Former SNEAKER PIMPS vocalist KELLI ALI has had the last laugh by coming out as a fully-fledged Pop Princess with her debut album, "Tigermouth." TIM PEACOCK talks to the Indian-Irish Brummie girl to mark the release of the album and its' attendant single, "Inferno High Love."
Considering the fact that she was ousted from the chart-bothering superstars-in-waiting troop SNEAKER PIMPS when her increasingly raised public profile threatened to engulf the group's founding members, you'd expect KELLI ALI to be bitter and full of grudges. However, a few minutes in her company soon disarms such thinking. Indeed, Kelli is warm and thoroughly down to earth, impossible to dislike frankly.
I mention that the last time I saw her, Kelli was singing a very sultry duet with SOFT CELL vocalist MARC ALMOND on "Later" with Jools Holland.
"Marc's amazing," swoons Kelli. "He was a real gentleman, actually, not to mention really open and totally creative. It was good for me to be working with someone else, especially someone so driven creatively. It gave me a lot of confidence."
One listen to KELLI's debut album, "Tigermouth" (One Little Indian) suggests her confidence is brimming over these days. You were still KELLI DAYTON on record previously, though. What's with the change of surname, than?
"That's something I promised my Father, actually, that 'I'd revert to ALI," suggests Kelli.
"Dayton was my Mother's maiden name so I went with that originally. But then I'd still be associated with KELLI DAYTON from SNEAKER PIMPS and that's finished now."
Indeed, as Kelli says, that was then and this is now. So what has the new, improved KELLI ALI doing since her exit from the SNEAKER PIMPS?
"Mostly writing my album, " she laughs. "However, it meant I could be based in LA while I was doing it. To say the least it was a real ace time, you know what I mean?"
I've got a pretty good idea...how long did all this take?
"About a year and a half altogether," she recalls. "It was a pretty slow process. I wasn't working all the time, though. I got to travel a lot to places like Panama and Japan. I think those places have informed the songs, actually."
I would agree, not least with exotic creations like "The Infinite Stars." One listen to this and songs like the expansive ballad "Sunlight In The Rain" ( imagine Kelli fronting MASSIVE ATTACK if they got out a bit more) suggest she's someone who's very much here to stay. How much of this confidence stems from working with name producers like RICK NOWELLS (of MADONNA/DIDO fame) and MARIUS DE VRIES?
"It was a real education for me," gushes Kelli. "Most of the actual writing and production was with Rick, but we handed over a few tracks to Marius for re-working, remixing etc."
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"I'm glad to say I wasn't over-awed, though," she says, after a pause.
"I mean, I did write the songs myself this time around, unlike THE SNEAKER PIMPS where I was more of the figurehead. Learning about computers was the big challenge. These days you need a grasp of studio technology, Pro-Tools and the like. It was really inspiring working with the technology once I got a handle on it all."
"There's loads of influences in there," Kelli admits. "The album's got some real sunshine pouring out of it, and that's great, it's just what I wanted. I'm really gearing up for this now. I really want to play for as many people as possible."
Talking of which, by the time you read this KELLI will have had her first spin around the UK's larger arenas playing support to GARBAGE. Their singer Shirley Manson's very much another self-made woman in this cut-throat business. What does Kelli make of her?
"Oh, I'm very much a fan of Shirley's," she replies. "She's a great role model for any young female singer with attitude. I'm a longstanding GARBAGE fan, but I'm delighted - and amazed - to say that they actually approached me to play, not the other way round, so there's a kind of mutual thing going on there."
What about the KELLI ALI live experience. What can we expect from it?
"I've got a cool band these days, " she says, "very much a rock-based thing, unlike the record. It's guitar, bass, drums, keyboards...and myself, of course. Reharsals are great...we have a cool time. I've no great expectations for the live show, just that people will get into it and want us to come back."
Finally, Kelli, what if the record doesn't perform the way you'd like and the time in LA can't be repeated?
"Oh, you'll not get rid of me easily," Kelli fires back. "Whatever happens, I can't see myself stopping doing this. I'll never stop writing and singing. I fully intend to still be doing this in another twenty years time. Mark my words!"
No problem, Kelli. For the meantime, let "Tigermouth" sink its' claws into you for the duration. Feisty, sensual and memorable, it's a cool debut album and one you should seriously consider taking home and having a lusty romp with. Not that we'd indulge in such practices, you understand.
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