WHO THE HELL IS MARKELLA? Well, as she sings in OpeRADical, Markella obviously 'don't wanna be a tight a**, white-bread opera diva' anymore, although she has appeared as soloist with most of the world's top symphony orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Symphony Orchestra as well as leading opera houses such as Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Royal Opera House in London. 'Tired of bein' an anachronism,' Markella, previously a 'prim and proper candy Greek Girl,' seems to eradicate any stereotypical image of opera singers, and apparently, judging by the intro to OpeRADical, she's 'had enough,' 'can't pretend,' and 'don't care' if her 'words offend.' Judging by some of her previous pop singles, Markella may be a true, if not formidable, iconoclast, but what she really loves, other than being just a tad 'so salty, so fly' is just to be so OpeRADical! Ok, she loves her high E-flats, too! 'Just what Markella say' KA: 1 beautiful Greek girl, 2 voices, 3 octaves. What happens when a 'badassical' opera star lets loose with a little hip hop, rap and euro pop combined with some dazzling operatics? M: I guess OpeRADical is what happens! KA: I listened to this at least a dozen times when you sent me the song and lyrics last month. I just couldn't seem to stop. So much going on in this song - deep thoughts intertwined with absurdity, those high E-flats follow by your rap - so many levels and so much FUN! M: I hope so. It was meant to be fun. Mostly. KA: What a concept. The lyrics, combining sesquipedalians such as anthropologetic and anachronism with the 'salty' urban slang. Just 'so fly.' M: I think the concept grew out of many years of observing the classical and pop music worlds, the way in which they interact and sometimes collide. The way in which they can inspire mutual respect, or, as is frequently the case, mutual disdain. KA: So do you think pop singers might occasionally view opera singers as 'tight a**, white-bread opera divas?' M: Sure, but I also view many opera singers in that manner. Ha, ha! KA: I think this song will probably free you from any tight-a** labels! And how do opera singers view pop stars? M: It depends on the person, but generally I think there's a lot of 'big deal, I could do that with my hands tied behind my back.' The great irony is most never seem to get around to it. KA: I think most of them don't have a STYVYN! M: That is true. Usually when a female opera singer does a pop recording they do boring cover songs and usually sing in unappealingly low keys in order to avoid the 'operatic creep' in the voice. Big 'boregasm!' How unoriginal. KA: And you and pop music? I mean, it's certainly easier than singing high Cs for three hours on stage without a microphone. M: I suppose I used to think that way, but, perhaps that was because I never had time to embrace pop music. This is an incredible time to be alive with all the rapidly evolving technologies and new mediums of communication. There are a lot of pop musicians doing fascinating things and continually breaking new ground today, especially those w ith the best producers. KA: Who do you listen to? M:I listen to a lot of different female artists. Some you may find hard to believe. I listen to Kesha, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Lady GaGa, Beyonc?�, Nicki Minaj, La Roux, Christina Aguilera, Auburn... KA: It seems like a few of those might fit the paradigm of the 'created by the suits,' 'dime-a-dozen southern California girls' with the 'octave voices' you poke fun of in OpeRADical? One of my favs in the song is 'here's your little octave voice. Sorry, trif, but I got 3.' M: Oh, maybe. I'm not going to say, but, I do know that some of them have absolutely incredible engineers. I guess when I listen to a Kesha song or Britney Spears, I'm more intrigued by what's going on with the concept, the mix and the engineering. That's where the game is. KA: And, what's your game, Markella. M: Continual creativity and expression with no inhibitions. I've never felt so fulfilled as during the five months we worked on OpeRADical. KA: I agree with the intro of OpeRADical: 'the world needs more iconoclasm.' I can't wait for more Markella surprises. What else is in the pipeline? M: I think the world just needs enhanced critical thinking skills. Perhaps more iconoclasm can light that fire. Anyway, during the OpeRADical time, I've really found myself drifting to urban more and more, especially in a production sense and to the end where I can exploit both identities, both voices, in an original context that just feels like me. So, for now, more like OpeRADical, and beyond - far beyond! OpeRADical lyrics by STYVYN I had enough, I can't pretend I'm tired - of bein' an anachronism I don't care if my words offend The world needs more iconoclasm I'm gonna show them somethin' new All the stupid little girls and their auto tune* OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! Boregasm! Give the gate! Fifty-one, Fifty! Don't mess with me! * I'm comin' out! No more, 404 Transcendental! Don't mess with me! * No surprises when she verbalizes No compromises when she victimizes No Nobel prizes when she scandalizes No one realizes when she hypnotizes Cuts down to sizes Vanilla Ices Satirizes fool's paradises Antagonizes apostatizes Symbolizes Goddess Isis when she vocalizes Don't wanna be a tight a**, white-bread opera diva Don't put me in a box, cause I do everything. The dime-a-dozen southern California girls. They think they're singin' 'til they hear this. Another routine seventeen, made by the machine with a pristine limousine Another child's play, blase, display for Claude Monet's ashtray Ain't no inbetween, no golden mean, just yo' a** in the guillotine No gourmet, foreplay, mezzo-forte shadow play, just what Markella say Pebbles talk like this, Sko So much to say, nothin' to know Can't drop science on da 40-watt bimho This voice goin' somewhere over the rainbow OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! The flavor of the month with her hundred-word vocabulary I'm a polylingual b**ch who doesn't like the Virgin Mary Here's your little octave voice. Sorry, Trif, but I got 3! Ownage! Ownage! Ownage! OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! Schizo, too many Markellas Need a check up from the neck up. Don't mess with me! * Prim and proper candy Greek Girl Don't be fooled, I'm runnin' drag. So badassical. Don't mess with me! * Mean lean on-screen beauty queen Shining cosmic ray on a holy day She think yo' vending machine cuisine OK April fool buffet entree Hellene on too much time machine caffeine She say what she mean, she mean what she say Intervene saw your obscene gene in the latrine Ricochet, airplay Tina Fey word spray Created by the suits, basic B-flat chippie Amer'can Idol assiotic pop slag bubblegum Bet you don't know what anthropologetic is Brain bleachin', streamin' all your bad juju Think you're so salty, so fly, pretty H Just sayin' hooch-hooch, NOT! Runnin' with the world with chronic moutharrhea Bad addi-paddi fa st-food bogus breezy aerospew Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah Irrelephant, booty chatter, insignificant Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah Bob's your uncle, and then I found five dollars Ain't no more fascinating lady-in-waiting to the nauseating aggravating She took a long-a** bad assical sabbatical and got madical, badical, operadical Ain't no more call-waiting suffocating mental masturbating Threw out the nice-icle, became an icicle and just got so madical, badical, operadical OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! OPERADICAL! I've said some rather impolite things Sorry, B, my bad. JK. Wrong! Ownage! Ownage! Ownage! * LYRICS HAVE BEEN ALTERED FROM THE UNEDITED VERSION