Born This Way - Pall Oskar

In keeping with my Mardi Gras theme, today's subject is the reigning queen of the European gay pop scene. If Iceland's Pall Oskar were any more out of the closet, he'd be in outer space! Loud, outspoken and extremely camp - Pall has been winning fans around the world since first coming to fame as a Eurovision contestant in 1997. He might have only placed 20th in his heat but his outrageous performance (accompanied by a group of PVC clad sluts) left a lasting impression. Over the past decade, Pall has become a national hero in Iceland and a familiar face at Pride events across Europe.

As much as I enjoy Pall's latest album (check out this camp delight!), I find the language barrier too overwhelming. I'm sure I'd appreciate the music a lot more if I had some idea what he was singing about. I guess that's the reason why I'm still so enamoured by Pall's 1999 English language debut, "Deep Inside". The album is a brash portrait of gay life, from the bitter ( the touching "No One To Love") to the sweet. My favourite cut is the bright and shiny pop explosion, "Born This Way". This strikes me as the ultimate Mardi Gras anthem - an unapologetic declaration of self-acceptance. Be warned, this tune is gayer than Kylie and Dannii rollerskating past a Streisand concert!

If you think "Born This Way" is the pinnacle of fabulousness, check out Pall's amazing Dionne Warwick drag act (below)! I was stunned by the physical transformation and the uncanny performance. I'm completely mesmerised by his faithful rendition of "I Say A Little Prayer". I hope Pall brings out an entire album of swinging Bacharach & David covers. Check out Pall's Myspace for more information and order his music from here. Mardi Gras really needs to import this fabulous fag for next year's event!