Taking a page from David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust, Beyoncé's Sasha Fierce, or even Eminem's Slim Shady, Brazilian chanteuse Cibelle has fashioned an alter ego of her own for her upcoming CD, 'Las Venus Resort Palace Hotel' (Crammed Discs). Meet Sonja Khalecallon, the last nightclub singer on earth, or what's left of it. A concept album complete with a story line, Cibelle's third full-length comes out on April 12. In a post-apocalyptic, post-nuclear world that is only a fragment of its former self, Sonja Khalecallon is the last cabaret singer standing. On a floating rock covered by jungles and surrounded by mutant animals, stands the remnants of a tropical nightclub where kitsch and exotica collide in a technicolor display of postmodern musings. Las Venus is the only hangout for anyone who's survived the end of the world, and they're all partying like there's no tomorrow, seduced by the sultry sounds of their exuberant hostess and her band Los Stroboscopious Luminous. Recorded in her London basement, a Vancouver woodland retreat invaded by bears, a homestudio in Berlin and back in her hometown of São Paulo, the album comprises nine original songs and three inventive covers: 'Mango Tree' (as sung by Ursula Andress in the James Bond film 'Dr No'), 'Ligh'works' (from the eccentric Raymond Scott, a seminal exotica producer and pioneer of electronic music in the 1950s) and 'It's Not Easy Being Green' (originally by none other than Kermit The Frog from 'The Muppets').
'Las Venus' also features contributions from friends including Jush Weller, Mocky, Kristian Craig Robinson (Capitol K), Sam Genders, from folk band Tunng, Damian Taylor, Fernando Catatau of Cidadão Instigado, Pupilo of Nação Zumbi and others. Cibelle produced the album together with Björk's musical director Damian Taylor in Vancouver, and mixed it in Los Angeles with Thom Monahan (Au Revoir Simone, Devendra Banhart).
Cibelle is currently on a European tour in support of Owen Pallett and Grizzly Bear. For more details check out the Crammed Discs website.
