Focus Kelly and the Kellygirls

Article by Severine

Summer is coming to an end and maybe you're feeling a bit down... Instead of watching you fall into a depressed state listening to some Radiohead or Placebo, we have found the perfect album to lift your mood: We Love You, But Not As Much As We Love Ourselves by Kelly and the Kellygirls. The music is energetic, the lyrics are amusing and sarcastic, and Kelly's low and deep voice is the perfect fit. Do you like something a bit different, theatrical and burlesque? If so, why not check out Kelly and the Kellygirls' album! We got in contact with Kelly, the lead singer of the band, to talk about the coming album and the recent gigs they have done throughout the UK and Canada.

The interview

Hi Kelly, how are you today?

That's a tough one actually as the last three weeks have been challenging. Ten years ago I had a herniated disc in my back from an injury and three weeks ago it flared up, rendering me paralysed for six days. I had to cancel two shows, but thankfully the Prairies' shows that we've just returned from were brilliant. I wore a back brace on stage throughout the whole tour and I'm now doing better. That was a long answer wasn't it?

How did Kelly and the Kellygirls start?

The demise of my previous band left me with two situations that I didn't want in my life again: a good idea imploding due to differences in opinion and guitars turned up to eleven. I pulled together four musician friends in response to that.

How would you describe your music?

A need for me to get certain things out of myself whether joyous, angry, sad or heartfelt. The music moves everywhere stylistically...the new songs are very Latin-influenced.

Your lyrics are amusing, sexy, sarcastic and definitely burlesque. Where do you get your inspiration from when you are writing a song?

It's just imagination really. Catherine Deneuve And The Deus Ex Machina for example - I wanted to write a song about her or for her for quite some time and sat on it for several months with nothing really coming to me. Then some terrible incident happened in World News and I thought to myself that she's the only one with enough class to save us all. The song came right away.

You also have a strong interest in photography, fashion and theatre. Are there any specific influences from these on your music?

They all live together in me really. I don't separate them at all. I'm very theatrical in my presentation on stage in the Kellygirls, take all of my own promo shots and make most of my costumes - so there's all three at once...

How exciting was it to tour Canada and the UK?

Touring is tough work for me. I'm sure it is for a lot of musicians, so I really need to 'rev' myself up to do it. We've gone across Canada a few times now and it's becoming comfortably familiar. The UK was mind-blowing really. I can't wait to get back there soon.

What are the ideas behind such creative video clips like "Ferris Wheel" and "Catherine Deneuve And The Deus Ex Machina"?

Catherine Deneuve... is a literal homage to her films, seven of my favourites. Ferris Wheel was totally on the fly, from which I think some of the most honest, brilliant work usually comes... I turned to the girls (Michaela and Sarah) in between gigs in the UK and said "Let's shoot something on the Brighton Peer because I think it's beautiful"...and there you go.

How's the third album going?

Brilliantly, thankfully. A few months back I wouldn't have given the same answer, I didn't think that there'd be a third Kelly and the Kellygirls album, but the pieces are falling into place and I'm terribly excited about it. I think it's going to surprise a lot of people.