Category — Introduucing...

These two are Nikki + Rich, a newly signed soul pop act from Warner Brothers Records.

While I was intrigued from the beginning, it was this slick, stylishly crafted intro video that sealed the deal for me.

And now, a brief summation:

Nikki & Rich are Nikki Leonti, a California-born pastor’s daughter who grew up singing in church, and Rich Velonskis, a Queens, NY-born former DJ and established hip-hop/R&B producer who got his start spinning in New York City clubs as a teenager. These two seemingly opposite characters first met in 2007. Nikki was based in Nashville working as a background singer for Carrie Underwood and Rich was in Los Angeles producing tracks for Eve, Robin Thicke, Mario, and Ludacris, under his moniker Rich Skillz…Rich was looking for a strong vocalist and lyricist to collaborate with and take his tracks to the next level and he found the perfect match in Nikki.

To put it simply, Nikki + Rich are to doo wop as Bitter:Sweet are to acid nu-jazz: a dynamic duo of two (rather attractive) musicians with a flair for the old-fashioned.

Though there’s been some backlash as of late for ‘revival acts’ that call upon the sounds of yesterday (Adele, Duffy, Winehouse), Nikki + Rich show the promise of staying true to today without looking back to the point of becoming a tribute band.

You can now stream the swinging “Cat and Mouse” and the deliciously sassy “Next Best Thing” right now.

I’m utterly obsessed with these two!

This is Kid Infinity. From the press release:

Introducing Kid Infinity, one of the hottest acts blowing out circuit breakers in the bowels of LA’s downtown music scene with their unique brand of electro-punk.

Kid Infinity formed in early 2008 when two men collided like lightning bolts battling in outer space, forming a fireball of fresh grooves and dirty beats that blasted their way to earth.

The video for “P.Y.C.O.” is endearingly hip, and the track itself is genuinely quite ’sick.’ Make sure you watch until the very end!

I’m reveling in hipster trashdom–and LOVING it.

Kids these days.

It seems everywhere you look, there’s another teen cropping up on the interwebz poised for global domination: Daisy Dares You, Justin Bieber, Sky Ferriera. Don’t they have anything more important to do, like go to prom or start learning to drive or something?

No matter.

Here comes Richard Jay, a sixteen-year-old singer hailing from the United Kingdom. Much like his DIY-pop predecessors, Richard Jay has made use of social media (whatever that is) to get his name out and start expanding his presence in the digital world. At the same time, he also happens to be a legitimate artist in his own right: “He writes all his own music, plays every instrument on his tracks, sings, records and produces it himself.” Talent. Nice!

As one may surmise from his Musical MySpace, Richard Jay’s music is just the right mix of bright, shimmering synthesizers and deep bass sound that both sounds gorgeous and refrains from drowning out the singer’s breathy, barely there crooning on top.

I, as we like to say in the industry, totally dig it.

Jay is due to record with Allie Gonino and Sky Ferreira later this year in Los Angeles.

To hear a taste of what the boy’s got to offer, click below to hear and download one of Jay’s delightfully lush tracks, “Today.”

DL: Richard Jay – Today

If last year’s theme was the circus, this year’s is truly the freakshow.

Meet Natalia Kills, a new artist preparing for her debut under the hit-making machine better known as Cherry Tree Records (as well as a co-sign under Will.i.Am’s label.)

Grabbing an intentionally Autotuned vocal cue from label mate Lady Gaga and an aesthetic note from classic noir (and subsequently, Rihanna’s latest output), Natalia Kills’ “Zombie” is a killer visual and aural debut by any and all definition.

The track simply bleeds from the speakers with electric, spine-tingling potential. Just try and resist the militant, robotic beat and the icy chorus: “I’m in love with a zombie boy, but his heart is so cold.” Then again, it only took the first three seconds of that beat to have me hooked.

…And this isn’t even the first official single.

Along with her debut album set to be released sometime in 2010, Natalia also directs her own videos. According to a transcribed faux-conversation on her MySpace, her debut film will be released in time with her album–both of which dealing with the theme of perfectionism.

Earlier on in the conversation, Martin “Cherry Cherry Boom Boom” Kierszenbaum (head of Cherry Tree) refers to a song of hers as “Grace Jones meets Kate Bush at La Femme Nikita’s apartment.” High praise doesn’t even begin to describe that statement.

Time will soon tell what becomes of Natalia Kills. To me, she is the artist to watch for 2010.

“Zombie” is now out on iTunes. I highly suggest you go and grab it now so that when she blows up in a few months, you can tell all your friends that you saw her coming way back in 2009–and all thanks to MuuMuse!

I’m in love with a zombie. Are you?

Purchase “Zombie” on iTunes | MySpace | Official Website

It’s my fault for not discovering her sooner…but I’m so glad that I finally have.

This is El Perro Del Mar, otherwise known as Sarah Assbring, a Swedish artist making pop happen since 2006.

I could say that the music she makes, a combination of drippy, ambient pop, distorted strings and a simple, Lykke Li-like delivery, is nothing short of lush.

But it’s my friend David, who, after introducing me to her music, described it best: “Fleetwood Mac on pills in the 90’s…It’s what Siobhan Donaghy wishes she could record. It’s what she tried to do on Ghosts and failed at, mostly.”

“Change of Heart,” the song being featured above, is one of the finest numbers off of her latest EP, Love is Not Pop, which was made available in the US on October 20 of this year.

As for that piece of art you’re currently mesmerized by above? As the clip’s description box tells us, the duo is an act from Budapest that were called in by the label after first being seen in Lido, Paris. They were asked to be filmed for the official video to accompany “Change of Heart” and, according to the director, Flip Nilsson: “When we finally could see the amazing footage together with the music it felt like we got struck by the lightning of love.”

While the original song is brilliant, I’ll also need to direct your attention to the equally special Robyn remix of the track located right here at Pitchfork. The mix adds a bit of the Swedish chanteuse’s own vocals (always a plus!), and the lightest glaze of ’90’s house synths.

“Change of Heart” the kind of song you want to carry with you through life. It’s timeless, it’s beautiful…I could listen to this song time and time again, and so I do.

Purchase “Change of Heart” on iTunes | MySpace | Official Website

As many of my most beloved Muusers know, pop music isn’t the only sound spinning on my iPod.

In my spare time, I happen to be an enthusiast of all things female gangsta rap–be it of the quality variety (Lil’ Kim) or for the coveted LOLZ (Khia).

As of late, I’ve grown intrigued by a new talent to the scene–Nicki Minaj. Though she hasn’t released anything officially yet, she’s been featured on a smattering of mix-tapes, a few guest spots on some rapper’s remixes, and a verse on this God awful Lil’ Wayne song, “BedRock.”

I must say, while I can’t figure out if it’s out of true love or simply the chuckles, I am totally feeling her right now…even if Lil’ Kim isn’t.

I’mma bad bitch, I’mma I’mma bad bitch….

After watching this video three times in a row now, I decided it was time to post.

So, this is a behind-the-scenes/parody video from a new artist named Monica Rush, who’s preparing the release of her debut single, “100 doLLa biLL.” The song, which is sort of an M.I.A./Ke$ha-lite, Gwen Stefani-esque chant-along, is not bad at all, and neither is her voice.

…But that’s not why I keep watching.

It is all about her homo pal, Nicholas Gorham. I mean, I don’t want to get all swoon-like or anything, but the boy moves like a STAR! How’s anyone supposed to pay attention to the song and/or songstress when the boy’s gone and overshadowed her like that?

Look–they’ve made more videos together, and he’s still rocking out like a champ!

I’m totally smitten.

This here is Radio Ink, an up-and-coming electro foursome hailing from Sydney, Australia. For fans of Sneaky Sound System, The Presets, and all the other electro-pop sensations stemming from down under, rejoice: You’ve got a new name to add to your playlists.

The bands first single, “Wish U Were Here,” supplies all the right moves for a note-worthy lead track, mashing trancey, disco vibes with twinkling, sweetly sung vocals delivered by the band’s Sarah Harding doppelganger, Miss S. Yeah, I said it–that “S” isn’t fooling anyone, ma’am!

Pair the track with a choreography-heavy video, a pair of Rachel Stevens‘ much coveted half-gloves, and lots of bright lights, and you’ve got yourself a proper debut single.

Someone phone the Minogues….looks like someone’s gearing up to give the Aussie pop princesses a run for their money!

I kid. I kid.

To enter to win one of FIVE signed singles of “Wish U Were Here,” send a blank e-mail to radioink@muumuse.com. A winner will be chosen at random and notified on Friday, November 13 at 9 p.m. EST.

DL: Radio Ink – Wish U Were Here (Dic Money Remix)

Purchase “Wish U Were Here” on iTunes | MySpace | Official Website

This one’s a bit unexpected, but hey…musical diversity, right? Also, I think I love her name.

It seems a bit late to be “introducing” Orianthi, the 24-year-old guitarist from Adelaide, Australia. Seeing as she’s already shared the stage with Santana, Carrie Underwood, and Steve Vai (not to mention the hand-picked lead guitarist for what would have been Michael Jackson’s This Is It tour), the young guitarist has already had her fair share of the spotlight.

Now, she’s preparing the release of her self-penned debut, Believe. To lead the release comes the premiere of her first single, “According to You,” a feisty, Max Martin-esque yelp of defiance in the name of all things girly pop-rock. The song is catchy as hell, and hands down the best single Taylor Swift never recorded.

Similarly, check out the song “Bad News” off of her MySpace. Double the feisty, double the fun!

Orianthi’s debut album, Believe, will be released on October 27.

Artist: Lolene
Where you from, lady? Bristol, UK.
What the mini-biography says: “Coining the term, ‘awkward pop,’ Lolene describes her sound as ‘Joan Collins in Dynasty, Studio 54, white jump-suits, and disco balls.’”
What it actually means: She makes modern electro-pop music.
Claim to Fame: Songwriter; wrote for Andreas Carlsson, Danja, and the song “Diamonds” for Christian Milian and Kanye West.

Choice single: “Sexy People.”
Choice lyric: “Sexy bitches, we rule the world!”
What it sounds like: Paris Hilton singing on top of a Britney Spears track infused with Lady Gaga’s hermie-penis testosterone.

It’s tentative and all, but is this–dare I say it–England’s proper response to the Gaga?

You decide: Stream “Sexy People” in high quality RIGHT NOW.

Let me know what you think!

Purchase “Sexy People” on iTunes | MySpace