I find Taylor Momsen to be kind of obnoxious especially on talk shows when she defends her right to not wear pants. Um, okay. She's trying too hard to dispel her nice girl persona from the TV series, Gossip Girl. But branding issues aside, she has a great voice, surprisingly deep and raw and her songs are all self written. The Pretty Reckless signed with Interscope Records in 2009 and released their first EP this past June. Their debut album, Light Me Up, was released in Europe with some success but hasn't gone worldwide yet. It'll be interesting to see how her voice and music will develop in the coming years. She's only 17 years old, right around the same age as Britney Spears and Christina Aquilera when they were on the rise.
Japanese pop artist, Takashi Marakami, has twenty-two manga-inspired sculptures spread out over the Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette's palace rooms and grounds. First Jeff Koons then Xavier Veilhan, now Murakami. I would love, love, love to see this exhibit.