CSS: brazen frontwoman Lovefoxxx opens up about Kavinsky, new beginnings and Brazilian politics

A lot has changed since the CSS, or Cansei de Ser Sexy (Portuguese for "tired of being sexy") crew first burst onto rock, pop and punk radars a decade ago with their brash attitude and bouncy electro-pop jams. Youthful anthem "Music Is My Hot Hot Sex" became the 2007 soundtrack for edgy teen dramedies and shimmery iPod Touch ads, while exuberant party hits such as "Alala" and "Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above" exported their defiant synth concoctions to the upper echelons of international indie cool. The São Paulo-bred band, which has seen a few members come and go over the past decade, has toured its bratty, rugged-pop anthems, eye-popping fashion and tongue-in-cheek lyrics with the likes of Gwen Stefani, Bonde do Rolê and Diplo.

Arguably CSS' most highly publicized line-up change occurred with the departure of multi-instrumentalist and producer Adriano Cintra, who left the group in 2011 after making claims that the band’s success had gotten to the girls’ heads, and other mean-spirited comments aimed at the girls’ musical proficiency (or alleged lack thereof). With that drama behind them, remaining members Lovefoxxx, Luiza Sá, Ana Rezende and Carolina Parra rolled up their sleeves, enlisted the production acumen of TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek and embraced new ways of working. "I definitely didn't read those things, but it sucked," recalled frontwoman Lovefoxxx to NIGHTLIFE.CA, when asked about Cintra's unraveling. "[Cintra] wasn’t polite about it at all, but we’re over it now, and he thankfully has nothing to do with our music anymore." When talking about the making of Planta, the band’s fourth studio release and latest electro makeover, the colourful CSS ringleader known for her eccentric spandex unitards and highly unpredictable on-stage antics described the experience as very collaborative: "we were all very involved at every step of the process. It was kind of like a new band, actually."

You might also recall Lovefoxxx's breathy, sensual vocals on Kavinsky's "Nightcall" – the moody electro cut that eventually made its way into the Drive soundtrack, setting the melancholy tone for the film during its opening nocturnal highway ride. "That was the most popular song I’ve ever been involved with, and I think it’s a great track," says Lovefoxxx. "I think it came out about a year before the film but nobody cared… [Ed’s Note: actually, NIGHTLIFE.CA cared] but then it just fit really well with the movie and the intro. I loved everything about it, Cliff Martinez and the other people involved were really great."

Never one to shy away from speaking her mind, Lovefoxxx has already told the press she plans on skipping the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics in Brazil, because "traffic in São Paulo is hell" and "it’s going to be such a mess." But the demonstrations currently rocking many of the country's cities have clearly struck a chord with one of São Paulo biggest musical exports. "All of us girls are
 very happy that people are protesting in the streets, which for many years just didn’t happen – the idea that everybody would get together for a change," says Lovefoxxx. "But then it started to get really messy, and the police got so violent, it made no sense. Now, each person going to protest has different motivations, but it feels a bit like Carnival, because it’s not for one single cause. The great thing about it is that it’s bringing people together in the streets. And if we were in Brazil, you can be sure we would be there as well."

CSS
With The Black Keys, The Joy Formidable, IO Echo and Kurt Vile and the Violators
Friday July 5th | Espace Montmorency (Laval)
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