The UK's most exciting new artist...
McLovin
I thought I'd share the reasons why I think Kathleen Brian i.e. Katy B is rather wonderful. There are far more reasons than I list, but I'll just stick to the five that mean the most to me for the time being (we don't want it to be a total love-in, do we?).
1. Her voice is beautiful
As a former student at The BRIT School, she joins fellow successful graduates such as Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis and Adele. She might not quite have the same lung capacity as these three, but my God can her voice move me! Listening to the chorus of Perfect Stranger, the way it quivers as she sings 'There's something in your heaaarrrrt!' sounds genuinely optimistic rather than a put-on affectation. There's no other current artist out there who sounds so natural and at ease with their vocal ability, and (whisper it) she sounds English when she sings! I have nothing against our home grown soul-strutting divas, but I find an honesty and integrity in her style which is deliriously refreshing.
2. Her lyrics are funny, down to earth and heartfelt
The first verse to Katy On A Mission is extraordinary, but the chorus to Easy Please Me is a particular favourite of mine:
'It's not that easy, It's not that easy
These days can't find a man to please me
Their lines are far too cheesy
No boy is on a level believe me'.
3. Her first three singles have ALL gone top ten*
This might not seem like a particularly unbelievable achievement (especially in relation to I-break-every-record-in-the-books-Adele), but I'm hard pressed to think of any other emerging act who has reached such a level of consistency so soon. It is something that was beyond Lily Allen, Kate Nash, Ellie Goulding, La Roux or any other UK female artist of the past few years. What this demonstrates is that in a short space of time, Katy B has gained a strong fanbase which is very encouraging news for the future.
* As Perfect Stranger (charting at 16) was as a featured appearance with Magnetic Man, I refuse to let it spoil my statistics!
4. Her songs are so good they're association-proof
Craig recently discussed they way songs can create powerful associations to particular times and places in his wonderful evocation of what the Sugababes' Push The Button will always mean to him. At times though, songs get caught up in bad personal memories and can never escape them. I bought Katy On A Mission the day after a fantastic party I went to last November. The song's urgency and excitement captured exactly how I felt the following morning. That night led to a couple of unexpectedly joyous months I had with someone. Unfortunately, things fell apart before they had ever really got going. It could be so easy for On A Mission to get caught up in my negative associations, but luckily when I listen to it now, I don't think of what might have been: I get excited thinking about what might be around the corner.
5. She's already released a bona fide classic record
I've avoided writing a post on Broken Record, as I find it really difficult to express quite how brilliant I think it is. Maybe I'll just leave for now and let Katy B have the final word...
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