Shena's Latest Disco Triumph!

The video for the third single from Shena's soon to be released debut album has just hit the internet and it's every bit as brilliant as we've come to expect from the Queen of nu-disco! I thought the fabulousness of "Can't Stop The Rain" and "My Fantasy" would be impossible to top but "Nasty Little Rumour" manages to raise the bar even further. Shena's latest anthem is another incredibly authentic three minute trip to disco heaven but this time around the song incorporates some contemporary elements that extend its appeal far beyond the realm of disco enthusiasts. "Nasty Little Rumour" is the kind of instantly catchy retro kitsch that Girls Aloud or the Sugababes would kill for. Maybe Shena should go into hiding because I wouldn't put anything past Cheryl Cole! Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that unlike the previous singles, I can easily imagine this on commercial radio. "Nasty Little Rumour" is a perfect summer jam with its big, beautiful chorus and infectious beats.

Shena has also delivered another amazing video. There is so much fierceness on display in this clip that it could blind non-gays and less than fabulous females. I just love everything about it. The styling is brilliant - Shena and her backing dancers (I'm pretty sure they are Shena's smoking hot sisters) look phenomenal and I love all the 70s influences. The scene in the hairdressing salon and restaurant are too camp for words and it seems appropriate that the grand finale take place in a nightclub that looks strangely familiar. I think I burned up that East London dancefloor when I was in UK! "Nasty Little Rumour" brings some much needed fun and glamour back into the increasingly dull and pretentious pop scene. I really hope things click for Shena this time because she's too fabulous to remain an underground pop sensation! Her debut album "One Man Woman" is released on the 31st of August, pre-order your copy now.

Shena - The Pop Trash Interview

Shena Winchester is a one woman disco revival machine. Earlier this year the English diva announced her arrival with the stunning "Can't Stop The Rain" and further cements her position as one of 2009's essential pop acts with its equally brilliant follow up. "My Fantasy" is a glittering nu-disco anthem that sounds like it has been dug out of a sequin filled time capsule. The track is so incredibly faithful to the tenements of disco without ever sounding tired or derivative, which is an absolutely massive achievement in my book. I couldn't wait to ask Shena about her influences and upcoming debut album when I interviewed her. Hearing about the evolution of her sound was fascinating but I was just as excited to discover that Shena is the voice behind some of my all time favourite dance tunes - starting with JX's iconic "You Belong To Me" way back in 1995. I hope you enjoy my chat with this fabulous 14 years in the making overnight sensation!

Shena, you seem to have come out of nowhere but I believe you're no stranger to the music scene. I was digging through my collection and found a copy of "Let The Beat Hit Em" from 1997. Are you the same Shena and was that your debut?

Yes that was me back in 1997 with "Let The Beat Hit 'Em". That was my second release as a solo artist but not as a dance diva. The first track I recorded and released commercially in the dance world was "You Belong To Me" by JX.

A young, bald (!) Shena helped turn this into a dance classic

Did you actually record an album to go along with "Let The Beat Hit 'Em"? What was it like being with a big label?

No, I didn’t record an album to go with it unfortunately. I did and didn’t enjoy being with a major label because I felt like I was contracted to them in name only. That was because my label was Virgin Club and not Virgin itself, so I got none of the perks that say The Spice Girls got.

I understand you've also been a session singer for some of the biggest names in soul. Who has benefited from your amazing vocals?

The late James Brown, the late Luther Vandross, Joss Stone, Ronan Keating, Heather Small, Amy Winehouse, Patti Labelle, Inner City, Errol Brown, Lisa Stanfield and Angie Stone. These are as many of the big soul artists as I can think of at this moment, but there are plenty of others from many different musical genres that I lent my vocals to.

You've also featured on some of the biggest dance tracks of recent years including Michael Gray's "The Weekend" and Junior Jack's "Dare Me". Was not being credited on such big hits frustrating? Did it spur you on to record your own album?

Absolutely, because as much as I love dance music I have always felt faceless within it. Hence after years of trying to contain that frustration, my husband and I decided that enough was enough and "One man woman" my forthcoming album was born.

It must be great to finally be calling the shots. Did you have an idea of how you wanted "One Man Woman" to sound before you started recording or did it just evolve?

Calling the shots feels very nice indeed. Also no, I had no idea how I wanted the album to sound except that I wanted to create something that I myself would buy as well as a lot of other people of course! Initially we had great songs but were unsure of direction, but when James and I analysed what our strengths were and through some very helpful advice from a ‘tastemaker’ friend we decided to reinvent it into a nu-disco album. It’s hard to break a new act with a sound that is different to the mainstream, but the feedback we are getting is phenomenal, so we’re now convinced that we made the right decision.

Which writers and producers have you worked with?

Too many to mention but the list includes the Freemasons, Alex Gaudino, Michael Gray, Full Intention, Starchaser, Warren Clarke, 7th Heaven, Bimbo Jones, Fraser Smith, Richard Cottle and James Winchester who produced the entire album except for one song, co-wrote it with me and also happens to be my manager and hubby.

"My Fantasy" is such a glorious slice of disco. Have you always been a fan of the genre? What are your favourite disco anthems?

I have always been a fan of the genre and because I was born in the 70’s I never got a chance to really appreciate it the first time round so I am more than making up for it this time. Regarding my favourite disco anthems that would have to be, "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer, "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind and Fire and "Blame It On The Boogie" by Michael Jackson.

Shena's scorching hot sisters!

The video clip is amazing. I want that disco ball outfit! Is it true that your sisters are the sexy backing singers in the video?

Thank you and yes the three gorgeous ladies who star as my backing singers in the video clip are all my sisters…Nobody believes me when I tell them that!

You've said that Whitney Houston is your ultimate role model. Are you looking forward to her comeback in September?

Oh yes, yes and yes, but she had better be good and not have lost that beautiful gift that she was blessed with or I don’t know if I will be able to forgive her. It’s not nice to see or hear your idol in a bad state, so I’m hoping to be inspired all over again like I was when she first arrived on the scene.

Congratulations on delivering one of the best songs of 2009. I wish you every success with the album!

Thank you so much!

"My Fantasy" is released in the UK on the 29th of June. You can pre-order Shena's debut album "One Man Woman" from HMV and Amazon. Make sure you add her as a friend on Myspace and check out her website.

Pop Panel - Week 5

I'm so excited about this week's Pop Panel. The results were the closest they have ever been (less than one point separates the top three) and the winner was a total shock. It's a great song (for a change) but this is still a massive upset given the stiff competition it faced from some of the year's most hyped tracks. Apart from a surprise winner, we also have an extraordinarily fierce guest judge - the leading lady of Pop Trash, CC Martini! Australia's Queen of Pip Pop is currently doing her thing in the States but kindly took some time out to answer a couple of questions before getting stuck into voting. Here's what she had to say:

Hey CC, what have you been up to in the US?

Cooking and eating. Playing softball and getting lovin'. The simple life!

Any music news?

I am regrouping and getting ready for phase two. I've been seeing lots of bands and just getting into being a punter and also listening to lots of different stuff. I'm getting inspired. I went to see No Doubt in San Diego and I also checked out a local friend Oona who is about to blow up here check out her Myspace.

Last and least, D'Luv from Chart Rigger is on the Panel. He memorably claimed to have fucked you in McDonalds' playland. True or false?

Ha ha. Ummm, I errr, don't remember.

Classy. Thanks again for taking part!

In addition to the lovely CC, the rest of the Panel is comprised of the same riff raff as last week:

D'Luv (US) writer of Chart Rigger
Mike author of this classy blog.
Pablo (Spain) writer of Peibols
Paul (UK) writer of Fizzy Pop
Rob (UK) writer of Don't Stop The Pop
The Prophet (AUS) writer of The Prophet

As usual the songs are listed from least to most popular. Let me know what you think of the outcome! Oh and check out CC's legendary jam "Double Dutch" if you haven't already. I never tire of this modern masterpiece!

Hannah – Keeping Score (Video)

Estonia’s most glamorous pop star delivers her debut UK single.

CC: Oh dear. This is absolutely terrible! This kind of music makes me leave nightclubs early. I'm sure that Estonia has much more to offer than Hannah. -1/5
D'Luv: This is okay. A lot of these dance broads blend together, but there's some heart to this one at least. 3/5
Mike: I think everyone has been a bit mean to Hannah. "Keeping Score" doesn't reinvent the wheel but it's a sweet piece of pop fluff. I approve. 3.5/5
Pablo: If you close your eyes hard enough... it's like September. But half the quality. 2/5
Paul: I know you hate her Mike, but if this was a Rachel Stevens comeback single, it would be massively hyped by the blogs and then peak at number 10 on the UK charts. I do think this has a chorus that SAW would be proud of but other than that it doesn't really stand out for me. 2.5/5
Rob: Are we judging the Bimbo Jones Remix or the original single mix? If it's the former then it gets my backing. A nice start for Hannah but she'll need a massive chorus for her second single. If she wants to compete with the likes of Lady GaGa and Agnes Carlsson she'll have to dig deep and blow us away. I am waiting for the big epic part but it fails to give me what I want. As such it only verges on something amazing. 3/5
The Prophet: Oh God who is this, she's horrible! She looks like a skinnier version of Michelle McManus! And why do all Bimbo Jones remixes sound exactly the same?? EPIC FAIL! 0/5
Total: 13/35

Sidney Samson - Riverside (Video)

The Dutch DJ recently scored a very unexpected top 10 hit in Australia with this dance anthem.

CC: I dig this. Great video too. 4/5
D'Luv: Wow, the bar's really been set low for dance anthems. 2/5
Mike: I'm guessing the majority of the panel hasn't seen the inside of a nightclub since the 90s. This is a sizzling slice of rhythmic techno. The beats are killer and I love the naughty hook. 4/5
Pablo: Erm... excuse me? 0/5
Paul: Fucking hell. Talking about dragging the depths of pop depravity. Riverside motherfucker indeed. I kept waiting for it to start in a don't bore us get to the chorus type moment. My fucking ears are bleeding. What tripe. 0/5
Rob: Fucking tragic. Too stupid for words. Why is this even in here? 1/5
The Prophet: I've never heard this before but it's pretty cool. 3/5
Total: 14/35

JLS - Beat Again (Video)

The debut single from last year's X Factor rejects.

CC: Ha ha ha. I laughed at the cliche of this boy band pop song but then it grew on me. By the end of this song I loved it. It's cheezy. It cheers me up. I can't stop singing the chorus. I love it! "I need love CPR!" Ha ha ha, did he really say that? so cheeeezy. It's perfect. 5/5
D'Luv: This follows the perfect boy band formula—minimal melody but one brief, catchy hook tucked away in the chorus (in this case, the "won't beat again, it's killing me" bit). I'd dock it a point for so blatantly ripping off Kardinal Offishall's "Dangerous," but...what a great song to cop from! 4/5
Mike: If you threw every boyband cliche into a blender and sprinkled in some of the worst lyrics ever written, you would end up with something very similar to "Beat Again". It's abysmal but there is a so bad it's funny thing going on. 2/5
Pablo: This is one of the reasons why miss fabulous, glamorous, lovely Cheryl Cole didn't made them winners. 1/5
Paul: Oh Marvin can beat me off again anytime. It sort of sounds like a Chris Brown comeback single (though thank god it isn't with that title!) and it's certainly going for the edgy pop meets electro tag. However, underneath that blustering bravado is a very simple song, with a catchy hook performed by the real winners of last years X Factor. And it's ultimately quite cheap and quite charming. 4.5/5
Rob: Incredibly unoriginal. American boybands have been doing this sort of stuff the past 10 years. Hell, British boybands been and gone have already covered this ground (Blue/Another Level). X Factor showed off their vocals and this simply autotunes their distinct vocal qualities to white noise. Simply shit. Oh, and next time spend more than £1.50 on your video. 1.5/5
The Prophet: This would've been good like 15 years ago! They remind me of a black BSB, and I mean that in a bad way. 0/5
Total: 18/35

Frankmusik - Confusion Girl (Video)

Forget Frank. Holly Valance stars in the video!

CC: Oh dear. Any song that starts off with "I know we've had our ups and downs, at times I would look like the clown..." Yeah that's one of those songs you write and then throw in the rubbish when you play it to yourself again when you're sober and realise it's absolute crap. And who put Holly Valance in that god awful purple dress? It's fugly! She is hot but not even she can save this song or the video. 1/5
D'Luv: Classic pop in every way. I'm not totally aboard the Vincent Frank bandwagon, but this has me thinking about taking a test ride. 4.5/5
Mike: Frankmusik? More like Fuckinshitmusik. And who's Vincent kidding by "dating" Holly? They're clearly the Will & Grace of electropop! 2/5
Pablo: A song that could be for "I have my period but feeling kinda happy". The chorus reminds me of some other song, but I can't remember which one. 3/5
Paul: He's very hyped isn't he? I do quite like this song, but I'm not exactly mad over it. For me, he doesn't really live up to the hype and this has done little to change my mind. Holly's best acting since she unfeasibly turned up as Michael's mail order russian bride on Prison Break though. 3/5
Rob: Absolutely awful video. Billie got there with this a decade ago. Song is pretty sweet. 5ive would consider this as a b-side. 3/5
The Prophet: I only watched this originally for Queen Holly (bow down and show respect!) but now I'm obsessed with Frankmusik and this song! It's been on repeat for me. 4.5/5
Total: 21/35

MPHO - Box N Locks

This hugely hyped diva's debut samples the 80s classic "Echo Beach".

CC: Fantastic looking video. I am all about colourful clips. What's with the brown bangs and the black pony tail though? Great styling. Cute song but kinda boring and forgettable. She's very hot and I think she will be around for a while if she gets some stronger songs. I like the sample. It's a cool jam. 3.5/5
D'Luv: I went to take a piss while this was playing, and when I came back, it was unfortunately still going. 1/5
Mike: This isn't so much a debut single as a declaration of intent. It's a bit clumsy at times but I love the sample and the message behind her lyrics. 3.5/5
Pablo: It's like trying to be a bad girl, sounding pop but wanting to be R'n'B. Quite catchy. 3/5
Paul: I've seen this on popjustice a lot but never really bothered to check it out. I've missed out really because it is a lot better than I thought. Slightly punky, breakneck speed chorus with a catchy hook. It does remind me of someone, but i can't think who. Utterly decent overall though, specially the hand claps in the middle 8! 3.5/5
Rob: Terrible lyrics. Boring music. Trying too hard to fit into that "pop is cool" category. Absolutely fails though. 2.5/5
The Prophet: I did a feature on MPHO the other week on my blog! I love her, the lyrics scream a little "Look at me I'm an individual!" but I understand she needs to do that for the first single. I think she's great! 4.5/5
Total: 21.5/35

Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling (Video)

The BEP’s latest single was produced by acclaimed French DJ David Guetta.

CC: I was really looking forward to this song. I love the Peas. They are one of my favourite groups. I love them. I can't believe they used a vocoda. They sound like some fucking overproduced RnB band. Boo. Taboo is so sexy and looks hot in this video. For that he gets a point. And fergie rocks, her singing verse is the highlight of this song. This just sounds like a Daft Punk remix. What's the saying I'm looking for here? I like your old stuff better than your new stuff. 2/5
D'Luv: I'm no fan of the Peas, but I'm man enough to set my preconceived notions aside when an artist I don't have a taste for comes up with a decent pop single. "I Gotta Feeling" grabbed my ear the first time I heard it on the radio. That said, "I Gotta Feeling" is almost too gimmicky, and will surely be played to death from here to Guam this summer. 3/5
Mike: This captures that great feeling of expectation before a big night out. It's the musical equivalent of every great Saturday night you've ever had rolled into one. "I Gotta Feeling" is THE party anthem of 2009. 5/5
Pablo: Simply perfection! I totally hate Fergie, I can't stand will.i.am... but this song (and the complete album) is perfect. This song gets much better with the party video. 5/5
Paul: Ridiculously I had a moment this week where I sort of liked their "Boom Boom Pow" single, but mercifully that has passed. And mercifully David Guetta has injected some decent pop magic into this tune. What a relief because I still find them quite annoying and odious. If I was already dancing to "Love Takes Over" and this came on, I wouldn't walk off the dance floor. 3/5
Rob: This sounds like a brilliant eastern European dance record that the types of DJ Bobo would cover and make a smash hit in Switzerland. In other words, very good indeed. 4/5
The Prophet: I love the Peas and this is a hot song but "Boom Boom Pow" is much better. I think this is a little too radio friendly and pop. 3.5/5
Total: 25.5/35

Dan Black - Symphonies (Video)

Dan's debut single borrows elements from "Umbrella" & Biggie's "Hypnotize".

CC: Beautiful, cute song. I love it. Indie simplicity. 5/5
D'Luv: "Symphonies" seems like the type of song Robbie Williams wishes he was still young and interesting enough to make. Luckily, Dan Black's delivery here is more charming than anything Robbie's vomitted up over the past 10 years. 3/5
Mike: Extraordinary from beginning to end. I love the strings, I love the eclectic influences and most of all, I admire Dan's ability to pull everything together to come up with something new. Simple and beautiful. 5/5
Pablo: An epic begining for a song that includes hocus pocus in its lyrics. Bad sign! I like the violins but the song is weird. "Umbrella", ballad and almost a rap. I don't get it. 2/5
Paul: Oh my i love this tune, which is quite surprising considering "Umbrella" just passed me by. I just really like the lyrics and it just grooves along at it's own pace. Very summery and I find Dan's voice quite delicious. Tres bon. 4/5
Rob: Amazing. I love anything that has a slight reference to Star Trek. This is what Darren Hayes has always tried to achieve. Symphonies is in that box marked "probably best songs of 2009". Absolutely inspiring. 5/5
The Prophet: Biggies "Hypnotize" and Rihanna's "Umbrella" are two of the greatest songs ever. Don't sample them so heavily if you can't do it justice. I'd rather just listen to the originals. 2/5
Total: 26/35

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

Shena - My Fantasy

Disco never dies!

CC: Mmm disco music. Never really been my thing. There's nothing really wrong with this song, it's just that this stuff all sounds the same to me. Great soulful voice but I have to deduct points for this just not being my fave genre even though that's a little unfair. 2/5
D'Luv: You can sorta tell Shena probably gives wicked-awesome head. 3/5
Mike: The thing I love most about "My Fantasy" is the fact that it's authentic disco (ie. with real instruments) not some tragic modern day interpretation. Shena could be the cult diva of 2009. 4/5
Pablo: Totally like! Nothing new about this sound, heard it all before, but it's always good to get up and dance. 4.75/5
Paul: Ooh this is bloody ace. It reminds me of that Sheena Easton album of disco covers from a few years back. This is drenched in the super sounds of disco and sounds so familiar that you swear you have heard it before. This is possibly the best song that i have discovered through the pop panel suggestions. Aces. 4.5/5
Rob: Disco arouses me to the core. I think she can do better though. 4/5
The Prophet: Fabulous! Love the 70's disco vibe. This is so good! 4/5
Total: 26.25/35