As we head into a new decade, Ampersand music writer Haley Bosselman zeroes in on pop music’s rising artists.
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Dorian Electra was, in fact, born Dorian Electra — actually, Dorian Electra Fridkin Gomberg. It’s a name any new artist would aspire to come up with as their stage moniker, as if Electra were destined for pop star greatness. For those of us just tuning in, Electra (who uses they/them pronouns) is bringing the future of pop to fruition.
Electra recently kicked off their tour in February in Toronto in support of the deluxe release of their debut album Flamboyant. They planned to make their way to Los Angeles for a sold out show on March 21. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the tour has been postponed.
For live shows, Electra wants to make a “big pop spectacle.” But this spectacle is more than just a bubblegum dance party. The goal is create a positive space fueled by punk energy. Fans denote themselves the “Church of Electra,” who recently put on their own fundraiser and donated proceeds to the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
Fans also recently collaborated on a song with Electra. While in Las Vegas, they set up an Instagram livestream to write the song by using only fans’ comments. The result was “Thirsty (For Love),” a song about a rodeo clown falling in love with a disco vampire.
When I speak with Electra over the phone, they are in London getting ready to head to a writing camp. Were they going to write another song with fans? It’s a possibility, but all depends on if there is stable Wifi at the castle location.
On their Instagram account the next day, they post: “I am at a CASTLE… PRAYING for hit songs.” Electra and their team chuckle through a video: “oooooh we loooovee muuusic.”
Electra’s most recent video release, “Guyliner,” is the unholy combination of emo drama and pop sleekness. There’s lots of black, neon green and scene kid haircuts. It’s an ode to MySpace teens, with a little more luster and fluidity. Electra’s fashion varies by scene: steampunk, Hot Topic-glam and post-game football gear. In true rebel kid fashion, Electra sings, “Everybody coming at me, they want to attack me.” Above all, “Guyliner” is a celebration of make-up allowing you to embrace your identity.
“Guyliner, I’m wearing, nobody can stop me now,” they sing. “Guyliner, this is the real me baby, and this ain’t no disguise,” they sing.
A listen through Flamboyant is an audio journey through the Electra mythos of bombastic pop and feminized masculinity. It’s punk in identity and superstar in execution.
“I think pop music is the music that reaches the most number of people… it’s meant to be accessible,” they say. “I get very bored with one genre.”
Electra likes to think of concepts first when creating songs. They describe themself as a visual person, explaining that if a song is not a strong enough concept for imagery, then it is not good enough. They often come up with a visual component, even if they don’t end up making a music video. Each song is a new experiment that pulls from electronic to metal sounds.
“To me that’s the only way to make music,” they say.
The Dorian Electra music video universe is a sexy future-topia, a world that can be good or bad, depending on the storyline (I’m unsure I would want to live in the corporate world of “Career Boy”). On Halloween last year, Electra released a music video reimagining of Adam and Eve.
“I’m really happy with ‘Adam & Steve,’” they say.
The song takes an anti-LGBTQ slogan (“It’s Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve”) and subverts the phrase to something more serious: “Say I’m an abomination, but I’m God’s creation,” they sing.
The video depicts the infamous forbidden fruit scene. What’s more intriguing is when an exorcism is performed over Electra and the end result is their transformation into an angel. In the next scene, Electra and their lover are angels in heaven, amongst many other angels rocking out and pole dancing, a rejoice in God’s love for who they are.
“And God made me and he loves me, and he loves me,” they sing. “God made me and Adam and Steve.”
The cohesive aesthetic, but varied storytelling of Electra’s music videos is telling of the care they put into their art.
“I love to put new stuff out, but I like to give it the attention it deserves.”
Like their music, Electra blurs style in fashion. They like to combine elements from different historical periods. Looks vary from goth to sporty to medieval. Their trademark penciled mustache is often accompanied by an extreme make-up look. The mustache became an accidental staple after a photoshoot in 2016.
“Wow, these are the most me photos ever taken,” they recall thinking during the photoshoot.
In the future, Electra hopes to lift up other artists and give them a platform. They especially want to champion queer and queer POC artists, whether by starting a label or curating a festival. For now, Electra sees the pop music landscape diversifying and cites Lil Nas X, Lizzo and Billie Eilish as those at the forefront.
“It’s very encouraging for underground artists that look different.”
Electra is no secret of underground pop. They are featured in the upcoming issue of Playboy, a solidification of Electra as a sex symbol. With Flamboyant, Electra has ushered in a new age of desire and self-affirmation, and thank god the world is noticing.
You can follow Dorian Electra here.
Album art by Charlotte Rutherford.