The 2011 Anti-ARIAs

Nominees for the 2011 ARIA Awards were announced today and the recipients leave a lot to be desired. All the usual suspects got nods - Kasey Chambers and John Farnham - as well as the current indie-darlings/flavours of the month like Kimbra and Boy & Bear. In a nutshell, it's same old, boring shit. The golden rule obviously still applies. If you're playlisted on JJJ and sell no records - you're in. If you had a hit and enjoy an international following then fuck off. While the prospect of watching personality free-zones like Gotye collect a bunch of awards is truly harrowing, I've decided to blunt the pain by pointing out where the committee went wrong. No doubt some of these choices will get love next year but in the meantime here are 2011 Anti-ARIA nominations:

Album of the Year
Boy & Bear - Moonfire
Cut Copy - Zonoscope
Eskimo Joe - Ghosts of the Past
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Rrakala
Grinderman - 2

This is a particularly dire category. Does the title of Grinderman's album stand for the number of copies sold? And Eskimo Joe. Really? Why not include Thirsty Merc for that added dose of credibility. While I can take or leave Boy & Bear, Cut Copy's album was worth a listen. To be honest, I haven't got around to hearing "Rrakala" but I like the singles - so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. However, the following masterpieces really should have been amongst it:

Get 'Em Girls - Jessica Mauboy
J. Malley's edgy hip-hop opus was clearly better than your faves.

Gilgamesh - Gypsy & The Cat
Dreamy and beautiful electro-pop that didn't try too hard.

Zoë - Zoë Badwi
Australia's Queen of dance delivered the goods on her debut.

From Here To Anywhere - Sneaky Sound System
Another triumph from Miss Connie and that hanger-on.

Coast To Coast - Cody Simpson
While I'm still getting over the omission of "iYiYi", this is clearly the musical event of the year.

Single of the Year
Birds of Tokyo - Wild at Heart
Boy & Bear - Feeding Line
Drapht - Rapunzel
Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)
Guy Sebastian - Who's That Girl (feat. Eve)
The Jezabels - Dark Storm

Yep, more boring shit in this category. While it would have been ridiculous to ignore Gotye and Guy's chart-topping quadruple platinum smashes, nobody gives a fuck about Drapht's hot mess or that cure for insomnia by Boy & Bear. I like The Jezabels but "Dark Storm" is just noise. The annoying thing is that there were so many gems to choose from including:

Freefallin' - Zoë Badwi
She even made dancing in a sewer with a bunch of battered gays look sexy in the video. Winning.

Rock It - Little Red
Soft, melodic and just generally good.

Titanium - David Guetta feat. Sia
Unavoidable and all-conquering.

Inescapable - Jessica Mauboy
After murdering our eardrums and burning our retinas with her "Get 'Em Girls" song and video, Jess came good on this Diane Warren-penned gem.

Big - Sneaky Sound System
Epic would have been a better title.

iYiYi - Cody Simpson
The highlight of Flo Rida's career.

Endless Summer - The Jezabels
This band is seriously awesome when they throw in a chorus.

Why'd You Have To Kiss Me So Hard - Laura Imbruglia
My girl crush continues to thrive in obscurity.

Something About You - Nick Jay Feat. Melissa Tkautz
It's been 20 years since E Street and Mel is still as relevant as the day she started in music.

Jona Vark - Gypsy & Cat
Killer track that is currently burning up the charts in Germany.

Play With Me - Chloe Lattanzi
Olivia must be so proud.

Even Though I'm A Woman - Lover Seeker Keeper
A Sarah Blasko song that doesn't suck. Rejoice!

Loud - Stan Walker
Taio Cruz could never.

Jungle - Emma Louise
Flawless electro-tinged indie-pop from Australia's next big thing.

Next 2 U - Gina G
A #197 smash on the iTunes (dance/electronic) chart proves that the 90s icon still has what it takes.

China - Sparkadia
Hauntingly beautiful.

Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) - Kylie
The old girl still has it.

Settle Down - Kimbra
The closest thing to a good song on the overrated diva's debut.

Own This Club - Marvin Priest
Smart, commercial urban-pop that people actually downloaded and enjoyed.

Gathu Mawula - Gurrumul & Blue King Brown
This should be our new national anthem.

Best Male Artist
Drapht - The Life of Riley
Gareth Liddiard - Strange Tourist
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Rrakala
Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)
Josh Pyke - No One Wants a Lover

What a pack of losers! I don't even know where to start with this collection of has-beens and never-weres. Gotye gets a pass and Gurrumul is actually talented but scrap the rest and choose from the following pop-pioneers:

Stan Walker
Anyone about to embark on a tour of RSL clubs with Jessica Mauboy deserves to be recognised in this category.

Guy Sebastian
"Who's That Girl" going four times platinum and getting US airplay should have been enough for a nod.

Cody Simpson
The omission of Australia's King of pop from this category is like overlooking Adele at next year's Grammy awards. Unforgivable!

Best Female Artist
Adalita - Adalita
Clare Bowditch - Are You Ready Yet?
Kasey Chambers - Little Bird
Kimbra - Cameo Lover
Washington - Holy Moses

What a bunch of tired, old bitches and over-hyped pretenders! They all belong on the scrap-heap. Try one of these luscious ladies instead:

Zoë Badwi
A living legend. Nuff said.

Vanessa Amorosi
While "Gossip" is possibly the worst song of 2011, bad music sometimes happens to good people. "Amazing" shows that Ness Ness is back on track and it goes without saying that she could outsing any of these tricks with a mouth of food and laryngitis.

Jessica Mauboy
Who else in this country consistently has top 10 hits?

Laura Imbruglia
My glorious lover is due for a win some time before 2025.

Chloe Lattanzi
The face. That voice. Those tits. One day this goddess will be rewarded with more ARIAs than she can carry.

Kylie Minogue
You know for her stunning top 60 smash hits "Better Than Today" and "Put Your Hands Up".

Best Group
Birds of Tokyo - Wild at Heart
Boy & Bear - Moonfire
Eskimo Joe - Ghosts of the Past
Grinderman - 2
The Living End - The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating

Just cut and paste what I wrote about the best album nominations. With one exception. I'm stoked that The Living End got a nod. I love them and hope they win. Which they won't but still. Here are five bands that were sorely overlooked. Without commentary because it's late and I can't be bothered.

Lover Seeker Keeper
Parralox
Potbelleez
Bang Raiders
Sparkadia

Breakthrough Artist - Single
Boy & Bear - Feeding Line
Drapht - Rapunzel
Havana Brown - We Run The Night
The Jezabels - Dark Storm
Zoe Badwi - Freefallin'

This category is kind of fun. I applaud the voters for recognising the brilliance of Ms Badwi and for supporting an old tranny like Havana. Unfortunately, the rest of the entries are crap. Any of these breakthrough hits would have been preferable:

Elen Levon - Naughty
Australia's new teen queen is making serious waves with her awesome debut single.

Chloe Lattanzi - Play With Me
Did your fave snort cocaine and repeatedly kill herself in her critically acclaimed (by me) music video?

Prinnie - Lion
The best Beyoncé rip off of 2011.

Jenna Dwyer - Fight Like A Girl
A wrestler turned electro-pop diva mentored by Mandy Kane. Do I need to say more?

Kimbra - Settle Down
Well, this actually did lead to bigger and better things so she deserves it.

Most Popular International Artist
Adele
Chris Brown
Jennifer Lopez
Jessie J
Ke$ha
Lady Gaga
LMFAO
P!nk
Pitbull
Rihanna

These hacks were actually voted in by members of the Australian public. I'm flabbergasted and ashamed. With the exception of Ke$ha, this list sucks harder than Kim K in that Ray J video. These music legends were all robbed:

Beyoncé
Oh Land
La Toya Jackson
Kelly Rowland
Justin Bieber
Soraya Arnelas
Selena Gomez
Shontelle
Victoria Justice
Luciana
Kan Mi Youn
Nicole Scherzinger
Foster The People
Kate Ryan
Courtney Stodden
Khia
Lady Antebellum
Victoria S
Miley Cyrus

Watch in awe as the girl formerly known as Hannah Montana improves Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". Are you embarrassed for not voting for her yet?

Zoë Badwi - Album Review

Zoë Badwi's album has been out for a while now but as Sirens' biggest (and possibly only) fan, I feel it's my duty to preach the virtues of this wondrous listening experience to anyone who will listen. There's another reason why this project is close to my heart. A long time ago in galaxy far, far away I did some work for Neon Records and one of my first tasks was putting together digital promos for Zoë's early club hits like "Don't Wan'cha", which didn't make the album, and "In The Moment", which did. Since then I've followed the blond bombshell's career closely and know how much hard work has gone into this extremely impressive album. Here is my track by track review:

Freefallin'

Zoë's irresistible commercial breakthrough needs no introduction. Co-written by legendary three-hit wonder Amy Pearson, the uplifting dance anthem rocketed into the national top 10 and ruled the airwaves for months. Everything about this is perfect, from the uplifting lyrics to Denzal Park's perky production. It was always going to be hard to duplicate the magic but a couple of tunes come close.

Until You're Over Me

I love DNA. The songwriters behind Marvin Priest's "Own This Club" - among other hits - team up with the omnipresent Amy Pearson to create another epic floorfiller. This is being bandied about as the album's next single but I'm not convinced it's the right choice. "Until You're Over Me" is lovely (and I've always had a soft spot for bittersweet dance music) but it's a bit too soft and pretty for commercial radio.

Release Me

This fucking song could survive a nuclear war. Three years after it was released, I still hear "Release Me" every time I go out. And that's the way I like it. The TV Rock-produced anthem is insidiously catchy and easy to sing along to while inebriated making it a true Oxford street classic.

Carry Me Home

Zoë's cover of Sarah Connor's "Carry Me Home" is the kind of classy, mid-tempo electronica that rarely gets made in this country. The song's thoughtful dance overhaul works a treat and it has a rich, dreamy quality that sets it apart from the usual club fare. I still don't get the video but you can't have everything.

Accidents Happen

Time to come clean. I never liked this clumsy pop tune and only pretended to be mildly enthusiastic to avoid offending anyone. Sorry!

Never Let You Go

I swear Amy Pearson's butterfingers are all over this album. The British sex symbol has songwriting credits on 8 of the 12 tracks. Unfortunately, this is easily her worst contribution. "Never Let You Go" isn't awful. It's just kind of there. The lyrics are generic and Zoë inexplicably sounds like Alison Goldfrapp with a head cold. Only slightly better than "Accidents Happen".

Reckless

After a couple of underwhelming cuts, the album bounces back on track with this killer anthem. Another DNA production, "Reckless" is furiously upbeat and extremely catchy. I love the chorus and sentiment of the lyrics. This sounds radio ready and should be a strong contender for the LP's next single.

One Step Behind

This is great too! I love the spacey production - courtesy of Grant Smillie and Nordean - and the quirky sound palette. It's thematically odd but I'm twisted so I kind of like that. From what I can tell "One Step Behind" is a darkly romantic stalker anthem. Play this loud the next time you're having a Single White Female moment!

In The Moment (Denzal Park Edit)

I love "In The Moment" but the original trance-tastic version is infinitely superior. Download that from iTunes instead and brace yourself for the magic of this fabulous 90s flashback.

Believe You

Zoë Badwi tackling a pared-back ballad is like hearing Barbra Streisand experiment with death metal. Somewhat disconcerting. It took me a couple of listens to wrap my head around this startling development but ultimately "Believe You" is as satisfying as a freshly cooked cheesy nugget. Exquisite!

Relapse

And the award for my favourite song on the album goes to "Relapse". If Nicki French covered ABBA the resulting masterpiece would struggle to be as camp as this piping hot mess. On an album heavy with sleek floorfillers, this poptastic gem stands out like a sore thumb. In a good way. This would be my choice for the next single. It's big, dumb fun that gets stuck in your head after one listen. I'm obsessed.

The Other Side

Happily, "Zoë" ends on a high note. "The Other Side" covers similar lyrical ground to "Freefallin'" - it's about moving forward with your life - but it has a distinctly darker edge. I like the brooding production and understated chorus. This is further proof of Zoë's growing versatility and depth as an artist.

8/10

Zoë Badwi - Album Sampler

Sorry for the lack of updates but I've been locked in a dark room listening to "4" on repeat. In fact, the only new music to break through my Beyoncé-trance in the past few days came from Australia's leading lady of dance. On Friday Zoë Badwi released a preview of her soon-to-be-released debut album "Zoë" and it's all killer no filler. The six song sampler contains the club smash "Release Me", her commercial breakthrough "Freefallin'", its misguided but hugely enjoyable follow-up "Accidents Happen" and the downright delicious Sarah Connor cover "Carry Me Home" (below) as well as two new tracks. They are both great but "Until You're Over Me" is a complete knock out. Penned by failed pop star Amy Pearson, who also flexed her considerable songwriting muscle on "Freefallin'", the song is a total smash. I love the dreamy synths and bittersweet chorus. It reminds me of Sophie Ellis-Bextor - only without the annoying accent. Fingers crossed this is Zoë's next single! The other new track is called "Believe You" and was written by the cheesy nugget lovin' sex symbol herself. A sparse piano ballad complete with strings and Adele-tastic lyrics, this is a real change of pace for Australia's club queen. I'm not sure how the track will affect the flow of what promises to be an otherwise turbo-charged dance album but it's great to hear Ms Badwi do something different and show off her powerful pipes. Kind of like when Sophie Monk covered "Ave Maria" on her debut. Ok, that's probably not the best comparison! "Zoë" is released on August 5. It goes without saying that I can't fucking wait.

Zoë Badwi's Carry Me Home - video review

I've been meaning to post this for a while now. Zoë's "Carry Me Home" video debuted a couple of weeks ago and I never got around to writing about it. It's no secret that I love the song - it's so soft and pretty - but the video is kind of perplexing. From the preview, I thought it was going to have an old Hollywood theme with the stunning dance diva standing around looking frail and beautiful on a staircase. That would have been enough for me and suited the song perfectly. But someone got a little too creative and gave it an "Eyes Wide Shut" twist. In the video Zoë decides to spice up her life by inviting her man to some kind of high-camp swingers party full of gays that look like they were rounded up outside Arq at 5am on Sunday morning. It's a bit random but fair play. "Carry Me Home" is going great guns in the clubs (up to #6 on this week's chart) and should gather more steam when it's pushed to radio in a couple of weeks. You can download the radio edit from iTunes now. Trust me, it's $1.69 well spent!

Behind the scenes with Zoë Badwi

I love Zoë Badwi more than cold beer and fried chicken. She puts up with my drunk tweets and continues to carve out her own little niche as Australia's first lady of dance. While her last single failed to match the success of past hits like "Release Me" and "Freefallin'", the former Sirens singer should have more luck with "Carry Me Home". It picks up where the aforementioned Amy Pearson penned masterpiece left off - killer chorus, crisp synths and dreamy vocal - but shows off Zoë's softer side. There is a mellowness to this collaboration with TV Rock DJ Grant Smillie that will no doubt help the track crossover from nightclubs to commercial radio. You can dance to this or hum along to it while doing the ironing! "Carry Me Home" is quite possibly Ms Badwi's finest moment and the video is shaping up to be equally triumphant. As far as I can tell she just walks around a house looking glamorous but at least there is no bondage-dancing in train stations or weird special effects that don't really make sense. Zoë is keeping things classy this time around and I love the old Hollywood aesthetic. Check out a behind the scenes preview below and download the song from iTunes now.

Accidents Happen + 10 Reasons Why Zoë Badwi Is Better Than Your Faves

Six months ago - has it really been that long? - Zoë Badwi unleashed "Freefallin'" on unsuspecting homosexuals across Australia and landed herself one of the biggest homegrown pop hits of the year. The song reached the top 10, went platinum and was picked up by Altantic Records in America. Which means there's a lot riding on the follow up. Lesser divas would have buckled under the pressure but Zoë delivers another knock out punch with "Accidents Happen". I admit it took me a couple of listens to get into but now the damn thing is stuck in my head and I'm getting RSI from repeatedly pressing replay on my iPod. The track, another collaboration with TV Rock, sounds like something Reina released in 1998 - which is possibly the highest compliment I have ever paid on this blog! "Accidents Happen" is cute, fun and should hopefully follow (the slightly superior) "Freefallin'" to the top of the charts. And if you still have doubts about this sublime songbird - sit down, read the following list and get correct!

10 Reasons Why Zoë Slays Your Faves:

1. Zoë was a founding member of iconic Australian girlband Sirens.

2. As such she bum-danced with Sara Marie on the trashiest novelty hit of the noughties. Respect.

3. One of my first music related jobs involved putting together a digital promo of her top 10 club smash "In The Moment".

4. Which - kind of - makes her my homegirl.

5. She tweets about Red Rooster's cheesy nuggets ie. the best fast food EVER!

6. I still hear "Release Me" every time I hit Oxford Street.

7. Her platinum selling mega-hit "Freefallin'" saved Amy Pearson (who co-wrote it) from a life of poverty and/or crime.

8. That song was 2010's ultimate 'pick yourself up, dust yourself off' anthem.

9. I suspect "Accidents Happen" is really about unreliable birth control.

10. Zoë teams a fluffy pink baby doll blouse with leather hotpants in the video - without looking like a cross between Baby Jane and a lesbian trucker.

Watch in awe as Australia's new queen of dance (sorry, Suzy Ray!) shows the other bitches how it's done.

Zoë Badwi Rocks Hey Hey, Closes In On Top 10!

Zoë Badwi's "Freefallin'" juggernaut shows no signs of slowing down. The song has already been a club smash for Australia's leading dance diva and recently nudged its way into the national top 20 after a steady chart climb. I thought the Amy Pearson penned anthem might have peaked at number 16 last week but a stunning performance on Hey Hey It's Saturday has pushed "Freefallin'" into the iTunes top 10 (currently sitting pretty at #6) and landed Zoë her first Gold accreditation for sales exceeding 35,000 copies. Amazing and well deserved! Unfortunately, I was too busy getting drunk on Saturday night to catch the entire performance but a kind soul has finally uploaded it to YouTube. The former face of Sirens kicks of the show with the old dancers under the dress trick. It's not exactly new but I can't think of anyone who has pulled it off with this much verve and glamour since Kylie's Fever tour. Things then get a bit sexy with Zoë's dirty dancers and a delicious strut towards the camera. I love her outfit and she sounds great. The only thing that could have possibly made this any better is a surprise cameo from Amy doing her amazing "Butterfingers" dance routine! Australia has been put on notice.

Zoë Badwi On Freefallin', Sirens & Global Domination

Zoë Badwi is one of the leading ladies of Pop Trash. I've written about her stint as one third of Australia's most tragic best girlband, waxed lyrical about "Release Me" several times, ranted about her being snubbed at the ARIAs and interviewed her in the past. But that was before Zoë's commercial breakthrough. Last week "Freefallin'" debuted at #38 on the ARIA singles chart and should shoot much higher this week if the song's top 20 position on iTunes is any indication. What an amazing achievement for an underground club queen on a niche dance label! The Neon team has been working towards this for two years - honing the diva's sound with a series of club releases, while she built a loyal following by performing in every nightclub in Australia. I'm so excited all the hard work has finally paid off and couldn't wait to catch up with Zoë for another chat.

Hey Zoë! Since the last time we spoke you've gone from being Australia's underground club queen to a veritable chart force. How does it feel to finally see your own name on the ARIA countdown? I know you've been there before as one third of Australia's best girlband.
It's amazing!!! I'm loving it!!!

Speaking of Sirens, "Freefallin'" is a return to the band's pure pop sound after a few years releasing less commercial club tracks. Was it a conscious decision to move back to your roots?
Hahaha you do love Sirens! Those days were fun. No, it wasn't a conscious decision. It kinda just went that way. I don't think "Freefallin'" is as commercial as my Sirens days. It still has quite a dance element to it and it's a little bit nasty with sweeter vocals on it.

"Freefallin'" is so easy to identify with. Is the song's universal theme the main reason for its breakout success?
Yeah, I think it does have that appeal where you can relate it to any aspect of your life. Lord knows there are so many times when you just have to let go of a situation and see what else the world has to offer.

Denzal Park produced the track and I believe Amy Pearson wrote the lyrics. How did that collaboration come together?
The Denzal boys produced the track and sent the bed of music around to a few of us. We all wrote on it but Amy's was the stand out. It's an awesome song. It's the first time Amy has written a song that someone else has sang and it's also the first time I have sung a song I have not written. Amy and I have had writing sessions since with some great outcomes. Plus we get on like a house on fire!!

Sorry but I have to ask - why are you being assaulted by a ruthless band of seedy homosexuals in the video?
Hahahahaha actually only one of the guys is. So the other 2 guys enjoyed grabbing the girls hahaha.

The song was another #1 club hit for you. How do you explain your popularity among drug fucked clubbers?
Haha ummm I dunno if you can say they are all drugged up but I guess it's the big strong beats that get a dance floor moving. I like beats that have a little bit of a dirty edge to them and I think that's what clubbers like too.

Apart from taking over Australia , I hear that you have signed a deal with Atlantic records in America. How did that come about?
Yes I have. They fell in love with "Freefallin'" and signed it on the spot. I have just been over in LA and NYC but it was actually to perform "Release Me" as well as "Freefallin'". I'm feeling very lucky indeed.

Things are also starting to happen for you in the UK with "Release Me" being re-released. No offence but aren't you a little sick of hearing and singing it yet?
HA!! Never!! It's like the gift that keeps on giving! I can image singing that on my death bed hahaha.

Now there's an image! I'm a huge fan of "In The Moment" and think it could have been massive with a bit of a touch up and a video clip. Would you consider re-releasing it instead?
I love "In The Moment" also. I think that's a great feeling song. Sure!! If that has some legs overseas I'll release it for shiz!! The UK really picked "Release Me". It wasn't something we put to them. The owner of the record company went to Ministry of Sound in London and said when they played "Release M"e, it blew the roof off the place. Plus BBC Radio 1 had been playing it for nearly 2 months so there was a demand for it.

In our last chat you talked about the album and said it would have an eclectic mix of sounds. A year has passed since then. Is it pretty much the same collection of songs or have you been constantly playing around with the tracklist?
I have been writing away for my album in between touring. So there is lots more to come. You will have to wait and see my friend. I am looking at releasing it half way through 2011.

Are there going to be any covers on the album? I could offer some suggestions...
No covers are planned yet. Haha are you suggesting a Sirens cover???

Maybe! All of a sudden there are quite a few Australian singers releasing electronic music - Chris Sorbello, Sarah McLeod and the Minogue sisters among others. How do you differentiate yourself from the competition?
I don't really view it as competition. I think it's healthy for there to be a few of us. We all have our own different sound. I think there is room for us all. Plus Aussie domination helps us all!

You've done hundred of gigs around the world. What is your favourite nightclub?
Oohhhh hard one. I'd have to say Paradise Club in Mykonos. It has no roof and it's right next to the beach. Playing there in the middle of summer is something I will never forget!

When are you going to come to Sydney and do some shows? I'm dying to finally hear "Like Fire Like Rain" live!
Hahaha I will be in Sydney on the 30th of October at the Greenwood, then Live. But sadly for you there is no "like fire like rain" in the set list.

Rude! Lastly the question on everyone's lips - will you be reuniting with Sarah Marie for another Bum Dance?
Hahahahaha has everyone really been asking that?? I saw that the other night on the 20 to 1 worst songs - so I think we may leave that one where it is :)

Zoë Badwi's UK Makeover

Zoë Badwi is on fire at the moment. Her latest single "Freefallin'" is catching fire on radio and currently sits just outside the top 50 on iTunes. This could be the crossover smash Zoë and I everyone has been waiting for since the glory days of Sirens! Impressively, things are also starting to take off for the diva internationally. She's been picked up by Atlantic Records in the US and has a single being serviced to UK radio as I type. And surprisingly, it's not "Freefallin'". Instead, 3 Beat are re-releasing "Release Me". Try saying that after 4 four beers! It's an interesting choice. I first wrote about my love for Zoë's club classic way back in January 2009. The track was a smash in Sydney's gay nightclubs but never really crossed over despite ruling dancefloors for months.

"Release Me" was then released - this is killing me - in the UK in August 2009 and flopped worse than Delta Goodrem in America. A year has passed and the record label are trying their luck again. Only this time the song is credited to TV Rock (who produced it) and Zoë Badwi. I'm not sure why because nobody knows who they are either. Anyway, more exciting is the glamorous new cover (above) and a hot new remix package featuring the likes of Cahill, Pitron & Sanna, Neils Van Gogh and Ryan Riback. 3 Beat were also kind enough to send me the new UK Radio Edit (below) but I'm fucked if I can tell the difference. Regardless, it's a brilliant song and deserves to be massive. Which it could well be given the huge support it's already receiving from Radio 1. Amusingly, "Release Me" will then be re-released in Australia as Zoë's next single so you better get used to it. Fingers crossed they film a proper video this time around. Now pretty girls, raise your hands!

Zoë Badwi - Freefallin'

After a slow start to the year, the Australian pop scene has caught fire with a bunch of hot new tracks on the way from some of our favourite divas. I'll be featuring all of those lovely ladies over the next couple of weeks but it's going to take something pretty amazing to top the pure pop explosion that is "Freefallin'". As many of you already know, I've been a Zoë Badwi fan since the glory days of Sirens (check out these posts). Solo stardom appeared to be a forgone conclusion when "Release Me" topped the club chart for several months last year but the song never really crossed over despite the fact that I still hear it 3 times a night when I go out. Her follow up singles were a bit hit ("In The Moment") and miss ("Don't Wan'cha") but she has finally struck gold with "Freefallin'".

Penned by Australia's favourite exiled pop star and produced by Denzal Park (of "Filter Freak" fame), the track gently nudges Zoë out of her dance music comfort zone into the radio friendly world of pure pop. You can tell Amy Pearson had her fabulous butterfingers all over this. The lyrics are relentlessly upbeat and the chorus is an absolute monster. I'm so into Amy at the moment. I think her amazing scrapped album should be carved up among Australia's struggling pop divas as a merciful act of charity but I digress. "Freefallin'" is utterly irresistible and I hope it's a massive smash. The song is already available to download on iTunes and the video debuted today. It's a simple affair with Zoë being handcuffed by gay dancers in a flooded sewer (happens to me all the time) but she looks pretty and it's good to know that studded jackets are making a comeback. Check it out below.