Madonna’s H&M advert

Although I've not checked out the range yet, I just saw the Madonna H&M on the television and love it. When she signed up, I thought it was a bit of an odd brand to associate herself with as H&M is seen as a little bit budgety in the UK but this advert really makes it seem expensive and luxourious. It's sharp and snappy, and I love how Madonna happily takes the piss out of herself.

Work Your Magic

A few more Eurovision entries have been listened to and despite some good competition from a disco-tastic Belgian entry, Belarus and Russia remain my two favourites!

The Belarus entry is from a man called Dmitry Koldun who won Star Factory, the Belarusian equivalent of Fame Academy, in 2006. After some dispute between labels and the selection committee over whether Dmitry was a suitable candidate, he was chosen from three artists. However, he is in no way a dead cert for a Eurovision win, particularly because he first has to get through the semi-final. If you're not sure how it works, the top ten countries from the previous year, plus 'the big four' (UK, Germany, France and Spain) automatically go through to the final (May 12th), the other entries must compete for their place two nights earlier.

Whatever happens, Dmitry will go to Helsinki known only by his surname Koldun which, as if it were a marketing man's wet dream, means magician. There he will sing about his loving potion hopefully with all the drama and hand gestures this wannabe Bond theme deserves.

Adrian's got bags more info but for now enjoy the video - a slightly scary cross between the harajuku girls and "Return To Oz"

New Annie Material!!

Haha. No it's not Annie, but a former Norwegian reality tv contestant called Lene Alexandra Øien. Please watch it, it's a) hilarious and b) not that bad a tune. It's basically the output of Le Tigre if we were thrown into severley bizarro world.

Props to psychfabmad

May in Helsinki?

I'm a eurovision fan, not so much as other people but I enjoy it for a great music event, rather than a stupid pisstake like most people I know. When I was a lonely teenager, I used to make little scoreboards and take down notes about each song. I never managed to actually do it properly though, I couldn't keep track which my favourites were! A few years ago, we went to a popjustice Eurovision party which was really good fun, but so loud with talking that it was impossible to hear any of the entries which made me really mad! Last year I was out, but this year May 12th is marked out in my diary, to sit alone in my lounge only with people who promise not to talk REALLY loudly over the whole shebang.

But, now I'm wondering whether I should strike out more than one evening, and try to actually go to Helsinki for the main event itself. Other blogs from people who've been have always sounded fun, and I'm sure the spectacle will be fantastic. Normal tickets are already sold out, but I'm seriously considering getting a press pass via my day job for it. Here is where I possibly need help though webfans! I know nothing about how to get accreditation. In previous years application has been through the BBC but nothing has yet appeared on their press site. The only thing I can find is on the official eurovision site and nothing is explained very well! Rubbish! So if you are up on these things then please let me know!

I'm not entirely sure I want to go. I've not looked into costs to Finland or hotels and I'm certainly not supporting the UK entry, so maybe I should wait until next year when I'll be more prepared. In any case I need to spend some time tomorrow listening to the entries. I've only heard a few so far, but I'm hoping for Moscow 08 or Minsk! Wow I didn't know Minsk was the capital of Belarus, I totally in a Phoebe way want to go there. Everyone vote Dmitry! (Or Tel Aviv, merely cos it would give me the excuse I need to finally go!)

Ey ya goobah maaaeeee

This is so last week, but Lily Allen has re-recorded Smile in Simlish - the language used in the sims. The video is very funny and I love how she is (unintentionally?) singing it with a french accent!

Part 3 in an occasional series

This is my new favourite reader comment:

On  Emma Bunton - Life In Mono:

from: Roger ,Griffin Georgia USA
This reviewer obviously could care less about good music. Ms. Karinski you most certainly have no idea what the album is even about. Your lack of musical knowledge is amazing. You missed the FACT that this album is Emma's crowning glory as a pop legend. There are not many pop singers in this life that keep away from violent lyrics or sexual references in their songs. I doubt there is even 1 album in your home that doesn't refer to a sex act or to an act of violence!

Dragon Card

You might think they are cool, but essentially all music "journalists" are a bit geeky. And in London there's something about the tube that brings out the geek in most of us. So, if you're trying to promote your new band to a bunch of journalists (or bloggers) then the guaranteed way to get them all writing about them the next day is to hand out these:

Non-Londoners - this is a little wallet in which you keep your oyster card. It normally looks something like this. And it's the most amazing piece of pop promo ever - labels take note! One person got it out of their goody bag last night and the rest of us literally ran to make sure we got one. Brilliant.

I've been playing Dragonette for a while at clubnights (they played Rockstarz back in November) but last night was their big proper launch. Unfortunatly they seem to be releasing "I Get Around" - a song I don't think is that hot as their debut single, but I think the label are taking a slow burn approach on this one? Check their myspace to hear the single as well as the awesome Competition and Take It Like A Man (which sounds a bit like Keane "Is It Any Wonder". No? Just me.)

A Treat

So y'know how I love Billie and all... well on Friday I went to the 2nd press night of "Treats" - her West End stage debut. The play is a short three-hander on one set that centres around Ann and her boyfriend dilemmas. Does she choose the dull but nice one or the mean, bad one? It was quite short, a little funny and pretty good. The lady herself looked far too thin, and BT man looked hot (I seem to have developed a thing for ginger men in the last 2 months), but apart from the man in front of me with too big a head, I mainly couldn't concentrate because of the really disturbing likenesses Laurence Fox shared with James Sutton (John Paul in Hollyoaks). It was really, really intense - everything from the way he looked to the exact way he let his mouth hang open was exactly the same.

Your Love Alone is Not Enough

Everything has started going a little odd recently. For starters, it's just the start of March but London is acting like it's summertime. I walked to work today without a coat, didn't take a coat out with me on Saturday night and more importantly the first real summery song landed in my inbox. It also happened to be the week I was asked to name my current favourite song for our work newsletter - this would be a great opportunity to tell 60 or so pretty influential people when it comes to music about an amazing new band they'd perhaps never heard about - but instead I chose that great new summery thing - the new Manics single.

I could never have imagined tipping a Manics single to be honest. I remember being rather irritated when "If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next" held that week's favourite song "Outside" by George Michael off the #1 shift (yeah I was a chart geek already in 1998). The first time I actually thought they were good was "So Why So Sad" (a song I think most Manics fans hate), and obviously now I've heard most of their singles and don't only like pop music, their greatest hits collection is pretty good.

Anyway I digress.. ignoring a free mp3 single, the first song to be taken from the new Manics album "Send Away The Tigers" is the gloriously titled "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough", a duet with Nina Persson of The Cardigans, set to be released on April 30th. Now, The Cardigans hold pride of place as the first "indie" band I ever liked ("Gran Turismo" remains one of my favourite albums) and it's hard to not like anything Nina puts her sweet yet pained voice on. Confident and typically anthemic "Your Love Is Not Alone" makes the first rays of spring sunlight into the evenings and rollicks along at an uptempo shoulder shuffling manner. Looking forward to the video lots.

The NME Awards

I was neither at nor did I see the TV broadcast of this year's NME Awards this week. If you want a commentary though gaypop was. However I've only just heard the much touted Beth Ditto and Jarvis Cocker duet covering Heaven 17's "Temptation". So just in case you haven't here it is:



It's nowhere near perfect, but I'd love to hear a properly recorded version of this. Incidentally you should try to check out the original demo of the Heaven 17 version which they released on their re-issued greatest hits last year. It's quite different and pretty spectacular.