R&B/soul singer-songwriter Dawen has been getting a lot of buzz before the release of his upcoming album “American Me”. (Apparently, he spent several years working on the music.) You can see a sample of his skills in his debut music video “Wake Up” below. Dawen’s music runs the gamut from exploring universal socio-political issues that affect minorities, especially Asian Americans, to love, regret and redemption. “Wake Up” is also making the rounds in the film festival circuit.

Dawen’s album “American Me” comes out on 9.9.09 online (on and Amazon) and 9.12.09 on CD. There’s also going to be a a big album release party on 9.12.09 in Los Angeles with special guest performers Vudoo Soul and Sue Jin & hosted by Lina So. Get party details and song samples at his website here. If you RSVP on Facebook here, you get in cheaper.

Wake Up by Dawen

Wake Up Lyrics

flip thru the paper,

turn on the tele,

go to a movie,

(Verse 1)

Just because you saw the movie “Crouching Tiger”

doesn’t mean that I know kung fu.

And just because Mr. Yan has an accent

doesn’t mean that I’ve got one, too.

People tell me I speak good English

or that I’m too thin to be Bruce Lee.

Where do they get their preconceptions

of what I’m supposed to be?

flip thru the paper,

turn on the tele,

go to a movie,

(it’s in the tv/movie/paper…)

(Chorus)
Wake up, wake up! THIS JUST IN!

I’m being judged by the color of my skin.

Wake up, wake up! That’s not news,

I’m not surprised, I just can’t get used to it.

(Verse 2)

Yes, I know that my face might be yellow,

But that doesn’t mean I’ll give you SARS.

And I know that my eyes might be slanted,

And that they seem closed from far away-

People say “Go back to where you came from!”

I dunno what that’s supposed to mean.

Someone told me “all men are equal,”

But I guess that’s just a dream.

(Chorus) 2X

[instrumental]

(Hook)

I can’t get used to it

I won’t get used to it

I can’t get used to it

I won’t get used to it

(Outro)

I just can’t get used to being generalized,

Can’t get used to being stereotyped,

Can’t get used to being generalized,

Can’t get used to being stereotyped.

I just can’t get used to it!