Oregon Music News

This week, Australia’s queen of post-trip hop is coming to town, and she’s bringing Mexican cherub Ximena Sarinana and Danish siren Oh Land with her. Can you imagine anything better on a Tuesday night?

There’s a solid reason why Adelaide born Sia is headlining. She’s collaborated with Beck, Christina Aguilera, provided vocals for Zero 7 on their first three albums, and contributed backing vocals on “Carol Brown” and “You Don’t Have to Be a Prostitute” for Flight of the Concords’ second album, I Told You I Was Freaky. She was also a guest vocalist on Fatboy Slim and David Byrne’s song “Never So Big” from the concept album Here Lies Love (about the life of the former First Lady of the Philippines). In addition, Sia has been signed to such labels as Dance Pool, Go! Beat Records, Astralwerks, Hear/StarCon, and Monkey Puzzle. Now that’s enough to make anyone stand up and pay attention.

Listen to a sampling of Sia, especially on the stand out “Clap Your Hands”:

On June 18, 2010, Sia released her fifth studio album, We Are Born–a quirky, melancholic yet bubbly good time. “You’ve Changed” peaked at No. 31 on the ARIA Singles Chart, and it was played in the television show The Vampire Diaries, while “I’m in Here” (piano vocal version) was used in Gossip Girl. She received six nominations at the ARIA Music Awards of 2010 and won Best Independent Release and Best Pop Release for We Are Born. Sean Lynch of Web Wombat said that “Sia’s ability to nail the quiet build towards an explosion of strings is astounding.” Most who have heard Sia sing would flat out agree.

Opening up for Sia is Ximena Sari√±ana (he-MEN-a sa-rin-YAH-na). The 25 year-old singer, songwriter and keyboardist was selected as VH1′s You Oughta Know artist this month and just released her self-titled US debut album on August 2nd. Recorded in Los Angeles with Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Bird and the Bee), Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Natalia Lafourcade, it is already receiving critical praise. SPIN called the album “smart, sophisticated, and surprising pop,” while TimeOut New York declared it “a flurry of stellar chops and inspiring songcraft,” continuing, “if you prefer your rock-goddesses-in-waiting with a touch of sass and a heap of honesty, you won’t find much better.” Marie Claire called Ximena’s first single “Different” (below) “an effervescent theme song for sane women in a crazy world.” Think of Shakira pre-Wyclef Jean and “Hips Don’t Lie,” and you won’t be far off.

Those of you new to Ximena, here’s a quick run down: After fronting a successful indie band in her native Mexico, Ximena released her Spanish-language solo debut Mediocre in 2008. The album debuted at #1 in Mexico and scored two Latin Grammy nods and a US Grammy Award nomination, as well as the Best New Artist win at the Latin MTV Awards. Rolling Stone called the album “one of the strongest debuts from a female singer-songwriter since Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me” and gave it four stars.

And then there is Oh Land, who was born Nanna √òland Fabricius in Copenhagen, Denmark to an organist father and an opera singer mother. Her self-titled second album, distributed in the US by Epic Record this past March, is a brilliant experiment in poppy, danceable music accompanied by a voice so subtly cute that it makes a grown woman want to go out and buy a pink lace nighty and dance under the twinkling stars. Oh Land is a necessary listen to lovers of Emiliana Torrini, Mirah, Goldfrapp, and the like.

Watch “White Nights” below to see for yourself plus see some photos from last time she was in town, sharing the Roseland Peter’s Room stage with Francis and the Lights during the Soul’d Out Music Festival.

Don’t miss three of the world’s most playful, glamorous, riveting female singer/songwriters when they come to the Wonder Ballroom this Tuesday August 16, 2011. All ages, show starts at 8pm, $20 advance, $22 day of show.