Kimbra- Plain Gold Ring
Meg Myers- After You
ZZ Ward- Morphine
Zambri- Places
La Sera- Break My Heart
2:54- Revolving
Lissy Trullie- It’s Only You, Isn’t It
Sleigh Bells- Crush

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The first time I heard Alex Winston’s voice, I thought it was delicate and quirky. After a few more listens, it was clear that there is some power behind it too (she’s a trained opera singer). Alex took a few minutes to answer a few questions for the Friday 5.

Sister Wife seems to be the song put you on people’s radar. What is the inspiration/meaning behind it?
I like to take basic human instincts and feelings and tell colorful stories with them. I’ve always been really fascinated by people that do things differently than myself and try to find a common thread that connects us. In this case, that thread is the feeling of jealousy and the willingness or unwillingness to compromise.

You have said that you don’t typically listen to your own music if you can help it. Why?
I guess I just don’t find it productive. I never really feel like a song is finished and sometimes the easiest thing for me to do is cut myself off from it and move forward or else I’ll just get stuck in the minor details and revisions when sometimes its just best to leave things the way they are.

If you could collaborate with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
Right now I’ve been listening to a lot of country, so I’d have to say Townes Van Zandt or Hank WIlliams.

What are you listening to now?
I’ve been loving the new Mystery Jets album and I recently saw Jonathan Richman play for the first time, which was pretty incredible, so hes been on heavy rotation as well.

What’s in store for the rest of 2012?
I’m currently working on a Western album called Deviled Egg, which hopefully I’ll be releasing sometime early next year. Other than that, hopefully touring!!

Kate Bush- Running Up That Hill
Katie Todd Band- Leave
Kate Havnevik- Unlike Me
Kate Earl- Someone to Love
Kate Bradley- Don’t You Choose Me
Kate Grealy- You Don’t Just Fall In Love
Kate Nash- Foundations

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Charlene Kaye is in a word, amazing. Her vocals can move from soaring to operatic to gut wrenching with a little glam thrown in for good measure with no effort at all. And if you haven’t seen her play live, you are missing out. I had the chance to ask her a few questions. After you read this, go check out all of her videos.

Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

When I was writing this record I was listening to a lot of Queen, ABBA, Prince – a lot of iconic pop groups from the 70s and 80s. I love the pageantry of their live shows and I wanted to create music like that, where the songs would not only speak for themselves but also make for an electric live show. I also love the quirkiness of Dirty Projectors, the drama of Jeff Buckley and Rufus Wainwright, the intensity of Florence and the Machine.

Has the demographic of your fan base changed any because of your collaboration with Darren Criss?

Certainly there are a lot of Glee fans, a lot of StarKid fans, at the shows we headline. The song we did together, “Dress and Tie,” has gotten the word about my music out to a lot of his people, and I’m very grateful for that. There’s a big musical theater/theater crowd in that demographic who I think have really responded to the music/videos we’ve put out from this album because they’re a bit more dramatic and costumey than anything we’ve released in the past. They’ve been so incredibly supportive and awesome.

What is your song writing process like?

It usually starts with melody. Being in motion sets off a lot of creative triggers – driving, walking around my neighborhood in New York, flying, riding the subway. These days, since I’m on the go so much I tend to write a lot of lyrics on my iPhone. I have probably over 100 notes of song scraps on that thing.

What song are you most proud of that you’ve written?

Ahhh…that’s a hard one. It’s like choosing which one of your kids is your favorite, y’know? They all have different personalities and quirks and once you release them into the world you hope they make some sort of impact for the better. I’m pretty attached to Animal Love I and Animal Love II – as a pair are two of my favorite songs I’ve ever written.

What does 2012 have in store?

Right now I’m on tour with Team StarKid, opening for them and playing guitar in their backing band, and it’s been a total blast. The fans have been amazing. I hope to promote our new record as much as I can this year, make another music video or two, and keep on working on new material. As long as it’s music related, I’m happy.

Amy Ray- Blame is a Killer
Girl In A Coma- One Eyed Fool
Amanda Palmer- Do It With a Rockstar
Tilly and the Wall- Love Riot
The Black Belles- Not Tonight
Mrs. Howl- Yellow Lamp
The Duke Spirit- This Ship Was Built to Last
The Gossip- Jealous Girls
The Coathangers- Bury Me

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Of Monsters and Men- From Finner
Susanna Hoffs- Always Enough
Brandi Carlile- That Wasn’t Me
Rebecca Jordan- Eve
The Be Good Tanyas- It’s Not Happening
Courtney Jaye- Say Oh Say
Butterfly Boucher- The Weather
Ellie Goulding- Your Biggest Mistake

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Breakups suck. If you’re anything like me, sometimes music can help get you through the stages of grief. I realize several of these are pretty mainstream, like Adele, but they just had to be included.

Nothing- Katy McAllister (The Script cover)
Last Love Song- ZZ Ward
Everything I Ever Had- Lindsay Fuller
Lose You- sami.the.great
Once You’ve Loved Somebody- Dixie Chicks
The Last Day of Our Aquaintance- Sinead O’Connor
Jar of Hearts- Christina Perri
Somebody That I Used To Know- Ingrid Michaelson (Gotye cover)
Over You- Miranda Lambert
Someone Like You- Adele

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Music that is not in English. Artists from Iceland, France, Mexico, Czech Republic, The Netherlands…good stuff.

Lay Low- Brostinn Strengur
Coeur De Pirate- Les Amours Devouees
Carla Morrison- Hasta la Piel
Mammut- Karkari
Marketa Irglova- Dokhtar Goochani
Eefje De Visser- Hartslag
Dobet Gnahore- Cote D’Ivoire

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Kathleen Edwards- Sweet Little Duck
Ingrid Michaelson- End of the World
Jessie Murphy- Last Car on the Train
Audra Mae and the Almighty Sound
Catcall- The World is Ours
Jenny Owen Youngs- Pirates
Kathryn Calder- Who Are You

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Saint Etienne- Wouldn’t It Be Nice (Beach Boys cover)
Birdy- Skinny Love (Bon Iver cover)
Camera Obscura- Modern Girl (Sheena Easton cover)
Emilaina Torrini- Sound of Silence (Simon and Garfunkel cover)
Allion Crowe- A Case of You (Joni MItchell Cover)
Lissie- Nothing Else Matters (Metallica cover)
White Hinterland- Teenage Dream (Katy Perry cover)

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