Queens of all they survey
We’ve tipped them for success in the past, and now, with a New Year upon us, Laura Izibor, Dirty Epic’s SJ Wai and Fight Like Apes’ MayKay are set to sweep all before them.
Ed Power, 17 Jan 2008
Laura Izibor is explaining why the dark side of fame holds no fear for her.
“I’m going into this as an adult, not a teenager,” says the hotly-tipped Dubliner, whose soulful retro pop has prompted gushing comparisons with Amy Winehouse. “I’ve got a good thick skin on me now – whatever happens, happens. I’m not going to change the way I live my life.”
Her tone is breezy but Izibor knows 2008 is likely to prove a watershed year. Her debut album Let The Truth Be Told, is in the can; she’s rapidly earning her name as the go-to-gal for sassy soundtrack music (‘Shine’ from The Nanny Diaries has given her first bone fide word-of-mouth smash).
“Things are going great – the record label are working overtime and really getting my music out there,” says Izibor, who last year inked a contract with Atlantic Records on the back of a four-year development deal with Jive Records (home to Britney Spears and NSYNC). “It’s one piece of good news after another.”
She isn’t the only chanteuse creating a splash right now. As you will read elsewhere in this magazine, independently-minded young women are set to be a defining theme of the 12 months ahead in music. In Ireland, especially, we’ve seen a groundswell of gobby girl singers. From the Dirty Epics’ SJ Wai to Fight Like Apes’ MayKay, there’s an unmistakable whiff of feminine ingenuity in the air.
“Someone said that our new album is a modern take on Blondie, which is the reaction you like to hear,” says Wai of Dirty Epics’ forthcoming long-player, Straight In, No Kissing. “It’s full-on, a real wall of sound. It’s all very upbeat. No slow songs.”
As frontwoman Wai knows she’s more than just a singer: she’s the public face of Dirty Epics. Those chugging guitars may be the foundation of their sound, but without her babydoll-gone-bad vocals, what would it all amount to?
“I’m definitely more aware of how I present myself,” she agrees. “We’re gearing up for a big marketing campaign at the moment – we’re doing a lot of photo-shoots. So you do become conscious of how you present yourself. Personally, I prefer tight stagewear because I like to move around a lot. I’m in the process of ordering some showgirl outfits from Brazil.”
©Hot Press 2011. Why be a member? | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy