Karmin got their start like any other hardworking music act of the new millennium -- on YouTube. Unless you actually live under some kind of soundproof, internet-proof rock, then you've seen Amy Heidemann (the female half of Karmin) flow like a beast on the duo's cover of Chris Brown's "Look At Me Now." You know, the one that went around the internet like, 64 million times (!!!). Next thing you know, they're releasing a debut album full of original songs -- Hello, out May 8 -- and they're currently our PUSH artist of the week, almost a year to the day we named them a Buzzworthy "Buzz On" act. Lesson of the century: Keep vlogging and tweeting, kids!
Quick history lesson: Amy met her Karmin cohort and real-life boo Nick Noonan at Berklee College of Music, where they collaborated on school projects. They turned their conservatory training to mainstream pursuits. Amy used her theatrical prowess to shape-shift into an uncannily accurate version of pop stars like Demi Lovato and Pink and hip-hop heavyweights like Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes and even Kanye West, with Nick mixing and manning the synth. Their mesmerizing covers -- and Amy's machine-gun flow -- caught the attention of Ryan Seacrest, Ellen DeGeneres, more than a few major record labels. Ultimately, L.A. Reid signed them to Epic Records, landed them a musical guest spot on "Saturday Night Live" and basically ensured that you clear out some memory on your iPod for Karmin's permanent place in your music collection. Not bad for a girl from Nebraska who now has to postpone her wedding to play a music festival for millions of people.
And while we could watch Amy battle Busta Rhymes' tongue-twisters with an almost terrifying level of perfection, Karmin's more than just a cover band. They're bringing their own infectious brand of power-pop (and, yes, Amy's fast-lane flow) to their Hello debut, which features the shimmering smash, "Brokenhearted" (a song based on their real-life relationship) and the ferociously fearless "I Told You So," which sees its video premiere Tuesday, May 8, on MTV and MTV.com.
Karmin's already bigger than big. And the scary thing is, they're about to get even bigger. And we'll be here to say, well, "I Told You So."
+ Download a free copy of Karmin's "I Told You So," check out their live performance of "Hello" and their latest video "I Told You So" below, and watch more interviews and performances with the band after the jump.
Games" screenings, but the rapper found time for a blast from the past for us today -- a new video for "Lost In The World." The already-classic My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy track gets an artsy treatment from Yeezy. The black-and-white video's full of gorgeous models dancing on a mirrored building, flailing under cloud cover and haunted by their own eerie (yet still attractive) reflections. It's simple but beautiful imagery that turns dark and intense as Kanye turns on the bright lights in the form of jarring strobes as the video swerves into abstract urban scenes.
