ARTIST - Kimbra
FROM – Hamilton, New Zealand
LINE-UP – Kimbra
FORMED – Born 1990
WHY SHOULD I CARE?
Well the chances are, you already do –
one way or another. You see, Kimbra is the guest female vocalist on the
surprise hit of the year and musical marmite Somebody That I Used To Know by
Gotye. Intrigued as I was by her brief performance I thought I would look in to
what else the latest in a long line of antipodean sirens had produced. I was
disappointed with what I found because although what she has produced is
outstanding, edgy and quirky pop of the highest order, there just isn’t very
much of it. With a vocal range that Nina Simone would be proud of, a sense of
pop that only the real stars have and lyrics to die for, it is only a matter of
time before Kimbra starts storming the charts without having to piggy-back on
another musician’s relationship breakdown. If your knowledge of New Zealand
music is Flight of the Conchords and Crowded House then you should probably
check Kimbra out for starters and see what can happen when pop music is created
by people who haven’t won a talent show or sung for the approval of Emperor Cowell.
FIRST PORT OF CALL
There is an album out (Vow) but I would
suggest you head in the direction of downloading the Settle Down E.P. as soon as
possible. This features four pop gems in the unrequited love story of a proto
Stepford Wife (Settle Down), the motown-meets-electro romp of Cameo Lover, the
spooky and kooky Good Intent and finally the erratically rhythmic pulse and
vocal gymnastics of Limbo – a song that is almost impossible to dance to but
equally impossible to listen to without moving. Odd but brilliant.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Although she didn’t come via the talent show route, Kimbra
did sing at the Waikato Times Gold Cup race meeting in 2000, aged 10. Maybe Simon
Cowell should check that place out.