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Why has Natalia Kills flopped so incredibly?


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Old 08-04-2012, 16:14
Mechajlo
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I don't really understand it, maybe it's just me seeing her through rose-tinted glasses but she's had too much support to be 'under the radar' still.

She featured on a track with LMFAO ("Champagne Showers"), which barely cracked the Top 40 if I remember correctly.

"Mirrors", her debut single was VIP Track of the Week on 4Music and many other channels, got to the Top 20 and disappeared; "Wonderland" was never released but had such a high-budget video.

"Free" featured will.i.am and still did nothing, although this seemed the most pop-friendly item on her album Perfectionist.

"Kill My Boyfriend" hasn't seen the light of day, but again a relatively high-budget video has been shot.

She's 'in' with other artists such as Far*East Movement, and has cameo'd in many videos. She's supported Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Kelis and Robyn, while having worked with producers such as Martin Kierszenbaum (GaGa's debut, Frankmusik and Alexandra Burke), Akon and Fernando Garibay (Enrique, Britney, GaGa).

On paper she's the perfect popstar, so where has it all gone wrong?
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Old 08-04-2012, 16:22
Toy_Hero
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This also kinda surprises me too. When I first head Mirrors, I thought it would be sure fire UK #1, and also do really well in US and worldwide. I didn't make much of Wonderland, but thought Free and Kill My Boyfriend were fantastic. Would have preferred a better video for KMB, I thought with that kind of song it could be a bit more exciting.

I know it's kinda cliche, but I really thought Natalia would go somewhere because she is quite 'different'. I was also quite surprised to realise she was British. She does have a global appeal. Not 100% but has she not at least some tiny movement in Germany?
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Old 08-04-2012, 16:22
little-monster
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Her music is really no different to what nearly every popstar is bringing out. IMO I found her material Average but rather forgettable as time went on.

But i know what you mean. I expected her to blow up.
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Old 08-04-2012, 16:28
Eric_Blob
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She's signed to Interscope, and they put a massive amount into her promotional campaign. It's maybe a bit surprising, but I think that Mirrors song spoiled it for her. It's too generic. As a debut single you need something that makes you stand out imo.
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Old 08-04-2012, 16:36
AdzPower
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Its really surprised me that she isnt a worldwide superstar yet, her album was brilliant, i played it over and over for weeks.
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Old 08-04-2012, 16:47
Monster101
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why is everyone claiming she was promoted well? she got no promo here, the odd play on the music channels is not promotion.
did anyone actually here her music on the radio ?!
i remember seeing mirrors on 4music a few times, and 'free' on kiss maybe twice, 3 times at a push. thats it.
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Old 08-04-2012, 16:49
rollercoaster
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Here's a clue: I've heard her name, vaguely... but I have no idea what she looks like, I have no idea what she sounds like, these songs you are mentioning aren't anything that I've heard... or I don't think so, at least...

She didn't do nearly enough mainstream promo to succeed in pop, and you have to do that heavily to establish a fanbase if you're looking to be something more than a one hit wonder or club anthem author.
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Old 08-04-2012, 17:17
GlassBalloon
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Here's a clue: I've heard her name, vaguely... but I have no idea what she looks like, I have no idea what she sounds like, these songs you are mentioning aren't anything that I've heard... or I don't think so, at least...

She didn't do nearly enough mainstream promo to succeed in pop, and you have to do that heavily to establish a fanbase if you're looking to be something more than a one hit wonder or club anthem author.
I agree with this. A few radio stations and music channels have played her songs but I don't recall her doing any actual promotion. It seems a lot of people would have vaguely heard the name 'Natalia Kills' but wouldn't know a single thing about her.

There was no support for her, which I find so odd because she has so many high profile people behind her. She was signed by Will.i.am, it's a shame he couldn't put the effort into helping her the way he did Cheryl Cole. I also think she may have been too Americanised for the UK audience. That LMFAO song she featured on was diabolical; they reduced her to an indistinguishable, Autotuned squeak. It didn't do anything to help her career; in fact in probably hindered it. If I had heard the name Natalia Kills for the first time on that record, I would never get the urge to discover more of her music. Natalia has got quite a small cult fanbase; but a lot of them probably wouldn't have bought Perfectionist because it leaked in March 2011 (originally due to be released in April), then didn't actually get released until September.

I'm a big fan of hers. Perfectionist is my favourite pop album of 2011, and probably of the past few years. It is a shame to see her flop so badly but she's bounced back time after time with a new persona; I wouldn't be surprised if she abandoned Natalia Kills and moved on again.
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Old 08-04-2012, 17:35
Eric_Blob
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I'd say will.i.am has done a good amount for Natalia. LMFAO are also on will.i.am's label, and he got Natalia to collaborate on the follow-up to Party Rock Antehm, the biggest hit in the entire of Interscope in 2011! Champagne Showers flopped as we all know, but if that song had been bigger Natalia might've been able to launch a solo career from it. He also got her to collab with Far East Movement from Interscope, and he'll probably have Natalia on his own album, not to mention he rapped on Free.

LMFAO are also on will.i.am's label, but I don't think they had much more help than Natalia. They just had a song that unexpectedly blew up bigger than I'm sure anyone expected. That could happen with one of Natalia's songs one day, unless she's quit music now.
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Old 08-04-2012, 17:48
LostIslands_
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I remember people claiming her to be a Gaga clone when she first arrived, that can't have helped as the backlash against her hadn't really started then. Her material isn't that strong either, you can throw as much money on videos and campaigns as you like but at the end of the day if the music isn't up to scratch, people aren't going to buy it.

Her music isn't terrible, and I actually enjoyed a couple of her songs (Love Is A Suicide and Wonderland) but her album is mostly filler. If she ups her game I think she could do quite well.
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Old 08-04-2012, 18:02
rivercity_rules
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I keep hearing her name but not any actual music.

Just listened to mirrors and realised it's actually a song that gets played every day at my gym, but I thought it was just a standard clubland-ish track.

She's nothing special really as far as I can see, not sure why she should be a big star.
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Old 08-04-2012, 18:22
shackfan
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Who?
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Old 08-04-2012, 19:46
garyessex
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Perhaps she should revert back to this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17nmgfH1jXs
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Old 08-04-2012, 19:51
garyessex
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Plus the obvious reason she's a low rent Lady Gaga clone
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Old 08-04-2012, 19:54
haim100
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I thought Mirrors was brilliant, but if it wasn't for one of the music channels (can't remember which, probably 4music) I wouldn't know who she is. So the promotion can't have been as good as everyone is making out! Can't see anything wrong with Mirrors as a lead single - it ticked all the boxes and most importantly was/is very catchy indeed. I think the issue MUST be in promotion!
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Old 08-04-2012, 20:25
Dr. DoNothing
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There was no big promotion, unless you read music blogs or went to ke$ha's tour last year its unlikely you would have ever come across her really
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Old 08-04-2012, 20:39
boysforpele
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The album is great! Perhaps the problem was the fact that it was released everywhere before the UK!!! It had leaked several months before its UK (home) release. There was hardly any radio AirPlay by this time.
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Old 08-04-2012, 21:02
LucyKay18
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I have yet to see her do one major live performance on a tv show and if she has already - i haven't heart about it on the web or anything. She's been talked up i remember early last year but nothing as yet happened?
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Old 09-04-2012, 10:38
Star_Bright
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I never thought she was any good, so I'm not surprised she flopped.
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Old 09-04-2012, 17:31
Scratchy7929
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Too much Wonky pop influences in her sound i.e. Frankmusic - the dance grooves in her music are out of line with the majority of tastes.As said above too clonish of Lady Gaga (basically the Queen of Wonky Pop - in DS speak ) perhaps (although most Lady Gaga fans wouldn't know what Wonky Pop was) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonky_Pop

Apart from Lady Gaga the Wonky Pop sound has had limited success.
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Old 09-04-2012, 17:52
Scratchy7929
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I never thought she was any good, so I'm not surprised she flopped.
There are plenty of artists that are not particularly good who have had success though.Nothing wrong with her basic image, & tone of her processed vocals (most have these days).Must be the groove of the music / producers that have been chosen for her.She's had major backing - as long as the basic sound of the material (homogenises with the rest of her competition) that usually is enough these days to gain success.
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Old 09-04-2012, 18:19
ItsTimmyTime
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She struck me as an artist with an incredibly contrived and manufactured image. She came along to the mainstream at a time after Gaga where so many artists were trying shock tactics.

I actually liked her music and considered buying the Album but then I watched an interview with her where she seemed so cynical and, once again, contrived. I don't enjoy comparing every female artist nowadays to Gaga, but I couldn't shake the feeling, and I'd be lying if I said otherwise, that she seemed like someone had transported Gaga's mind into another artist. It was just how she worded everything and carried herself.
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Old 09-04-2012, 18:32
Scratchy7929
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She struck me as an artist with an incredibly contrived and manufactured image.
So has the rest of the crowd though - she just doesn't homogenise with the rest of the incredibly contrived and manufactured images out there that's all
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