Live

Anita Maj, Kids Love Lies

Felicity Flynn 01/06/2010

As a day plagued by constant rain turns into a close, steamy night I find myself in London's notorious venue- de rigueur for all up-and-coming Indie outfits; The Social. I've just watched Kids Love Lies celebratory set to promote their new EP when Anita Maj (and her band) struts onto the stage.

Before she plays her first chord or utters a note, Anita Maj has such a striking visual presence, that you just KNOW that she is going to live up to her reputation of a new rock star in the ascendancy. Anita is a petite woman, and holding her guitar (which emphasises her tiny frame) she easily reminds us of a young Suzi Quatro (in a parallel universe where Quatro had Indian Parents and was born in the North of England) however as soon as she launches into her relaxed and witty between-song banter (delivered in a rather appealing Cockney/Bradford hybrid accent) with band and audience members alike, you know that she is a self-assured, hip young woman, straight from the South-London environs she currently calls her home. Anita Maj is definitely a woman for 2010 and it is easy to see why she is picking up such a following both here in the UK and the US.

It's difficult to describe Anita's sound because you can hear so many diverse influences. Obvious comparisons can be made with contemporaries such as The Gossip and Florence and The Machine, however you can hear distinct nods to classic acts like The Pretenders, Hendrix and Blondie.

Standout tracks like "Out Of Control" and "Nobody's Fool" further validate Anita Maj's standing in the contemporary London soundscape and we can certainly expect to hear a lot more from her and about her in the near future.