For Your Grammy Consideration: Dre Peace Reclaims His Sound
Written by Malik Perkins
June 27th, 2025
For the Trotwood native—who’s long captivated crowds with his dynamic voice and genre-defying sound—music has always been central. But as life has taken him through personal challenges, evolving creative pursuits, and time away from the spotlight, Dre’s journey back to the mic feels both intentional and triumphant.
He’s currently putting the finishing touches on For Your Grammy Consideration, a deeply personal and wide-ranging album that he hopes will introduce his full artistry to a wider world. “If I died tomorrow, would I be satisfied with what people heard from me?” he asked. “That’s how I picked the songs.”
From Trotwood to the Stage
Dre Peace, born and raised in Trotwood, Ohio—not Dayton, he’s quick to clarify—was discovered by his grandmother at age five while singing in the bathtub after a family trip to see Pocahontas. “She heard me singing a song from the movie and said, ‘Sing that again,’” he recalled. “Then she started calling all the family—‘Andre can sing!’”
Soon after, he was in the children’s choir at church, where he earned his first solo. “That was the first time I felt what applause meant,” he said. “That was the moment I knew I was good at this.”
A performance at a church Christmas program soon led to his first real opportunity. A visiting guest from New York approached his grandmother after the show and offered to manage him. That man, Marlon Shackelford, would become a mentor and guide, managing Dre’s career from ages 5 to 14 and introducing him to performance opportunities throughout the city and beyond.
A Voice Without Boundaries
Now an artist with decades of experience under his belt, Dre still resists being boxed in. “I’m not an R&B singer, but I do R&B. I’m not a jazz singer, but I do standards. I’ve got reggae songs, bossa nova, even disco,” he said. “I don’t really know where I fit—but I know what I like. I think I’d go with ‘alternative,’ if I had to pick something.”
That refusal to be categorized is reflected in For Your Grammy Consideration. The album showcases his wide-ranging talent and eclectic influences—from jazz to soul to experimental pop. “I wanted to make something where everyone can find something they enjoy,” he said. “Every song is a different facet of what I do.”
Built From Scratch, Start to Finish
Every track on the upcoming album was built from the ground up in the studio with producer Brandon Scott, also known as Big Jazz. “We make everything from scratch together,” Dre said. “He’ll have an idea, and I’ll start writing immediately. Most of the time, I write everything based on the bassline.”
That instinctive writing process often results in full songs coming together in just 10 minutes. “That’s one thing I’ll brag about,” he said. “If I’m inspired, I can write a song start to finish in ten.”
The album took years to make—not because he lacked material, but because Dre wanted to choose carefully. From more than 100 original tracks, he curated a selection based on a single, powerful question: Which ones would I be proud to leave behind?
Choosing the songs was difficult. Arranging them was even harder. “I kept shuffling the order, listening over and over again,” he said. “I wanted each track to complement the next.”
Health, Healing and Perspective
In recent years, Dre has faced serious health challenges—something that’s shifted both his creative focus and his outlook.
“I don’t do as many shows anymore, so when I do, they’re bigger, more elaborate,” he said. “Because now, everything has more meaning. My health has made me appreciate this gift even more.”
That theme of resilience now runs through several tracks on the album—songs he didn’t originally plan to include. “It wasn’t until I stepped back that I realized how much of it was about pushing forward,” he said. “And I wanted that to be part of the story.”
A Community Effort
For Your Grammy Consideration features a powerful list of collaborators, including CeCe Arrington, Anna Lachey, Ariana Gaines, Trigno Turbo, and Eric Roberson. Musicians like Mike Healy, Eddie Bayard, Robert Riley, and Big Jazz help bring Dre’s layered arrangements to life.
“I did all the background vocals myself,” he added. “Besides the features, every voice you hear is me.”
Dre still prefers a live, traditional studio experience. “No punching lines in, no auto-tune tricks,” he said. “Everything is authentic. Even the effects—I like to do those myself in real time.”
What Comes Next
The album is slated for release in early spring of next year. Until then, Dre is continuing to refine, listen, and live with the work. “There’s no rush,” he said. “I want it to be perfect.”
And while he still wrestles with how to define his sound, Dre Peace knows exactly what he wants people to take away from it: truth, range, and real artistry.
“This is my introduction to the world,” he said. “And I want them to hear all of it.”