Kelly Osbourne: with a new album that's defying those who think she's just riding on the coattails of her bat-biting daddy, the heiress to the throne of darkness struggles to find the light. Here, Kelly Osbourne talks to Rufus Wainwright, who knows a thing or two about the weight of the musical torch

Interview, August, 2005 by Rufus Wainwright

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: So, you're in sunny Santa Barbara?

KELLY OSBOURNE: It's not so sunny, trust me.

RW: Are you excited about your new album, Sleeping in the Nothing [Sanctuary]?

KO: I am. It's bittersweet because I was kind of depressed right when it came out and didn't really pay much attention to it.

RW: I find that there's always a sort of a postpartum feeling whenever you release something dear to you.

KO: With my first album I sat there and watched the ground fall away beneath my feet, so I really worked hard on this one, and I think it kind of shows who I am. But then, suddenly, having all that pressure, making sure that it's good and that it's not going to fail like my first one ...

RW: Well, I just wanted to say I really love it and appreciate what you're trying to say on it in terms of issues that are relevant to a young woman's experience in America--whether it's date rape or feeling alienated--and I just think it's very brave of you to tackle those subjects, especially compared to the crap that comes out of a lot of people's mouths today in the pop world. [laughs] Was singing about this personal stuff hard?

KO: No. Because when I decided that I wanted to do something that was more pop oriented, I thought about everything that's been released lately, and decided I didn't want to sing about things like "You broke my heart again," or that kind of thing. I thought, There's got to be some important issues in there, and a lot of my beliefs.

RW: "I Can't Wait" is so beautiful.

KO: I wrote that when I went to rehab--the chorus came because all I wanted was to go home.

RW: I know that feeling.

KO: That's actually my third favorite song.

RW: What's your first favorite?

KO: "Suburbia," "Redlight."

RW: Oh, cool. I also like the production a lot on "Edge of Your Atmosphere."

KO: We were playing around with that. I loved the music and wanted to see what it sounded like if I sang on every half beat. It just sounded really cool. [laughs] I think that's the song my record company doesn't like.

RW: That's often the case. To me it sounds kind of crazy, and you sound a little bit like a mad teenager who's quickly going to burst--but in a fun and happy way. Did you enjoy working with Linda Perry?

KO: Oh, my God, she's so awesome. I dedicated the album to her because she brought something out of me and made me feel so comfortable. And usually when I do music, I'm really uncomfortable the whole time. But there was something about working with Linda that was just amazing.

RW: I know. She's really sweet. She's called me a couple times to work with me, which is something that I kind of have to put into perspective because I'm so into crawling up my own asshole in my songwriting ... it's a lovely asshole [Osbourne laughs], but a little Linda Perry magic can go a long way it seems. I saw the video for the single, and you look really gorgeous in it. It seems almost based on a Fellini theme or something.

KO: It's based on a French New Wave movie called Alphaville [1965]. I love the movie, and I kind of took the role of Anna Karina, who I think is one of the most beautiful women in the world.

RW: She's beautiful--I love her work with Serge Gainsbourg. He's so great. You can definitely pull that off. You've got a bit of that New Wave glamour in your beautiful eyes. [laughs] So, when do you plan to go on tour?

KO: I'm doing random shows here and there. I'm doing a couple of "Party in the Parks" in London, and then I'm going to tour gay clubs, which I'm really excited about--gay clubs and dance clubs.

RW: Now the date-rape song--let me just say that I found that very effective.

KO: I wanted to push that issue, but in a tongue-in-cheek way. It's a serious issue, but if you did a serious song people would be like, "Oh, another moody teen talking about how life sucks."

RW: We had fun doing that magazine cover [of kids of rock stars] together, right?

KO: I really had a good time. It was a lot of fun, and everyone was so nice.

RW: I'm sure that in the history of Rolling Stone they've never had a more agreeable group of people, but it's probably because we've always had to play second fiddle to our parents. [both laugh]

KO: That's for sure!

RW: How does your dad like the album?

KO: I think he Likes it more than I do, which is really weird. I was almost embarrassed to play it for him. I thought he'd be like, "God, my daughter's turned into a pussy!" [Wainwright laughs] He ended up really liking it though.

RW: That's sweet. And your mom likes it too?

KO: Yes, she does ... She loves you!

RW: Yeah, I love your room too.

KO: She says her phone's on vibrate. [Wainwright laughs] For you.

RW: Well, I don't have a cell phone these days, so poor me. Now, through your mom you're actually third-generation music industry, because her dad was a manager, right?

KO: Yeah. And my dad's sisters were like the

Andrews Sisters.

RW: Like a doo-wop thing?

KO: Like old war songs, and very English traditional, so I actually think I'm the fourth generation in my family to have been involved in music.