Entertainment In Focus

05 December 2008 04:46 BST

Electrovamp: Our album is a soundtrack to the weekend

They're billed as being from "somewhere unpronounceable in Wales" - though how hard is Caerphilly, really? - but Electrovamp's sassy pop sounds as suited to a sweaty south Wales dancefloor as to the trendiest bars in London or New York. And that's probably why their new single Drinks Taste Better When They're Free has been picked as the main track from the soundtrack for Simon Pegg's new comedy How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, released on October 3rd.

inthenews.co.uk's Lewis Bazley talks to 17-year-old Kally, the younger of the Electrovamp sisters, before their new single hits the dancefloor and the charts.

Hi Kally, how are you?

I'm good thank you, just drinking my tea! (laughs)

So the single, Drinks Taste Better When They're Free, is out soon - talk me through it

It's taking the mick out of guys who offer us drinks in clubs and expect something in return - we'll take the drinks off them and walk off! (laughs) It's just having a laugh basically.

So you've got a song called Drinks Taste Better When They're Free, and the last single was called Don't Like the Vibe in the VIP - is the whole album about going out?

Yeah, it's basically like a soundtrack to the weekend. It starts on the Friday night with going out, in the VIP, then again on the Saturday and it's just a whole weekend. There are other things in between like relationship problems as well.

Is it about what girls your age go through?

Yeah, it's for people our age, me and Tammy are 17 and 18. I asked a friend the other day to tell me some of her problems so that I could write some songs about it! (laughs) She told me about her boyfriend who cheated on her and I said: 'Oh no!', but I thought I could change the names and get a song out of it! (laughs)

Is there a release date for the album yet?

I think we're hoping for next year, we should have another single on the way, but it's ready to go.

Obviously with this single it's on the soundtrack of How to Lose Friends & Alienate People - have you guys been able to see the film?

Yeah, we went to an early screening in a tiny cinema with about 20 people. We didn't really know what to expect but the film was really funny.

Where does your song fit in?

It's in a really good part where Simon Pegg's character's feeling really down about his career and sitting in a bar area and the song's playing while he's sulking! And we've also recorded another song which is in a part where he moves from London to New York, as well, which is exclusive for the film, and it's when he starts dancing with this famous model! (laughs)

Has making music always been an ambition of yours and Tammy's?

Just like anyone really, we used to sing into our hairbrushes in our bedrooms, Tammy used to sing along to Christina Aguilera all the time. And I suppose when we were about 12 we decided that we wanted to do it properly and then when we were 14 and 15 we ended up doing the Girls Aloud tour and ever since then it's plodded on nicely! (laughs)

Did you ever consider talent shows like The X Factor?

I don't know, we'd never say never, but we'd have had to have tried everything else. If we hadn't done the Girls Aloud tour we would have find another way to get noticed.

How was touring with Girls Aloud?

It was amazing, it was 25 dates, and I think it'd be four dates in a row and then a day off. It was mad, because you got into such a routine and when the tour was over we thought: 'What do we do now?!?' It was so much fun and the girls are all really nice.

Are they a band you'd listened to a lot?

Yeah, definitely.

Your music's pop, of course, but with an electro feel, hence the name - why did you go down that route?

It's who we are, basically. The music we make describes our personalities quite well, because we're quite bubbly people and like to have a laugh and a dance, especially to electro. It just seemed to fit! (laughs)

Other than Girls Aloud, who are your influences?

People like Robyn, the Sugababes, Luciana, there's quite a lot of people we look up to. Me and Tammi love every style of music so you'll probably find lots of different stuff on the album.

As your sisters, do you squabble when you're working?

We argue quite a bit, but we're best friends quite a bit as well! (laughs) It's usually the normal 'where's my straightness? What are you doing my room? You've been in my wardrobe!' stuff! (laughs) My bedroom's above the living room so if Tammy's in there, I can hear the floorboards creaking and catch her out!

So what are ambitions as a band?

What we really want to do is get out to other countries, because we've had a lot of positive feedback from places like Italy, Russia, Australia. We were in a club a few days ago and some guy came up and said: 'Oh my god, you're Electrovamp! You're huge in Russia!' We were like: 'Really??' We didn't know! (laughs)

And finally, who's your favourite other Welsh artist?

At the moment probably Duffy, she's really good.

Lewis Bazley

Drinks Taste Better When They're Free is out on October 13th



How to Lose Friends and Alienate People hits the screen on October 3rd.