Weekly Round Up: Iggy Azalea, Sia, Lykke Li & Disclosure

I'm totally buggin'! Australia's favourite rap export Iggy Azalea is back rollin' with her homies in her latest clip for Fancy. Iggy plays Cher and feature artist Charli XCX is Tai in this homage to 90's flick Clueless. It's way existential.
I'm super psyched for Iggy's debut album (I've been waiting on it for 11 eager months).
The New Classic is out in exactly ONE MONTH!

 

News from another successful Aussie export (glad the world is finally catching on) Sia has been super busy lately as one of the most sought after songwriters in the biz. Giant names like Rihanna, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears are all in a constant battle for her next big hit. Recent hits you didn't know came from Sia:

Diamonds - Rihanna

Pretty Hurts - Beyoncé

Cannonball - Lea Michele 

Radioactive  - Rita Ora

Aside from the songwriting you can hear Sia exploring new realms of industry. Recently pairing up with Eminem on 'Beautiful Pain' and Angel Haze on 'Battle Cry' she is proving that even genre barriers can't stand in her way. 

A year or two ago Sia commented that she was done with touring. There was the fear that it also meant recording and so a collective breathe was held amongst her fans until yesterday when she released a new song titled 'Chandelier'. It's nice to see her stepping back into the well deserved spotlight after years working behind the scenes. It's been four years since her We Are Born album release.

Apparently during the writing process Chandelier was intended for Rihanna (you can hear subtle Barbadian tones throughout the verses) however when the song was complete Sia decided to keep and record it for herself. The song is a full bodied pop tune about taking risks and going all in even when you're terrified of the consequences as displayed in the line "I'm holding on for dear life".

The song was co-written by Jesse Shatkin and produced by Jesse and Greg Kurstin. Shatkin commented on the songs conception:

"At some point, Greg had to run out, and me and Sia were in his live room with his piano and drum set and just kind of jammed for a second. Greg has a marimba, so I was playing marimba — some weird notes — and Sia was playing the piano. She records everything on her phone, so we just kind of figured out a chord progression together. She sent it to me on a voice note, and I turned it into a track. She already had the melody instinctively while she was writing the chords. We were real excited that she wanted to do this for her record, and then Greg added his production. I was really proud of it... It was one of the first things that I did with her. She's just a phenomenal, mind-blowing talent and I was just so excited about it. And for it to be a single is crazy — a dream come true."

 Check out the audio and lyrics below. There should be an album on the way soon. eeek!


SIA - Chandelier

Party girls don't get hurt
Can't feel anything, when will I learn
I push it down, push it down

I'm the one "for a good time call"
Phone's blowin' up, they're ringin' my doorbell
I feel the love, feel the love

1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink

Throw em back, till I lose count

I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier
I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist
Like it doesn't exist
I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry
I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

And I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down won't open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, 'cause I'm just holding on for tonight
Help me, I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down won't open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, 'cause I'm just holding on for tonight
On for tonight

Sun is up, I'm a mess
Gotta get out now, gotta run from this
Here comes the shame, here comes the shame

1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink
1,2,3 1,2,3 drink

Throw em back till I lose count

I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier
I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist
Like it doesn't exist
I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry
I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

And I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down won't open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, 'cause I'm just holding on for tonight
Help me, I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down won't open my eyes
Keep my glass full until morning light, 'cause I'm just holding on for tonight
On for tonight

Another Beauty from producer Greg Kurstin (producer of Sia's Chandelier) is Love Me Like I'm Not Made of Stone by swedish indie pop icon Lykke Li. Last week Lykke announced her new album will be filled with power ballads about shame, sadness and longing. Perhaps her recent break up was inspiration. One listen of her latest ballad proves her statement. Love Me Like I'm Not Made of Stone is intimate and raw. The video perfectly emulates the lyrics and melody of the track. The simplicity of a single camera rotating around a seemingly broken shell of a person clearly contemplating a recent heart-breaking loss is perfectly on-point.

Lykke Li's album I Never Learn is out on May 6th.

Here’s the track list:
1. I Never Learn
2. No Rest for the Wicked
3. Just Like a Dream
4. Silverline
5. Gunshot
6. Love Me Like I’m Not Made of Stone
7. Never Gonna Love Again
8. Heart of Steel
9. Sleeping Alone


That last song was a bit of a downer so let's end on a happy note. Check out Disclosure's clip for 'F For You' featuring Mary J Blige (she's still got it!). I can't get enough of these guys. Too bad they lost out on a Grammy to Daft Punk this year. These UK newcomers' debut was phenomenal.

Fun clip, fun song. 'nuff said.