New Music Mix: Interview with Janelle Monae, Benny Benassi on Tour, New Robyn Video, and More!
TOUR NEWS
Benny Benassi at The Mid
This week I attended my first
ever House Music DJ set at Chicago’s The Mid featuring none other than
legendary DJ and Producer Benny Benassi.
The venue was ideal for this kind of event, which sold out immediately and was
jam-packed. With an air cooler machine shooting down cold air onto the audience
I danced my bum off to Benassi’s classics like “Satisfaction” and “California
Dreaming.”
Benassi is currently gearing up
for the release of his new album Electroman
out June 7, featuring his track “Spaceship” with Kelis & The Black Eyed
Peas’ Apl.d.Ap as well as his
latest single “Cinema”
with U.K. singer Gary Go. Benassi
has also teamed up with Chris Brown
on Brown’s latest album F.A.M.E. on the track “Beautiful People” which is
slowly turning into my summer anthem and has the power to revive Brown’s
stagnant career.
Summer Tour Dates below:
JUNE
6/25 Electric Daisy Carnival - Las Vegas
NV
JULY
7/1 The Vault - Gainseville FL
7/2 (Miami show TBC)
7/3 Guvernors Island - New York NY
7/15 Global Dance - Kansas City MO
7/16 Global Dance - Denver CO
SEPTEMBER
9/2 Electric Zoo - New York NY
9/4 North Coast Festival - Chicago IL +
Labor or Love @ Guvernment - Toronto
The crowd reacts to Benassi's set at The Mid
INTERVIEWS
Janelle Monae
I can’t recall the exact moment that I first heard about Janelle Monae. That’s what happens in this
day and age with new artists rising (and falling) practically every week. I do
know though that when I first listened to Monae’s song “Sincerely, Jane” off her
debut EP Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase)
sometime in the summer of 2007, I knew there was something extra-ordinary about
this young Atlanta artist and I wanted more of her unique music. Her debut EP
wound up garnering Monae her first Grammy nomination for the track “Many Moons.”
On May 18, 2010 Monae released one of, if not the most
heralded albums of 2010: The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III), which consists of the
second and third parts to her Metropolis concept piece. The album went on to
produce the hits “Tightrope”
and “Cold War” and
garnered a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album as well as Best
Urban/Alternative Performance for “Tightope.” Like Lady Gaga, Monae somehow wound up being robbed the nomination for
Best New Artist; however, always the optimist, she states having the chance at
performing during the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011 alongside Bruno Mars and B.o.B more than made up for the lack of a nomination and she’s
thrilled that her close friend Esperanza
Spalding took the win this past year.
While Monae’s story starts in her hometown of Kansas City,
Kansas, it was in the Big Apple where she studied theatre and pursued a career
on Broadway. She changed her mind though, deciding to pursue music, an art form
she states has the power to change the world, and she soon moved south to
Atlanta, signing with Sean “Puff Daddy”
Combs’ Bad Boy Records, a signing Diddy calls one of the most important of
his career.
Over the weekend I had the chance to finally catch Ms Monae
perform live as she tours with Bruno Mars on their Hooligans in Wondaland
Tour across North America. The show was spectacular on both artist’s counts and
more than blew me away with their stage presence and delivery. At one point
Monae covered
The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back”
with such perfection that you could almost hear a young Michael shine through her interpretation of his track.
I was given the opportunity to chat with this 25-year-old
starlet discussing everything from what’s on her iPod, to her message to her
gay fans. The answers might surprise you...
AE: I had the chance to attend your Chicago show last
weekend and I must say I was quite blown away and was very much impressed with
your performance. You really give it your all. I even bought a t-shirt
JM: Thank you so much it was a very fun show. I’m really
glad that you enjoyed it.What t-shirt did you buy, what’s it look like?
AE: It’s white with your image on it and has your name in
red letters above it.
JM: Oh ok. I know which one that is. Cool!
AE: You’ve been on a tremendous tour lately with Prince, Steve Wonder, Of Montreal,
Bruno Mars and even Katy Perry later this year, what has
been the highlight of the tour so far for you?
JM: Our music crosses so many barriers that I’ve been able
to tour with all of the individuals that you’ve named and still feel like home.
To see so many different people coming together, that’s the highlight for me
every night. To see people have an open mind, want to listen to what we have to
offer, you know just being able to connect with the people, that’s what I don’t
take for granted, and that’s what I love most about touring.
Monae with Bruno Mars
AE: You do reach a broad audience of people with your music,
my mom for example, surprised me earlier last year when she emailed me the
video for your song “Tightrope” and said “you have to check out this artist, I love
her.”
JM: Aww I love your mom
AE: I’ve been aware of your music for a while. I used to
play your song “Sincerely, Jane” on repeat.
JM: Yeah we played that on tour. It’s the song that I think
I’ll always play. It never gets old or goes out of style.
AE: Yes it’s a beautiful song and a masterpiece really. I
was so glad you played it in Chicago. Well, so your albums are concept albums
and there have been three suites released so far, what’s in store for your
latest project? Do you have a time frame for when you expect to release it?
JM: I’m still working on it now. I’ll know when it’s right
or when it’s too early or when it’s too late. I will say that the ideas are
going to be really strong and the concepts are really strong and the music is
going to be taken to the next level. I’m really excited about the release. I
guess I’ll know whenever the red robin leaps in the frog’s nest, I’ll know it’s
time to release.
Wondaland Society parties where everyone comes dressed up in tuxedoes and costumes. Can you
describe these events and what Ms. Monae does for fun typically?
JM: Yeah they’re called Wondaland Art Society parties. We
pretty much have a huge community of independent artists in Atlanta and they
come over and we paint and we share our music and it’s a chance to grow and
network with people all over Atlanta. Some of our friends will fly down. We’ve
had Solange at the parties. We’ve
had Saul Williams, so many people
around the world. We’re looking to have Stevie
Wonder and Prince. So many
people come. They’re a magical experience
AE: Do you ever have any of the Real Housewives of Atlanta women like Nene Leakes or Kim Zolciak come to your parties?
JM: Did I name them?
AE: I don’t think you did
JM: Yeah I don’t think that they have come.
AE: Well so tell me what music are you listening to lately?
What’s on Janelle Monae’s iPod?
JM: Well right now I am listening to a lot of Earth, Wind & Fire. “Fantasy” is my
favorite song. I wish I had written that song. While I’m on tour I listen to my
live shows, whatever we did the night before. So I’m either listening to a lot
of the music that we’re doing on tour, a lot of Earth Wind & Fire and No Doubt.
AE: No Doubt, really? I’ve been playing some remixes of
“Don’t Speak” this week, too, ironically. Well my final question for you, do you have a
message for any of your gay fans?
JM: Sure absolutely. I want them to know that my music, my
story and who I am as an artist is all to help promote more acceptance of the
individual and individuality, especially if it’s out of love, not hate. I’m
looking to help create a world and open people’s eyes to all the many different
dimensions in order to help others feel like they have a voice and have someone
standing up for them. I’m writing music that hopefully can be a bridge to bring
us all together. That’s the world that I really do want to see. You know, us
uniting more. It’s also hard just being
a young African American female, there’s times where people think that we’re
all monolithic and the same, you know we can get discriminated against, by the
type of music that we want to play and listen to, and I want the gay and
lesbian community to understand that I know what it’s like to feel like the
“other” and I’m writing a song that the message will hopefully open up people’s
minds and will create not a red state or a blue state but a purple state. Where
we all can live together in peace with strong imaginations.
AE: I like that message a lot and I look forward to hearing
that in your future work.
JM: Well it is in my work actually if you listen to “Cold
War” it’s definitely one of the songs about individuality and figuring out who
you are and being comfortable with yourself and not allowing anybody to oppress
you or depress you and make you feel like there’s something wrong with you. The
lyrics “I was made to believe there’s something wrong with me,” that definitely
is the message in that song and so it is in my work and there’s lot of
metaphors in there.
AE: Well good luck with your show this evening in Vancouver!
JM: Well thank you again I appreciate yours and everyone’s
support.
ALBUMS
Horse Meat Disco
Acclaimed London DJ collective HORSE MEAT DISCO consists of James
Hillard, Jim Stanton, Severino and Filthy Luka. Heavily influenced by New
York’s 70s and 80s club scene, the group releases their third installment to
their essential compilation series bringing together 80s boogie, rare disco,
electro, fresh edits and all-new dancefloor discoveries. It’s a real fun sound
you’ll totally want to have for a summer party.
Pre-order a copy here.
Individually based out of their headquarters at The Eagle in London, Lux in
Lisbon and Tape in Berlin, they are verging on legendary for their amazing gay
parties so if you’re in the following areas this summer, be sure to check out
one of their shows!
U.S. Gigs for HORSE MEAT DISCO:
June 26 | San Francisco | Juanita More!
Pride Party 2011
July 30 | NYC | Fire Island Pines | Josh
Wood Productions | Details TBA
July 31 | NYC | Mister Sunday
SINGLES
Five Jams to Kick off your
Summer!
LA duo DWNTWN consist of
multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Robert
Cepeda and lead vocalist Jamie
Lefler. Their sound is a blend of genres and influences ranging from Imogen Heap to New Order; I even hear a bit of indie-darling MNDR in some of their work, and their song “Believe Me” totally
reminds me of Kylie Minogue’s
“Better Than Today.”
Grab a guilt-free copy right
here!
Foster The People – Houdini (RAC)
LA-based indie pop/rock band Foster The People are blowing up this
summer with hits like “Pumped Up Kicks” and their latest track “Houdini” off
their debut album Torches which was
just released May 23rd. They’re easily the next Kings of Leon with hits that pack punches to all the hype they’ve
amassed and I’m loving this pumped up remix of “Houdini” by Remix Artist Collective aka RAC.
This young French DJ Madeon has been making a huge name for
himself excellently remixing the likes of Yelle
on her track “Que Veux Tu” and now on deadmau5’s
“Raise Your Weapon,” which I’ve been enjoying all week. You should too!
Blackmill has taken Ellie Goulding’s cover of Elton John’s “Your Song” and
transformed the track into a cool trancey version that I’m in love with. I
honestly couldn’t really get into the original, but this I like!
Goulding - Your Song (Blackmill Dubstep Remix) by Blackmill
Wynter Gordon – Til Death (Denzal Park Radio Edit)
Wynter Gordon is
on track to becoming the next Deborah
Cox performing at gay prides worldwide, even teaming up with David Guetta for the Official Theme
Song for Sydney’s 2011 Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras: “Putting It Out There
(Pride).” Gordon’s now released her second official single “Til Death” and it’s
a definite hit. Check out the latest track from this very promising new
soul/r&b/pop star!
- Til Death (Denzal Park Radio Edit) - Wynter Gordon by Denzal
Park
VIDEOS
Seattle based folk band Motopony
released their self-titled debut album just this past
week which has already gone on to land the #1 spot on the KCRW charts. Check
out the video for their first single “King
of Diamonds.”
They have this sound that is both familiar and yet different
at the same time, I bet you’ll like it.
Robyn – "Call Your Girlfriend"
Swedish power house superstar Robyn released a new video this week for her official fourth
single, “Call Your Girlfriend,” from her Body Talk trilogy.
The video, directed by longtime collaborator Max Vitali, bears a strong resemblance to the cinematography of the
videos for her first three singles: “Dancing On My Own,” “Hang With Me” and
“Indestructible.”
While I’ve become a bigger fan "Call Your Girlfriend" after watching
the video; “Stars 4-Ever” has been my favorite track off Robyn’s latest
album…that is until Bravo slightly ruined it for me during their far too frequent use of
the track for the promo commercials for their new songwriting show Platinum Hit.
Justice – "Civilization"
French DJ duo Justice released the major video for their new hit “Civilization,”
which at times reminds me of Stanley
Kubrick’s 2012: Space Odyssey. While the video very much impressed me, the song is just so-so. When
will this group make another hit like “D.A.N.C.E.”?
Dirty Gold – "California Sunrise"
Filled with images of handsome shirtless men at the beach in
what appears to be the late 70’s, Dirty Gold’s video for their song “California Sunrise” is a
must watch. This San Diego-based beach-wave group is new to the scene, but
already making a big splash with their Vampire
Weekend-style sound that’s easy to love.
