Kimbra - The Golden Echo

She’s best known as the female voice in “Somebody That I Used to Know,” the Grammy-winning duet with Goyte, and also appeared in the song’s video (over 500 million views on YouTube). Now Kimbra is ready for her close up. On her second studio album, the 24-year-old New Zealander steps out with an eclectic showcase that reveals her debt to Prince and Michael Jackson. But Kimbra is no copycat. “I don’t find it that interesting to just pull from a style,” she says, “[but rather] how can you spin a futurist perspective on these ideas?” A futuristic spin is all over songs like “90s Music,” her delightfully bizarre blend of beats and blips mixed with r&b falsetto vocals. Kimbra also displays her knack for soulful funk ballads on “Love in High Places” and Motown-style disco on “Miracle.” By boldly experimenting, Kimbra is proving herself one of pop’s most refreshing new innovators.