Today we're excited to launch a new series at Earmilk. We're teaming up with Wavo, the social network for music, to feature top 10 charts from artists and influencers. Curators for the series are chosen based on their unique impact on modern music and culture.
There's probably no one better to be launching this feature with than Skylar Grey. She may not be a household name yet, but you've definitely heard her work — she's actually one of the most influential women in pop music.
Grey is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is responsible for co-writing some of the top tracks of the past couple of years, lighting up the Billboard Hot 100 and iTunes sales charts, and totalling more than 25 million singles globally. Grey co-wrote the biggest selling single of 2010: Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie,” which earned her two GRAMMY Award nominations for Best Song and Best Rap Song of the Year. She also co-wrote and appeared on Dr. Dre’s “I Need A Doctor,” which she performed alongside Dre and Eminem on the 2011 Grammy Awards and for which she was nominated for two Grammys. Recently she released a new single "C'mon Let Me Ride," featuring Eminem — the first single from her hotly anticipated debut album Don’t Look Down, due Spring 2013 from KIDinaKORNER/Interscope.
For the inauguration of our new Chart series, Skylar put together ten tracks that show some of her sources of inspiration. From Radiohead to Nirvana to Eminem it's an awesome collection of anti-pop pop music that went mainstream in a huge way… kind of similar to Skylar herself. We also thought it was incredibly classy that she didn't slip in one of her own tracks, so we went ahead and did it for her… You can check out the video to "C'mon Let Me Ride" after the interview we did with Skylar below. Here, then, are Skylar’s top ten! Don’t forget to check out the interview with this fascinating influencer and follow the chart on Wavo!
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Earmilk: Tell us a bit about the new track "C'mon Let Me Ride," it’s a bit of a different look than you’re known for.
Skylar Grey: Yeah it’s different for me… It was a one time thing where I wanted to do something stupid and fun.
EM: One time? That’s it?
SG: Well you never know, I may show that side of my personality again in the future. It was a nice change because I’d done so much serious stuff… It was nice to do something really different!
EM: I actually saw a quote where you said: “Take a close look at the scene where I’m wearing a very girly sexy polka-dot outfit because it’s not likely to happen again.” I know it was probably a joke but does that freak you out? Getting labeled a certain way as a popstar.
SG: I don’t think I’m physically capable of being pigeonholed…. Because I change everything I do so much! I can’t stay in one place for too long. I’m constantly changing and evolving. That comment I made was just that pink polka dots are very girly and my hair was pink. It was fun too play that character, but to me that’s all it was, playing a character — that’s not who I am.
EM: What was the inspiration behind the video?
SG: Well, with the song you knew the video needed to be kind of funny. But I also wanted it to be obvious that I was being sarcastic, so I needed that to come through as well. I knew a lot of people were going to see that video, and me for maybe the first time, so I also wanted it to show where I was from, which is the Stix. I needed it to show both an authentic image of me, but at the same time have it be this spoof… so that was the big challenge! But I think in the end we pulled it off and it came together great. You know I love to do stuff that's unexpected. I've always told my fans to expect the unexpected with me and that’s not going to stop!
EM: I see you’ve been working with so many artists, from Kaskade to Eminem, and doing tons of collabs, even a mention of something with Skrillex…. Is that something we can expect more of?
SG: Actually, lately I’ve spending a lot of time working in my studio alone, at home. It’s been really nice. I don’t live in L.A…. I live on a mountain somewhere and being detached from the Hollywood world has been really good for my creativity. Lately I’ve just been writing some avante garde, very musical stuff out on my own in the countryside.
EM: Sounds cool… What’s the sound like?
SG: I don’t even know yet…. So much different stuff and influences I’ve just been vibing to. I actually have no idea where that’s going to go. What I’m really excited about is just to be finishing up the mixing of my album. I’ve been working on it for three years and I can’t wait to have the music out so I can perform it and tour and let the music speak for itself. Because I feel like I’ve been talking about it for so long, it’s time to get it heard!
EM: 3 years is a long time!
SG: Yeah, it’s crazy! I’m sick of it not being heard. As long as it’s out there and I can start playing music with the new music, I am excited. There’s nothing else like the bicycle track on it, but it definitely has a lot of range…. From happy to more melodic, darker stuff that you would expect from what I’ve done in the past.
EM: How are you looking forward to the touring side of things?
SG: Well, it’s funny because a lot of people don’t know this, but I have been touring since I was six years old. I started singing with my mom when I was six and we made three albums by the time I was 14. I moved to L.A. and put out an album as Holly Brooke through WMB, and then I wrote the song “Love the way you lie” for Eminiem and Rihanna that took me to a different place in the industry and now people just know me as a songwriter which is…which is weird because that wasn’t the focus….I’m a singer/songwriter. I like to perform the songs I write and see them through beginning to end with the music videos and performances and eveything. I’m just excited to have my shot to do that.
EM: What do you think it’s going to be like to break out as a household name? Are you excited? Scared?
SG: I love performing and being on stage and connecting with an audience and seeing their reactions the songs…. That’s one of the biggest thrills I have in life. So if I can do that and tour and then come home to my little sanctuary on the mountain, then life is perfect!
