm and blues, Country
- Nationality: United States of America
- 8
Erik-Michael Estrada
As the lead vocalist of O-Town, Estrada melted hearts with his boyish good looks and swoon-worthy voice. When the band broke up, he joined the army. He's also done some acting work over the years. As of 2018, Estrada has rejoined O-Town and continues to make music with his longtime band mates.
- Photo:
- Joel Telling
- Flickr
- CC BY-SA 2.0
Angel was an original member of O-Town, but he opted not to be a part of the band when they reunited. His solo career flourished after he left the group, and he's expanded his resume to include some impressive acting credits as well.
Angel appeared on Broadway in Hairspray and toured in Wicked. He also has a son who had a speaking role on American Horror Story: Hotel.
- Genres (Music): Pop punk, Pop music, Pop rock
- Albums: Soundtrack to Your Life
- Nationality: United States of America
- Photo:
- 10
Ikaika Kahoano
- Photo:
Kahoano was an original member of O-Town, but he dropped out of the group during the first season of Making the Band and was replaced with Dan Miller.
There are conflicting reports as to why he left; he said he didn't respect the other members of O-Town, but it's also rumored he left to go to medical school. Some suggested Pearlman made advances on him.
Regardless of his reason for leaving, Kahoano had a brief stint with another boy band, LMNT, before largely retiring from the industry. As of 2018, he runs a gym in Hawaii.
- Nationality: United States of America
- 11
Sara Stokes
Stokes has had a roller coaster of a life since Da Band split up. She served time for domestic violence and chronicled her subsequent attempts to revive her career on a BET reality show.
In 2016, Stokes started speaking up about the abuse she suffered as a child. She released a single titled "Fragile Heart," and she's working on a documentary about her abusive father.
- 12
Dylan Dilinjah
- Photo:
After Da Band dissolved, Dylan "Dili" Dilinjah kept making music. In 2017, he released a solo album, Pain 2 Power. He's spoken at length about his time on Making the Band and the regrets he's had along the way, including missed opportunities to work with Kanye West and Will.i.am.
Dili still has some association with Diddy: the latter's vodka company, Ciroc, sponsored Dili's listening party for Pain 2 Power.
- 13
Robert Curry
- Photo:
Curry, like Ashley Parker Angel, has branched out into acting. Since Making the Band, he has appeared on stage in Atlanta. He also rejoined Day 26 after the group briefly broke up and has been hard at work on the band's third album.
- Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Contemporary R&B
- Albums: The Magnum Project
- Nationality: United States of America
- 14
Willie Taylor
- Photo:
Outside of Day 26, Taylor is probably most well-known for his two-season stint on Love & Hip Hop Hollywood. He's done some acting work, both in film and on the stage. He and his wife have been married since 2007 and have two children together.
- Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Contemporary R&B
- Nationality: United States of America
