Sugary Sweet Sia

Can I just say how damn proud I am of Sia? Some of you may remember her from the song, Breathe Me, which appeared on the series finale of Six Feet Under. That song seeped through my skin straight to my heart. GURL can write an emotional hook, and her voice is thick and raspy, like molasses. Sia’s 2010 album, We Are Born, contained a wide spectrum of POP tunage ranging from decadent balladry, like I’m In Here, to upbeat numbers, such as Clap Your Hands.

Sia performing on "The We Are Born Tour"

One of Sia’s best qualities is that she doesn’t take herself too seriously, despite the dedication she has for her craft and the emotional purity evident in her songs. So many POP artists think they’re the second coming. In doing so, they drain any and all entertainment value out of their music and performances! Sia, on the other hand, is well known for adding multiple doses of sugary fun to her stage shows. She loves goofy, colorful props, and provides glow sticks for all audience members! This works for me; though I’m 23, I’m really 6 on the inside. Sia’s style is perfect for my next birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese’s, open bar included. (Side note: I like my freshly squeezed juices and vodka in a sippy cup served by scruffy bartenders.)

This indie-POP Aussie is now beginning to write for superstars, which means that her talents are finally being recognized in a BIG way. The music industry spits out so much garbage (yes, I’m talking about you, boys of Hot Chelle Rae), that whenever I see songwriters/producers/performers with real chops and emotion to boot, I can’t help but feel happy. The Sias of the world raise the standard for the industry as a whole.

It all started when she worked on Christina Aguilera’s ill-fated album, Bionic. Sia and her songwriting/production partner, Samuel Dixon, composed the most beautiful songs (You Lost Me, I Am, All I Need, and Stronger than Ever). After that project was completed, Sia gained more attention as a songwriter. Producers wanted to tap her skills for other artists’ music. Diplo even approached her about working with Beyoncé  (which, unfortunately, never panned out).  In this MTV interview, Sia spoke about getting the opportunity to write with big-name producers, like Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and Jukebox, for artists including Leona Lewis, B.o.B, and Janelle Monáe.

You may have heard Sia’s song with David Guetta, Titanium, which she wrote completely on her own! According to our friends at Flop of the Pops, the song was first pitched to Katy Perry, who rejected it, and then to Mary J. Blige, who recorded it. However, the version that made it onto Guetta’s album, Nothing But The Beat, is the demo with Sia’s voice! She went into the studio simply expecting to write the song, but ended up on the record! Unsurprisingly, she sounds GREAT. The layer of unfiltered emotion over a dance beat is reminiscent of Robyn’s material. As mentioned by Flop of the Pops, this song was released as a single everywhere but the States, and it’s been a HUGE hit worldwide. Surprising? I don’t think so.

Most recently, she wrote and sang the hook on Flo Rida’s latest single, Wild Ones. Some people might think it weird that she’s worked with a somewhat misogynist rapper, but she gives the tune a much-needed human touch. I absolutely love it. It’s insanely addictive.

Oh Sia, Minna and I are so very happy for your success! We can’t think of any POP act more humble, and thus, more deserving. You’re indie-heart-&-soul style works marvelously in a mainstream context, as evidenced by the aforementioned two tracks. We’re excited for what’s to come. (Rumor has it that you’re working with Madonna on her upcoming album…) Congratulations! Muah, big kiss, XOXO.

Unapologetically,

Gregory

Indie Girls Gone WILD

Holler!

As of late, it seems that a lot of indie’s leading ladies have been going the dance route. Most of their fan bases, comprised of a great deal of hip hip hurray hipsters, are quick to label them as sell-outs. I imagine it goes something like this, "I listened to her back when she was making music with her left nostril. Ugh, this actually sounds catchy. She’s dead to me!” Anyhow, is this really the case? Have these indie queens sold their souls to the music devil? Let’s examine.

Exhibit A is one our faves here at Unapologetically POP, Marina and the Diamonds, with the song "Radioactive" (click here to listen) off her upcoming sophomore release. Stargate produced the track. They’re a Norwegian duo that has worked with a number of pop divas including Beyoncé (on "Irreplaceable"), Katy Perry (on "Firework" and I wanna see your "Peacock" cock cock cock), and most prominently with Rihanna (on "Please Don't Stop the Music," "Rude Boy," "Only Girl," "S&M," etc.). At first, the synths sound like they do in any other club banger, but if you listen to the way Marina sings and to what she sings, it’s the same old gal from before, but in a brand new magical sonic sphere. Look at the chorus’ lyrics, “When you’re around me, I’m radioactive/My blood is burning, radioactive/ I'm turning radioactive/My blood is radioactive/My heart is nuclear/Love is all that I feel/I'm turning radioactive/My blood is radioactive.” The same honesty, pain, and vivid emotional landscape are painted in this song as was the case on all the tracks on The Family Jewels, her debut. She may not have sung many love songs in the past, but she’s said herself that before, she was trying to be indie cool and have credibility, without much regard to what she actually enjoyed, which was energetic, danceable, bubblegum pop. Doing something different to be viewed as respectable and cool if that’s not truly your style is just as fake as doing something to fit in with the radio crowd, so I respect that she’s finally embracing the fact that she wants to be a massive pop diva herself.

Exhibit B: Singer-songwriter Lykke Li’s "Until We Bleed" (click here to listen) with fellow Swede Andrew Kleerup, who’s known for his shimmering dance beats, particularly on Robyn’s "With Every Heartbeat." I’ve never been the biggest fan of Lykke Li. I have nothing against her musicality; she’s quite talented, but most of her stuff isn’t up my alley. However, this song is super catchy and grabs your heartstrings from the very start. The opening verse, “I'm naked/I'm numb/I'm stupid/I'm staying/And if Cupid's got a gun, then he's shootin',” exposes the vulnerability she feels, and the surrounding synths capture her mood perfectly, making for the perfect combination of lyrics and production. 

Exhibit C: Sia’s "Titanium" (click here to listen) on David Guetta’s album, Nothing But The Beat. Sia’s music has always been quirky pop, but I actually prefer the shiny spin that Guetta provides her soulful voice and lyrics. With a chorus in which she sings, “I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose/Fire away, fire away/Brick of shame, take your rain/Fire away, fire away/You shoot me down but I won't fall/I am titanium,” an electronic kick only enhances the ferocity of this power girl’s delivery.

Exhibit D is Kelis. She’s not necessarily indie, but she’s never been as well known as the leading ladies in R&B/Pop, including Beyoncé and Rihanna, except for 2003’s omnipresent "Milkshake" (For some reason my milkshake isn’t bringing all the boys to the yard. Girlfriend needs to send me her recipe. Kelis?). Her 2010 album, Flesh Tone, saw Kelis abandon the hip-hop beats of her past for a brand new direction that was totally gay and totally yay. On the single "Brave" (click here to listen), she starts out revealing the mistakes of her past, singing “I'm not ashamed of winning/But it wasn't that way in the beginning/It was this way/It was kiss me/Come kick me and diss me/I had to give it up.” She then states how having a child saved her, “All of this pain you had given /It's just a reminder of livin/It was crazy, had a baby/He's amazin, he saved me.” This chick’s no sell-out. The synths cloak her emotion and allow her to deliver a sort of truth that I can’t imagine being captured in any other style but dance.

Exhibit E. Robyn. Of all the indie chicks now doing dance music, Robyn is the most prominent. Ironically, the dance direction she took after her teen pop ‘90s years actually made her more popular among indie music lovers. She serves as an excellent example of the beauty and purity that dance production can provide to some raw, emotional lyrics. One of my favorite tracks is "Cry When You Get Older" (click here to listen) on Body Talk Pt. 1. “Hey girl in the strobing light/what ya momma never told ya/is love hurts when you do it right/you can cry when you get older/Young boy by the traffic light/what ya daddy never told ya/is love hurts when you do it right/you can cry when you get older…I start out with good intentions, but mess it up like all the time/I try to keep up with appearance, but always end up way out of line/I need some kinda miracle, cause I've lost all my faith in science/so I put my faith in me.” This song appeals to those who have felt like outsiders (so basically, that’s everyone). Many of us have been the boy in the traffic light or that girl in the strobing light, and that’s what I love about this song and all of the songs that I’ve mentioned in this post. A bunch of people view electronic pop music as a betrayal of all that’s real and true, but I see it as the opposite. It gives us a chance to dance through our pain, to exorcise ourselves of our insecurities. These girls’ lyrics allow us to do it with songs that reflect our own feelings (as opposed to listening to another song about taking shots, which has its place but gets a bit monotonous after a while. I don’t need anyone telling me how to take a shot. I’m a big boy and am well versed in the practice). During these moments on the dance floor, we connect with our wounded inner selves in a spiritual way, and it’s all thanks to the indie gals who’ve bypassed the coffee shop on their way to the gay club.

Unapologetically,

Gregory