Here's a sneaky preview of Luciana's next UK single "Bow Wow Wow". The killer club anthem features long-time collaborators Bodyrox as well as rap sensation Chipmunk and includes no less than two Christina Aguilera references! So it kind of goes without saying that it's amazing and needs to go straight to #1. But enough about the song. How brilliant is the Burgoyne Brothers-produced teaser? I'm not sure about the dog in PVC at the beginning but Boo - the canine star - is absolutely adorable and I love the way it's been put together. "Bow Wow Wow" features on the soundtrack to StreetDance 2 and will rock British music fans in April. Sounds like a smash to me.
Friday, 9 March 2012
Last September I asked the million dollar question: How do you solve a problem like Jessie J? Well, six months have passed and I'm still no closer to finding the answer. Last night's gig only served to underline everything that's wrong - and right - about one of pop music's most frustrating artists. The 23-year-old Brit has talent to burn and a pocketful of killer tunes. Unfortunately, she's also prone to over-singing even the most basic lyric and has an Adele-sized chip on her shoulder that grates everyone except the most 
Jessie J was almost unrecognisable when she strutted on stage. Looking more like Loose-era Nelly Furtado than the bob-wearing tom-boy of her videos, she burst into a vocally flawless rendition of "Who's Laughing Now". Her band was tight and she seemed a lot less awkward than during her recent award show performances. The high standard continued with a funk-heavy version of "Rainbow" and a reggae-tastic interpretation of "Stand Up", which she mashed with Bob Marley's "One Love". Album fave "Casualty Of Love" was followed by a heartbeat-rousing take on her brilliant top 10 hit "Nobody's Perfect". By this stage I was about shed my apprehensions and join the hyperventilating tweens around me but it was mostly downhill from here.
The remainder of the show was very ballad heavy. "Abracadabra", "L.O.V.E." and "Mama Knows Best" were all excuses for Jessie to practice her vocal scales. Most women don't wail like this during childbirth. It's so off-putting and unnecessary. We all know she can sing. All that trilling just makes her sound insane. The perfect example of how she can ruin excellent material with this annoying approach was "Who You Are", which is actually a beautiful song. Unfortunately, all I heard was frantic screaming and a five minute lecture about loving yourself and not giving into haters. We get it, Jessie. Kids hated you at school. But you're rich and famous now - move on! Happily, the encore was great. "Do It Like A Dude" is such a hot mess and bringing a fan on stage to share vocal duties on "Price Tag" was really cute. She saved "Domino" for last and that already hot track sounded ten times better live. I really want to like this chick. Can she please just get over herself and stop shouting?
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
And it flopped like everything else she has ever released. Seriously, what is it with this poor bitch? With the exception of the Kanye West-assisted "American Boy", Estelle can't give her shit away. Usually that's because the diva's music is dire middle-of-the-road R&B but "Back To Love" is an absolute anthem. I fucking adore this song. The Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis-produced (he did Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie and Keri Hilson's amazing "All The Boys") gem covers unusual ground - lyrically and musically. It's written from the perspective of someone that struggled through a break-up and finally got their groove back. Think of it as an unusually mature memo to an ex saying hey, I'm alright. The production is a breath of fresh air too. I love that it's upbeat and extremely catchy without sounding like a Taio Cruz demo. If only Estelle pursued this kind of material more often she wouldn't be a one hit wonder. We all know she's talented but "All Of Me" is such an uneven bore. I like the next single ("Wonderful Life") but apart from that it's a cure for insomnia.
Anyway, none of that matters at the moment. Just check out her one great contribution to popular music below and get ready to fall in love.
One of the more obscure entries in my Best Singles of 2011 countdown belonged to a Kiwi diva called Ria. While there's no denying that "Over You" sounds like a track from Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad, the #27 New Zealand chart smash has a raw and uplifting quality that raises it above simple clone status. I've been dying to hear what the former girlband member - she was part of an outfit called Vivah - does next and her follow-up single is just as much fun. "The One", not a Kylie cover, is cute little dance-pop gem that positions Ria as the Kiwi Jessica Mauboy. And I mean that as a huge compliment. New Zealand has a history of producing great female folk-pop singers (Bic Runga, Brooke Fraser, Kimbra etc) but they don't do dance particularly well, so this girl is something of a pioneer. Fingers crossed it works because I really want an album! Check out the cute clip, which finds Ria hanging with her homeboys, and download the song from Australian iTunes now.Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Accolade after dazzling accolade has been bestowed upon La Toya in her glittering career. From having her footprints immortalised in Rotterdam's star-studded Walk Of Fame to winning a Grammy for her integral contribution to "We Are The World", the exquisite 55-year-old beauty has done it and won it all. But one award shines a little brighter than the others. Of course I'm talking about Toy Toy's triumphant appearance at Japan's World Popular Song Festival in 1985 where "Baby Sister" snatched the trophy for Outstanding Song.As it turns out that award is something of a consolation prize - it actually came 4th overall - but it's beside the point. The Pope of Pop won something and that's all that matters! I've been looking for footage of Toy's moment in the sun for years with no luck but it finally popped up on YouTube. Brace yourself for bravura tour de force that will blow your mind. Forget about her less charismatic siblings or that has-been Madonna. This is the best live performance of the '80s hands down. Watch in awe as La Toya pulls off mind-blowing choreography and holds notes that may or may not endanger your pet.
Oh and keep your eyes peeled for Janet, who sings back up for her prettier sister. This is pure pop dynamite!
Monday, 5 March 2012
When I woke up on Saturday morning and looked out the window, I pretty much decided to skip Mardi Gras. Rain was pouring from the sky faster than Madonna's latest single fell from the charts and the prospect of spending another party crammed in the RHI with an army of drenched gays and smudged trannies didn't fill me with as much excitement as you might expect. But missing Kylie? Not an option. I've seen that woman perform in three different countries and even planned a holiday around her last appearance at GAY. What's a mild downpour, a little discomfort and a lot of dehydration between old friends?So there I was squashed between 6,000 screaming party people when Ms Minogue took the stage at 2am. There was no air circulating through the packed-to-capacity venue and I'm pretty sure the temperature was pushing 50 degrees. Gays were dropping like flies and one of my friends had to crawl to an exit to get some air but I wasn't about to miss a second. Kylie appeared on stage looking like a glittering warrior princess and kicked off her first official K25 performance with "Aphrodite". It's not my favourite song by a long shot but it works in a live setting and I was extremely impressed with the lights, staging and costumes. The 43-year-old looked gorgeous in her golden headdress and matching high-high boots and sounded brilliant.
That not-quite-an-anthem was followed by "Wow", which struck me as a much better choice. It doesn't get any gayer than this Greg Kurstin-produced hit! I loved seeing the positive fan response to the song after all the flack it received on release and thought it blended into "In Your Eyes" surprisingly well. Again, that wouldn't be my first choice to represent the all-conquering Fever-era but it was a number one hit in Australia and at least she didn't choose "Love At First Sight". Um. Ok, so that was the next song. I prayed she wouldn't end the show with it - as was her habit for about a decade - but she broke into a beautiful version of "I Believe In You" and everything was back on track.The sentiment of "I Believe In You" was perfect for the night and I adored the choreography but the best was yet to come. Kylie's Samba-tastic take on "Better The Devil You Know" was pure gold. This is the most interesting interpretation of her signature tune I've ever heard. It was vibrant and silly and utterly irresistible. The pop legend actually shook her famous arse instead of hand-dancing and her energy was infectious. She quickly left the stage for a costume change while her dancers performed acrobatic feats to "Slow" before returning to close with her last Australian top 50 hit "Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)". That relatively unknown track went down well but I had a feeling she would be back from an encore. And Kylie didn't let us down. Sure, she re-emerged looking like tranny roadkill - hands down the worst outfit she has ever worn! - but "All The Lovers" sounded as gorgeous as ever and the young and single man's Minogue proved once again why she is the country's most enduring pop export.
10/10
This is not the look.
After a couple of questionable single choices, Stan Walker has selected a real winner for the third cut from Let The Music Play. I mentioned "Music Won't Break Your Heart" in my list of DNA's 12 best songs and wondered why hasn't been unleashed on radio. I slightly prefer his other DNA collaboration "Who We Are" but this is a very hot record and should re-establish the Kiwi crooner as a chart force. It reminds me a lot of Breezy's "Turn Up The Music", which is a very good thing. Watch Stan talk about the song (below) and stay tuned for what I hear is going to be a rather spectacular video clip.
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