Friday, June 1, 2012

You Should Know...

Kimbra

If Bjork and Esthero had a daughter it would be this chick.

She's got just enough electro soul to champion the sound we all fell in love with when Esthero dropped her sick debut album Breath From Another. And she truly carries on the 'wicked little girl' legacy by being defiantly imperfect in her perfect little nitch. But when it comes to her aesthetic and the sheer refusal to fall into one genre, you know there would be no place for Kimbra without the trail blazing of one patit Icelandic wildcat who taught us all that growling is in fact vocal acumen, when done right.

But all that just peaks your interest. What will enthrall you is the poetry in her words and her ability to be very much her very own artist as she references all the great artists who'v influenced her in some form or fashion. Its like a tribute to that genre bending, sometimes b-girl, sometimes experimental, sometimes totally memorable and soulful female vocalist. And I have to say, she makes me so glad that this strange-wonderful-fearless-fierce lioness-but always female tradition will continue.

More about the artist:
















Kimbra Lee Johnson known mononymously as Kimbra, is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and guitarist. On 29 August 2011 she released her debut album Vows, which peaked in the top 5 in both New Zealand and Australia, and number 14 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. Kimbra is featured on the 2011 single, "Somebody That I Used to Know", by Gotye, which has reached number 1 in over 20 countries including New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom and United States.
In June 2010 Kimbra's first single on Forum 5, "Settle Down", was released. She had started writing the track four years earlier – it was finished with François Tétaz. The music video was directed by Guy Franklin. On December 10, 2010, the Australian 'indietronica' group Miami Horror released their single, "I Look to You" featuring Kimbra's vocals. Kimbra also starred in its music video.
Early in 2011, Kimbra's song "Cameo Lover" was short-listed as a finalist for the 2011 Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition. In March she issued "Cameo Lover" as her next single, its music video was released in April and was directed by Franklin. On July 15, 2011, "Cameo Lover" won the songwriting competition, ahead of third placed song, "Somebody That I Used to Know", written by Belgian-Australian musician, Gotye. Kimbra went on to sign to Warner Bros. Records New Zealand for distribution in New Zealand and Australia, as well as a worldwide deal for other territories with Warner Bros. Records in the US. Kimbra was featured in Gotye's single, "Somebody That I Used to Know", which was mixed by Tétaz. Tétaz had recommended Kimbra to Gotye after a 'high profile' Australian female vocalist had withdrawn from the collaboration. The single is a commercial success charting nationally and internationally: it has reached No. 1 on the Singles Charts in over 20 countries including Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Canada, and the US. The single went 9 times certified Platinum in Australia. The success of the collaboration resulted in Kimbra's singles "Settle Down", "Cameo Lover" and "Good Intent" (which was issued in August) also charting within the ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart.
On August 29, 2011 Kimbra's debut album, Vows, was released in New Zealand and September 2, 2011 in Australia. In its first week of release it charted at No. 3 in New Zealand, No. 5 in Australia and No. 14 in the US. In its second week, it rose to a peak of No. 4 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Australian producer 'M-Phazes' produced Kimbra's track "Call Me" and assisted on other tracks onVows. Kimbra won the "One to Watch" award at the 2012 Rolling Stone Awards and has collaborated with Mark Foster (of Foster the People) and DJ A-Trak on the track "Warrior", which was released. On April 14, 2012 she performed "Somebody That I Used to Know" with Gotye on Saturday Night Live by April 18th  the track peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

For more about the artist visit: http://fuckyeahkimbra.tumblr.com/


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