The-Dream aims to crown year with "Love King"

DETROIT (Billboard) - Songwriter and recording artist The-Dream is working on his second album of 2009, and is aiming for a December release.

The artist behind "Umbrella" told Billboard.com he's "seven records in on a new album," tentatively titled "Love King."

"I have to pace myself 'cause there's so much time between here and then," The-Dream said, "but the seven records I do have are timeless records. Whether they come out now or later, it's not really going to matter what kind of records they are."

His latest release, the gold-certified "Love vs. Money" -- which came out in March and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 -- featured guest appearances by Mariah Carey, Lil Jon and Kanye West. But The-Dream said no featured guest performances are yet planned for the next album. "Usually it's one of those things where I kinda wait," he said. "I wait 'til the end, and then who's ever doing their thing at that particular time, that's who I get."

The-Dream is balancing recording sessions with preparations in Los Angeles for his tour with Keyshia Coles, which starts Wednesday in Cincinnati. Unlike his "special guest" stint on last year's Jay-Z/Mary J. Blige trek, this tour will allow him to present "a bigger Dream," complete with four dancers and a five-piece band.

"I'm coming pretty stocked up this time," he said with a laugh. "I'm like a kid in a toy store, like, 'Oh, this is gonna be fun!' I'm coming DVD-ready." And, in fact, he plans to film a DVD at some point during the tour, which wraps June 21 in Oakland, California.

The-Dream said fans at the concerts can expect to hear songs from his two albums, but he plans to offer only "hints" of the hits he has written for Rihanna, Usher, Carey, Blige, Jamie Foxx and others. "I don't have enough time," he said, adding that there will be a cover of Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana." "I've been trying to sing that song forever."

He's also planning his own headlining run for the fall, when his repertoire will be expanded not just by the "Love King" material but also by forthcoming work with Carey, Brandy, Christina Milian and Puff Daddy. For the latter he's composed a song called "Change" that The-Dream calls "probably one of the best male records I've ever written ... the best record I've written besides 'Umbrella.'"

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)