“I have never witnessed an Internet-driven phenomenon that even comes close to this in my entire career,” said Mr. Dupri, who discovered Dondria online. “We are on the threshold of exposing a naturally gifted singer to the world as a result of YouTube’s penetration into every corner of society – and that is a genuinely exciting prospect for the future.”

Dondria’s ascent is the result of more than six months of intense communication with Dupri, who encouraged her to document every step of the creative process. She maintains daily uploaded clips and provides a constant flow of new songs for her fanbase to see and hear. Recent visitors to www.youtube.com/phatfffat have been treated to Dondria’s powerful covers of hits like Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and SWV’s “Weak.” Dondria’s brand new acappella version of Chrisette Michelle’s “Love Is You” has already received more than 15,000 views. “I’m a Capricorn who loves music like a fat kid loves cake!” Dondria confesses on YouTube, in explanation of the nickname given to her by fans, Phatfffat, a reference to her love of eating (thought she keeps a trim figure). A side visit to 21-year old Dondria Nicole’s MySpace website at www.myspace.com/dondiranicolemusic reveals that she was born in Oklahoma, raised in Texas, came up singing in the First Baptist Church, and majored in Music Education at college. The MySpace site, which boasts more than 360,000 profile views and more than 209,000 total plays, features full-length versions of three finished tracks: “Can I Talk To You,” “Love Affair” featuring Cory, and “I Love You.” The implications of Dondria’s success – as it exists outside current radio plans, A&R sources and traditional distribution models – have prompted a number of Internet-centric marketing and promotion campaigns at Island Def Jam Music Group. In conjunction with YouTube, the aim is to engage and expand her homegrown online audience while nurturing her roots. YouTube, which has 70 million unique users in the U.S. alone (according to Nielsen), and is the #1 video site on the Internet, reports that every minute, ten hours of video is being uploaded to YouTube… read less