Behind the scenes with Zoë Badwi

I love Zoë Badwi more than cold beer and fried chicken. She puts up with my drunk tweets and continues to carve out her own little niche as Australia's first lady of dance. While her last single failed to match the success of past hits like "Release Me" and "Freefallin'", the former Sirens singer should have more luck with "Carry Me Home". It picks up where the aforementioned Amy Pearson penned masterpiece left off - killer chorus, crisp synths and dreamy vocal - but shows off Zoë's softer side. There is a mellowness to this collaboration with TV Rock DJ Grant Smillie that will no doubt help the track crossover from nightclubs to commercial radio. You can dance to this or hum along to it while doing the ironing! "Carry Me Home" is quite possibly Ms Badwi's finest moment and the video is shaping up to be equally triumphant. As far as I can tell she just walks around a house looking glamorous but at least there is no bondage-dancing in train stations or weird special effects that don't really make sense. Zoë is keeping things classy this time around and I love the old Hollywood aesthetic. Check out a behind the scenes preview below and download the song from iTunes now.

Luciana - I'm Still Hot - Video Review

Mark this historic occasion in your diary! The video for Luciana's first solo single in 17 years dropped yesterday and it's a stunning return to form after the heinous mess that was "Skin I'm In". Produced and directed by the extremely sexy and talented Burgoyne brothers (who also created the club queen's iconic "I Like That" video), "I'm Still Hot" finds Luci... lookin' hot in a variety of scenarios that would make lesser women would run and hide. I love the bright colours and white trash aesthetic. Cinematographer/editor Ian Sklarsky deserves a lot of credit for bringing the look together. The quirky tributes and cameos are also a lot of fun. Luciana pays homage to Debbie Harry by wearing a t-shirt the Blondie frontwoman made famous and I'm pretty sure I spotted both Burgoyne boys as well as the dance diva's husband in the clip! There is so much fabulousness going on that I need to break this masterpiece down scene by scene. Here goes:

0:00 - 0:15 - Luci struts along the beachfront in her Debbie Harry inspired t-shirt dress holding a boombox that I'm pretty sure I owned in the 80s. I particularly love the feathers and fabulous shoes.

0:15 - 0:40 - Our heroine then wakes up next to a couple of random guys looking a bit worse for wear. Don't you just hate that? Instead of grabbing her phone and running for the door (not that I'm talking from personal experience), she serenely applies her make-up while we get a flashback of the previous night's raunchy shenanigans.

0:40 - 1:00 - Ok, this is fucked up. What kind of gay orgy did the club queen crash? You don't need gaydar to know these extras are all about the dick! I love the comic prints and I think I spotted Stephen Burgoyne.

1:00 - 1:30 - Girlfriend wisely decides to do a runner. But not before saying goodbye to David Burgoyne (I recognise those tatts!) and slipping into something a little more fabulous. Love the metallic wrap and it's great to see Nick Clow (Luci's husband) lookin' fine as the guy sitting in the foldout chair outside the motel.

1:30 - 2:00 - The former Shooter frontwoman then hitch hikes into the desert. Unfortunately, she breaks a heel and loses her trannytastic wrap. Shame!

2:00 - 2:30 - Luciana bravely carries on despite her debilitating wardbrobe malfunction and eventually arrives at the beachfront with boombox in hand. She then treats the locals to a fabulous performance. Needless to say, they can't get enough.

2:30 - 3:00 - This section involves a lot of hair whipping and a stunning updo. Love the cinematography here.

3:00 - 3:30 - The clip ends with Luci doing some kind of weird interpretive dance against the sunset before walking off with her boombox, presumably to the next gay orgy. It's a thoroughly amazing conclusion to a great video.

"I'm Still Hot" is already available on US iTunes and is being released in Australia shortly as part of Ministry Of Sound's latest "Sessions" compilation before being pushed to clubs as a single. As soon as I know more details, I'll let you know. As for the clip, I'm giving it:

9/10

Soraya Reloaded!

I feel like such a bad fan for taking so long to post this information but Europe's most beautiful and talented pop diva, the legendary Soraya Arnelas is about to re-release "Dreamer". I'm a bit shocked because I thought the original album had so many great songs that could have been hit singles - particularly "I Got You" and "Twilight" - but I'm not complaining. The package looks great and I'm always excited to add something new to my Soraya collection. "Reloaded" includes the dance icon's new worldwide smash "Stick Shift" as well as remixes of "Dreamer" and "Give You Up". I haven't been able to find the release date yet but I'm sure one of my Spanish gays will let us know. Fingers crossed there's a stunning club tour of Chueca to promote the album. I would be on the next plane!

Here's the tracklist:

1. Dreamer
2. Failing me (Runaway)
3. Give you up Soraya Feat. Juan Magan
4. Ticking all the boxes
5. I got you
6. You've got the music
7. Electric girl Feat. Bedük
8. Twilight
9. Live your dreams Feat. Antoine Clamaran
10. In my blood
11. Close to me Feat. Wally López
12. Stick Shift (Radio edit) Feat. Antoine Clamaran
13. Give you up (David Campoy Remix) Feat. Juan Magan
14. Give you up (Victor Magan Remix) Feat. Juan Magan
15. Live your dreams (Albert Neve Main Remix)
16. Dreamer (Brian Cross Remix)
17. Dreamer (John Shelvin Remix)

While we wait for the "Stick Shift" video to drop, let's revisit one of the defining moments in Soraya's career (below).

Luciana - I'm Still Hot - Exclusive Video Pics

After keeping nightclubs in business for the past decade with a seemingly endless string of features, Luciana is set to release her first solo track in 17 years! Has it really been that long since "One More River" set the standard for modern balladry? Fuck me. It's rather appropriate then that the dance diva's latest floorfiller is called "I'm Still Hot". Produced by Dave Audé, the song is vintage Luci with her trademark electro-shouting, raunchy lyrics and killer beats. I absolutely adore it and think the Supermal remix is the hottest thing I've heard since... the Adam F remix of "I Like That".

Mrs Clow's fabulous anthem hits iTunes on April 17 and has been picked up by Ministry of Sound in Australia. As a special treat, I've got some exclusive stills from the "I'm Still Hot" video shoot (above and below). I'm told the clip follows the narrative of the song, with Luciana remaining smokin' hot regardless of what life throws at her! It's being filmed by the lovely Burgoyne brothers (Stephen & David), who are not only incredibly hot in their own right but the talented duo behind the diva's "I Like That" video. The pics look absolutely amazing and I'm sure the finished product will be a triumph. That just leaves one question, when is Luci flying over here to promote it?

Make sure you check out this fan-made "I'm Still Hot" video and pre-order the track from iTunes today. I can't wait for this to rule the clubs!

Soraya's New Single!

Legendary Spanish beauty Soraya Arnelas is back with an amazing new single. I know it's hard to read through those tears of joy but try to compose yourself! "Stick Shift" is another collaboration with French DJ Antoine Clamaran, the mastermind behind her international dance smash "Live Your Dreams". I love the song but does this mean no more singles are being released from "Dreamer"? My heart just broke into a million pieces. Oh well, maybe this is only a side project to further cement Soraya's reputation as Europe's leading dance diva. The song is already a top 20 smash on the French club chart - so mission accomplished!

The pride of Extremadura has outdone herself this time. "Stick Shift" is easily the campest piece of music she has recorded since... well, her entire "Dolce Vita" album. It's a cheesy explosion of 80s infused Euro-dance that reminds me a bit of The Pointer Sisters. If they went electro and moved to Gran Canaria. French DJs (Junior Caldera and David Vendetta spring to mind) have a knack for churning out this kind of shameless fun and Antoine has found the perfect muse in Soraya. Take the diabolical lyrics about riding stick shifts and drink driving. In a less fabulous singer's hands, this could have been a complete mess but Spain's greatest non-porn export gets away with it through sheer charm and charisma. She brings the song to life with her glorious vocals and ability to walk the fine line between sexy and sleazy.

I actually prefer "Stick Shift" to "Live Your Dreams" and hope it's huge. Now all team Arnelas has to do is release a physical single - please! - and make sure Antoine doesn't try to steal Soraya's spotlight in the soon to be released video. I still haven't forgiven him for last time! Until that drops, give the pop icon's new single a listen below.

When Luciana & Diddy Collide

Someone once said the only things that would survive a nuclear holocaust are cockroaches and Cher. Well, you can add another item to that list. Luciana's double platinum Australian smash "I Like That" simply refuses to die. A good two years after its debut, the unstoppable club anthem continues to pop up in new guises. The song's latest incarnation is as an electro/hip-hop hybrid featuring urban superstar Diddy. An edit of this remix leaked in January but the full version is finally here and being promoted to British DJs this week. I didn't know what to make of Diddy's contribution the first time I heard it but I love it now.

It's amazing how many different directions people have taken this song in. There's the iconic original. The butchered edit that became a radio smash in Australia. House-tastic American remixes. Adam F's awesome drum 'n' bass mix for the UK and now a hip-hop addition to add to your collection. I'm just waiting for Luci to deliver a country and/or death metal version of "I Like That", so we can all just move on and focus on the legendary dance diva's brilliant new single "I'm Still Hot" - which is just about ready to drop! But more about that later. For now, check out what happens when Luciana and Diddy collide.

A Week Until Death

Apologies for recent the lack of updates. I got my gangsta lean on over the weekend - hitting up a Snoop Dogg & Nelly showcase on Friday, before rocking Supafest on Saturday. It was all very messy and I just couldn't face the computer. Which is annoying because I've been wanting to post Wynter Gordon's new gem since Thursday. You might remember that I wrote about "Til Death" a couple of weeks ago. Some bitches questioned the veracity of my claim that Denzal Park gave the track a makeover, well check out the clip below and take a seat! The Aussie duo have given the track a polish and it's already apparent that Wynter has another smash on her hands given the song's non-stop radio coverage. It's a killer jam and, dare I say it, an improvement on the amazing "Dirty Talk". However, I have two minor problems with it:

1. It is quite similar to Britney's "Til The World Ends" - both lyrically and thematically - albeit it with a gifted vocalist and fresher production. Wynter's track has been doing the rounds for months, so I think Ke$ha might have been surfing YouTube stoned one day and forgot she heard it before penning Brit's flop.

2. The WAWA radio edit is vastly better than the version being pimped out below. I love Denzal Park - a lot - but their version sounds like an edited club mix, while the Polish producers have turned the song into an irresistibly upbeat pure pop explosion. But until that leaks, I guess you don't know what you're missing.

Whatever. The song is defining and it wouldn't surprise me if it follows Wynter's triple platinum Australian debut all the way to the top of the charts. Enjoy and download (legally) when the song is released on Friday. Expect a remix package featuring the aforementioned WAWA, Dan Castro, Oxford Hustlers, Andy Murphy and Polen to follow shortly.

Wynter Gordon & The Duelling 2nd Singles

Yesterday Neon Records announced "Til Death" as the official follow up to Wynter Gordon's massive number one smash "Dirty Talk". The song has been doing the rounds for months but it has been given a complete overhaul by Denzal Park - the producers behind Zoë Badwi's fabulous top 10 hit "Freefallin'". I'm told it now has an "Only Girl In The World" vibe and is scheduled to hit radio on April 11. Some of you might be scratching your head, wondering what happened to "Pride (Putting It Out There)" but that was just a promo single for Mardi Gras. To muddy the waters even further, another record label is trying to cash in on the success of "Dirty Talk" by re-releasing the diva's 2010 club smash "Believer". Only now Vicious is pushing the track to radio as Wynter Gordon featuring The Freemasons instead of the other way around. Cheeky! It's a bit complicated but I kind of like the Wynter overload. Just remember that her official second single is "Til Death" but better yet - buy them all! My second favourite interviewee returns to Australia in April for the Creamfields dance music festival. Buy your ticket now!

Goodnight, Ms Holloway

Loleatta Holloway died today at the age of 64. I'm devastated. Like many fans, I was in awe of her powerful pipes and ability to genre hop effortlessly. This is a woman who began her career singing gospel, before breaking into the 70s soul scene. She then went on to conquer disco, Hi-NRG and house. Not bad for a diva that never experienced the success her talent demanded. But while Loleatta kept a relatively low profile, I guarantee you know one of her songs. The most likely candidate being 1980's "Love Sensation", which was sampled in Black Box's 1989 smash "Ride On Time" (she had to sue for credit) and recycled again for Marky Mark's 1990 number one hit "Good Vibrations". More recently, Whitney Houston turned the underground icon's 1976 disco anthem "We're Getting Stronger" into "Million Dollar Bill". And it was that song, or more specifically its parent album, that sparked my love for Ms Holloway.

The amazing Disco Delivery wrote a post about the album and I knew I had to get my hands on it. Sooner rather than later. It was love at first listen and I can't recommend the album highly enough as a starting place to discover this wonderful diva. "Loleatta" is a beautiful mix of soul and disco with, surprisingly enough, more than a touch of Millie Jackson-esque verbal sparring. The album's most famous track is undoubtedly "Hit and Run" but for me, it's all about "Dreamin'" (below). That gorgeous explosion of disco fabulousness pushes all my buttons, from the relatively understated beginning to the hilarious mid-song spoken interlude. In the song, Loleatta warns other women to stay away from her man before getting down for some straight talk half way through. Every line from 3:30 mins to the end is highly quotable but this is probably my favourite piece of advice:

What's mine is mine
What's yours is yours
You see, I don't want nuthin' that's yours
I don't want nuthin' that looks at you!
You see, I know I got my man!

Nobody did it quite like Loleatta. May she rest in peace.

Wynter's Mardi Gras Anthem

Do you remember when Sydney's Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras used to have a different theme song every year? Most of them were pretty crap but occasionally they got it right - Dannii's "Everlasting Night" and Robyn Loau's camp Chaka Kahn cover "Never Miss The Water" both spring to mind. Well, it's that time of year again and Mardi Gras has decided to revive the tradition by roping in the services of party performer Wynter Gordon. And the stunning diva has outdone herself. "Pride (Putting It Out There)" has been floating around the net in demo form for quite some time but it has been polished to perfection for the Gras. I love the massive chorus and so 90s it hurts main room house influence. There are also inspiring lyrics about being yourself and a typically powerful vocal. The roof of the RHI will explode when Wynter belts out this uplifting anthem. I can't wait! It should be pointed out, however, that this is NOT the follow up to "Dirty Talk". That song will debut in the next couple of weeks. "Pride (Putting It Out There)" is just a gift to the gays while Neon Records sorts out single number two. Give Wynter's Mardi Gras anthem a listen below and keep an eye out for it on iTunes. It should be available to download in the next few days.

Eva Simons Scores 2nd Australian Hit

Eva Simons' "Silly Boy" was one of my favourite songs of 2009. I thought it was pop perfection but the song failed to take off in Europe and the Dutch diva was unfairly singled out for ripping off Rihanna and Lady Gaga. Happily, Eva found Dannii sized $ucce$$ in Australia where "Silly Boy" became an unexpected #45 smash! And it looks like history is about to repeat with her latest single sitting pretty in the iTunes top 30. I'm so excited for her. Eva has a great voice and I love her glamorous orange Mohawk. Oh and the new song is pretty hot too. "Take Over Control" has been a huge club smash around the world. Afrojack's beats come thick and fast, while the rich man's RiRi brings clubbers to their feet with her saucy lyrics and monster chorus. It's a potent combination. With any luck this will give Eva the exposure she deserves. The sexy video can only help her cause. Basically, Holland's second best pop star (after EliZe) wears as little as possible while dancing on a plane and in a bus. Genius! "Take Over Control" is now available to download from iTunes Australia as part of Ministry of Sound's "The Annual 2011". It is released commercially on the 12th of November.

Kimberley Cole - Smack You

Why isn't every blog on the net raving about Kimberley Cole's latest masterpiece? "Smack You" blows the pretenders out of the water with its amazing lyrics ("I'm gonna kick you right between the hips, 'cause you're such a catty bitch") and fabulous Lady Gaga on a budget production values. And that's not even touching on the 5 minute "Kill Bill" inspired video (video), which finds Kimmy beating the shit out of her lover's mistress after the ho has the audacity to say "I fucked yo man" over a friendly game of cards. The rudeness! To be honest I don't know that much about Kim. I have a feeling she's one of those internet sensations that have millions of followers on Twitter but no real career to speak of. However, that should all change very soon because this kind of talent can't be denied! A case in point is the song's lofty #32 position on the US club chart. Watch out, dance divas - there's a new girl on the block and she's not afraid to fight dirty! "Smack You" and its remix package are available to download now from iTunes.

Luciana On Kylie, Sarah Harding & Australia

On Saturday Luciana returns to Australia for the fourth time in 2010. It's another lightening fast trip for the dance icon but I'm hoping to catch up with her again at the Fat As Butter music festival in Newcastle. Last time she was here I managed to pin her down for an interview but held off posting it until the article was published. A couple of weeks ago it unexpectedly turned up on the cover of the Southern Star Observer in Melbourne - so I guess it's about time I shared it with you! I'm really proud of how it turned out. Luci spills the beans on her US record deal, talks about writing for Kylie and comments on her ongoing love affair with Australia. Oh and she mentions that lady boy from Girls Aloud but I won't hold that against her. Enjoy!

2010 is turning into something of a banner year for Luciana.

After years of lending her signature ‘shouty’ vocal to a seemingly endless string of underground dance tracks, the UK’s reigning club queen has finally crossed over to the mainstream and carved out a niche as the go to woman for dance music’s hottest producers.

In the past twelve months Luciana has scored 4 big hits on the ARIA club chart – she currently has two (“Go Go Go” and “I’ve Got My Eye On You”) in the top 50 - including her double platinum top 5 smash hit collaboration with Static Revenger and Richard Vission, “I Like That”.

The prolific diva is still shocked by the song’s popularity in Australia.

“It got to #2 or #3. We got platinum discs. It’s crazy. Australia was the first place to take it and now America is just starting. So hopefully that will happen and England has just signed it as well,” she told Star Observer.

The local success of “I Like That” even helped Luciana score a record deal with Interscope Records – the home of pop heavyweights like Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani.

“The funny thing is we went to Interscope… a year ago and nothing happened. I was like ‘that’s a bit weird’. Flew us out there, wanted to meet me, nothing happened and now here we are. [I] just got signed and am working on an EP and writing for other artists.”

One of those artists is Australia’s own Kylie Minogue. Luciana wrote the track “Cupid Boy” for the pop icon’s latest album “Aphrodite” – a career highlight for the self confessed Kylie fanatic.

“Oh my god! [I’m] an ultimate Kylie fan! I absolutely love her. And I wanted to get on the last album and that didn’t happen,” she explains.

Happily, she had more luck this time around.

“We got [“Cupid Boy”] from Sebastian Ingrosso from Swedish House Mafia and we were like ‘this is such a fabulous backing track that we need to make sure that what we do over it is amazing’ and we worked and worked and edited and edited… and then right at the last minute they chose the song. Oh god it was a moment. Honestly, I cried and called my mum. My mum was crying with me!”

Luciana has even been called back to write songs for the impending re-release of “Aphrodite”.

“We submitted a song called “If I Ruled The World”,” she reveals.

Apart from Kylie, the hit songwriter has been busy collaborating with some of the biggest pop stars in America and the UK.

“I’m actually writing with Sarah Harding at the moment from Girls Aloud. She’s down the studio. And she’s lovely. A good time girl. She’s got a great voice and we’re just writing some tracks together. And when we go to America we’re gonna do some stuff with Nicole Scherzinger.”

Given the way “I Like That” is catching on in America (already a top 40 hit on pop airplay and rapidly the iTunes top 200 countdown), Luciana could be spending a lot of time stateside.

“I’m moving to LA at the beginning of September for 3 months to write and hopefully promote the single. You know depending on what’s happening. It’s just got added to MTV Hits, so that’s a really amazing thing. These little things are starting to happen but fingers crossed it’s all going to work out.”

That doesn’t mean that Luciana has forgotten about her Australian fans. She is returning to Australia – for the fourth time in 2010 – for a tour in December and even plans to move here permanently.

“Yeah what I’m thinking is – have an album out, then a child, then move to Australia. Put some flip flops on. Hang. It’s all good!”

Inna's Latest Triumph

I love Inna. Her knack for releasing cheap and cheerful dance tunes with inane lyrics is unparalleled, while her apparent inability to wear clothing never fails to impress me. I just wish she had more success in this country. The Romanian diva's debut single got some airplay but failed to catch on and it appears her record label has thrown in the towel. It's frustrating because "Deja Vu" has summer smash written all over it. Originally released in continental Europe last year, the catchy anthem has been remixed for the UK market. I'm not a huge fan of the 2 and half minute hatchet job doubling as the UK Radio Edit but it does the trick. There's nothing particularly fresh or original about "Deja Vu" but you don't listen to Inna to expand your musical horizons. Instead you get an irritatingly catchy chorus and an onslaught of manic beats that are guaranteed to move your feet. I'm sold! And don't forget the typically high brow video (below). This time Inna prances around a yacht in a selection of sexy swimmers, while a bunch of busty beauties dance like $10 hookers in a seedy club. Romania's greatest export since... O-Zone has done it again! Keep an eye out for her album, which was just released in France and Spain. It will be mine.