“In music, there seems to be a myth that being authentic and genuine has to be confessional, and we think what Sparks is doing is 100 per cent authentic and genuine, and still dealing with people's emotions - albeit via a different way of doing it, with situational lyrics that are almost little novellas.”

American singer

Russell Craig Mael is an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the pop and rock duo Sparks. Born in 1948, he formed the group in 1971 with his elder brother Ron Mael. He is known for a wide vocal range, especially his high falsetto, and for a flamboyant, highly animated stage presence. Sparks later released the 2015 album FFS with Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand under the name FFS, and the Mael brothers founded Lil' Beethoven Records.