‘Our voice is our story, our testimony’: What happened to Aubrey O’Day?

It’s been exactly five months since the infamous Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested. After several allegations of sexual misconduct and physical violence came to light, Combs was finally apprehended. But before this entire scandal came to light, there’s been a woman who’s been staunchly anti-Diddy. That woman is Aubrey O’Day.

Diddy, being a man of vast resources, had managed to keep many of his past indiscretions hidden. That is until his arrest brought forward an avalanche of corroborations from former colleagues, artists, and industry insiders. For years, O’Day had alluded to the dark realities of working under Combs, but only now are people truly realizing the extent of what she endured. Just recently, she made a brief appearance on Fox’s reality competition series The Masked Singer. While her longtime fans were thrilled to see her reclaim her place in the spotlight, for many, it was a stark reminder of the horrors that had festered in the shadows under Diddy’s reign.

The dark side of Danity Kane

Aubrey O’ Day was the first to clock Diddy’s tea when he all the sudden decided to start paying his artist in exchange for NDA’s. pic.twitter.com/bDK89Wo7Hd

— ThereGoTerry (@ThereGoTerry) November 16, 2023

While Diddy’s name is now synonymous with scandal, it’s important to remember that it wasn’t always this way. At least, not on the surface. Sean Combs was a widely respected music executive who helped elevate some of music’s biggest names. He played a crucial role in launching the careers of The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and Usher, among others. Beyond his music empire, he also ventured into reality television, producing Making the Band.

This is where Danity Kane and Aubrey O’Day entered the picture. The group was formed on Making the Band 3 in 2005, quickly signing with Bad Boy Records and releasing their self-titled debut album in 2006. To the fans, everything seemed perfect. They sold over a million copies domestically, and their singles climbed into the Top 10 charts. But behind the success lay years of exploitation and trauma, bottled up at the cost of fame and fortune.

Aubrey’s first public recounting of the dark side of working with Combs came on the Crysis Queen podcast, where she dropped chilling details: “[Combs] is on camera saying how much he hates it, but he’s off-camera telling me all the ways I needed to be groomed properly, like down to my toenails.” She described a twisted cycle of grooming and control. Furthermore, she claimed she was pushed to be the “face of the group.” But this title came with sinister undertones. “With Diddy, I saw multiple … sides of him,” she continued.

Leaving Diddy behind…

His behavior could have been stopped long before things like this broke our hearts to read, his abuse didn’t have to reach me & many others including women,men, & minors.. whom of which will forever traumatize an entire industry. He is a soulless human inside of a systemic… https://t.co/EJJp4nBlLr

— Aubrey O'Day (@AubreyODay) October 2, 2024

O’Day eventually left Danity Kane in 2008 alongside Wanita “D. Woods” Woodgett, initially under the impression that she had been fired due to creative differences. However, years later, she revealed that Combs had removed her because she refused to comply with his requests “in other areas” beyond music.

Alhough Danity Kane later reunited as a quartet, the damage had already been done, and the group ultimately dissolved in 2014. Another former member, Dawn Richard, also spoke out against Combs. She filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault, harassment, and inhumane treatment. Furthermore, she alleged that he had held her and her bandmates against their will in his residences, depriving them of basic necessities like food and sleep. Richard also claimed she had personally witnessed Combs physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. 

Life after Danity Kane: Where is Aubrey O’Day now?

Aubrey O’Day has come a long way from her troubled past under Diddy’s thumb. These days, she has taken control of her own narrative and is focused on rebuilding her life on her terms.

Now residing in Bali, O’Day has found a new way to express herself through OnlyFans, where she embraces her sexuality on her own terms. In a revealing interview on the No Jumper podcast, she credited fellow celebrity Carmen Electra for guiding her onto the platform and helping her navigate the industry. O’Day has also secured brand deals, becoming an ambassador for FashionNova and using her platform to support various charities dedicated to helping women and children in need.

Despite her past struggles, she has not abandoned the entertainment industry. In a nostalgic return to the mainstream, she appeared on The Masked Singer, where she was unfortunately eliminated before making it to the next round. However, the moment she revealed her identity was nothing short of emotional. As she took off her mask, she delivered a heartfelt message to her fans and former bandmates, saying, “You all will never know how much I love you and how much I care. You are resilient women who are capable of anything.”