Female hip hop stars are akin to major metropolitan areas in the central United States: they can be few and far between. In a male-dominated industry that some perceive as generally misogynistic, it takes a strong voice both literally and lyrically to stand apart and prove that hip-hop is more than a boys’ club. Nicki Minaj has proven her skills at the age of 25 by being signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money label and putting out four mixtapes in the last four years that combine samples from other artists with Minaj’s original work.
Although Minaj has had to work through the same issues that have plagued many female emcees, namely sex appeal being valued over substance and public scrutiny of her sexual orientation, her work is picking up thousands of fans and showing the viability of different forms of expression for young females everywhere.
It’s 2010, and Cul de sac is back in session. We decided to kick it old school by starting off with our nouveau classique series, Musician Mondays. Marina Diamandis is a 24-year-old Greek-Welsh singer based in London who plugs into sounds ranging from ’80s new wave to modern pop, dance and synth-rock. Her surname literally translates as “Diamonds” and is used as a stage moniker to denote her fans, not her backing band. Marina and the Diamonds‘ debut album, The Family Jewels, will be released on February 22 in the US.
Marina’s voice recalls strong female alt-musicians from Kate Nash and Lily Allen to Kate Bush and Imogen Heap, and her lyrics touch on identity-formation, commercialization and female sexuality. She is currently touring her native UK, heading across the pond for a few dates in New York this March. The first single from the album, “Hollywood” is set to be officially released on February 1 (our editor-in-chief’s date of birth!), but you can watch the video below:
British indie-powerhouses The XX and Friendly Fires are touring together. They will be playing a sold-out show at Bottom Lounge in Chicago on Tuesday, December 1st. Although the two produce music that differs greatly from each other, the pairing is unsurprising. The XX debuted in August of this year and create music that shows influences of R&B and 80’s guitar. Deep bass complemented by well-tuned vocals drives their sound.
Friendly Fires have been on the scene since September of 2008. They create a sound that can be best described as Britpop dance-punk. It seems appropriate that The XX are opening for them, as they will get the mood started out right for the high energy that Friendly Fires will bring. Both artists are on the Beggars roster and are of equal caliber.
Although I will not be seeing this show, I have seen both of these acts separately. The members of Friendly Fires are true rock stars and will have everyone dancing to tracks like “Jump in the Pool” and “Photobooth.” The XX forces the audience to pay attention and become part of the music. With tracks like “Crystalize” and “Islands,” a melodic journey is sure to take place.
Friday night, I ventured over to the Metro to experience the Peaches concert. Amanda Blank opened, and I was a little underwhelmed with her performance, given all the hype around her. However, she was still enjoyable and made an appropriate opener for Peaches. Since this was my second time seeing Peaches, I knew what to expect from the performance.
I first saw Peaches at The Music Hall of Williamsburg. Drag personality Sherry Vine was in the VIP section; it is very hard to compete with that, but Peaches still delivered an incredible show. What I enjoy most about her is that she truly is a performer. She wears the most ridiculous outfits, walks across the crowd, and brings a third dimension to her music.
As expected, the majority of the crowd was queer. With risqué songs like “Tent in Your Pants,” “I Feel Cream,” and of course, “Fuck the Pain Away,” it was pretty much like a Friday night at Berlin. Although her latest album,I Feel Cream, put out by XL Recordings, has been out for a while, it is still a must for any party mix.
Sweden keeps producing strong musical acts. Saturday night, I thoroughly enjoyed myself when experiencing the music of Little Dragon. They played a free show for the fifteenth anniversary of Double Door in Chicago. It was one of those concerts where the energy of the music was absorbed through the entire crowd, creating a surreal atmosphere.
Led by Japanese vocalist, Yukimi Nagano, the group pumped out electronic soul music that sounded retro yet modern at the same time. Nagano’s vocal skills were well complimented by beats created by Erik Bodin, Fredrik Wallin, and Hakan Wirenstrand. Although the group can be compared to acts such as Bjork, Miike Snow and Kate Bush, their experimental sound sets them apart. There are traces of 80s pop and jazz, all blended into one amazing package.
Newly signed XL artist, Holly Miranda, performed during this past weekend’s annual CMJ festival in New York, a showcase for new independent music artists. Born and raised outside of Detroit, Miranda left her life in the Midwest at 16 to jumpstart her music career in New York. After becoming part of the East Village’s music scene, her career began picking up fast. More recently, she has been hyped by the likes of celebrities such as Kanye West.
As an openly out lesbian, Miranda makes strides for burgeoning queer artists. She recently was a guest on the series finale of This Just Out with Liz Feldmanto sing and chat about what it would be like to make out with Scarlett Johansson. Exposure like this creates an influence that will bring to light the importance of queer musicians. She is able to show us that you don’t have to sing about queer-related content to be a queer artist.
The music she creates is a mix between Cat Power and CocoRosie. Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio produced her most recent CD, the “Sleep on Fire EP.” We can definitely feel Sitek’s influence with the way Ms. Miranda expresses her vocal skills. She is certainly teaming up with the right people and is well on her way to becoming an overnight success.
XL recordings, which gave us Vampire Weekend, M.I.A., Peaches, and Friendly Fires, will release Miranda’s debut album in early 2010. For now, you can purchase and download her EP through her website, where she is offering a free download of one of her songs, “Waves.”
Another weekend, another Chicago music festival. This weekend marks the 13th annual Lollapalooza festival. Started as a touring festival in 1991 by Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction, Lollapalooza became stationary in 2005 in Chicago’s very own Grant Park. This year’s line-up boasts over 130 artists with sounds as diverse as the Yeah Yeahs Yeahs to Deerhunter and Depeche Mode to Snoop Dogg.
For our money, we would recommend checking out Lou Reed, Of Montreal, Fleet Foxes, Bat for Lashes and Animal Collective. Who are you most excited to see perform at the festival this year?
As we approach the increasing heat of August, it’s a good time for some refreshing music. This Musician Mondays, we’ve chosen three singles from the upcoming albums of some of our favorite artists. Give them a listen below:
A Fine Frenzy is the musical moniker for Alison Sudol, a 24-year-old virtuoso. Her sophomore album, Bomb in a Birdcage, will be released on September 8. Listen to “Blow Away” here or download it at A Fine Frenzy’s site. This MP3 was provided for free after A Fine Frenzy received over 1 million followers on Twitter.
Imogen Heap’s voice is very distinct from its appearance on the soundtracks of Garden State and The O.C., and her third solo effort show her explore the range of her unique style. “First Train Home” shows that her new work will be a bit more stripped down than her previous electronic-influenced albums. Ellipse will be released on August 25.
Well, we suppose this one is not from an album, but it is a fun dance tune by Kid Cudi featuring a bare-bones piano version of “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga. And with appearances by Kanye West and Common, how can any Chicagoan turn it down?
Located far from the reaches of major labels on the East and West coasts, Chicago relies on independent artists to thrive in providing live performance to its citizens. The yearly Pitchfork Music Festival, held this year from July 17 to July 19, exposes many low-profile Chicago artists to a wider audience by joining them with more recognizable artists. And of course, many of them have a queer pedigree. Cul de sac Magazine will be traveling to the stages between Ashland and Randolph for part of the festival, but make sure to check out some of the artists we’ll really be digging.
Yo La Tengo (Friday, 6:10 PM) – Yo La Tengo’s 24-year history has led to a compelling array of sonic greatness, and their contribution as composer to the soundtrack for the 2006 film Shortbus is indelible.
Final Fantasy (Saturday, 4:15 PM) – The solo work of openly gay arranger and composer Owen Pallett, who has worked with The Arcade Fire, Beirut (who will also be at Pitchfork on Saturday) and many more artists, is masterful. If his win for Canada’s inaugural Polaris Prize and honorary degree for composition that he received in 2002 for composing since the age of 13 are any indication, Pallet is definitely someone to check out.
Ponytail (Saturday, 4:30 PM) – Baltimore group Ponytail have got a lot of verve, much of it coming through queer frontwoman Molly Siegel. The powerful vocals and charged performances will definitely have you dancing.
The National (Saturday, 8:40 PM) – This New York band was part of the Dark Was the Nightcompilation released last year for HIV/AIDS fundraising organization Red Hot. Two of the band members were producers of that album, which also featured a duet between Feist and Ben Gibbard and original recordings by Antony of Antony and the Johnsons, Grizzly Bear, Sufjan Stevens and Yo La Teng
Grizzly Bear (Sunday, 7:25 PM) – The beautiful folk rock of Grizzly Bear will help close out the festival (right before The Flaming Lips rock it out). Led by openly gay Ed Droste, the band’s unique lyricism and understated melodies are essential listening.
Diva Kai is currently working on her first album release. Diva has performed for small venues and is beginning to build an audience that appeals to the broad range of emotion and vocal stylings that make Diva’s music great to listen to. As a native Iowan and frequent Chicagoan, Diva Kai’s music bridges rural sensibilities with a contemporary voice.
Cul de sac Magazine: What music have you been listening to, Diva?
Diva Kai: Maria Taylor, Jose Gonzalez, Kaki King, Iron and Wine… I don’t really listen to the radio much. I feel like a lot of songs are overplayed. I appreciate pop music, but it’s not really my style. I enjoy public radio… Pandora, too. I enjoy listening to a more underground radio, being able to find artists you might not otherwise know about.
CM: You now call Iowa your home once again; could you walk us through the transition of moving from Chicago, a big city, back to America’s heartland?
DK: Well, a lot of it had to do with, I love Chicago, but I really was needing a break from all the hustle and bustle. I wanted to go back to my roots, I felt overwhelmed (in Chicago). I’m very impulsive, I’d like to go back to Iowa for just a little bit, and I want to live in Chicago again. I will someday. It’s a good experience, a good time for healing, and I’m able to do a lot of the things I enjoy—like music, yoga, and relaxing. I like the stimulation of the big city. When I move into a city again, I’d like to find a balance between nature and relaxation and the excitement of a big city. I’d like to feel calm within myself.
CM: What do you miss about Chicago?
DK: I miss my friends a lot. That’s probably the biggest thing. I miss the trains—how good the public transportation is. There’s a lot of freedom in having a car, but there’s freedom in taking the trains, too. You can get anywhere on the bus and trains.
There’s something going on all night… so much music and art and people who are really working toward a goal. It’s stimulating being around it all.
I felt, when I was there, I learned equivalent to what it’s like living somewhere for 6 or 7 years. Everyday is something new and exciting, and everything was so spontaneous.
CM: What do you love about Iowa?
DK: Dubuque has a lot of hills and bluffs, right alongside the Mississippi River. Iowa is great in the summer. I like the nature here and being really close to my family. I also have really good friends here. I like that Iowa just legalized gay marriage.
CM: Do you at all find it strange that Iowa would openly allow same-sex marriages before Chicago and Illinois?
DK: Yeah. I was shocked. I found out through a text message. I was just in shock; “Are you joking?” I can’t believe that Iowa was the third state to legalize gay marriage.
CM: What do you think this will do for Iowa and the region?
DK: I think that it might draw more people to live here because it’s becoming so much more open-minded. I think that people will look at it in a different way. A lot of people who hear me say I’m from Iowa say, “Oh, Idaho? Ohio?” It’s not really acknowledged much, and now people will be able to see it in a different light. Hopefully, it’ll bring more people to live here and start families here.
CM: Have you ever written stuff and thought, You know what, actually, that’s too personal to share?
DK: Yeah. I have definitely, and I remember when I first started writing songs I was a sophomore in high school, which was also the time I was coming out. I had all these feelings about girls and I couldn’t share them with anyone. I wrote my feelings on a small piece of paper in very vague words. I was afraid people would find it. It allowed me to express what I felt without being straightforward, something that could be interpreted. I’ve gotten a lot more straight-forward about the message I want to get across, but I have written songs that I didn’t necessarily want people to know were about them.
CM: What was the first song you ever wrote?
DK: I guess my early songwriting days I’m kind of disconnected with. I was more practiced after a song-writing class. The first song I completed was called “My Intuition.” It was about a girl who I was falling for (who was actually my best friend at the time… big surprise, right?) and I felt that she felt the same way about me. She was the first person I played it for… going back to writing songs and not wanting someone to know it’s about them. I didn’t tell her it was for her. Her intuition did.
CM: Are there songs that you like to play more than others?
DK: I like to play “Tears from the Moon;” that’s also what I want to call my album. Also, “It’s Not Over,” “(You Can’t Have) All of Me,” “The Island of Bare Feet,” “Fancy Town,” “Laced with Music.” Just to name a few…
CM: Are there songs you prefer not to play on stage?
DK: Some songs are more sad or more personal than others, and in some places slower songs are just better for a more intimate crowd.
CM: Do you get tired of people asking if Diva is your real name?
DK: I don’t really get tired of it. It’s always an interesting topic of conversation. When my parents were dating, they saw a French film called “Diva.” It’s a story of an opera singer who didn’t like to have her voice recorded, and this guy follows her around trying to record her voice. Do people become something they are called so much? Or did my parents just know that I would be a performer? I think I represent my name in the sense that I’m a singer/performer, and a musician, but I’m not a “diva” in the sense of being a drama queen.
CM: Who does music belong to?
DK: The universe. Sometimes, I’ll just go through these phases where I’m writing and playing constantly, and then I’ll stop for a while. I think it’s a natural cause and then people can appreciate having that inspiration. I get down on myself sometimes, but the source is totally unlimited, and it’s available to all of us. If you ask for inspiration and know that it’s available, it will come. I think music comes to me from a higher power, a higher source. I’m like a vessel I think.
CM: What can we expect to hear next from you?
DK: I would really like to explore a more classical approach, more finger picking, maybe more music like Spanish guitar. I would like to get better at solos and lead guitar skills. I might want to do a one-woman band. But I would also like to play with other musicians more. Expect more layers.
