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11 to watch in 2007



Who are they? BEYOND
What do they sound like? Imagine Steps, buffed up with some Liberty X cool and dipped in some irresistible pop beats that sparkle brightly from start to finish…
Why I like them? well, we haven't had a decent boy-girl combo for ages (then typically two come along at once) and Beyond are suitably stylish, have no fear about telling you about their drunken nights out (and therefore will end up all over the pages of 3am in true popstar style) and even go to photoshoots when they are possibly dying from flu. That's star quality right there!
Key tracks – A little bit of ooh; just don't have the heart


. Who are they? BILLIAM
What do they sound like? Take That circa Everybody Changes period. Quality polished pop tunes with killer choruses and an injection of pure glee that makes the songs a lot of fun…
Why I like them? well for starters, Jazz is from Birmingham and I have to support the local boys. Plus they clearly have a love of all things pop if you read their bio, so they are doing this music because they love it, not just to get them famous. There's no irony. PS – check out their videos on myspace, girls (and gays presumably) already adore them... plus i'm pretty sure i saw them in the december issue of AXM...
Key tracks – Check It Out; Beautiful Ones

. Who are they? BLISS
What do they sound like? Now that Jadion and co have got their hands on them, they have amped up the funk factor and now the adorable Bliss girls sound like they are itching to step into the shoes of Sugababes and Girls Aloud, with saucy, sassy tunes.
Why I like them? Because they ARE saucy and sassy. They have just the right amount of flirtaciousness, coquettishness, sex appeal and girl next door smarts. Plus you just know they would whip the disco boys at G-A-Y into a frenzy! Plus we are a little in love with Iced Entertainment...
Key tracks – Take Me Home Tonight; something I can't mention yet ;)
. Who is he? CONOR
What does he sound like? If George Michael were having an affair with William Young and Stock, Aitken and Waterman delivered the baby, while Darren Hayes cut the umbilical chord, then Conor would be that baby. Only with a more charming Irish brogue…
Why I like him? All his songs have a deliciously, sunny 80s pop vibe to them, without sounding like he is mining that period. He looks like a jolly nice and fairly trendy chap in his photos. He can pull off popstar hair even with a visor on – trust me, not an easy thing to do! He's one of a number of male popstars embracing the frankly, ridiculously sexy shirt and tie gone casual look :)
Key tracks – Play With You; Club 55

Who is he? Simon Curtis
What does he sound like? A little bit like Darren Hayes mixed with a Britney beat, sprinkled with a whipped topping of the Scissor Sisters and yet nothing like you've heard before. Certainly a heady mix of disco, pop, satire and life lessons...
Why I like him? Um, because he may well be the best pop find of 2007. Because there is not one dud song I have heard from him yet, even demos he recorded when ill. Because his album is going to be a corker. And because he is a thoroughly nice fella...
Key tracks - Broken; Put Your Make Up On
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Who are they? DIGITAL
What do they sound like? A great big lesbian orgy of music from Girls Aloud and Sugababes, only with penises. So, Phixx, but more exciting and up to date. It's all electro clash beats, swirling synths, too cool vocals and something that just makes you want to thrust your groin. In a good, non pervy way.
Why do I like them? Well, because for ages I have felt we need a male Girls Aloud. And they deliver that in spades. They make slightly ridiculous song titles like San Frandisco into something genius. Baz has a rather nifty looking make up stripe under his eye. And they covered Boys and Girls by Blur. Do I really need to go on?!
Key tracks – Boys and Girls; San Frandisco
. Who is he? JUSTIN LANNING
What does he sound like? Can you imagine if Ronan Keating were good? Or Daniel Powter had a bit more of an edge? Or Elton John and Billy Joel were young again and not so weighed down with being famous? That would be Justin Lanning – pure piano-guitar pop at it's sing-a-long finest…
Why do I like him? Because music is his life. And it's a big part of my life. And while Justin gets to sing about it, I get to write about it. And Justin really embraces myspace culture by interacting with his fans, producing regular blogs giving his unique perspective on life, but isn't too serious that he can't do cheesy but aces photos like above and blog while drunk on his 21st birthday. Now that's our kinda boy!
Key tracks – Voices; Without You
. Who are they? LOCKDOWN
What do they sound like? The other boy-girl combo on our list, but both different enough to stand out and be unique. Basically, this funky foursome have dry humped pop into submission, deconstructed it and built it again as a pulsating mix of cover versions (Poison? Genius!), original dance tracks and tender ballads. It's almost a greatest hits package waiting to happen…
Why I like them? Well, not only did they very generously do a funky photoshop Christmas card (exhibiting web skills far beyond my own), but they are a talented bunch who have an active fan community and during their recent group makeover have got a pretty nifty style thing going on (I am so stealing Chris' look in this pic for my new years eve outfit if he'll tell me where he got that scarf!).
Key tracks – Poison; When You Look At Me
. Who is he? GAVIN MIKHAIL
What does he sound like? Like an American idol winner, if they were good and given great songs to sing. Its power pop piano with uplifting lyrics, catchy choruses, anthemic sing-a-longs and a too lovely voice that powers it all from start to finish. Shayne Ward should only have been so lucky to have tracks like this…
Why I like him? He's remarkably unpretentious. He loves family life as much as he loves singing, doesn't seem to realise how "popstar" his look actually is and has written tunes that can touch you so personally you would swear he was peaking into your diary, hidden underneath your socks so no one else can see it :)
Key tracks – Catch Your Fall; Brave
. Who are they? PACIFIC AVENUE
What do they sound like? If you could take the best elements from your favourite boybands – the heartbreaking ballads, the reality tv shows, the dance routines, the uptempo numbers, the adoring fans, then you begin to have some idea of just how special Pacific Avenue really are.
Why do I like them? What's not to like? A web based reality tv show that gives unique insight into their build up to fame and fortune; the pop star hair; the tunes that fulfil the promise, the active fan forum they participate in and their own photographer in the form of azzy who took the remarkable snap above. Love it!
Key Tracks – Autograph; Don't Look Back
. Who are they? SWITCH-22
What do they sound like? If you were lounging in the sun on a hot summers day and someone threw ice water on you, that's how bracing and exhilarating the tunes of Switch-22 are. Creative, inventive, thrusting, pounding, urgent, sexy and unforgettable.
Why do I like them? Because they are the self proclaimed super heroes of pop and quite rightly so. They sample 20th century fox in their tunes. They have stomachs you could grate cheese on. They are friends with Jean. When we're bored, we idly wonder what a threesome would be like with them and know they wouldn't mind us wondering one little bit. But mainly because they are super nice super hero guys ;)
Key tracks – Back To The Dancefloor; Sweet Dreaming

Posted by Paul 21:59  

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