History
After falling out as a touring musician with multiple local musical acts in the Orlando, Florida area during 2006, Jesus David Torres, going by the moniker "Dahvie Vanity", formed a musical group with friends Matty "M" Malaret, Christopher Mongillo, and Rebecca Fugate. Initially the group was considered a joke, but developed into Blood on the Dance Floor in the summer of 2007.[1] Malaret left the group in late 2007 before the group's self-released first album, Let's Start a Riot, in April 2008. Citing the inability to tour, Mongillo and Fugate left the band as well shortly thereafter.[2]
During the recording of their second album, It's Hard to be a Diamond in a Rhinestone World, the band was picked up by producer and writer Rusty Wilmot.[citation needed] During the recording of this album, Garrett Marshal McLaughlin (Garrett Ecstasy) was recruited to do backup vocals and screaming. The CD was self-released in October 2008. Only 300 copies were made.[3]
Vanity and Ecstasy recorded the singles "Siq With a Q" and "Suicide Club" as a duo in 2008, and released three extended plays over the first half of 2009, I Scream I Scream, OMFG Sneak Peak, and Extended Play. The duo embarked on the OMFG Tour with other local bands Electric Valentine, Weston Buck, The Greenlight District, and The Crush in promotion of their upcoming album then titled OMFG.[4]
Many of the songs originally recorded with Ecstasy intended for the upcoming album OMFG were re-recorded with new vocals by Von Monroe. The previous concept of the OMFG album was scrapped, and rebranded as EPIC, set for release in 2010. The band went on tour over spring and summer 2010 to promote the release of Epic. With Jeffree Star they recorded three songs for that album. The collaborations with Jeffree Star were short lived because like former member Garrett Ecstasy, Star had also accused Vanity of being a pedophile and a predator, claiming to have witnessed questionable behavior. Star later chose to go back on his accusations and sweep what he claimed to have seen under the rug due to feeling like the band was being victimized. He was then featured on their 2014 single "Poison Apple", from the album Bitchcraft.[5] As with the previous conflict with Garrett, the three singles featuring Jeffree's vocals were re-recorded with vocals by Von Monroe, and the original tracks were not featured on the final album.
In October 2010, the album Epic charted No. 5 on the dance/electronic Billboard chart.[6] The band headlined the Epic Tour and the Epic Tour Part II in support of the album.[7]
Even before the release of Epic, recording began for Blood on the Dance Floor's fourth album, All the Rage!!. The duo collaborated with several artists for the album, including Lady Nogrady, JJ Demon, and Nick Nasty. The album was preceded by several singles to promote the release, including "Yo Ho", and "P.L.U.R.", and "Bewitched" which became the band's biggest (and only) most well known song. The band later embarked on Warped Tour 2011 in June 2011,[8] and released the album while on tour.
A music video for their hit single from the album, "Bewitched", featured Nicole "Lady" Nogrady, who later said that she felt disrespected by the band during production of the album as well as on the music video, and found herself having to confront the band directly in order for her name to appear on the credits of her work with them.[9] The song was subsequently performed by other female vocalists in place of Nogrady at live shows, and was re-recorded with vocals by Haley Rose for their 2013 acoustic album Blood Unplugged.
The album peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Top Electronic Albums chart.[6] At the end of 2011, the duo headlined the All the Rage Tour and was planning the 'Tis the Season to be Killing Tour.[10]
In celebration of BOTDF's fourth anniversary, a digital compilation album entitled The Legend of Blood on the Dance Floor was set to be released on Halloween.[2] The compilation's release date was pushed back, originally planned to be released as a CD, it was released as a SoundCloud playlist instead. The compilation features remastered versions of songs from the band's first four albums.
Blood on the Dance Floor's fifth album, Evolution, was released on June 19, 2012[11] along with a deluxe edition that featured acoustic versions of two songs. Two music videos and four singles were released from the album.
The album featured tracks in collaboration with Haley Rose, Amelia Arsenic, Shawn Brandon, Joel Madden of the band Good Charlotte, Elena Vladimirova, and Deuce.[12]
As a thank you to their fans they released the three-song free EP Clubbed to Death! on June 20, 2012, for free through an app on Facebook.[13] Their sixth EP, The Anthem of the Outcast, was released on October 30, 2012.[14]
Rumors of a breakup in 2013 were proven to be a hoax.[15][16] Bad Blood was slated for release in September 2013.[17] On February 18, 2013, the lead single "I Refuse to Sink! (Fuck the Fame)" was released,[16] followed by the second single, "Crucified by Your Lies",[18] and a third, "Something Grimm", on July 2, 2013.[19]
Andrew "Drew" Apathy joined in early 2014,[20] and a new album, Bitchcraft, was released in June 2014. Their single "We're Takin over!" featuring Deuce was released February 7.[21]
In April 2017, Vanity announced that there would be a new member, and that Blood on the Dance Floor would be returning on May 5 of that year without Jayy Von Monroe. In May 2017, it was revealed that Dahvie's girlfriend, Fallon Vendetta, had temporarily joined Blood on the Dance Floor. With Vendetta, they released the singles "Resurrection Spell", "Love Like Voodoo", "Six Feet Under", "Yo Ho 2 (Pirate's Life)", "Ghosting" and "Destroy". Their album Kawaii Monster was released on October 31, 2017. Kawaii Monster pre-orders included a second disc, a remastered edition of Let's Start a Riot. The band also released an exclusive EP: You Are the Heart. In 2018, they released Haunted, followed by Cinema Erotica and You Are the Heart. Vendetta departed the group shortly afterward, leaving Vanity as the sole remaining member of the group.
On January 1, 2021, Vanity released a new version of Blood on the Dance Floor's "Bewitched" as "Bewitched Reimagined" featuring singer Sammy Beare. As of 2016, Jayy Von Monroe has continued to work as a drag queen under the name "The Dahli" and Vanity has continued to release music and merchandise by himself under both "The Most Vivid Nightmares" and "Dark Arts Official".
Sexual assault allegations against Dahvie Vanity
Since the allegations first surfaced in 2009 (with one of which causing Vanity's arrest in 2009), at least 21 women have made sexual assault, child molestation, and rape allegations against Vanity.[27] Former bandmates Garrett Ecstasy, who left the band in 2009, and Jayy Von Monroe, who left in 2016, have described Vanity as a sexual predator. In an interview with television journalist Chris Hansen, Jayy Von Monroe accused Vanity of abuse as well, stating that Vanity forced him to tour without his HIV medication which caused him to nearly contract AIDS. Von Monroe also stated that he later made a full recovery after leaving the band in 2016.[27] Jeffree Star and New Years Day members Ash Costello and Nikki Misery have stated that they observed Vanity engage in questionable or illegal sexual behavior during one of the Vans Warped Tours and also during the "All the Rage Tour 2012" in support of their third studio album of the same name around the early 2010s.[28][29] Many of the accusers were underage during the alleged attacks.[27][30][31][32][33][34] In response to the allegations, Combichrist removed Blood on the Dance Floor from their tour in 2014.[35] Merchandising website Big Cartel removed the band's products in 2018 in response to the allegations,[36] while Spotify and Google Play removed the band's music in April 2019 for violating their prohibited content policies against hate speech.[37][38][39] Vanity has responded to the accusations on multiple occasions, usually with denial, threats or evasion.[40]
In early 2020, Hansen announced an investigation on Vanity, including having multiple interviews with those who claim Vanity abused or raped them.[41] At the time, the FBI confirmed that they were also investigating the allegations against Vanity.[42]
