Ariana & the Rose

Hometown: New York.

The lineup: Ariana DiLorenzo (vocals, instruments), plus band.

The background: It's easy to be wise after the event, harder to predict, especially when it comes to pop, whose very worth is predicated on its commercial success. We must admit, we got it massively wrong when we featured Lady Gaga in this column ahead of the release of her debut single Just Dance. Basically, we made Fred Astaire's famously hapless screen testers ("Can't sing... can dance a little") look like prescient geniuses when we said of Stefani Germanotta in November 2008 that the tunes were infectious but uninspired, and that she was too visually arch to catch on. "She looks fabulous, dahlink," we wrote. "But her music sounds to these highly attuned ears like offcuts from Britney's Blackout, only less pristinely powerful and mightily machine-driven."

We are reminded of all this because we've got another Italian-American New Yorker here, and we don't want to get it wrong. Immediately, we want to say: she's a dead cert. The music is total pop, epic and melodic, but not grandiose and grandstanding like Florence (who she admires), just breezily pleasant and instantly appealing; less lumbering than Gaga's, lighter somehow, even at its most propulsive and potent. She's got a band (that'll be the Rose), and the music's heavy on the synths, but it's not synthpop - the synths are a delivery system, not a point of aesthetic principle.

Reading on mobile? Click here to listen

DiLorenzo, a 24-year-old from Long Island originally, is a singing keyboardist, with one foot in the fashion camp - although not as camp as Gaga - who actually performed at the after-party for the Born This Way Ball, and who has a similarly broad, half-rock, half-cabaret showtunes background as Gaga's. She learned to dance ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop from an early age, joined Manhattan's Synthesis Dance Project at 12, was a Musical Theater major at the Professional Performing Arts School in her mid-teens while in free moments doing various voice-overs, jingles, commercials and walk-on parts on the likes of the Sopranos. She studied Journalism at the Tisch School of the Arts - the same one as Gaga - and did unpaid work at a casting agency before turning 20 and putting out her first record, a dance track called Beautiful.



Advertisement

Her new music is danceable, for sure, but it's not dance music per se - she's not the American Katy B. When we were on the Guardian Podcast recently we described her as "the missing link between Barbra Streisand and Lady Gaga", mainly because we were trying to be clever, but also because we were trying to allude to her traditionalist qualities: she doesn't seem like the sort of artist who would want to make a dubstep record or pursue fashionable trends. This is chart-friendly electronic pop that could have come out at any point in the last dozen or so years. And with DiLorenzo appearing in Paul McCartney's new video for Queenie Bee alongside Kate Moss and Johnny Depp, Mario Testino being her snapper and her new single HeartBeat climbing the playlists and pre-release charts with its unimpeachable machine melody and unignorable refrain, who would bet on her not succeeding? Not us, we're prepared to admit, although we'd add that like most people in this game we've mostly blessed with 20/20 hindsight.

The buzz: "Pop with depth."

The truth: Hugeness awaits, as, hopefully, will our cheque for helping it happen.

Most likely to: Make Gaga gaga with envy.

Least likely to: Put us on points.

What to buy: HeartBeat is released on November 18. In My Bed and the EP Head vs Heart will be released in February 2014.

File next to: P!nk, Gwen Stefani, Lady Gaga, Sophie Ellis Bextor.

Links: arianaandtherose.com.

Monday's new band: Spies. - The Guardian

New Yorker Ariana DiLorenzo and her band, The Rose, are about to be the name on everyone’s lips. Fresh from a season of having their music blasted out on an array of fashion week runways, while Ariana looked on from the front row, the band are currently gearing up to release a debut album of synth pop, with the aim of taking pop out of the guilty pleasure corner and putting it firmly back in the cool category. And that doesn’t look like it will be much of a stretch for them. With a slew of fans from both the fashion and music worlds (Ariana recently appeared in Paul McCartney’s video for “Queenie Eye”), and a shedload of fawning articles from tastemaker press, Ariana and the Rose are set to rocket.

ARIANA, WHAT ARE YOUR EARLIEST MEMORIES OF MUSIC?

My Dad had this doo wop CD that he used to play on repeat in the car. Anytime he drove us to school or really anywhere, it would be on. It had songs like “Wake Up Little Suzie” and “Sixteen Candles” on it. I was positive that my wedding song was going to be “Sixteen Candles,” but my father had to explain to me how that might not be appropriate and I’m pretty sure I told him I was going to play it anyway. I know every word to all 12 of those songs.

YOUR MUSIC IS REGULARLY USED IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY, WHY DO YOU THINK IT LENDS ITSELF SO WELL TO SHOWS?

I’m still figuring that out! To be honest, it was a bit of and experiment. I love fashion and my family is in the fashion industry to it seemed like it could be a second home for the music, we thought “Hey, let’s see if you get any response here.” The fashion community has really welcomed me and my music and I’m so grateful for that. I think that fact that the music is dance-y but not necessarily dance music lends itself to runways and that kind of middle ground between being laid back but not lazy.

DO YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STANDOUT IMAGE IN ORDER TO BE A SUCCESSFUL RECORDING ARTIST IN THIS INDUSTRY?

I think you have to really know who you are to stand out and that translates into everything. First and foremost, the music has to stand out. You could have an amazing image and if the music isn’t great then none of it really matters. With that said, imagery is a huge part of how people take music in and it’s so important that what people are experiencing visually matches what their hearing. I think the best artists have images that look the way their music sounds.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU, FASHION WISE? AND WHO IS YOUR STYLE ICON?

Personal style is my biggest inspiration. There is nothing cooler than seeing a woman walk down the street wearing something that you know no one else could pull off the way she is in that very moment. Seeing people put things together in a way that is so unique to them inspires me to want to do that for myself. Jane Birkin and Charlotte Gainsbourg are two of my favorites. I guess it’s a family thing. Their style is simple yet so specific to themselves. I love the quiet sexiness they both possess. Nothing is overstated but it’s always on point. I think the way they dress embodies a lifestyle more than anything, which transcends trend and time period. Also, who else looks as flawless as Jane Birkin does with no makeup on?

NYC IS KNOWN FOR ITS SHOPPING, TELL US THREE KEY STORES THAT WE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT.

Pixie Market is my absolute favorite. I almost don’t even want to tell anyone! It’s a small store in the East Village and they have such playful pieces. We just opened for Foxes in the UK and I wore a lavender, two-length dress that I had picked up there, the day before I left. All of their pieces feel really special.

I love Assembly, which is also in the East Village. Every time I go in, I come out with one piece that feels like it could be staple for the season.

Oak is another favorite of mine. Their pieces are somewhat androgynous feeling, I love mixing them with more feminine touches from my wardrobe. Most of the clothes in that store are black, so being from New York that’s pretty perfect for me.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THE OVERALL CREATIVE LOOK OF THE BAND, FROM FASHION THROUGH TO MUSIC VIDEOS?

I’m very involved. It’s important to me that the look and feel of the band comes from an organic place, even when you’re pushing the envelope visually. I have an amazing team of people who guide me and help me brainstorm and bring ideas to life. For me, collaborating is such an important part of the process. I’m pretty chatty in general, so I love having people to bounce ideas off of and build things with. The core of everything has to come from the artist though, otherwise your audience will know is inauthentic.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CURRENT BRITISH MUSIC SCENE, DOES ANYONE INSPIRE YOU FROM OUR SIDE OF THE POND?

The British music scene has inspired me in so many ways. I began working in England about a year ago and it completely opened me up creatively. At this point, I spend a month in America and a month in the UK and I just go back and forth. I really found the people that understood the kind of music I wanted to make here. No one does electro-pop better than British people, there is just an understand of how to walk that line here that I couldn’t find anywhere else.

Ladyhawke has been a huge inspiration for me. She was making my genre of music before that was even popular. The way she mixed live instruments and synths was so forward thinking at the time. I also love Chvrches. I know they’re Scottish, so technically it’s not an English inspiration but their melodies and instrumentation are so playful while also being somewhat dark. At the end of the day, I’m kind of a nerd for analog synths sounds. So anyone, who does that and does it well, inspires me.

WHAT DOES A WRITING SESSION ENCOMPASS FOR YOU, DO YOU AND THE BAND HAVE SET ROLES WITHIN CREATING MUSIC?

I actually do a lot of co-writes. I write the songs with other writers and then the band helps to put the instrumentation around it. For our live show, we add parts and solos to give it more depth and excitement. The guys in my band are such amazing players, we’ve created several interludes between songs and parts where they just get to jam out, so people have a moment to take the playing in. We really wanted the audience to see this synth music being played in front of them as opposed to mostly backing tracks and electronic drum pad. Whenever I write, I’m always thinking of how the music will translate live as well, that way the recordings are really reflecting what the band sounds like.

HOW DID YOU GET INTRODUCED INTO THE UK MUSIC SCENE?

Oh, it’s a long story! I have amazing management who first suggested I come to the UK about a year ago. They said, “you’re not finding what you want in America, let’s see if England might have the people you’re looking for.” That was really how the whole thing started. Along the way, I have so lucky to have found supporters and people willing to take a bit of a chance on me. I’m making my new record at a place called Tileyard, which is a consortium of producers and writers in King’s Cross. It feels good to find a bit of a home with a group of people who like to make music the way that you do.

WHAT IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A US AND UK AUDIENCE?

I think mainly UK audiences are more willing to come and see bands they’ve never heard of. In America, people like to know you have a bit of a track record before seeing you, which is totally fair. In England, I’ve found that people generally just go out to see live music more. There aren’t as many places in the US where people will just pop in on a Saturday night to see who’s playing or somewhere like Queen of Hoxton, that has a stage and dance floor where will just go no matter who’s on.

YOU’RE BASED IN NY, HOW DOES THE CITY INFLUENCE YOU AS A MUSICIAN?

The city has shaped who I am as a person, which I think influences how I make music. I grew in New York and went to school here, so being in a city my whole life has affected my perspective. I would describe myself as a city person, for sure. Which is why, I think, I took to London so well. My views on the world, on love and relationships, growing up and family, all of that is tinged with being from a big city. As a writer, I try to put all of that into my songs. I’m still working out whether or not I’ve been successful at having that come across though.

WHICH ONE ALBUM HAS HAD THE MOST PROFOUND EFFECT ON YOU AND WHY?

That’s a tough question, just one album? I’d have to say “Jagged Little Pill” by Alanis Morissette. I had never heard someone write lyrics the way they speak so well until I heard that record. I just thought it was brilliant, the way she said everything so casually, which in turn made it poignant. I immediately knew that was how I wanted to write my songs too. I tried to write my own version of “Learn” so many times, obviously I never did. Alanis Morissette just painted such a specific picture with all of her songs, I think about that every time I sit down to write my own music. - Hunger Magazine

Ariana is wrapping up 2013 with an explosive finish. Not only has she just released her chart-worthy, infectious single, “Heartbeat,” but her band is currently touring with Kendall Schmidt’s Heffron Drive and Eric Dash. Yesterday, the band stopped at Philadelphia’s Theatre of Living Arts (TLA) for an all ages afternoon show.

Ariana took the stage wearing her eye-catching, trademark red and black and immediately captivated the audience with her a cappella opening of the sensual “In Your Bed.” She proceeded to engage the crowd with bits of casual conversation and quickly developed a warm bond with her newest fans.

The artist’s vibrant personality radiated through not only her impressive performance, but the way the music took her and moved her about the stage with the hypnotic grace of a melody. Ariana is as mesmerizing to watch as she is to hear.

One of the highlights of the afternoon performance was the band’s inventive mash-up which included “Wrecking Ball” and “I Knew You Were Trouble.” In the cover, Ariana revealed the incredible vocal power she truly has. When she hit the last chorus of “Wrecking Ball,” it was an exhilarating, goosebump inducing moment.

Ariana & the Rose played a number of tracks — masterfully tweaked to heighten the music’s impact in a live setting — from their upcoming EP and ended their set with the aforementioned single, “Heartbeat.”

During a pre show interview with Ariana, Cristian Castro (guitar) and Neko Soto (bass), the trio talked about the band’s origins, their favorite social media, pre show rituals, and what’s in store for the future. You can watch the interview here.

For more information on this scintillating, fast-rising artist, visit: www.arianaandtherose.com or Twitter. - examiner.com

Just to clarify something before we continue, the moniker of New York's Ariana and the Rose is more akin to Florence's Machine than it is Marina's Diamonds. In other words, there's a frontwoman - in this case Ariana DiLorenzo - but there's also a band too, represented by the Rose. Got it? Okay good. Regardless of band dynamics, Ariana and the Rose make what DiLorenzo refers to as "sophisticated pop", with the original version of new single In Your Bed aided by a sultry video which was directed by Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone. The airy production, handled by Kyle Kelso, is also ripe for a good remix, which is where Swedish producer Oliver Nelson comes in. Premiered here is his Madonna-circa-True-Blue-esque re-working that strips out most of the original's verses in favour of layering DiLorenzo's vocals over fluttering electronic harps, house-style synth riffs and the definite sense that summer might be on its way. - the guardian

Ariana and the Rose, a NY based electro pop act, has catapulted into the spotlight over the last several months. After a successful Fashion Week Tour, where her music echoed down the runways and she performed at several key after parties at some of the hottest fashion shows in NY, London and Paris, lead singer Ariana DiLorenzo, continues to light up speakers with her glittering sound.

“I would describe my sound as dance music catharsis,” Ariana tells VIBE, adding she tells, “singer-songwriter stories set to dance beats and synths.”

Her single “In Your Bed” has been growing with massive Radio 1 play over seas. “I'm inspired by soundscapes. I love synths, analog and digital. I think the texture of a sound can set an entire mood for a song, which in turn sets the mood for a moment.”

We bring Ariana’s uplifting tune to VIBE with the premiere a new edit for “In Your Bed” from remixer Weiss. Listen below. - vibe