Formed in Canada, the pop band Dragonette took over the music world with a simple hook on "Hello." The musical act has collaborated with everyone from Basement Jaxx to Cyndi Lauper, and received a Juno Award from its native Canada for Best New Group.
Windy City Times talked with Dragonette singer Martina Sorbara before a recent performance.
Windy City Times: Hi, Martina. The last time you were in Chicago was for a Borderline Music appearance, correct?
Martina Sorbara: Yes, it was just a signing. I don't think we played. We hung out there for a bit. We were there for Lollapalooza.
WCT: How did it go at Lollapalooza?
Martina Sorbara: It was awesome. It surprised me to see that many people coming to see us.
WCT: Are the '80s an influence of Dragonette's work, like Cut Copy's?
Martina Sorbara: I don't think it consciously goes into our writing. I think when you use synthesizers to write songs that are not full dance songs the mind goes to the '80s. I think that is time that synths came into a pop-song format. When we made Galore we were listening to a lot of Tears for Fears. It is not something we strive for, but we grew up in the '80s so it had to have worked its way in there.
WCT: Your group is from Toronto?
Martina Sorbara: Yes, we are.
WCT: I recently went there; it is beautiful city.
Martina Sorbara: Is it like Chicago? I don't know Chicago at all.
WCT: People say that, but I think Toronto is really laid out well. Chicago doesn't have room to spread out because of the lake.
Martina Sorbara: We are on a lake, too, but you don't notice because we have done such a great job of fucking it right up.
WCT: And Toronto doesn't have our skyline. Hopefully, you have some time to explore Chicago while you are here.
Martina Sorbara: I doubt it. This tour is so retarded. We have like one day off in a month. One week we play seven shows!
WCT: Will you be releasing a video for "Rocket Ship?"
Martina Sorbara: No. We just felt it was a good summer song and didn't want to wait to release it later so we threw it out there.
WCT: What is the second single?
Martina Sorbara: "Live in This City." I am just waiting for the first edit of that video. I am so excited to see it. It is going to be hilarious.
WCT: It seems like you are having fun making videos. I was watching several of your past ones.
Martina Sorbara: We have fun, for sure. There is not a lot of money being thrown at videos these days. So a lot of times we are squeezing a lot of work into only one day. Sometimes you don't get everything you need. With a culture of YouTube if you don't capture someone's attention there is no way that they won't click onto something else. You have to tell a story in a smart way and make it look good. It is hard. Having your friends as part of the process makes it easier.
WCT: The "Let it Go" video has a story like you are saying.
Martina Sorbara: That was a one-day shoot and quite stressful towards the end. Again that was made with my very dear friend Drew Lightfoot. We just go between those people for our videos because we don't want to go with people we don't know.
WCT: It looked like it was heading towards animal experimentation.
Martina Sorbara: That was the whole idea but I don't know if we played out the whole concept enough to make it obvious. We had scenarios where you will think it will be dark but it actually is a positive thing. You think something bad is going to happen to the rabbit but then it was feel how soft this bunny is. You think someone will be tortured then they start dancing. You think someone is brainwashed with a TV like in A Clockwork Orange but then it is cupcakes, rainbows and ponies.
WCT: You have not changed your sound from this album. It is called Bodyparts. Where did the title come from?
Martina Sorbara: I just really liked the word. I tend to throw into body parts into lyrics a lot over the years. I saw the word as not something bloody or gory but as something musical, beautiful and sexual.
WCT: That brings me to question if there is a gay member of the group?
Martina Sorbara: No, but we are very gay without being gay. It is socially where we have ended up as well as professionally. I think we are attractive to a gay audience because we are coming from an angle that is not straight up the center. When you have singing that is not a cookie-cutter of emotions and sexuality, I think that could be where the attraction comes from. The way some girls sing about love I can't really relate to when it is right down the center. It just doesn't speak to me. I try to represent something else.
Dragonette's Bodyparts is out on CD. Check out www.dragonetteonline.com to purchase.
