festival prep
Leading ladies: The 5 female acts heating up the Fun Fun Fun Fest stage
A lot of fierce femmes are scheduled to take the stage this weekend at Fun Fun Fun Fest, shaking up the would-be boys club for the crowd. We break down the stand out artists and their best tracks below. Get to know their personas, take a listen and pencil them into your musical program.
Icona Pop
Friday: 1:50 p.m. Blue Stage
These Swedish girls sit front row at New York Fashion Week and look like models themselves, which might be a big part of their appeal. They first made their way onto the music scene by DJing around London — and having fun with it. They'll dance, they'll play along and they won't be above having a good time on stage even though they're pretty.
Icona Pop - "I Love It"
Class Actress
Sunday: 3:45 p.m. Blue Stage
Elizabeth Harper's lustful electro-pop is born from singer-songwriter roots. Eight years ago, you'd see her strumming a guitar, but now she performs the dance music she says she always wanted to make. Though this genre of music is typically targeted to a younger audience, you pick up on an older, more mature vibe behind Class Actress. She sings soft, slow and deliberately, meaning you can actually understand the words. She calls Class Actress "emo" and says cities like Paris, Mexico City, L.A. and Miami "really grasp the music." The question is, can Austin?
Class Actress - "Weekend"
Santigold
Friday: 7:40 p.m. Orange Stage
Santi White calls her songs "like journey entries" and "deeply personal." In interviews she's well-spoken and a legitimate adult. On stage, she serves as the master of ceremonies for the Santigold experience, which is one that is backed by dancers, costumes, a full band and her deep, straightforward voice. She doesn't sell sex, she sells confidence. She's someone the rest of this all-girl gang should look towards.
Santigold - "Disparate Youth"
Charli XCX
editor's note: pending cancellation
Brit raver Charli XCX has got the pout and indie-fashion of Lykke Li, the voice of Leona Lewis, and the shoes of Robyn. Real name Charlotte Aitchison, she calls her debut album dark, magical, gothic, pop music — but she's only 19, so she admittedly loves the Spice Girls. Another twist: Aitchison writes for other acts, including the aforementioned Icona Pop. In that respect, she's well beyond her pop peers.
Charli XCX - "Stay Away"
Kreayshawn
Saturday: 4 p.m. Blue Stage
You can't make this shit up. You love her or hate her. Natassia Zolot is a young, spitfire white-girl rapper who isn't talking taking herself seriously at all. Says GQ, Snoop Dogg anointed her "the missing link between the white girls who all love rap music and all the dudes who rap." She's been criticized for bringing hype-men on stage who drown her voice out, but she if she brings as much personality to her performance that she does, well, everywhere else, it'll be a set worth checking out.
Kreayshawn - "Gucci Gucci"