Eurotrash (...get it?)
Kerli Kõiv (born 7 February 1987 in Elva, Estonia) is a pop singer from Estonia, currently living in the US. Her music for her first album, Love is Dead, had a dark sound that ranged from depressing to a macabre-tainted uplifting sound. After becoming happier, she adopted a happier, more electro-pop sound. Time will tell on whatever this will elevate her popularity.In between her two major releases, she did two songs for two Tim Burton films: Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Frankenweenie. She also wrote Demi Lovato's "Skyscraper".
Kerli's fashion is known as "bubble goth", and her fans are called "MoonChildren".
Discography:
- Kerli (EP) (2007)
- Love is Dead (2008)
- Utopia (EP) (2013)
- Deepest Roots (EP) (2016)
- Shadow Works (2019)
Tropes that apply to her:
- Age-Progression Song: The music video of "Love is Dead" is an inverted version, since it shows Kerli slowly digressing from a decrepit woman into her normal self.
- Alice Allusion: The old man delivering the doll in the beginning of the "Walking on Air" video appears to be some sort of Mad Hatter.
- "Tea Party" is prominent with its references due to being tied in with Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland". The castle and the long table is only two references.
- Bookends: Her first music video, Love Is Dead, ends with her sporting butterfly wings. Her Zero Gravity music video, the first single of her second album, also ends with her sporting butterfly wings.
- Break-Up Song: "Love Me Or Leave Me" is a variation, with Kerli asking her boyfriend to make a decision about their friendship.
- Cover Version: Of "She's In Parties" by Bauhaus
- Creepy Doll: The doll from the beginning of the "Walking on Air" video makes a return to sing the bridge, complete with its anthropomorphic face. It continues to sing as it placed into the box.
- Also note that not only is this a Creepy Doll, it's a famous ball jointed doll named Elena, a Super Dollfie.
- Also pops up in her video Tea Party, as the dolls that the guests turn into.
- Genre Mashup: Roughly, Love is Dead features elements of Gothic Rock, Alternative Dance, Synthpop, Art Rock, Dance-Punk, and Baroque Pop. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
- Helium Speech: The chorus of "Sugar" implements some sensual chipmunky vocals.
- Intercourse with You: Both "Tea Party" and "Sugar" seems to be suggesting something behind their metaphors.
- Ironic Nursery Tune: The bridge for "Creepshow" is an Estonian folk tale told in a harsh voice.
- Minimalism: While the music video for "Love is Dead" is already The Oner, the Director's Cut is even plainer, doing a way with the green-screen and having only two special effects: Kerli's age digression, and the impression that the music video is being played from a malfunctioning video cassette.
- New Sound Album: Compared with Love is Dead, the Utopia EP and associated songs are lighter and more electronic in nature.
- The Oner: The music video of "Love is Dead" is literally only one shot.
- Perky Goth: Her fashion is known as "bubble goth", which combines the usual "goth" look with brighter, quirkier elements.
- Rule of Cool: "Zero Gravity" mixes in Asian and modern elements into one whimsical stew for the music video.
- Self-Empowerment Anthem: "The Lucky Ones" is about looking at the bright side of life, and was written about one of Kerli's friends was able to overcome cancer.
- Silly Love Songs: "Chemical" is about how Kerli and her lover's love is more than...chemical.
- Surreal Music Video: Most of her videos, but especially "Walking on Air" and "Zero Gravity".
Walking on Air
- Mind Screw: Everything in the video is the opposite of what it's supposed to be.
- The TV is watching Kerli.
- When the ceiling fan is activated, everything else spins.
- In the kitchen scene, the walls are a forest.
- The oven is a freezer and the freezer is an oven.
- The windows are brick walls.
- Snow is coming out of the underside of the umbrella.
- Her bed is a pile of stones.
- Her tears float up
- The bird is upside down.
- Nightmare Face:
- The first segment featuring Kerli singing.
- The doll
- The woman in the end staring at you as she rocks on her creaking rocking chair.
- Scenery Porn: Literally every scene in the video for Walking On Air.
