Hottest Jews sizzle in Hottest 100
JEWISH musicians hit the high note in this year’s Triple J Hottest 100 contest with British producer, performer and DJ Mark Ronson coming in sixth with his global chart-topping hit Uptown Funk.
More than 2,000,000 people around the world voted on the Australian annual music poll with Ronson’s retro song, featuring American artist Bruno Mars, making the cut for the prestigious top 10 spot.
Local Jewish talent also starred in the countdown, which is hailed as the world’s greatest music democracy.
Sydneysider Gideon Bensen and his indie rock band The Preatures placed 29th on the music chart with their song Somebody’s Talking.
The guitarist and vocalist for the five-piece band told The AJN that it’s a honour to be recognised by the Australian public for the second consecutive year.
“It’s the biggest democratically voted contest in the world and to be involved is just really nice. To be voted in two years in a row is a really good feeling,” Bensen explained.
“We weren’t too sure if we were going to make it. We had such a big year … but we were hoping to be included,” Bensen said.
Former Emanuel School student Alex Sholler, who goes by her DJ name Alison Wonderland, took home 37th spot for her banger I Want U.
According to her Facebook page, the talented musician listened live to the countdown in Los Angeles.
“In LA dancing to Hottest 100 in a living room and I don’t care if I look like a weirdo. It’s what got me into heaps of music when I was a kid,” Sholler shared on her page.
Japanese Wallpaper, the 2015 Triple J Unearthed High winner, featured in the countdown with his song Between Friends, which came in at 97th.
The electro-pop proponent, whose real name is Gab Strum, is about to start year 12 at Leibler Yavneh College and told The AJN that he’s “very lucky.”
“I definitely wasn’t expecting it, I feel like it’s every Australian artist’s dream.”
Currently on tour in Sydney, the 17-year-old music producer will balance his VCE studies with his passion for making music.
“If you had told me six months ago that I would make it to the countdown, I probably would’ve laughed. It’s so surreal, it’s just awesome,” enthused Strum.
ZOE KRON
Mark Ronson came in sixth in the Triple J chart. Photo: Rebecca Cabage/Invision/AP
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