Former rock chick turned low-fi chic pop artist is ready to launch new album with her art band Candy Says, writes Tim Hughes

If there’s one thing to be said for Julia Sophie Heslop, it’s that she’s never predictable.

The former rock chick has consistently intrigued and delighted with a musical trans- formation which has seen this darling of the Los Angeles live scene returning to Oxford and reinventing herself as frontwoman of the cool, sassy art pop band Candy Says.

Refusing to play by anyone’s rules but their own, they have performed shows in a cavernous Oxford church, and a tiny bookshop, and recorded their album in the garage of their West Oxford bungalow. Now, that album, Not Kings, is finished and is being showcased next Thursday at a pre-launch party in yet another unusual space: Europe’s oldest music venue.

With it’s pin-sharp acoustics and grand interior, the Holywell Music Room is the perfect setting for Oxford’s quirkiest band. For Juju, who as vocalist with the band Little Fish played everywhere from Reading Festival and Knebworth to Hollywood’s Viper Room, the Holywell is also intimate.

“It is a beautiful venue,” she says. “It’s the perfect place to see us perform our catchy lo-fi chic pop and shambolic electronica.”

Taking their name from a Velvet Underground song about New York transsexual Candy Darling, Candy Says have perfected their own version of psychedelic pop – one which is candy-flavoured without being saccharine sweet, and which feels stylishly retro, while vibrant and new.

Juju, her partner and bandmate Ben Walker (keyboards), percussionist Elisa Zoot and drummer Mike Monaghan have always made a point of doing things differently.

“We never do anything for no reason at all,” says Juju. “The whole concept of Candy Says is to do the opposite of Little Fish. We recorded everything ourselves working with the equipment we have, and that makes our sound unique. It sounds like it was recorded in our garage, because it was. We whistle, hit deck chairs, bang planks, whack polystyrene cubes and shake things we find at local village fetes.” For their Holywell show they will be joined by singer Liset Alea from French new wave-lounge band Nouvelle Vague.

As if to confirm their glamourous, if offbeat, reputation, they have also teamed up with American model and chanteuse Chrysta Bell.

“It’s going to be an interesting night,” says Juju. “One which is creative, quirky... and sexy!”

CHECK IT OUT
Candy Says play Oxford’s Holywell Music Room next Thursday, with
support from Chrysta Bell. Tickets are £10 from candysays.bandcamp.com
 

Not Kings is out on May 28, though CDs and cassettes of the album will be available at the Holywell show.