In the Tim Burton-esque clip for "Walking On Air", the first single from 21-year-old Estonian pop newcomer Kerli, the porcelain-toned singer is re-imagined as this nightmarish, Avril Lavigne-meets-Bride of Chucky doll creature brought to life; you know, the kind of doll that send chills down your spine just from the look of their frozen semi-grins. It's the first video in a long while (not associated with Bjork) to really indulge in some freaky "can't watch it right before you go to sleep" visuals, and it serves as a winning way to distinguish Kerli from the rest of the female pop pack.

A "be yourself" ode clothed in twisted "la la la"'s and a synthy, "Twilight Zone" ambiance, "Walking On Air" has Kerli spending the verses describing herself as the "little creepy girl/ With her little creepy face/ Saying funny things that you have never heard" (basically, the goth girl you were a little shaken by back in high school). She has dreams to set the world on fire and explains that anyone else could do the same if "you are strong enough to leave your doubts".

Yeah, the spooky vibes from the verses make it sound like she's trying to push the masses into joining her weird cult, but then the chorus arrives with it's sky-opening orchestral shower and the encouraging "Go try/ Go fly/ So high/ And you'll be walking on air" lyric, and it's hard not being bought into the personal freedom that Kerli's advertising.

A hop over to Kerli's MySpace sees her leaning towards more of a hard rock sound, but the sweet eeriness of "Air" teamed with that big accented voice of hers definitely represents a niche she should concentrate on more often (we'll take a new Bjork over a new Amy Lee anyday). Can't wait to see what else this entrancing (and slightly scary) new delight has to offer when her Island Def Jam debut, Love Is Dead, drops in July.



DL: "Walking On Air" (YFH)