CSS

Hailing from the sweaty club scene of São Paulo, Brazil, it’s strange to think that electro-rockers Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS) reached their decade milestone earlier this year. In the process of going from fun-loving DIY teens tearing up local clubs to established pop stars casting their addictive pop to the global mainstream, this infectious band haven’t seemed to age a bit.

The all-girl quartet have just released their fourth album, Planta, and they’re currently in the middle of a whirlwind global tour which will eventually see them touching down on our shores in November for this year’s Harvest Festival where they’ll play alongside the likes of Massive Attack, Franz Ferdinand and Goldfrapp.

Chatting with CSS’ hilarious lead singer Lovefoxxx (aka Luísa Hanae Matsushita), the charismatic frontwoman divulges about the band’s latest album, their time in LA and their collective love for Australia

“Oh my god I was so drunk at that show!” she laughs loudly as she remembers her fine form at the 2011 Melbourne Big Day Out.

Given their current single ‘Hangover’, naturally Lovefoxxx had some expert tips for dealing with the next-day festival comedown: “drink a whole bottle of water before you sleep, eat something, and if you feel like throwing up you should go. And I know it’s tempting sometimes but don’t mix alcohol, that’s the most stupid thing you can do.”

Even though her recollection of their visit two years ago might be a little hazy, the joking singer is clearly excited for another round.

“We were just thinking about the music and really going with the flow and not against it. “

“I love Australia, it’s my favourite place to tour. I really love touring Japan and America as well, but we all love Australia. When we go there it’s always shitty winter everywhere else we tour before it, so it’s so nice to land and go out of the airport and feel the nature screaming at you,” she raves in her thick Brazilian accent.

“And the coffee is amazing. I think it’s the best place to drink coffee in the world. You really know how to make your coffee – and we love coffee. The thing that bums me out is that everything there is so expensive, things like breakfast, but beside being pricey we love it and always love to come back.”

This time around CSS return armed with their brand new album, Planta, which sees the girls channeling their pop, punk and electro influences for another collection of tracks all stamped by their signature quirky attitude.

Planta was produced by TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek, who invited the girls to record the album at his LA home studio which became their crash pad for the next two months. The partnership started, explains Lovefoxxx, “when Dave saw us playing in London in late 2011 and thought we were cool.”

“In the very beginning of working with him we were trying to keep it serious and work-work-work. I was so intimidated going to his house for the first time I could barely speak, but straight away we had such a good chemistry,” she quips between giggles.

“Dave has a really healthy rhythm. He doesn’t overwork, he doesn’t stress too much. Every night after we recorded and listened to the tapes over and over we would jump into the pool and eat dinner. It was a very community-like feeling – it was very special.”

This marked the first time CSS had ever made an album outside of Brazil. Whether it was the nightly pool parties, studio tattoo sessions or lamb chops on the barbecue, Sitek’s hospitality seemed to have provided the perfect atmosphere for these four pranksters to flourish.

“I think fun is our solid base – it’s the one solid line that’s been with us since the beginning. “

“We’re from Sao Paulo and it’s such a big, chaotic metropolis so being in LA was kind of like living a simple life,” Lovefoxxx says. “We were all very simple with the way we were thinking – we were just thinking about the music and really going with the flow and not against it. It was just about having fun with it.”

It’s this F-word that’s been a consistent element throughout CSS’ 10-year lifespan. It’s what got the world hooked on their undeniably catchy track ‘Music Is My Hot Hot Sex’, which still stands as the highest-charting single in the US by a Brazilian band.

“I think fun is our solid base – it’s the one solid line that’s been with us since the beginning. Even our friendship, we are very connected with the kind of humour we like and it’s something that keeps us together.”

Minus Adriano Cintra, that is. Their former bandmate left the band back in 2011, at the time leaving CSS without its main songwriter and producer. However, rather than a curse, the hole left by Cintra allowed remaining members Lovefoxxx, Luiza Sa, Ana Rezende and Carolina Parra to experiment and venture out into new territories.

“His departure changed everything for us because the band was established in that way for so long, but this record is all about the four of us working together and it was never like this before,” Lovefoxxx remarks.

“The band has been together for 10 years now and I think I am definitely more relaxed. It’s become really refreshing to just chill and not worry. I think that’s the most important change that’s happened.”

CSS might’ve crossed over into the double digits, but now they’re starting afresh on a crisp, blank canvas. Music is their boyfriend, and they seem to be in a pretty solid relationship.

Planta is out now through SQE. Read our album review here.

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.

Subscribe to Rolling Stone magazine

Subscribe to Rolling Stone magazine