Alice Glass, Crystal Castles
When it comes to opinions on Alice Glass (pictured, above right), there’s never a middle ground. The bouncing bellower for electro noise punks Crystal Castles provokes extreme reactions.
She and Ethan Kath have gone from a balaclava-clad duo clearing out Sneaky Dee’s two years ago to international stars playing for thousands at British festivals, posing for glossy fashion magazines and permeating the mainstream with their abrasive sound.
They’ve had detractors, lawsuits and accusations along the way. To some, Glass is a screeching, talentless pixie with a cool haircut and bad attitude, her shelf life soon to expire in this world of blog-fuelled hype. To others she’s a style icon, a sex symbol, a fist-throwing punk and the chain-smoking face of a new frontier in music.
Love her or hate her, she’s stirred a reaction, created a dialogue and probably made you question the Castles phenomenon. You may want to see her fail or hit the “glass” ceiling, but the point is you want to see her. And that makes Alice Glass this year’s frontperson.
