All three Mini Viva singles are nominated for the 2010 Popjustice Twenty Quid Music Prize. "Left My Heart In Tokyo", "I Wish" and "One Touch" are all included in the shortlist for the annual Popjustice awards.
Now in its eighth year, the prize rewards the best British single of the last 12 months and is given out on the same night as the Mercury Prize. In order to be included in the shortlist, singles are required to be "literally amazing". This is the first time that an artist/group has been nominated with three songs.
The winner will be decided and announced on September 7 and will receive twenty pounds (cash). Judging takes place in a London pub and judges are selected from readers of Popjustice.com (you can apply here). Here's what happened last year.
The Shortlist:
* ‘One Touch’ by Mini Viva
* ‘Left My Heart In Tokyo’ by Mini Viva
* ‘I Wish’ by Mini Viva
* ‘Once’ by Diana Vickers
* ‘Bad Boys’ by Alexandra Burke
* ‘I Am Not A Robot’ by Marina & The Diamonds
* ‘Kickstarts’ by Example
* ‘Wonderful Life’ by Hurts
* ‘Real Late Starter’ by Nerina Pallot
* ‘Bittersweet’ by Sophie Ellis-Bextor
* ‘I Won’t Kneel’ by Groove Armada
* ‘Never Leave You’ by Tinchy feat Amelle
Mini Viva - One Touch
Written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Carla Marie Williams, Britt Love, Frankee Connolly, Florrie Arnold, Lisa Cowling, Tim Powell. Produced by Brian Higgins & Xenomania.
Mini Viva - I Wish
Written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Owen Parker, Lisa Cowling and Morgan Mackintosh. Produced by Xenomania.
Mini Viva - Left My Heart In Tokyo
Written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Annie Strand, Fred Falke, Carla Marie Williams and Xenomania. Produced by Xenomania.
Previous winners:
2009: Girls Aloud - The Promise
2008: Girls Aloud - Call The Shots
2007: Amy Winehouse - Rehab
2006: Girls Aloud - Biology
2005: Girls Aloud - Wake Me Up
2004: Rachel Stevens - Some Girls
2003: Girls Aloud - No Good Advice
We have received confirmation that three upcoming Mini Viva live appearances have been cancelled: Isle Of Wight Festival (June 11th), Birmingham Pride (May 29th) and the Razzmatazz club in Barcelona (June 5th; cancelled due to "changes in management plans"). No more information is available at this time.
It's not the best news, especially after "One Touch" (unbelievably) failed to reach the Top 100 Singles Chart in the UK, landing at number 124. Fingers crossed for Mini Viva. ♥
» The Chemistry Is Dead: One Touch review
"They have a fantastic posey, pouty video and an outstanding song sung by a cool duo that stand out from the blandness of The Saturdays and Girls Can’t Catch (...). “Hips, lips, fashion, status”, the middle eight, “AW” and the vocodered “takes me over” ad lib near the end are amongst the best bits of an addictive song that will go down in our books as 2010’s lost No.1"
» Totally Dublin: One Touch review
"Pop’s not going to solve any of the world’s problems. And no-one expects pop music to last, it is an art-form that doesn’t strive for longevity; it’s supposed to be transient, of the moment, fleeting and inconsequential - and yet great pop is what tends to get remembered. Mini Viva’s last single tanked at a lowly 73 in the charts, but even if One Touch follows suit and bombs, hearing it in the distant future will doubtless cause a Proustian rush in me that takes me back to the summer of 2010."
» Music-News.com: One Touch review 5/5
"This track is real Girls Aloud material; boppy, catchy, a slightly edgy sound and more than a smattering of 80’s synths. It does take a couple of listens to get into the groove of the track, but persevere and you will be rewarded with an absolute gem of a track. 'One Touch’ really is a pop master piece, and will hopefully see Mini Viva chart once more."
«Laurence Green chats to pop sensations Mini Viva and gets the low-down on their London gig
The venue is London’s hallowed Hammersmith Apollo and I’ve come to see the dynamic pop duo that is Mini Viva. Launched onto the music scene in 2009 with the irresistible Left My Heart In Tokyo, as the opening bars of that very track are met with a chorus of whoops and cheers from the audience, Mini Viva’s Frankee Connolly and Britt Love kick off their four track support slot for Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity in style.
Dressed in black, the two girls exude effortless chic, blasting through the song with an impressive energy. The choreography is slick and immaculately rehearsed; the perfect accompaniment to the crème-de-la-creme of pop music. Next we’re treated to the shimmering, melancholy vibes and dreamy synths of I Wish and the epic balladry of Emotions of Love, a standout track from the girls’ forthcoming debut studio album. Even within such a short set-list, Mini Viva pack in versatility, showcasing that they’re just as skilled at down-tempo numbers as the dancey singles which have led them to chart success.
The highlight of the night comes in the form of new single One Touch. With a delightful refrain of ‘Do you wanna candy, hey baby’, it’s quite simply one of the best pop tracks to come out of the UK this year. Feisty to the max and packed full of attitude and catchy hooks, all wrapped up in the girls’ sultry vocal delivery, it’s mindblowingly good stuff.
Mini Viva spoke to Virgin.com about working with Xenomania, their new single "One Touch" (out now), touring, having their own web show, the Girls Aloud comparison and the pop scene. A few highlights:
Will you be playing many festivals this summer? Mini Viva: Yeah, this year we've got V Festival and the Isle of Wight Festival lined-up. There are so many brilliant artists lined-up and we're really looking forward to playing with them and seeing them.
People that wouldn't normally listen to pop music are changing their minds. Why are people getting back into pop music? MV: I think it is because indie music has died out now a little bit. People want to feel happier. Pop will always make you sing and the hook will be catchy. Pop will never die. There is always whole new pop scenes. At the moment it's the whole electronic scene, with Lady Gaga, Ellie Goulding and La Roux. That’s a really good thing that has happened. It is a bit more chic and cool, but it is still pop, just done a different way.
A big part of making pop cool has been Xenomania, especially with Girls Aloud. How exciting is it working with them? MV: Yeah, we're so privileged to be working with them. To have our singles and album produced all by them is just incredible. People are fighting to work with them and we've got this amazing album coming out in August that we have co-written with them. Yeah!
How does songwriting with Xenomania work? MV: We just get in the studio with them and put melodies over backing tracks. Certain melodies and lyrics get chosen. 'One Touch' is one of the songs we've co-written with Xenomania and that is why we're so happy that is getting released. We want to show people we can write, we're not just having songs written for us. We are talented in that way as well.
That must be daunting for you though? Xenomania are lauded as fantastic songwriters – how nerve-racking is working with them? MV: They make us feel comfortable. I think when we started with them it felt quite a big deal, but you get used to it. They are really good at making you feel like you can do anything. It is such a great opportunity to get your mind going, they are really good for our creativity.
The new single from Xenomania pop duo Mini Viva is now available to download. The digital-only release comes backed with remixes by Wideboys, Christian TV and Tom Neville.
"One Touch" was produced by Brian Higgins/Xenomania and written by Britt Love, Frankee Connolly, Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Carla Marie Williams, Florrie Arnold, Lisa Cowling and Tim Powell.
The single has been receiving heavy praise from Popjustice ("so amazing it will make your head explode"), Digital Spy ("a fool-proof pop stomper"), The Times ("a giddy-making hi-NRG belter"), BBC ("stuffed full of the key ingredients in a good pop song"), among other places.
A fool-proof pop stomper that should return the pair to their rightful place at the top of the charts. 5/5Digital Spy
'One Touch' (...) is so good that we hereby grant all other popstars the rest of the day off to reconsider their options. Top stuff. Popjustice
Xenomania are at the top of their game, providing a shamelessly 1990s, pulsating Hi NRG tapestry. 5/5Last Broadcast
Xenomania’s newest poppets, with a giddy-making hi-NRG belter. Times Online
Mini Viva’s new single ‘One Touch’ is set to be one of the pop highlights of the year. Glasswerk
The song is even more catchy than their previous offerings with some absolutely killer disco hooks. AllGigs.co.uk
So amazing it will make your head explode. (...) It's precisely the sort of thing that makes you slightly less worried about whether this year will or won't see a new Girls Aloud album. Popjustice
This latest single is perhaps their best so far, and carries all the verve and originality that is to be expected of a Xenomania production. Popbitch
It's stuffed full of chuntering synthy goodness, whooshy noises, the occasional robo-harmony (tastefully done, for a change), all the things we have come to recognise as key ingredients in a good pop song. And make no mistake, this IS a good pop song. 4/5BBC Chart Blog
The new Mini Viva single will be available to download from this Sunday, 9th May. You can pre-order "One Touch" now on Play.com, backed with remixes by Wideboys, Christian TV and Tom Neville. Unfortunately the single will not be released on CD, but if you are in the UK make sure you download it from iTunes or such places.
"One Touch" was written by Britt Love, Frankee Connolly, Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Carla Marie Williams, Florrie Arnold, Lisa Cowling and Tim Powell, and it was produced by Brian Higgins & Xenomania.
The single is receiving glowing reviews from all over the place:
The cheeky lyrics are backed by a typically infectious Xenomania production boasting struttable synths, loads of "whooosh!" effects and a chorus as moreish as a bag of Haribo Tangfastics. We may have waited five months for it, but the result is a fool-proof pop stomper that should return the pair to their rightful place at the top of the charts. 5/5Digital Spy
Whilst the rather more famous Xenomania girl group, Girls Aloud, twist the production team’s spacey Eurodance to their quirky, aloof means, Mini Viva make it sound seductive and sexy. It’s no new ground, but Xenomania, led by mastermind Brian Higgins, are at the top of their game, providing a shamelessly 1990s, pulsating Hi NRG tapestry. 5/5Last Broadcast
The lyrics, the filthy filthy lyrics...well they're so rude they should not be listened to be anyone ever. I'm probably breaking several of the BBC's strictest rules by even talking about them. (...) There's that fantastic Calvin Harris-y bassline running through all the verses, that makes up for a LOT. And the chorus is pretty great too, if you can get past the astonishing disgustingness. It's stuffed full of chuntering synthy goodness, whooshy noises, the occasional robo-harmony (tastefully done, for a change), all the things we have come to recognise as key ingredients in a good pop song. And make no mistake, this IS a good pop song. It's just also a very bad pop song. Very bad indeed. Wicked, really. 4/5 BBC Chart Blog
They have given us another slice of unadulterated joy with 'One Touch'. The song is even more catchy than their previous offerings with some absolutely killer disco hooks. The vocals are so studio polished that they actually encapsulate that annoying term 'Bubblegum Pop'. It is a sure-fire song for filling up dance floors and put people in a good mood when they hear it on the radio. Each chorus is a staggering collection of perfect pop beats, rising synths and deadpan vocals that melt together in a nigh on perfect way. AllGigs.co.uk
"One Touch" is the type of pure pop confection that you'd only get from Europe -- everything about it screams glittery discotheque. (...) "One Touch" is geniunely incredible, in every hype-inflating version of the word in the music blogger's handbook. (...) I haven't heard a pop song (in English) that's made me feel this good in quite a while, which is why I credit it for pulling me back down to my grounding loves in the pop music world. Melismatic
Mini Viva’s new single ‘One Touch’ is set to be one of the pop highlights of the year. Glasswerk
Sparkly, sweet and yet bubbly – these words may help describe ‘One Touch’. It’s just pop perfect with a 90′s feel in it which I deffo love. The Beat Review
The ides of Mini Viva is so pleasing, and the execution would only be improved if this song still has its original title, Want A Candy? On one level it's a total ripoff of like ten Girls Aloud tracks (Sexy No No No being one) and it has that 90's house keyboard so au courant right now. But somehow it's just RIGHT. XO'S Middle Eight
Mini Viva performed their new single "One Touch" on TV for the first time on Koko Pop, the new show on Channel 4. The single will be available to download from Sunday, 9th May, and the CD will be out in the shops on Monday, 10th May.
There is a fan-made group on Facebook dedicated to the single. Even if you think that Facebook groups are stupid (and you are right, most of them are), this one is a good way to spread the word. All you have to do is invite your "friends" to join the group so that they will be aware that the best pop single of the year will be released next week. Simple. Join the group.
Music journalist Paul Morley sat down with Mini Viva for an interview and wrote quite an empowering article about Britt & Frankee and Xenomania - read it here.
He also got up to dance to "One Touch". Watch the video above to see the girls teaching him the dance moves to their new single.
"One Touch" has been remixed by Tom Neville, Wideboys and Christian TV. You can now listen to the mixes on Mini Viva's MySpace. The single will be available to download from May 9th, and on May 10th you can buy it in the shops.
Tune into Koko Pop, the new TV show on Channel 4, on May 1st to catch Mini Viva promoting their new single "One Touch".
You can catch up with old episodes of Viva Mini Viva on YouTube (thanks to Vivapedia). And don't forget to tune in every Friday at 4.30 pm to get your weekly fix of Mini Viva on their Ustream channel: http://ustream.tv/vivaminiviva.
Recent reviews of "One Touch":
» The latest single from the sassiest duo around is a bit like Madonna's Vogue re-visited for 2010. In fact, we love it so much that we've already been trying to perfect the girls' moves in this video. Hmmm... perhaps we should have kept that last part to ourselves! 4Music
» This latest single is perhaps their best so far, and carries all the verve and originality that is to be expected of a Xenomania production, along with a nifty video chock-full of the girls’ trademark dance moves. Popbitch
» Their new single ‘One Touch’ is set to be one of the pop highlights of the year, fo sho. (...) Check out the amazing dance moves – you’ll be imitating them in your boudoir and on the dance floor as well as coveting the dee-lish looking cakes. The Sassy Minx
» Just by looking at these two fiery & feisty chicks you can just tell their music is good! They are slowly but surely taking the Pop world by storm. (...) This is Pop music at its finest. The beats are sublime and these girls don’t need to wail over the tune to prove they got the goods. I really love this song and the video is just above and beyond GLAM! Aamyko
The girls are currently on tour with Diversity. Here's a nicely put together backstage video from the tour:
ALEX GARDNER's "I'm Not Mad" debuted in the UK Singles Chart this week at number 44.
As Chart Rigger puts it, "'I'm Not Mad' will go down as another sadly lost gem that was touted in the blogosphere — and one that truly deserved the hype! — but overlooked by the general record-buying/music downloading public".
Someone went through the trouble of transcribing every single word of the articles that were published on the latest issue of the PET SHOP BOYS fanclub magazine Literally:
MIRANDA COOPER is in the latest issue of Red Magazine talking about new singer/songwriter Emeli Sandé. Miranda says: «She's part of an exciting new generation of producers and writers, and I am always hearing great things about her.» Emeli Sandé wrote Chipmunk's "Diamond Rings" and also appears on Wiley's "Never Be Your Woman".
New Xenomania protégée BROOKE X has been finishing her debut album, so it won't be long until there's new music out there. Meanwhile, here's the top 3 Brooke X tweets from the past week:
-- "If I like my record anymore I'd marry it, have lots of song babies together and live happily ever after in the rock and roll hall of fame." -- "Holy shit, we are KILLING this album! I'm on aural pleasure overload!" -- "I've just heard the sound of love, and it's on my goddamn album."
Through some intensive Twitter investigation, Popjustice discovered that there is a GIRLS ALOUD cover of The Go-Go's' "Our Lips Are Sealed" hidden somewhere in the Xenomania vaults.
MINI VIVAtalk about the pressure of working with/for Xenomania:
«There’s always that little bit of pressure because they’re well known for the Girls Aloud stuff and it’s always in the top ten. We just wanna have the same success if you know what I mean. We just wanna do well for them and we want people to love ‘em [the songs] as much as they love Girls Aloud songs.»
"Jump Off" by the BANNED OF ST TRINIAN'S has been remixed and re-recorded by Almighty and J.K. The track has been released as a download, CD-R and is now on the compilation Almighty: Definitive Collection: Volume 8. Listen to clips and buy it here.
Mini Viva begin their tour with the street dance troupe Diversity today.
Britt Love said in an interview that they are going to perform four songs: «We'll do I Left My Heart In Tokyo, I Wish, a song off the album and One Touch. We've changed our style a little but we're still approachable.»
Their new single "One Touch" will be released on May 10th and their debut album is due in the Autumn. Meanwhile, tune in to Viva Mini Viva every Friday between 4.30pm and 5pm to find out the latest news and talk with the girls.
And, if you're like us, you probably haven't stopped playing this yet:
The brand new live and interactive webcast Viva Mini Viva will be launched online tomorrow. You will be able to chat to Mini Viva directly and control what happens throughout the show.
From this Friday, every week at 4:30pm-5pm (GMT) Mini Viva will be live on your computer and you can catch the girls doing all sorts of crazy stuff, ask them anything you want, watch exclusive live performances and get access to competitions.
The show will be broadcasted from their brand new Ustream Channel and you can get involved and join the chat via Facebook and Twitter.
Leave your questions for Mini Viva on their website, MySpace, Facebook or Twitter and vote on which dance move you want the girls to attempt on the show – you can choose from "The Caterpillar", "Head Spin", "The Robot", and "The Moon Walk".
The girls also want your introductions for the show - send in videos of you saying "Hi, my name is (give your name) and you're watching Viva Mini Viva!". Send them to vivaminiviva@live.co.uk
The new Mini Viva single is today's Song Of The Day on Popjustice, which means that we can finally listen to a clip of the studio version.
Head over to Popjustice for an appetizing 59-second clip. Here's what they say about the song:
«We featured a live version of 'One Touch' - at that point known as 'Do You Want A Candy?' - on the Popjustice front page a few weeks ago but it comes more to life in the studio version which, as you will hear below, is so good that we hereby grant all other popstars the rest of the day off to reconsider their options. Top stuff.»
The song formerly known as "Do You Want A Candy" is now called "One Touch". It is the new Mini Viva single, to be released on May 3rd.
"One Touch" will be the third Mini Viva single, after "Left My Heart In Tokyo" and "I Wish" (no, we're not going to pretend it never happened, and yes, we still love it).
It has also been officially announced that Britt & Frankee will go on tour with the street dance troupe Diversity. Full tour dates here.
Mini Viva are working on an "exciting new project" called Viva Mini Viva. No details yet on what exactly it might be, but they are asking for your help:
«We’re working on a really exciting new project, which we’ll tell you all about very soon! Think you’re going to love it, as you guys are going to be in control of what happens! :) Sounds good huh? To get started we want some of you to film yourselves giving an introduction for us – you simply have to say “Hi, I’m (give your name) and you’re watching Viva Mini Viva!”. The vids that are the most fun and imaginative will become part of our project and everyone will get to see them!! So come on get creative and show us what you’ve got! Send the vids to vivaminiviva@live.co.uk
The girls will be performing on the Big Top stage at the Isle of Wight Festival, on Friday, June 11th. Other artists performing on the same night include Suzi Quatro, Juliette Lewis, Marina & the Diamonds and I Blame Coco. The festival takes place at Seaclose Park, Newport, and will run from June 11th to 13th. For more information, visit the Isle of Wight Festival website.
Mini Viva's new single "Do You Want A Candy", which they debuted live at the Jazz Café a couple of weeks ago, is getting good reactions on the web:
-- Tokyo was perky, I Wish was lovely - so thank the pop gods there is a third chance in the offing. It's a tremendous new track they performed at the Jazz Cafe and live it already sounds like a fluffy piece of brilliance, so one can only salivate in anticipation at a magnificent studio production... FizzyPop
-- Mini Viva also charged through next single ‘Do You Want A Candy’, which the world and his wife will tell you sounds like Mel & Kim meets Girls Aloud – because it does. We Are Pop Slags
-- This is exactly what I want to be hearing from Mini Viva. Punchy, fiesty, fun songs. They do wistful well too (love I Wish), but I can't help but think that this suits them more. Even if all the Xenomania "fun" songs are going to Mini Viva now (save "classy & sophisticated" for the Girls), that would be fine with me. sushimuffin
Keep checking the Vivapedia fansite for more up-to-date Mini Viva news (also on Twitter now).
Whatever situation you might be in, here is a list of songs for Valentine's Day, all of them written and produced by Xenomania:
SONGS ABOUT LOVE
Girls Aloud - It's Magic (2005) Key lyric: "With you, only you, I know that I can be myself / Funny how I could find love with you and nobody else"
Sophie Ellis-Bextor - If You Go (2007) Key lyric: "I've got my summer sun, I'll take my love and run, I got you babe"
Pet Shop Boys - Love etc. (2009) Key lyric: "I believe, call me naive, but love is for free"
Natacha Atlas - When I Close My Eyes (feat. Myra Boyle) (2003) Key lyric: "You're shining in my eyes, walking on my ocean, sailing in my skies every time I see you there"
Girls Aloud - Untouchable (2008) Key lyric: "Without any meaning we're just skin and bone, like beautiful robots dancing alone"
SONGS ABOUT LUST
Dannii Minogue - All I Wanna Do (1997) Key lyric: "All I wanna do is touch you"
Vagabond - I've Been Wanting You (2009) Key lyric: "Keep it going baby, you know I don't need no sleep / 'Cos the urge is getting stronger, more of you is what I need"
Girls Aloud - Graffiti My Soul (2004) Key lyric: "Out the bedroom, down the stairs, along the carpet, no one cares / On the table, on to the floor, it's procreation - and nothing more"
Girls Aloud - Watch Me Go (2005) Key lyric: "I wanna feel that funky fever, baby I'm at the door / Got the keys, got the gasoline / Pour it on, I'm ready to blow - ow!"
Girls Aloud - Money (2006) Key lyric: "Getting deep-deep-deep and then I'm gonna... gonna beep your beep-beep and then I'm gonna... jump on that man!"
Girls Aloud - Fling (2007) Key lyric: "Nothing more than a fling, baby, fling, baby / Just a bit of ding-a-ling baby, bling baby / Don't want relationships, so swing, baby"
SONGS FOR BROKEN HEARTS
Alexis Strum Nothing Good About This Goodbye (2003) Key lyric: "Tell me, will you miss me when I'm in your history? / Baby, there ain't nothing good about this goodbye"
Mini Viva - I Wish (2009) Key lyric: "And I go oh-oh no, he could be the one who hits the light inside my soul"
Girls Aloud - Whole Lotta History (2005) Key lyric: "Baby, I miss you, so tell me, is she really that beautiful? / Each time she's kissed you, tell me, is it really that good for you?"
Sugababes - Never Gonna Dance Again (2007) Key lyric: "I lost the rhythm when you said it's over / And as the final record starts to fade / I feel the dancefloor turning colder"
Jessie Malakouti - Standing Up For The Lonely (2009) Key lyric: "I saw the warning signs from the start but I never thought you'd break my heart / I'm standing up for the lonely and the lovers that you left behind"
SONGS FOR MOVING ON
Sugababes - Hole In The Head (2003) Key lyric: "Seven hours since you went away, 11 coffees, Ricky Lake on play / But late at night up when I'm feeling blue, I'd sell my ass before I think of you"
Rachel Stevens - Funny How (2005) Key lyric: "My heart got tired, it's way past three, take these fools away from me"
Frank - Complicated (2006) Key lyric: "Don't, I'm better on my own, just leave me all alone 'cos I feel suffocated"
Mania - DNA (2004) Key lyric: "I'm no maniac, don't want you back, I won't retract - no way"
Saint Etienne - Lightning Strikes Twice (2005) Key lyric: "Everyone should have a reason to believe, so I still believe that lightning could strike twice for me"
Moonbaby - I'm Thru With Love (2000) Key lyric: "Had it up to here, I'll take a running jump if any boy comes near / I'm thru with love, it didn't do much for me"
Mini Viva performed their new single "Do You Want A Candy" last night in London. This is what Popjustice has to say about the song: «You sort of need to hear the studio version to appreciate the greatness but it's precisely the sort of thing that makes you slightly less worried about whether this year will or won't see a new Girls Aloud album.»
Alex Gardner and his guitarist Tommy are on the road on a radio tour. They are going to be on the road until next Monday and going through Manchester, Stockport, Birmingham and Liverpool (stations include The Pulse, Rock FM, Wish FM, Key 103, Real Radio North West, Juice 107.6, Imagine FM, Radio City in Liverpool, Signal One and BRMB in Birmingham).
A girl auditioned on American Idol with "Something Kinda Ooooh" by Girls Aloud. After she finished singing, Simon Cowell said, sarcastically, «One of the most meaningful lyrics ever written», to which fellow judge Victoria "Posh" Beckham replied: «Better than zigazig-ah?». Watch the audition video here. At one point you can even see Cowell singing along to the lyrics ("ooh").
The lovely Florrie Arnold (drummer in Xenomania's house band JFK + singer + songwriter, etc.) has set up a website. Soon you'll be able to watch videos with drumming lessons from Florrie. For now there's a few pictures and funny out-takes and bloopers filmed by Xenomania's sound engineer Toby Scott. You can also find Florrie on Facebook and YouTube.
Fred Falke said in an interview that he really enjoys collaborating with Xenomania: «I really enjoy my time spent with at Xenomania, a writer and production team based in Kent, England. I get to work in a team of brilliant people, with them for Mini Viva recently was a wonderful experience.»
Former Xenomania singer/songwriter Carla Marie Williams has set up a joint venture production/management company called BigMouthEntertainment. They are about to launch their first act, a new female collective called RD (aka Ruff Diamondz). With Xenomania, Carla-Marie co-wrote several Girls Aloud songs (including "The Promise" and "Sexy! No No No..."), Alesha Dixon's "The Boy Does Nothing", Mini Viva's "Left My Heart In Tokyo", Sarah Harding's "Too Bad" and many others. She also sang with Neil Tennant on Pet Shop Boys' "The way it used to be".
Mini Viva will be DJing at two upcoming nights in the UK: The Nightingale in Birmingham on 13th March and a TBC venue in Leicester on 22nd February. Keep checking their MySpace for the confirmed Leicester venue.
Gabriella Cilmi's "Hearts Don't Lie", the only Xenomania-produced track on her new album, has leaked in full. The Beat Review has reviewed the song: «It kind of redeemed her identity back after that gruesome 'On A Mission' (...). 'Hearts Don't Lie' doesn't escape the 1980's sound Gabby's trying to achieve. Although it doesn't sound anything like 'On A Mission', 'HDL' is more of a soul-dance-jazz fusion.»
Girls Aloud's "The Promise" is nominated for "Best BRITs performance from the last 30 years". You can vote here.
"Jump Off" by the Banned of St. Trinian's has been remixed by Almighty. Click here to listen to the previews and buy the remixes. "Jump Off" is one of the eight Xenomania tracks on the St. Trinian's II soundtrack.
NiteVisions are beingtipped as "ones to watch" for 2010. Here's what CityLife says about them:
«Calling NiteVisions ‘the Duran Duran Juniors’ isn’t merely an aesthetic and musical comparison – for members Andy and James Taylor are the sons of (respectively) New Romantics Andy and Roger Taylor. In their former guise as The Electric City, they even had Simon Le Bon’s nephew on drums. With sharp suits, a great look and killer hooks, stardom seems to have been hardwired into the pair’s DNA: you can’t help but think they came out of the womb holding hairspray and pouting (possibly thinking: ‘This is like the Girls On Film video’).
«Britain’s premier hit-factory Xenomania (Girls Aloud, Mini Viva) are currently helping the duo straddle the shiny high-wire of genius pop: the retro-nouveau disco-pop of Fire, for instance, blitzes forth like a more high-energy Cut Copy, and is so ridiculously danceable, it makes you wonder if at Xenomania’s Kent HQ, they’re putting amyl nitrate into their Glade Plug-Ins. Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos has declared himself a fan. You will be too.»
Mini Viva are appearing at HMV's Next Big Thing Festival. Britt & Frankee will be performing at the festival on Tuesday, February 9th, at London's Jazz Café, alongside Girls Can't Catch and Eliza Doolittle. Get your tickets here.
The girls have been playing a few DJ sets. They will be spinning tonight at Sheffield's Population.
Britt Love recently revealed on Twitter that Mini Viva were in the studio to "beef up" their third single. Both the new single and their debut album should be out around March.
About.com selected Pete Hammond's Retro Club mix of "Left My Heart In Tokyo" as one of the Top Remixes of 2009. Music writer Jason Shawhan says: «I will make the controversial claim that what Hammond does here with Mini Viva actually tops “Showing Out (Get Fresh At The Weekend)” by Mel and Kim».
The girls appear on the February issue of InStyle magazine. They are featured on a 8-page spread with brand new photos of Britt and Frankee, along with a short interview.
Xenomania is a songwriting and production house based in Kent, England. It was founded by songwriter and producer Brian Higgins.
Since 1996, Xenomania have written, produced and remixed tracks for a string of successful artists including Girls Aloud, Pet Shop Boys, Sugababes, Dannii and Kylie Minogue, Saint Etienne, Cher, Gabriella Cilmi and many others.
