Dancestar

The Year Of Kosheen...
There's been no hiding from Kosheen this year,
one of dance music's newest global success storiesЕ
Interview by Sam Pow

One massive Top Ten single (their Oakey-championed debut Hide U) and three further Top 20 successes have seen Bristol-based Kosheen winning more prizes than Arsenal this season. Hide U was named Record of the Year at the inaugural DanceStar USA Awards in Miami . They also somehow found time to release last year's debut silver-selling album Resist. DanceStar caught up with frontwoman Sian Evans to talk about their mad year.

Right, first off - what does Kosheen mean?

It's Japanese. СKo' and 'sheen' mean 'new' and 'old' together, which is how we approach our music. We take traditional verse-chorus-verse song structures made on guitars and blend them with the modern technology of drum machines.

How did you feel winning the Record of the Year gong at the DanceStar USA Awards?

My initial feeling was УWhat...uh...eh?Ф I dribbled some nonsense and my whole body shook from head to toe then a big wave of relief swept through me. You could say I was surprised! It was fantastic to get that though, it's all such good exposure for us. We don't make records to win awards or to get good chart positions but it's always a nice little tickle when we do win.
When you performed at the Coachella festival in LA, Rolling Stone said you were the highlight of your tent ...
Wow! Guys, guys ... (repeats to the band.)

Is the US drum and bass fanbase growing?

The torch paper is well and truly lit in the States. I was flabbergasted at their enthusiasm and that they knew the words to our songs. In fact everywhere on our tour the fans have been so cool: cute, good looking, not just teenagers - all ages. Amazing.

You're on tour with ten men, must be fun!

It is although I have to find some solace, so occasionally I get a day room in a hotel, have bubble baths, do some yoga and write letters. After the gigs I just go to sleep, it's best not to get drunk with this lot!

If you're not too modest to admit it, what's your favourite self-penned lyric?

Hungry ( Sian 's lament for Сa privileged friend's spiritual bankruptcy,' of all things). The whole song has a really nice sentiment but there's not one lyric in our songs that's not there for a reason. The guys encourage me to express myself through my writing. I always worry about the Сsnigger factor' when I present new work to them. I look around to see how they're reacting.

Where do you best get your head into writing mode?

Usually in our studio in Bristol . It has a real open environment which is very meditative, almost spiritual. Writing has always been a form of release for me, I always feel a lot better afterwards.

Better that than having an argument!?

Oh, I don't know about that. There's a lot to be said for a right good tear up!

Finally, who's the most famous person you've met on your travels?

Lenny Kravitz, but that was before I was famous. I snogged him when I was a young girl! I left my jacket accidently-on-purpose in this studio he was in so when I went back to get it I said, УI think your music's really great...Ф and he grabbed me and stuck his tongue down my throat.

Nice Е

Mmm. It was Е