Genre: Dance-pop, hip-pop, slutwave
Sounds like: Ke$ha, Uffie, Jessie and the Toy Boys

Meet Kay, nee Kay Kristin Boutillier, the newest electropop princess on the block who already seems poised for world domination.

Kay first popped up on my radar just over a year ago, when her glitchy, ambient interpretation of Nancy Sinatra‘s classic “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” began circulating. Kay’s version featured an instrumental track sampling Lil Wayne‘s “Lollipop”–an unlikely pairing that reminded me of Sky Ferreira‘s similarly haunting “Happy Dre” mash-up.

A few well-chosen buzz tracks followed–including the swaggerific “M.A.J.O.R.”, produced by MuuMuse fave Doctor Rosen Rosen, a tongue-in-cheek cover of Justin Bieber‘s “Baby,” and a dance floor-ready collaboration with Tiesto titled “Work Hard, Play Hard”–but Kay really grabbed my attention with her official first single, “My Name is Kay.”

Penned with mega-hitmakers Ryan Tedder and Evan “Kidd” Bogart, “My Name is Kay” combines the contagious teen spirit of “Hollaback Girl” with the faux-gangster posturing that Ke$ha perfected with “Sleazy.”(Unsurprisingly, the track has already been championed by ArjanWrites and Perez Hilton.)

Better still than the studio version, though, might be Frankmusik‘s “Lost the Damn Gameboy” remix, which swaps the stop-and-go vibes of the original with a driving house beat.

Kay’s as-yet untitled debut album is due out via Interscope/Universal sometime this year.

The thing is I don’t know when to shut my mouth. That’ the problem.

Sky Ferreira is an ‘it’ girl.

Immortalized by the industry’s top photographers (Rankin, for instance, took the snapshot above), suited and styled by the most desirable modern couturiers, and produced by arguably the biggest names in the music industry, the 18-year-old Los Angeles native has certainly made a name for herself far before ever…well, making a name for herself. Yet.

After sending out a MySpace message to Swedish power pop producers Bloodshy & Avant back in 2006 begging for a collaboration and armed with nothing but a few raw demos, the singer was stunned when she received an answer back inviting her to come record with the duo. Suddenly she was off to Stockholm, and so began her formal endeavor into the industry.

With her first single already making waves in the UK–the infectious, stuttering electro-pop smash, “One”–as well as an upcoming Ryan Tedder-produced single due out in the US later this summer (“Obsession”), Ferreira is now heading full steam toward her long-awaited debut record, currently slated for release in January. (Click here to hear a 30-second sample of the song now!)

I got the chance to speak to the rising starlet last week during her promotional spin around Londontown. Barring an impromptu (albeit hilarious) cameo by PopJustice and more than a few Britney related questions on my end, Ferreira had lots to say about her music, the industry, and the culture of leaks (of the musical variety). Oh yes, and I asked how she gets her hair so nice.

Click “Read More…” to read the full interview.

Read More…

Welsh-born Duffy is expected, along with Adele, to be one of the top British artists to watch in 2008. You know the kind…oh so popular in the U.K. until American audiences finally catch wind and snatch them from the country. I originally wrote her off as an old-school revival copycat, until I accidentally stumbled onto the video for her new single. She’s got a colorful history, working in a fishery, a jazz club, and coming in second place on Welsh’s version of Pop Idol, Wawffactor (America: Consider this for a possible re-titling of American Idol.)

Of course, Duffy has been dealt plenty of comparisons to fellow contemporary “old-school” singer Amy Winehouse, though I can’t find much similarity in the overall style of their sound. Winehouse is more of a real deal soulful singer with the ability to invoke the rawest form of Motown soul, whereas Duffy is more breezy-pop and showy, lacking the gritty and biting vocals that only Winehouse can possess. Now, I happen to like the new single a great deal. She reminds me of Dusty Springfield and a bit of Nancy Sinatra. I still prefer my crazy Amy if compared, but Duffy’s “Mercy” is still a refreshing, melodic, and overall fun track to sing along to. Plus she’s easy on the eyes, and her hair appears to have been washed at some point in the last week. Not that Amy isn’t a raving beauty in her own right, but sometimes hygiene is sexy. And not that Amy isn’t hygenic, but–well, okay. You know she probably smells. Just saying.

Duffy’s new album, entitled Rockferry is due March 3, 2008. Click on the “read more” for the tracklisting.

DL: Duffy – Mercy

Watch the video here.

1. Rockferry
2. Warwick Avenue
3. Serious
4. Stepping Stone
5. Syrup & Honey
6. Hanging On Too Long
7. Mercy
8. Delayed Devotion
9. Scared
10. Distant Dreamer