Cherrytree Records (home of recording artists like Feist, Robyn, Sting, LMFAO, Far East Movement, Natalia Kills and many others) is known for its irreverent approach to developing, promoting and presenting its artists. Even though it is part of the larger Interscope/Universal Music group, Cherrytree Records very much acts like an indie label that is a magnet for both emerging pop talent and pop fans.
After producing pop concerts in New York, Los Angeles and London, Cherrytree Records founder and president Martin "Cherry Cherry Boom Boom" Kierszenbaum decided to up the ante and put on an entire tour of its roster to introduce much more fans to the label's talent.
Last week Sunday, Cherrytree Records kicked off the Cherrytree Pop Alternative Tour in Canada, a ten-city tour led by global chart sensation LMFAO, Far East Movement, and special guests Natalia Kills, Frankmusik, Rye Rye, Colette Carr and Kay.
I visited the Cherrytree Pop Alternative Tour at the Air Canada Center in Toronto and the Bell Centre in Montreal to witness all of this pop goodness first hand. What first struck me about the tour is that this is not a small club tour but a massive arena show with thousands and thousands of cheering fans watching.
Taken straight from Cherrytree Records' playbook of innovation, the show's brilliant organization helped fit as many artists as possible on one stage to give them all the opportunity to shine. The night consisted of three components that followed each other without any lengthy breaks. Both LMFAO and Far East Movement played a full set, while the emerging artists on Cherrytree's roster performed a "revue" of songs together.
Think of them as a cast of talent who performed, harmonized and dueted together for about 40 minutes to introduce themselves to the crowd with the help of Far East Movement's DJ Virman who made sure the revue ran seamlessly. I have never seen something like that before and it worked out perfectly with fans enjoying every single second of it.
When Madonna released "Erotica" and a coffee table book with nude photography to go along with it back in the early nineties, it was the first time a female superstar addressed a topic that had been a closely guarded taboo until then. Yes, it was shocking to many at the time, but Madonna managed to push the envelop and paved the way for many women in music to express themselves with confidence.
The use of thinly veiled sexual language and bold imagery in pop has never really stirred any major controversy since "Erotica." In fact, it has become a powerful way for artists to spice up their music stylistically and assert control. Take for example Rihanna's brand-new album "Talk That Talk" on which the pop singer grabs the reigns, and delivers some straight talk about love and the making of it that is risque at best, but never raunchy.
Following the gritty "Rated R" and the exuberant "Loud," Rihanna continues her winning pop streak with "Talk That Talk" supported by a slew of savvy writers and producers like Calvin Harris, Dr Luke, Bangladesh, Esther Dean and Chase & Status. If there's something that Rihanna and her team have down to a science it's finding just the right group of people to work her vision into an irresistible pop sound that is contemporary yet includes the right amount of soundboard innovation.
Most notably, Rihanna makes major creative strides on tracks like "We Found Love" and "Where Have You Been" on which she fully embraces a larger than life dancefloor aesthetic that equally spotlights the talent of Calvin Harris, Orkut and Dr Luke who help the singer to new levels of pop brilliance while introducing a massive new audience to Euro-styled dance pop.
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