Emperors

Gender-fluid drag king/queen Stephen/Cassandra, who performs as Emperors, draws upon inspiration “from Elvis Presley to Lady Gaga.” This is unapologetically commercial dance music wrapped in a wholly unconventional package. Stephen/Cassandra states an ambition to create dada-esque art which pushes the boundaries of traditional binary thinking. They are clearly a philosophically-minded person with an eclectic taste in all things creative. It should come as no surprise, then, than “We Are The Emperors” is not as straight-forward as it might at first seem.

Smooth, hazy R&B beats form the background to this track. The first thing that will strike you are Stephen/Cassandra's vocals. Their voice is deep and powerful, a world away from the usual lighter pop tones. Musically, the song skips through several changes, while maintaining its accessible tone. The sing-a-long chorus is memorably catchy, production is dense, but not cluttered, with a pleasingly varied palette. Expect live guitars alongside programmed beats.

“We Are The Emperors” brings a refreshingly original twist to the often all-too-predictable dance/R&B world.