Mia Martina Steals Carly Rae Jepsen's Canadian Pop Crown

As a die-hard Raepist it kills me to admit that Carly is no longer Canada's leading pop diva. Her wig has been ruthlessly snatched by Mia Martina, who is currently burning up the lower reaches of her national top 50 with a brilliant track called "Heartbreaker".

So who is this ravishing vixen and why isn't she a household name? The first part of the question is easy. The 29-year-old Canuck scored a top 10 hit with a cover of Edward Maya's "Stereo Love" in 2010 and released her debut album a year later. I haven't heard Devotion but hunting down a copy on eBay is currently on the top of my to-do list.

As for the dance deity's relatively low profile, I'm really not sure. Maybe the world just wasn't ready for Mia but that could change with "Heartbreaker". The first time I heard the bone-rattling club anthem, I thought it was Wynter Gordon's "Dirty Talk". There are some similarities but it's not a copy. The Canadian's track goes harder. That bassline is heavier than Adele and the beat never lets up. I particularly love the insightful lyrics about being sexy and the hands-in-the-air chorus. This could work in Australia - record companies take note.

I'll leave you with the stunning visual, which plays like music video equivalent of Sin City. It might as well be animated given all the special effects but it's different. I'll give it that. Prepare to be slayed.

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Luciana's New Video Is Very Odd

Luciana's "U B The Bass" video dropped today and I think it's fair to say that none of us were ready for its Bad Romance-meets-The Ring aesthetic. Australia's adopted club Queen always keeps it interesting - whether she's prancing through the desert in heels or rollerskating with hookers - but this is some crazy shit.

Creepy ballerinas pose in fatsuits, while the dance icon rocks a pair of shoulder pads that would break Joan Collins' back. There's also a homeless guy, a box of wishes and enough fake hair to make Blue Ivy's first wig. It's all very arty but Luci's tongue-in-cheek humour shines through with the colourful streamers and cardboard heart.

So the video is great but what does it mean for "U B The Bass"? It obviously struck a nerve, reaching the top 100 without a shred of promotion but where are the remixes and radio adds? As far as I know there isn't even an official cover.

Hopefully, the debut of the film clip is a sign that Ministry Of Sound is about to get serious and give this amazing track the push it deserves. Luciana's latest has serious hit potential. If only she had the right machine behind her. On a slightly different note, keep your eyes and ears peeled for her husband's new single. Nick Clow is the new King of clubs!

9/10

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Kween Kat Strikes Back

Kat DeLuna is an unstoppable force of nature. The Dominican deity releases a new song every second week. So does Rihanna, I hear you say - but RedOne's original muse never disappoints. So she wins.

I'm not sure if "Always On My Mind" is even on the diva's soon-to-be-released third album. It's another exotic international collaboration - this time with Romanian DJ Costi - and could be slated exclusively for lucrative Eastern European market. That would be a shame because Kat's latest smash is a bright and breezy summer jam that finds the global trendsetter in an unusually laid back mood. This is the perfect soundtrack for sipping cocktails by the pool or smuggling drugs across the Romanian countryside. The bouncy chorus is cute and I love the Spanish breakdown at the end.

Listen to Senorita DeLuna's latest triumph below and join my prayer circle to ask Jesus for more details about Viva.

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Luciana Notches Up Her 4th US #1 Dance Hit

Luciana has ended 2012 on a massive high - notching up her 4th US chart-topper with "Something For The Weekend". The Dave Audé-produced club banger joins "I Like That", "I'm Still Hot" and the Isha Coco-credited "Figure It Out" on top of the Billboard dance chart. They don't call her the Queen of Clubs for nothing!

Bizarrely, the track isn't getting much of a push in Australia but Luci has no less than 3 new singles ready for the Oz market (including a collab with "Party Bass" hitmakers Bombs Away), so there should be plenty of new material for her to promote when she lands in two weeks. In other news, the sugar-lipped sex symbol is writing songs for the next Maroon 5 album and crafting hits for Karmin. No rest for the wicked!

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Lock Up Your Faves - Cher Is Back!

Words can not describe what this song is doing to me right now so I'll keep it short. Cher just unleashed the first taste of her forever-in-the-making 26th studio album and it's everything I was hoping for and more. "Woman's World" is basically "Strong Enough 2012", which is fine with me. I love that she's staying true to the gays by releasing ridiculous dance music with lyrics about burning up the club. She's 66! Is she singing about an RSL? More excitingly, the living legend has obviously worked with some decent producers because "Woman's World" sounds fresh and fabulous. I'm not sure if this is the lead single or just a buzz track but who cares? It's a fitting return for the evergreen diva and proof that she can still slay all our faves without trying. Welcome back!

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Mylène Returns With The Moody 'A L'Ombre'

Add another sure-to-be-amazing pop album to the long list of blockbusters being released over the next few weeks. French icon Mylène Farmer is about to unleash her 9th studio album upon the homosexuals of Europe and it's shaping up to be another winner. Initial reviews of lead single "A L'Ombre" have been surprisingly mixed but I like it. A lot. Roughly translated as "In The Shadows", the eerie track is a typically classy affair with poetic lyrics and lush, electronic production.

Some fans appear to have an issue with the somewhat heavy-handed retro influences and borderline-irritating horn hook but I love that it sounds like Depeche Mode circa 1987. Unfortunately, there's no age-inappropriate video for the song yet and I can't even tell you if it's a hit or a flop. The ever-reliable wikipedia says "A L'Ombre" reached number 4 but I can't see it anywhere in the top 200 of French iTunes, so it's a mystery. Regardless of chart position, the atmospheric anthem (below) has got me extremely excited about the release of Monkey Me.

That opus drops next week and could be a late contender for album of the year if it matches the quality of Bleu Noir. Can't wait for my copy to arrive!

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Kat DeLuna Promotes Viva

Kat DeLuna has already started promoting Viva (AKA the best record of 2013). The Dominican diva mentioned the eagerly-awaited opus on the red carpet on her way to Just Jared's Halloween party. Could your fave be this dedicated to her art? The Latin goddess is so sweet. I love how down-to-earth she is and I'm blown away by that stunning outfit. Queen Kat looks amazing and no doubt drummed up a lot of interest in her two biggest hits at the A-List event. It's only a matter of time before she breaks big. RedOne's favourite singer has been on fire lately. "Blaze It Up", "Wild Girls", "Sobredosis" and "Wanna See You Dance (La La La)" are all impeccable club anthems. I swear this woman never disappoints. Bring on Viva!

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Luciana & Dave Audé Give You Something For The Weekend

When does Luciana have time to breathe? She churns out club-conquering dance anthems faster than Rihanna releases albums! The last time I caught up with her, Luci was promoting "Calling All The Lovers" - unfortunately that brilliant song is yet to reach Australia - but she has since moved on to the Dave Audé collab "Something For The Weekend". I think the epic floorfiller was originally going to be the follow-up to "Figure It Out". You know, that amazing US chart-topper credited to Isha Coco (Luciana's alter-ego when she sings rather than shouts fabulously)? I'm glad this one was released under her own name. She sounds particularly brilliant and Dave Audé never gets it wrong with his killer beats. The song is already climbing the US dance chart and looks set to be another huge one. Fingers crossed we get a video this time. In other news, Luci has not one but two new singles being prepped for release in Australia but download this gem in the meantime!

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From Anal Sextape To Timbaland-Produced Club Banger - Noelia's Stunning Ascent

I was combing through the US club chart a couple of days and saw an unfamiliar name sitting pretty at number two. After minutes of laborious research, I had learned four important facts about Noelia:

1. She's Puerto Rican and had a bunch of hits on the Latin chart about a decade ago
2. Her career was derailed in 2007 when a sextape of her being fucked up the arse by rapper Yamil leaked online
3. The backdoor bandit is gunning for J.Lo's Latin-pop crown with an English-language club track allegedly produced by Timbaland (if so, this is the low/highlight of his career)
4. I never knew true art until I saw her classy single cover

It goes without saying that Noelia is my new favourite diva. "My Everything" is a cute piece of heavily-accented dance-pop, made infinitely more fabulous by the Playmate-tastic softcore video (below). The 33-year-old is clearly embracing her scandalous past and using it to her advantage. So far it seems to be working. Sure, the US club chart is a veritable graveyard for has-beens but it's unusual for (relative) unknowns to perform so well. That means Noelia either has some serious backing or people really like it. Good for her. I have my fingers crossed she tops the chart next week!

Excitingly, you can download "My Everything" from Australian iTunes. Perhaps it's time for a promo visit. We love hookers with battered arseholes in this country!

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Kat DeLuna Is A Wild Girl

That Kat DeLuna reign just won't let up! Hot on the heels of 2012's ultimate samba anthem "Wanna See You Dance (La La La)" comes a new floorfiller called "Wild Girl". A collaboration with DJ Yass Carter (not gonna pretend - I have no idea who this dude is), the upbeat party-starter is another triumph for the Dominican diva. I love everything about this. The cheap and cheerful beats, Kat's killer vocal and the slutty chorus. Everything! Oh and did I mention how amazing the special effect-laden video (below) is? The dance icon scans a QR code and is transported into some kind of alternate cyber reality where she dances in a cage half-naked. So wild! And what about her robot dog? Lady Gaga wishes she had this kind of technology in her videos! Fingers crossed this gem is a hit. I really need Kat to get back on top and show the lessors how it's done.

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Zoë Badwi Returns With 'Shoot Me Down'

Hot on the heels of her top 10 club hit "A Million Lights", comes the first taste of Zoë Badwi's sophomore album. I'm biased when it comes to my fellow cheesy nugget connoisseur but Australia's reigning dance diva has outdone herself with "Shoot Me Down". The glamorous pop star first talked about the track way back in April when she graced the Pop Panel with her presence. Almost six months have passed but it was worth the wait. American hitmakers Heather Bright and Frank E have crafted a sleek and current dance anthem with a darker edge than we're used to hearing from Zoë. The chorus is electric and the former Sirens starlet slays your fave with her sexy vocal. The video is an equally saucy affair. Sally's favourite daughter spends most of the clip writhing around on the floor with a bunch of questionable looking men. It's basically Kylie's "All The Lovers" in a warehouse - ie. a triumph by Australian standards. Zoë looks amazing and the brothel-inspired lighting concept works for me. "Shoot Me Down" will melt iTunes on September 28. You can pre-order it now!

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New Luciana - Calling All The Lovers

Dance legend Luciana is back with her latest floorfiller - this time a collaboration with American dance outfit Manufactured Superstars. You might remember them as the masterminds behind Paris Hilton's "Drunk Text" but don't let that put you off. "Calling All The Lovers" is another incredibly strong dance anthem from the Queen of Clubs. In fact, it's one of her best yet. There's something more restrained and understated about this classy effort that sets it apart from her usual nuclear-powered fare. I love the vocal and surprisingly poptastic chorus. Expect "Calling All The Lovers" to take over your favourite nightclub for the next couple of months. In other exciting news, Luciana is coming back to Australia in a few months for a very special NYE show. Can't wait!

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Medina Is Still Happening... In Germany

It's not easy being a Medina fan. And I'm not talking about her unusually depressing approach to dance music. The gloomy Dane is burdened with being big in Germany, which is great for her bank balance (because they still have a viable record industry) but hard for international fans due to the dim view German labels have of YouTube. Their view is - if you want the video, you can buy it from iTunes. As a result Medina's music doesn't get shared on blogs to the same extent as her Scandinavian contemporaries and her music tends to fall through the cracks.

A lot has happened since my last post about Denmark's leading dance diva. For starters, she has released another English language album called Forever. It's great - try hunting down the double disc German deluxe edition if you can. The lead single did well in her key markets but I prefer the follow-up. "Happening" is vintage Medina - an atmospheric burst of down-tempo electro-pop with an understated chorus that worms its way into your head after a couple of listens. She's like a female Hurts but with better songs. 

The video (below) is a typically classy affair and really makes you wonder why Medina hasn't tried her luck in the US or UK. She clearly has the talent and vision.

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Kat DeLuna's Latest Triumph - Wanna See You Dance (La La La)

Queen Kat can do no wrong. Seriously, I don't think she's ever released a dud track. Which makes her chart record all the more perplexing. When will the world wake up to her musical genius? Well, the Dominican diva's time has finally come. "Wanna See You Dance (La La La)" is another piping hot song and deserves to be massive. As usual, the sexy Latina adds some exotic flavour - this time by incorporating Samba elements into the irresistible club-banger. The combination works beautifully with Kat's saucy vocal and the myriad of different hooks. Trust me, you won't get those "la la las" out of your head in a hurry. That takes us to the video (below). RedOne's original muse looks cute with her new blond bob but I really did just want to see the pocket rocket dance. Instead, Kat spends most of her time hiding behind plastic palm leaves in the rain. Fail. At least the song is fire and her new Spanish single "Sobredosis" is just as good. You better stan for the first lady of exotic dance anthems!

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BoA Murders Ya Fave With The Shadow

One of the best things about 2009 was the release of BoA's English album. It didn't exactly set the charts on fire but tracks like "Eat You Up" and "Energetic" did well in clubs and still hold up today. I've been waiting for the Korean diva to bless her substantial cult following with another English offering but she turned her attention to Japan in 2010 and is now in the process of revolutionising K-Pop with current album Only One. The lead single from that opus was a pretty mid-tempo ballad and shot to #1 in her homeland. However, the rest of us just want to see the Best of Asia dance. We get that and more in "The Shadow".

BoA's latest single is something of a triumph. Does anybody else get turn of the century pop vibes from this gem? It's Janet Jackson meets Britney by way of The Backstreet Boys - all in Korean! "The Shadow" is one of those K-Pop records that jumps the language divide and appeals to anyone who gets off on a slick groove and catchy chorus. And then there's the video (below). Seriously, South Korea is in a different league when it comes to the visual element. The 25-year-old acts out a dubious storyline with an alter-ego against a background of classy special effects and brilliant choreography. Make no mistake. BoA is a dancing machine and she delivers a master class in how to move your feet.

This is so great. BoA's English language follow-up can't come quick enough!

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International Love For Eva Simons

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about Eva Simons and predicted that 2012 would be her year. And, as usual, I was right! This week, the Dutch diva scores her first UK number one hit courtesy of her fabulous feature on will.i.am's "This Is Love" and tops the US club chart with solo single "I Don't Like You". A pretty good week by anyone's standards! Australia has also succumbed to the "Silly Boy" singer. "This Is Love" jumped into the top 10 on Sunday and looks set to climb even further. I'm ecstatic for Eva. She copped a lot of flack at the beginning of her career for perceived similarities to Rihanna and Lady Gaga but Holland's best export since Elise had the last laugh. While I prefer "I Don't Like You" to "This Is Love" (below), they are both great pop songs with booming choruses that instantly command your attention. I hope that her long-promised debut album finally emerges now. She already a bunch of hits to fill it with and the new songs that are starting to appear online ("Renegade" and "Ohh Na Na") all sound fantastic. Bow down.

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Luciana Rocks The Ivy

I've lost track of how many times I've seen Luciana strut her stuff live. I know I've written reviews for a club gig in Adelaide and an unlikely appearance at a pub in Newcastle but I've also witnessed her in action at Luna Park, Nevermind and some random gay bar in Brisbane. Last night the Queen of clubs brought her high-energy spectacular to Sydney's Ivy nightclub and it was definitely one of her best shows yet. The Ivy isn't the easiest place to perform in given the layout and multiple levels but the dance icon rocked the venue to its swanky foundations with a fresh setlist and sexy new look. Loving the green wig!

Luci kicked off the twenty-minute set with her epic Nari + Milani collaboration "I Got My Eye On You". The bone-shaking anthem is a favourite of mine and should have been the official follow-up to "I Like That". Next up was last year's surprise top 40 Australian hit "I'm Still Hot", which allowed the English dance deity to really camp it up on stage. Then came two new additions to Luciana's canon of club hits - forthcoming single "When It Feels This Good" and current UK club chart-topper "We Own The Night". Both songs are extraordinarily good. The former poptastic creation had the crowd singing along by the second verse (always a good sign), while her Tiesto/Wolfgang Gartner collaboration (below) is a stone cold smash. It's already shooting up UK iTunes and could be her biggest hit there in many years. Last but not least was the anthem that sparked Australia's love affair with Luciana. "I Like That" still goes harder than a motherfucker and gets even the drunkest bitches on their feet. She'll be back at The Ivy next Sunday, so make sure you check her out.

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Luciana - Jump (Rocket Pimps Mix)

It's a big week for Luciana. The dance deity kicks off her Australian tour on Sunday, her collaboration with Tiesto and Wolfgang Gartner "We Own The Night" is predicted to top the UK club chart and she's releasing a brand new single called "When It Feels This Good". On top of all that, "Jump" - her Cube Guys feature - looks set to climb into the UK club chart top 10 this week. When you're hot, you're hot! To celebrate the impending arrival of Luci, I've posted one of the new UK remixes. They're all good but I prefer the Rocket Pimps mix (below). It erases the original's goofy house elements entirely, which will sit well with dance fans who like their Luciana vocal hovering above dirty electro beats. Expect a review of one or more of the diva's Australian shows very soon!

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Luciana - When It Feels This Good - Video Review

Luciana dropped the video for her brilliant new single "When It Feels This Good" earlier today and it's absolute winner. The high-camp visual extravaganza finds the holy Queen of clubs rollerblading down Hollywood Boulevard with a gaggle of scantily-clad gal pals in hot pursuit. The duchess of dance then steals Richard Vission's van, poses saucily in a bright orange Louise Brooks wig and goes on a massive bender. So it's basically a gritty, fly-on-the-wall documentary about Ms Caporaso's lewd LA lifestyle! I love everything about the clip. It captures the diva's irreverent attitude perfectly and has a distinct '70s aesthetic that sets it apart from similar girls-gone-wild videos. But enough about the year's best short film. How amazing is the song?

Over the past six or seven months I've heard previews and even an unfinished demo but nothing prepared me for this triumph. This is Luciana's best single since "I Like That" and, with a bit of luck and radio airplay, it could be just as successful. Richard Vission's beats come harder than a porn star and that topline is a work of art. Luci has written the chorus of the year! More importantly, "When It Feels This Good" represents a step away from the electro-shouting that has become super-songwriter's trademark. There's a bit of that but the official follow-up to "I'm Still Hot" is first and foremost a pop anthem with broad commercial appeal. The song formerly known as "Swagga" is already climbing the ARIA club chart and will no doubt feature prominently in Luciana's setlist when she tours Australia next month.

I'll let you know when it hits iTunes. In the meantime brace yourself for RSI from hitting the repeat button below.

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Luciana's (Latest) Australian Club Tour

The last time I wrote about the Queen of clubs, she had just dropped a video for her Bodyrox collaboration "Bow Wow Wow". Since then the busiest woman in pop somehow found the time to record "We Own The Night" (check out the video below) with Tiësto and Wolfgang Gartner and line up the follow-up single to her Gold-selling Australian smash "I'm Still Hot". It's called "When It Feels This Good" and will be released on Vicious Records very soon. Exciting, right? Brace yourself because it gets better. Luci is coming back for another tour of Aussie nightclubs in June. It feels like five minutes since her last visit but I guess that was November! Here are the dates:  

June 1 - Adelaide (Red Square) 
June 2 - Sydney (Ivy) 
June 9 - Darwin (Mindil beach) 
June 10 - Brisbane (Brisbane) 
June 16 - Melbourne (Crown)

I can't wait. I love hanging out with Luciana and the dance icon always puts on a great show. It will be very interesting to see if "When It Feels This Good" takes off. It's a killer club anthem, so I'm hoping for another "I Like That"-sized smash. Fingers crossed radio plays along. They came around to "I'm Still Hot", so there's no reason they shouldn't. Prepare to be rocked!

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