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Music Review and Interview with Odette

Odette are a dance-pop duo consisting of siblings Ashlie and Keith Burgun. Keith composes and arranges the music while Ashlie writes the lyrics and sings. Their music is very much inspired by the sound of 80’s pop, and you can hear the influence of early Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and more modern 80’s-inspired acts like La Roux and Gwen Stefani, as well as Charlie XCX who is currently storming the charts with a similar sound.

What at first sounds like a pure piece of 80’s pop is actually more intriguing upon repeated listening. The song manages to be highly catchy and memorable despite having no discernible chorus, due to the main vocal melody of the verse being so strong. The other unusual aspect is, where Charli XCX’s lyrics are basic and bordering on childish, the lyrics to Oranges are mysterious and richly poetic in their imagery.

Whilst musically it conjures up the 80’s electronic sound with expertise, it would hard to imagine many pop stars from that era singing lyrics like ‘Blood pours out from your sides when you are speaking from your mind…”. This quirky aspect is important, as it stops it from becoming a mere 80’s pastiche (which some current stars are guilty of) and breathes new life into an old sound, giving it a modern twist.

Overall, this is a refreshing and infectious piece of leftfield pop, very well composed and produced with some intricate synth programming. Ashlie’s vocals and lyrics are both distinctive and original, the enigmatic words sung to such a catchy tune gradually reeling the listener in. It certainly has an addictive quality like all great pop, just don’t ask me what the song is about! The world needs more quirky pop groups like Odette, long may they reign.

By Alex Faulkner

I’m 34 and a freelance music journalist, as well as a composer and producer. I’ve written reviews for UK newspapers and music websites. I run my own blog, reviewing the best new bands and artists . I’m very passionate and knowledgeable about music and that shows in my writing.

Exclusive Interview:

Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up? 

We heard about Exposed Vocals on twitter. Seemed like a good way to tell our tale.

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

Our parents were both artistic and musical and actually had their own band in the 70’s. They were definitely a big influence on both of us. We have been doing little sing along talent shows for our friends and family since we were little and have had several rock bands but we also love pop music. We’re also very influenced by Anime, Japanese pop and video game music so we thought it would be fun to use that inspiration as well.

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

When I (Ashlie) was little I was obsessed with the Toei Animation version of swan lake that we had on VHS. It was a dub and pretty terrible, but I loved it! So that was the starting point and I’ve continued to try to incorporate other elements from my childhood inspirations.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

 Music is a form of communication, so getting your message to others is more important than getting paid. We both agree that musician and artists in general have to be more creative and diverse when it comes to marketing your band and getting seen/heard. Times are tough and everyone is trying hard to make ends meet, but when the end goal is making money instead of creating art, it’s going to show in your art.

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

I think knowing your audience is really important. Our last band Honey, covered a lot of anime and video game themes, so when we’d play shows at bars and typical venues, we wouldn’t always get the best response. After realizing that, we looked for more unconventional venues to play at like Conventions. You may not have big crowds for your early shows but you know at least that the few people who come to see you will get what you are doing.

Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?

It’s so true what they say- it’s always better to just go with the mistake and try not to let it show. I find that it’s very beneficial to get videos of your live performances. Even if it’s just on a friends phone, just so you can study it and see if you are doing anything awkward.

Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?

With Odette we plan to have more of a web presence than a live one and will focus on having rad music videos (coming soon!)

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

 Our influences range a lot from people like Japanese songwriter Nakata, to the pop influences we grew up with like Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Gwen Stefani. Ghost Lord says that he always starts with a strong melody. For lyrics, I sometimes have a clear idea in mind from the start which is usually harder to make work, but sometimes I just let the song dictate the theme and play around until something fits.

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

Yes! Our main site ishttp://www.odetteworld.com and that covers everything we do, from our music and web-comic to our news and merch items. We use a lot of other sites too like soundcloud, twitter and facebook.

Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?

Oh man…I’m totally NOT embarrassed but we both totally still love the Spice Girls and always will.

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

Probably pay off a bunch of debt and then go to Japan and BUY EVERYTHING. Maybe Ghost Lord could buy a new human head!

Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?

We do the best we can with what we have in our little make shift studio. We purchase or try to make what we find we can’t live without as we go.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

A combination of using a lot of different websites and in person networking. I think it’s important to be approachable to people. I see a lot of artists seem to think that creating a barrier between them and their fans makes them seem more legit and that’s super lame.

Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?

I think I speak for both myself and Ghost Lord when I say probably ABBA. They are such amazing performers.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about? 

 We will continue to make new tunes and episodes of our web comic and are currently working on our first video for our track “Ceases to Beat”.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

 Well, Ghost Lord is the lead game designer at Dinofarm Games which just released their latest game “Auro”, has written 2 books on game design and does freelance art and music as well as teaching, so he has he plate full. I work full time at an art school and also do alternative modeling, acting, cosplay and have recently joined a little Burlesque dance troop which is the most fun thing ever!

Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?

 Does the “Barbie and the Beat” audio cassette tape that came with the doll count? Ghost Lord says his was “A Night at the Opera”

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

 Again, since we aren’t playing live shows and are focusing on videos and digital music we are able to work at our pace and get things done in the little nooks and crannies of the day. This usually means staying up until odd hours but we are both night owls so it’s okay!

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2015?

 More music, videos and more fun Odette World adventures!

 

Randy Morano

Since 2008, I've been passionately dedicated to fostering unsigned artists through ExposedVocals.com. Over nearly 15 years, my mission has evolved from creating a platform to immersing myself in the world of independent musicians. Beyond showcasing music videos, I delve into undiscovered talent with music reviews, aiming not just to display but to understand, appreciate, and amplify their voices. Additionally, I've had the privilege of interviewing music industry legends, bringing their insights to unsigned artists globally. My overarching goal is to bridge gaps, provide invaluable knowledge, and empower the next generation of musical trailblazers.

→ Randy Morano

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