Edward Maya Hits Australia

The Romanian theme continues today with news that the nation's biggest pop star - yes, even more successful than Inna! - is gearing up for his Australian debut. Edward Maya is a phenomenon in Europe. When I was there in July his tunes were unavoidable and I brought back a bunch of his singles from France. To put it in perspective, "Stereo Love" was a top 10 hit in 16 countries and has since racked up 70 million views on YouTube. It's somewhat surprising then that he's going with the follow up in Australia. Not that it matters. "This Is My Life" stays pretty true to the "Stereo Love" formula. Vika Jigulina (love that name!) returns for vocal duties and the Balearic beats are back bigger than ever. It's a pretty irresistible combination and I can't wait to hear it blasting from the radio over summer. Fingers crossed Maya mania reaches Australia! My only complaint is the hideous new cover (above). What's wrong with the original? I do, however, appreciate the new video (below). It's a lot classier and Ed looks kinda hot in that leather jacket. All we need now are some local remixes and a physical single. Let me dream!

The Curious Case Of Fake Inna

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Inna's new UK single and lamented that Australia appeared to have given up on her. Well, Romania's favourite daughter can breathe a sigh of relief. Central Station Records have just confirmed that Inna will indeed be releasing "Amazing" in Australia. The thing is an impostor appears to have beaten her to it! In the pop scandal of 2010 (it's been a slow year), some slut has covered "Amazing" and released it on iTunes under the name Inna Marie. The nerve! To rub salt into the diva's wounds, fake Inna has somehow managed to scrape into the top 200! It seems Australia is so desperate for the Queen of Romanian clubs' new anthem that we're willing to settle for second best. In the name of research (and because I love the shameless cover art) I downloaded fake Inna's version and it's a line by line remake - only with vocals that make the real deal sound like Barbra Streisand and a backing track that sounds like it was put together on my old commodore 64. Fake Inna needs to turn her talents to covering lesser divas like Delta and Cheryl Cole. I could use new and improved versions of their records but leave my Romanian princess alone! The original version of "Amazing" is released next week as part of Central Station's Wild Summer 2011 compilation. In the meantime, have another look at the stunning video. So much talent!

Inna's Latest Triumph

I love Inna. Her knack for releasing cheap and cheerful dance tunes with inane lyrics is unparalleled, while her apparent inability to wear clothing never fails to impress me. I just wish she had more success in this country. The Romanian diva's debut single got some airplay but failed to catch on and it appears her record label has thrown in the towel. It's frustrating because "Deja Vu" has summer smash written all over it. Originally released in continental Europe last year, the catchy anthem has been remixed for the UK market. I'm not a huge fan of the 2 and half minute hatchet job doubling as the UK Radio Edit but it does the trick. There's nothing particularly fresh or original about "Deja Vu" but you don't listen to Inna to expand your musical horizons. Instead you get an irritatingly catchy chorus and an onslaught of manic beats that are guaranteed to move your feet. I'm sold! And don't forget the typically high brow video (below). This time Inna prances around a yacht in a selection of sexy swimmers, while a bunch of busty beauties dance like $10 hookers in a seedy club. Romania's greatest export since... O-Zone has done it again! Keep an eye out for her album, which was just released in France and Spain. It will be mine.

Inna Is Amazing

I first wrote about Inna back in February. At that stage the Romanian superstar had already conquered much of Europe with "Hot" but was preparing to unleash her cheap and cheerful brand of Hi-NRG pop upon the UK. And - as expected - the Brits proved defenceless to her charms. In fact, the only nation to turn its back on this stunning talent is Australia. Which is just offensive. Anyway, the diva is gearing up for her second UK single and I actually think it surpasses her previous effort. "Amazing" really does live up to its title. The production is a little less Romanian techno on crystal meth and Inna shows a softer side. I particularly love the guitar sample and pretty chorus. It's a shame then that both of those qualities have been butchered in the UK remix. What the fuck is going on with AATW/3 Beat Blue and two minute radio edits? The original version (below) is so much better. If you're going to overhaul a record to that extent at least keep the best bits! At least the classy video remains relatively intact. Basically, Inna walks around looking sexy in a swimsuit but it suits the anthem's summery vibe perfectly and makes me want to jump on the next plane to Faro (where I think it was filmed). Fingers crossed it's another hit for the Bucharest beauty!