McLovin
Back in early 2010, Marina & the Diamonds, aka Marina Diamandis, came second in the BBC Sound of...poll, beaten only by Ellie Goulding. Throughout the year, the two artists were often lumped together as their career trajectories mirrored one another. Both had one big breakthrough single (Marina with Hollywood, 12; Ellie with Starry Eyed, 4) and high-charting debut albums (Marina with the Family Jewels 5; Ellie with Lights, 1). It didn't help that they also appeared together on magazine covers, such as this one, fudging the distinctiveness of each performer.
While Marina's campaign quietly faded into the background, Ellie's was given a new lease of life thanks to the Your Song-John Lewis-Christmas ad campaign. Buoyed by this number 2 smashed, Lights was re-released as Bright Lights, with seven additional tracks, including her take on Elton John. Being handpicked by William and Kate to sing at the Royal Wedding reception in April helped raise her profile even further.
However, it seems Marina has pipped Ellie to the post with her second album, Electra Heart. The lead single Radioactive was released at the end of September, and will hit the top forty this Sunday. Hopefully it will rise to the top ten as it builds an audience; it is certainly my favourite Marina single so far. While I've always liked her voice (especially when she's channeling Kate Bush), this is the first time one of her songs has been noticeably racking up my playcounts.
Radioactive is an infectious dance single, driven by a pulsating synth line and Marina's emotive performance matching its anthemic nature. It is no surprise to learn that the producers are none other than Stargate, the team behind monster hits such as Rihanna's Only Girl (In the Word) and Katy Perry's Firework. What I really enjoy about Stargate productions is that their songs tend to have an instant appeal, but, unlike a Guetta single, continue to reveal hidden subtleties after repeated plays. Even if Radioactive doesn't hit its chart stride immediately, due to its pedigree, I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually makes a more substantial impact.
Chart Predictions
McLovin: 5
Spyke: -
Actual: -
No comments:
Post a Comment