Kerli Exclusive Interview

If you were handed a globe and were told to find the country of Estonia, would you be able to do it? It's unlikely that many people could, or have let alone even heard of the place. It's a cold, tiny country bordered by Finland that, up until the early '90s, was occupied by the Soviets. Not exactly a favorable breeding ground for aspiring creative types. Except if your name is Kerli.

Pop-singer/songwriter Kerli grew up in Elva, a 5,000 person town in the middle of a forest. Natives maintained a bleak outlook on life because opportunities to build a stable future for themselves were scarce. Even showing emotion was shunned. This didn't jive with Kerli's expressive personality, so throughout her childhood, she'd dream up ways to escape to America. Her ticket out? Music.

At age 14, she won Euroalaul, a televised songwriting contest to select a song to represent Estonia. After that, she focused entirely on music. When she auditioned for Island Def Jam Chairman L.A. Reid, he liked her style so much that he signed her on the spot.

Kerli doesn't create typical pop music. Her songs are moody, ethereal and her lyrics can be dark and very telling at times. She is backed by a full band that includes a cello, making her songs feel full and sweeping. Her vocal style has been compared to Bjork, but Kerli has a sound all her own.

Kerli's quirky personal style is also unlike that of most pop-stars. Check out her goth tutu ensemble in her video for "Walking on Air" and you'll see what we mean. Because of her penchant for eyeliner and fishnets, comparisons to other "edgy" pop-singers like Avril Lavigne will be inevitable from the media. But Kerli seems like a tough girl - she can handle it.

When we met up with Kerli at the Island Def Jam offices, the first thing the tiny blond singer did was kick off her expensive yet fiendishly uncomfortable-looking high heels. Once everyone was comfortable, we began talking to her about everything from her stormy childhood to her tattoo collection. Kerli has a lot to say, so get to know to know her in our video interviews on Page 2.