BREAKING & ENTERING

Keeping with the tradition of the last post, another British artist, Emeli Sandé, is set to make her American debut next month. “Next to Me” impacts April 17th, coming off the heels of its #2 peak in the U.K. Being a British, female recording artist will obviously garner comparisons to Adele, whether fair or unfair. With that said, I’m going to compare her to Adele. “Next to Me” is sonically reminiscent of “Rolling In the Deep.” It builds in a similar way and fuses elements of soul with modern pop. Thematically, however, it’s more similar to Joan Osborne’s 1994 hit, “One of Us.” Like the aforementioned singles, will Sandé get her breakout hit in the U.S. with this track? I’d say so. A year ago, I was unsure about Adele’s prospects for Top 40 radio success, but she’s undoubtedly opened the doors and changed radio’s climate over the past year. “Next to Me” sounds like it would fit perfectly among “We Are Young” and “Somebody That I Used to Know,” showing that we are truly in a new era of pop radio.

Two for the price of one today. European artists are really killing it lately, and this track is no exception. There’s been buzz building around Marina and the Diamonds for the past couple of years, but she still hasn’t scored a true breakout hit. “Primadonna” could change that. Having been produced by Dr. Luke, it obviously sounds like another Dr. Luke production. This time, it borrows from “Hold It Against Me,” with hard hitting, electropop verses accompanied by a melodic, glistening chorus (check out that acoustic guitar). The lyrics, however, are a step up from “Hold It Against Me,” and actually would have been fitting for Britney. Alas, it’s a Marina track and she delivers it perfectly, complete with throaty Katy Perry-esque vocals. All in all, it’s a perfectly crafted pop song and I would expect nothing less from this pairing. However, I’m not so sure of its hit potential. It reminds me of Sky Ferreira’s ill-fated, Ryan Tedder-produced “Obsession.” Hopefully radio’s more receptive to this one.

COWELL CONTINUES THE CROSSOVER

Like One Direction, Olly Murrs got his start on The X Factor in the U.K. and was subsequently signed to Simon Cowell’s label. This summer, he will be opening for One Direction on their American tour, and attempting to crossover with his own #1 U.K. hit, “Heart Skips a Beat.” One Direction’s success proves that Cowell has a knack for recognizing what’s missing in the American music market, and like the boyband, male popstars are few and far between. Sans Justin Bieber (and since the other Justin decided to be an actor), it’s been awhile since we’ve had a proper male popstar in the United States. “Heart Skips a Beat” is a current, catchy track for summer, and if Columbia pulls out all the stops with Murrs like they did for One Direction, I expect there to be a few more similarities between them. I wouldn’t be surprised if they decide to trade out British hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks for a more well-known American rent-a-rapper (see: “Break Your Heart” Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris). Regardless, the song’s a hit. It looks we’ll be hearing more form another British import soon.

BRITISH INVASION

When I first saw Cheryl Cole (then Tweedy) in Girls Aloud’s “Sound of the Underground” video back in 2002, I knew she was a star. While she wasn’t the best singer in the group and was years away from becoming one of Great Britain’s “national treasures”, there was just something about her. Since then, I’ve been waiting for Cheryl to release something in the US. While I don’t think a group like Girls Aloud would work over here, I do think Cheryl could bring her successful solo career, as the Brits would say, “across the pond.”

Cheryl’s fame in the UK can be attributed to more things than just her music. Cheryl went from tabloid fodder, after being arrested for attacking a nightclub attendant in 2003, to media darling over the course of a few years for a couple of reasons. First, she married high-profile footballer Ashley Cole in 2006. While that was one step in the right direction, it was even better when Ashley Cole’s affairs were made public, and Cheryl won over the sympathy of the entire nation. Around the same time, Cheryl also became a judge on one of  England’s most popular shows, the X Factor. In order for Cheryl to have the same kind of success and coverage in America, she needs to break through with more than just her music.

Now that Cheryl is dating Derek Hough, I wouldn’t be surprised if she winds up on Dancing with the Stars. While this is usually has-been central, for someone who is virtually unknown in the United States, thirty million viewers a week isn’t bad. This could certainly help launch Cheryl as a popular figure, as well as a musician. Also, it could set her up for a spot on the US edition of the X Factor set to begin in the fall of 2011.

I know, I’ve barely talked about any of Cheryl’s actual music. That’s because, I don’t know if any of it would smash in the United States. Out of all the songs on her debut album, the only one I would even consider to release here is “Fight for This Love”. While it was a huge #1 in the UK, it was fueled by Cheryl’s media coverage and X Factor performance (check that out here)–two things she doesn’t have in America. However, based on the producers lined up for her second album, she’s going for a more Americanized sound, leading me to believe that Cheryl has her sights set on breaking the American market…