Killian Wells pushes the pop envelope

In the fast moving world of pop music, artists phase in and out of the scene quicker than the latest high end fashion, nearly becoming as obsolete as last year's iPhone and have as much impact as a bitch slap on this week's episode of The Real Housewives. To have any sort of sustainability in the industry it seems that sheer talent isn't enough to earn today's aspiring pop star any attention unless they are willing to take insurmountable risks and push their craft to the edge.

Sitting across from rising pop-star Killian Wells you can't help but imagine that music phenom Justin Bieber may have met is match! With his Teen Beat polished smile and sparkling blue eyes, the "Prince Charmingly" attractive singer shrugs off the comparison, not at all offended by the inference, but insists, "I'm not interested in pursuing that audience." Not that he'd deny himself the teenage-hysterics that swoon over the Bieber or similar pin-ups. Wells is more focused on creating a career for himself that's more in tune with what's presently going on around him. "I'm not experiencing sunshine and lollipops in my life. I prefer edgier lyrical content."

And Killian who's recently returned to the Big Apple from a stint in Los Angeles is turning to the city to realize this phase of his musical ambition. "New York City is so inspirational. It's the only place where you can be standing still and feel like you're part of something -- I can be in my apartment watching TV and feel like I'm part of the hustle and bustle," he gleams.

That boy-on-boy kiss

His debut single is the hip-hoppy, radio savvy "VIP". In the track Wells promotes the party from coast to coast, from the "212 to 323"... they know his name, and they know the game. "Of course I wanted to write about the whole celebrity obsession... and New York is my first love. This is where I found myself."

It's the perfect introduction to an artist that is perfectly suited to revamping the often canned "boy band" appeal... with a slight bent. Gone is the squeaky clean expectations that often emerge with first timers trying to build an audience. "I like to push the envelope... I think the video makes that very clear." Taking a party bus across Manhattan, outfitted with a stripper pole, out-drinking several of his entourage who end up puking their lunch as the wigs come off and the inhibitions drop. Oh...and then there's the boy-on-boy kiss.

Wells candidly admits, "I've known for a while that I am bisexual and I decided that I was going to be honest about my sexuality from the get-go. It's enough work building up my fan base and working on my music... I'm a terrible liar." But in today's world of hyper-imagery and extravagant expectations among our pop stars, isn't controversy just what every newly-minted artist wants to set the fire to the coals?

"People are going to talk, and I didn't want that distraction -- if people see me with a girl, if they see me with a guy. People would have found out. Enough people know," Wells says. It would have been impossible to keep that sort of secret.

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Watch Killian Wells's video "VIP":

Rumor mill rolling

And while the skeptics among us will deliberate, sexuality -- or the ambiguity thereof -- has always been a popularly contrived device in popular music. Madonna has most effectively manipulated the marketing of sex into the vast longevity of her career, Britney Spears exploited her inner teenage Lolita from the start, and most recently Lady Gaga is the latest emerging pop icon to dally in lesbian entendre and homoeroticism.

That Killian Wells, as a male entertainer is willing to play in those fields with his music and image, is perhaps telling of the changing perception of gay sex and affection between two men. "You really pick yourself apart and you imagine how you're going to come across. It's inevitable that if you achieve a certain amount of success, someone is going to become interested in your private life. This wasn't something I needed to hide."

And certainly something that would get the rumor mill rolling; the video is wrought with the image-making moments you'd come to expect from a radio-friendly tune like "VIP". "You can look at the elements in the video," he elaborates, "the neon and all the lights -- it's stylized and over the top, but that's me -- that's what I like." It's an aesthetic Killian has derived from a period in history that some fashionistas are all but prepared to keep in the back of the closet.

"My walls are decorated in 80's memorabilia. That's who I am." Down to the asymmetrical jacket he sports in the video which is at it's best a rabid homage to having fun even Cyndi Lauper would be proud of. "You have to keep up appearances," the blush to his cheeks is evident. "There's an image [of a pop star] that's expected."

Wells is centered though on becoming the best music artist that he can be -- he has after all great ambitions for himself. "My music is definitely for dancing," Killian admits. "It's electronica mixed in with hip-hop beats." He's inspired by current big room club masters like David Guetta and RedOne, but also attributes Timbaland, who along with Justin Timberlake have recently been able to inject r&b and hip-hop with a healthy dose of synth rhythms bringing the sexy back! "Timbaland is certainly an idol of mine -- and his protege Danja (think: Britney Spears' "Gimme More")! The material they've produced for Nelly Furtado and with Justin Timberlake has been groundbreaking."

He takes his role as an independent artist very seriously and understands that he clearly holds the fate of his career in his own hands. "It's a bit of a challenge not having the major backing for the marketing involved to promote yourself, but I'm getting my music out there. My song is getting played on the radio and it's getting remixed."

This summer " VIP" is being remixed by none other than LorD and Master (known for their work with the duo Dangerous Muse) for the dance floor set, and the video for the track was added into mainstream rotation on MTV.

It's taken great instinct to follow his dreams the way he has, but Wells notes that he's simply stepping into the footsteps of other current artists, who are doing the same thing he is. An example is Ke$ha, who he admits to wanting to collaborate with. "People can hate on someone all they like, but if you have a #1 song on the charts," referring to her hit single "Tik Tok", "you aren't doing too bad for yourself."

And as long as he maintains his drive and dedication, many a girl...or boy, will soon be sneaking backstage to get into Killian Wells' VIP room.

Killian Wells's "VIP" is currently available as a digital download in all markets. For more on Killian Wells, visit his website.