They call her Dev… and I personally think she has what it takes to make it big (if not here in the States, then definitely overseas in their crazy techno clubs). My musical tastes are all over the board and I definitely ain’t a music critic but I know what I like… and I like Dev. Everyone is up on the electro pop sound right now, but unlike the annoying as all hell (yet super catchy) Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow”, Dev comes correct… mainly because she doesn’t sing shit like, “You’re so 2000 and late.”
The Mixshow Commander had this to say about Dev:
“She’s an A&R’s dream: her voice is on point, her songs are catchy, danceable, and well produced, and, most importantly, her mind is right in that her approach to music comes unencumbered by the kinds of petty hang-ups that destroy truly promising careers.”
The Mixshow Commander
And I agree. She definitely has crossover appeal (geeky chic, not pretentious), and doesn’t marginalize herself to a particular audience (a la The Cataracs and their teenage female fan base).
Dev – Make That Money (The Mixshow Commander JOTS Edit)
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Dev is relatively unknown outside of the Bay Area so when Mixshow invited me out to shoot her show, I seized the opportunity. Though not the headlining act, I think she more than held her own. And if it weren’t for all the 15-17 year old Beverly Hills High School girls who were there to see The Cataracs (and to an extent, The Pack of “Vans” fame), I’m sure Dev would’ve stole the show.
Dev – Make That Money (The Mixshow Commander Remix)
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If you’ve been reading my posts from the get go, I’ve had nothing but love for The Cataracs. But after watching them live, I was left with a sour taste in my mouth, partly their fault, mostly their teenage fans’ fault. The last thing I wanted to see and hear from 15-17 year old girls from Beverly Hills High is them singing along to the lyrics, “I don’t wanna talk, I just wanna fuck. We can do it all night.”
I actually have video footage of The Cataracs but I ain’t gonna waste my Vimeo upload limits. (Edit: Video embed via YouTube 4/30/08) If The Cataracs are going to cater to the teenage set, I don’t see much of a future for them. Focus on making music for the grown folks who want to dance to your shit in the club and you’ll be in the money. Regardless, I will admit they put on a great show; I felt like a 15 year old girl going through puberty watching these stunning young lads.
The Cataracs – 2Nite feat. Dev
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All kidding aside, here are some photos I shot of Dev that night. All photos are as is from in camera with no post-processing.
So there, I did it sucka.
by yeahmanh
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