Hot off the heels of his interview with Britney posted back in August, PopJustice‘s Peter Robinson was invited to chat with the Holy Spearit once again for the UK’s Stylist.

The results? Roughly more of the same, although if anyone’s gotten Godney to budge and offer anything beyond her industry standard answers (“Cool,” “Fun,” “Sex & The City,” “Vanilla Candles”), it’s Mr. PJ.

Five tantalizing tidbits below… (Make sure to head over to Stylist now for the full interview!)

What was the last book you read?

The Mastery Of Love [sub-titled A Practical Guide To The Art Of Relationship by Don Miguel Ruiz]. It’s basically an analysis of love and what it means to love. It goes through all the different aspects of love. Who you are as a person, knowing yourself before you even attempt to love anyone else; that sort of thing. It’s really well-written and thought-provoking.

You’ve said in the past that it’s a thirst for success that defines you. Has your definition of success changed over the years?

For me, success is a state of mind. I feel like success isn’t about conquering something, it’s being happy with who you are.

When you’re performing, what are you thinking about?

What do I think about? Wow. Usually I’m so in the moment of being there with the audience that I don’t really have time to think about anything. You’re just focused on the tunes and what you’re doing and interacting with the audience and making sure you’re on cue. It’s more like a yoga state of mind, you know?

What music are you listening to at the moment?

Well I usually listen to a lot of hip-hop in my dressing room when I’m getting ready to go on stage, so Jay-Z a lot recently. And a lot of rock stuff like Aerosmith. That really gets me going and pumps me up. And then of course, there’s Jessie J and Adele.

Who’d be your dream musical collaboration at this stage?

I like Gwen Stefani.

Gwen Stefani…could you even imagine?! Britney, how are you always so perfect? Let’s allow our imaginations run wild with one of my favorite Brit Brit mash-ups from back in the day: “Tic Toxic”!

The Femme Fatale Tour DVD was released on November 21. (iTunes)

Though only 19 years old, Charli XCX has making a name for herself in the British pop circle for years now.

After rising to underground fame as a Londontown club kid and unleashing a smattering of songs to the Internetz, the young electro-pop singer has opened for several high-profile acts, including Robyn and Peaches.

As a result, she’s made several small-but-significant splashes in the mainstream press already, including an introduction in The Guardian back in 2008 (cleverly dubbing her “The Fisher Price Fischerspooner“), a profile in Dazed Digital, and a feature within an Interview Magazine article in 2009 spotlighting the rising “Brit Pop Girls” of the time, including Little Boots and La Roux. And while her own launch has been delayed far longer than the other girls highlighted within the group, hers may be the most promising and intriguing yet.

Earlier this year, Charli unleashed the unbelievably killer “Stay Away”–a jagged warning shot fired against grinding, gritty synthesizers that easily ranks amongst my favorite singles of 2011. “Do you remember what I said the first time that we met? Stay away,” she desperately pleads above the demented beat, crafted by American producer Ariel Rechtshaid. It’s gorgeous and haunting; the kind of song that simply can’t be played enough, and a dark, sexy slice of what both reviewers and she herself have lovingly dubbed “Goth-pop.”



Now the teenage chanteuse returns with a new song for the end of November: “Nuclear Seasons.” The song, which is available for free on her official website, plays like a darker take on the slick ’80′s revivalist pop sheen of Gwen Stefani‘s solo career (though I’m hearing a bit of No Doubt‘s “It’s My Life” in the verses as well), added to Marina + The Diamonds‘ damning, dramatic vibrato. “You taste the blast and it shook your bones,” she cooly croons as she ruminates on an explosive relationship on the rocks. Don’t drop bombs, baby!

Along with some of the aforementioned artists, she’s also giving me some serious Sky Ferreira vibes: She’s young, free-spirited, mysterious and fiercely rebellious (never too afraid to toe the line between outspoken and all-out bitchy, as her thoughts on Gaga and La Roux may attest). And like Ferreira, she’s responsible for more than a few pop ditties that utterly slay everything else playing on the radio today.

In short, I’m a big fan of Charli XCX.

Though there’s still not too many tunes floating around by the young London-bred singer just yet, she’s quickly become one of my latest obsessions–and certainly one of my most anticipated acts for 2012. Watch for her debut to hit in 2012, which features more production by Rechtshaid, as well as “Dancing On My Own” producer Patrik Berger, and Teddybears member (and older brother to fellow Robyn hit maker, Klas Åhlund), Joakim Åhlund.

(Oh, yeah–and the XCX stands for “Kiss Charli Kiss,” which the singer herself calls “unbelievably crap.”)

“Stay Away” was released on May 15. (iTunes UK)

Sounds Like: Annie, Gwen Stefani
Genre: Electro-pop

Woman E are–contrary to the name–a one woman, two man production, featuring Ria Berlin on vocals, Uwe Doll on keyboards, production and song-writing duties, and Steve Rooney on drums.

Last September, the kitsch-pop trio premiered with their debut single, “Few And Far Between,” a catchy, sparkling moment of driving electro-pop that burned through the blogosphere to rave reviews.

Now, the London-based trio are back with a double A-side single for 2011: “Another Renaissance / You Don’t Have To Go.”

“When does patience become endurance? Does indifference mean internal bliss?” Berlin ponders on “Another Renaissance,” her candy-coated vocals bopping along the song’s gleeful hand claps and synthesizer sounds.

Yet despite the sugary sweet sound of both songs, Woman E pack a distinctly sophisticated bite in their lyricism, elevating their musical output from simple pop ditties to crunchier confections. “You don’t have to go, you can stay undecided / You don’t have to try and make sense of the silence,” Berlin riffs on top of the brooding beat of “You Don’t Have To Go.”

It’s not quite Depeche Mode, but it’s still much more dense than your average ‘party in da club’ electro-pop throwaway track–and we can always appreciate some more of that.

The band is currently offering the double A-side for free on Bandcamp.

“Another Renaissance/You Don’t Have To Go” will be released on March 14. (iTunes UK)

What better way to kick off the New Year than with a debut single?

You might remember the Introduucing… post about Jessie Malakouti–better known as Jessie And The ToyBoys, from last year.

The singer is now preparing to launch the ToyBoys campaign with the release of her debut single: “Push It,” featuring Yelawolf. Check out the newly posted extended clip below!

Produced by Jimmy Harry and No Doubt‘s Tony Kanal (quite a coincidence, as I’ve always found Malakouti’s voice similar to Gwen Stefani‘s!), “Push It” is a storming, glitched-up electro affair packed full of hard, crunchy beats and ’80′s-esque melodies.

“I’ve been trying to get a little bit closer to you, I’ve been dying to get a little bit closer to you,” Malakouti croons sweetly. In short, it’s a bit like musical crack–the more you listen, the catchier it becomes!

The song’s über-processed sound actually reminds me of a sub-genre of Japanese pop called “pico-pop” (which I really ought to do a proper post about–in the meantime, check out “Eternity,” an example from one of my favorite pico-pop acts, Capsule.)

Liking what you hear so far? Well, good! The full song and remixes are coming very shortly.

‘Twas ‘American Anthems’ Week on X Factor last Saturday, a celebration of true, good ol’ American talent. YEE-HAW!

As the judges strode into the studio to the sound of Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born In The USA,” US flags waved on the screens while overenthusiastic cheerleaders pranced around like loons onstage. As a real, live American watching, I can confirm that this is literally what life is like in America all of the time.

Read More…

Get your tits out, everyone–it’s time for another round-up of the X Factor performances!

This week’s theme was “Guilty Pleasures,” which is basically a completely subjective, completely bullshit category that resulted in the judges inevitably squabbling over what defines a guilty pleasure and why certain artists were considered “guilty” in the first place. What a hoot.

More importantly, Cher Lloyd was officially AMAZING. Read on!

Read More…

Meet Jessie Malakouti.

Having already established herself as a Xenomania songwriter, opened on tour for The Saturdays, and sung back-up on the Pet Shop Boys‘ latest record, Yes, it’s hard to say that Malakouti requires an “Introduucing” post. It’s her latest musical endeavor, Jessie and the Toy Boys, however, that merits the formal welcoming.

As evidenced in the snippets posted on her newly created website, Jessie’s got a knack for sugar coated, ’80′s-inspired electro pop confections; her voice and sound lying somewhere in between the likes of Gwen Stefani (2004 onward), Linda Sundblad, Kylie Minogue, and Heidi Montag. (The last comparison may sound like an insult, but trust–it’s not.)

Featured tracks including “Push It” and “Hitman” are instant pop stormers, while “Like You Better,” her dizzying electro-fluff take on the classic chorus from Romeo Void‘s “Never Say Never,” bubbles over with glitchy delight, a la Stefani’s “Crash.”

Most noteworthy of all the clips however is “Eyes Closed,” a shimmering mid-tempo in which Jessie laments the fact that her lover’s refusal to lock eyes during the deed: “You fuck me with your eyes closed,” Jessie woefully sings during the choruses, hovering above a slightly sad, twinkling melody.

Now that, dear Muusers, is exactly the kind of over-the-top pop I love to pieces.

Thanks to Muuser Alex for introduucing me to Jessie’s new music!

Okay, I kind of love everything about this girl.

As I’ve written before, Taylor Gossip Girl Momsen is the moody front not-a-girl-not-yet-a-woman for a band called The Pretty Reckless, which I first wrote about here.

Hot off the release of their debut single, “Make Me Wanna Die,” The Pretty Reckless are now preparing the release of their debut EP, due out on June 22. Billboard is currently offering a free stream of the EP right here. In my opinion, it’s pretty promising.

At a time when seemingly every A, B, and C-list actress in the universe has got a single coming out (let’s not forget the reality stars–hey, Danielle Staub!), it’s become hard to take seriously the efforts of most, if not all, crossover attempts.

Well, not here. Momsen, to me, is the real deal–at least, I think we’re dealing with actual talent. At just 16 years old, the singer’s warbling, ferocious growls and rowdy rock sensibilities make Miley‘s bratty, auto-tuned teenage angst (her senior by a year, no less) little more than a pitiful meow in comparison.

Admittedly I’m not well versed in my rock chick credentials, but I do see tiny shades of artists in their ‘early’ stages: pre-crazy Courtney Love, early Gwen Stefani, and perhaps even the coquettish early appeal of Marianne Faithfull. Too far? Perhaps.

It may be too early to say for sure, but I believe in the Momsen.