Amanda Lepore • Cotton Candy

I thought we could start out the morning with a bang - a big bang, really. Because when you are talking about Amanda Lepore, you are talking about a soul that doesn't do anything that doesn't define living large. The New Jersey native has been a model, fashion icon, a scion of Urban nightlife, performance artist, and, finally, a recording artist. Born Armand Lepore in the small down of Cedar Grove, New Jersey. In an interview, Lepore said she knew she was a woman trapped in a boys body for as long as she could remember. When Lepore was a teen, she started making outfits for transgender performers, in exchange for hormones. Before long, Lepore dropped out of school, and saw a doctor to begin proper hormone treatments, to assist in the transition from male to female. After marrying, and spending time as a suburban housewife, Lepore, now officially Amanda Lepore, moved to New York City, and began working selling cosmetics and discovering the nightlight of the City in the 1990s. While out, Lepore met photographer Dave LaChapelle, and the two began working together. It was not long before Lepore was gaining fame, and began expanding her career. In the new millennium, Lepore began performing in many different arenas, from performance art to collaborating with gay Hip-Hop artist Cazwell. In 2005, the first release was the EP Introducing Amanda Lepore. Soon she was featured on the soundtrack to Another Gay Movie, with the hit made famous by The Waitress', "I Know What Boys Want". Lepore took part in the True Colors Tour in 2007, along side stars like Margaret Cho and Cyndi Lauper. In 2009, Lepore released the single, "Cotton Candy". The song also appeared on the soundtrack of Another Gay Sequel. Amanda and the song delivers the delightful Pop candy confection with a coating of yummy and delicious retro New Wave packaging.

In 2010, Amanda released a collaboration with Cazwell, "Get Into It". Cazwell delivered the Rap, while Lepore cooed her way through the chorus, and posed through the video, proving to be part Betty Page, part Marilyn Monroe, and part Gypsy Rose Lee, bring pinup realness to the performance. In fact, Lepore and Cazwell teamed up once again, this time offering an homage the a great star in the song, "Marilyn". The video opens with a dreamy sound, a haunting lilt that almost recalls a Hitchcock soundtrack. When it finally delivers the Hop-Hop, you are ready to dance with Amanda!. You can purchase all these songs on the album, I...Amanda Lepore, on iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about Amanda Lepore, "like" her on Facebook, or "follow" her on Twitter.