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Mars Argo

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Mars Argo
Brittany Sheets, creator of the Mars Argo character
Sheets in 2014
Born
Brittany Alexandria Sheets
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
  • internet personality
Years active2009–present
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
Labels
  • shouldicleanmyroom
  • Grocerybag
YouTube information
Channel
Genre(s)Music, Internet culture, satire
Subscribers191 thousand[1]
Total views46.5 million[1]
(November 17, 2024)
100,000 subscribers2019
Websitemarsargo.com

Brittany Alexandria Sheets, known by her stage name Mars Argo, is an American singer, songwriter, and internet personality.[2]

Sheets is prominently known for her portrayal of a fictionalized stage persona of herself on YouTube. She became known as the lead singer of the indie rock band of the same name, named after her main stage persona.[3] Mars Argo (the band) released their only album, Technology Is a Dead Bird, on November 6, 2009. The band continued to release extended plays such as Internet Sessions and Linden Place throughout 2010 and 2011. In a 2013 Vice article, the band stated that they were working on their own TV show along with a second album,[2] but both projects were later abandoned.

Besides releasing music, Sheets co-produced, wrote, and directed content for her YouTube channel grocerybagdottv (renamed shouldicleanmyroom in 2022), formerly co-operated by her former partner Titanic Sinclair. The channel's content was often satirical, revolving around society and Internet culture. However, after the duo separated in early 2014, all but three videos (the music videos for "Using You", "Runaway Runaway", and a satirical video called "Delete Your Facebook") were removed from the channel. [4]

In 2022, Sheets released her debut solo single "Angry", and a subsequent audio video was uploaded onto the channel. On March 15, 2023, she released another single titled "I Can Only Be Me".

Early life

[edit]

Brittany Alexandria Sheets was born in Saginaw, Michigan. Growing up, she played piano and sang in her church choir. She has stated that her mother never allowed her to play video games as a child, believing that they were a distraction from her studies. Before launching the YouTube project grocerybagdottv, Sheets attended university and pursued a major in biology.[5]

Career

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2009–2011: Career beginnings, Technology Is a Dead Bird, and Computer Show

[edit]

After meeting Corey Michael Mixter (P.K.A. Titanic Sinclair) on Myspace,[6] they cameoed[7][8] and worked[9][10] on the YouTube channel titled digitalfuntown.[11] Sheets and Mixter later formed the alternative pop band Mars Argo. They also co-operated a YouTube channel under the title Grocerybagdottv (stylized in all lowercase), where they uploaded music-related content and a series of social commentary videos, initially dubbed Video Blog and later renamed Computer Show. Their most popular non-music video is a 2014 episode of this series, titled "Delete Your Facebook",[12] mocking social media usage and the website of the same name. The music video for "Using You", the most well known single from the project, already counts more than 25 million views on the channel.

The band released their debut album, Technology Is a Dead Bird, on November 6, 2009.[13][14] It was followed up with an acoustic EP, Internet Sessions, in 2010,[15] and another EP, Linden Place, in 2011.[16][17] They began working on an eventually scrapped and heavily delayed second album with Chicago-based producer, Johnny K, soon after Technology Is a Dead Bird was released.[18][19][2]

2015–2019: Mars Argo breaks up

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Sheets and Mixter moved to Los Angeles in 2012, where they filmed and released the remainder of the YouTube channel's uploads, followed by the romantic separation of the couple in 2014. The band continued to perform during the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas,[20] before going on a hiatus, being briefly revived in December of the same year, although permanently splitting up sometime in March 2015. According to a 2018 lawsuit filed by Sheets, the dissolvement of both the relationship and band was due to Mixter's incessant verbal abuse and physical violence.[21]

Sheets resurfaced in April 2018, by addressing her absence, and promising new music in the future to her fans.[22][23]

2020–present: Dinner in America, Angry and future projects

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Sheets portrayed Sissy in the film Dinner in America alongside Kyle Gallner, Emily Skeggs, Pat Healy, Griffin Gluck, Lea Thompson, and Mary Lynn Rajskub. The film was filmed in Detroit, Michigan and was selected to premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.[24] On April 25, 2022, Sheets released her debut solo single, titled "Angry". The single was released onto streaming services and uploaded onto the now-renamed shouldicleanmyroom channel.[25][26]

On November 13, 2023, Sheets released her most popular single, "Using You", on Spotify, over nine years after its initial release. The track is the original studio recording of the song, however Sinclair's backing vocals have been removed.[27]

Lawsuit against Sinclair and Poppy

[edit]

On April 17, 2018, Sheets filed a 44-page lawsuit against Corey Mixter and his then-collaborator Poppy (real name Moriah Rose Pereira) alleging copyright infringement, stalking, and emotional and physical abuse being inflicted upon her by the former.[28][29][30] That same day, Sheets posted a message on her social media pages addressing the lawsuit, thanking fans for their support and confirming new music to come. On May 7, Poppy put forth a public statement about the "frivolous" lawsuit, stating that Sheets was attempting to manipulate her psychologically. She called the suit a "publicity campaign" and a "desperate grab for fame".[31]

The lawsuit was dismissed on September 14, having been settled outside of court with agreements that Mixter and Pereira would not be in contact with Sheets, and with Sheets gaining all rights, title and interest to the Mars Argo music and brand.[32][33][34] Pereira later publicly split with Mixter in December 2019, and alleged that she was a victim of "manipulative patterns" by him.[35] However, Pereira has never publicly retracted her initial statements regarding the lawsuit and said that she was not controlled by Mixter.[36] All parties agreed to not contact each other directly and to do so via each Counsel.[37][38]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Details
Technology Is a Dead Bird[13][14]
  • Released: November 6, 2009
  • Label: Grocerybag Media
  • Format: Digital download

Compilation albums

[edit]
Title Details
Mars Argo CD[39]
  • Released: March 23, 2012
  • Label: Grocerybag Media
  • Format: CD

Extended plays

[edit]
Title Details
Internet Sessions[15]
  • Released: August 18, 2010
  • Label: Grocerybag Media
  • Format: Digital download
Linden Place[16][17]
  • Released: March 20, 2011
  • Label: Grocerybag Media
  • Format: Digital download
I Can Only Be Me EP[40]
  • Released: June 24, 2024
  • Label: SICMR
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Singles

[edit]
List of singles as lead artist, showing year released and album name
Title Year Album
"Love in Black and White"[41] 2011 Linden Place
"Pls Don't Forget Me"[42] 2012 Non-album single
"Runaway Runaway"[43][44] Mars Argo
"Using You"[a][45] 2014 Non-album single
"Angry"[25] 2022 I Can Only Be Me EP
"I Can Only Be Me"[46] 2023

Guest appearances

[edit]
List of non-single guest appearances, showing year released, other artist featured, and album name
Title Year Other artist Album
"Limousine Machine"[47] 2012 Titanic Sinclair Thick Jello

Music videos

[edit]
Title Year Other artist Director(s) Ref.
"Tired Today" 2009 None Titanic Sinclair [48]
"The Singularity Is Near" [49]
"Monsters Under My Bed" [50]
"Mrs. Stadler" 2010 Matthew Franklin, Tony Katai [51]
"Love in Black and White" 2011 [52]
"Beauty Is Empty" 2012 Titanic Sinclair [53]
"Limousine Machine" Titanic Sinclair [54]
"Runaway Runaway" 2013 None Tony Katai [55]
"Using You" 2014 Ryan Wehner [56]
"I Can Only Be Me" 2023 Un­known [57]

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2020 Dinner in America Sissy Cameo

Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Using You" was originally featured on the EP Linden Place, where the production was handled by Sinclair. A remixed version of the song was released in 2014 as a single, this time being produced by Johnny K.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "About shouldicleanmyroom". YouTube.
  2. ^ a b c "Mars Argo are Done Being Cool - Watch Their New Video for "Runaway, Runaway"". Noisey. February 14, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  3. ^ Hunt, Elle (December 11, 2017). "Poppy is a disturbing internet meme seen by millions. Can she become a pop sensation?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018.
  4. ^ "grocerybagdottv". YouTube. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  5. ^ argo mars (July 19, 2017), Mars Argo - Fearless Radio Interview (2/17/2012), retrieved October 25, 2018
  6. ^ Juli, Boros. "Poppy, a projekt kimászna az internetből, de a világ még nem készült fel rá - 444". 444 (in Hungarian). Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  7. ^ "Pirate Wheel of Fortune". www.youtube.com. March 21, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  8. ^ "Doritos Sandwich". www.youtube.com. February 14, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  9. ^ "Around the Watercooler - YouTube". www.youtube.com. March 21, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  10. ^ "Obama Rap by Pizza Featuring Obama Girl-Yes We Can - YouTube". www.youtube.com. February 5, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  11. ^ "digitalfuntown - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  12. ^ Pandell, Lexi. "Welcome to Poppy's World". Wired. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  13. ^ a b "Technology is a Dead Bird by Mars Argo". Bandcamp. November 6, 2009. Archived from the original on July 27, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  14. ^ a b "Technology Is a Dead Bird by Mars Argo". iTunes. November 6, 2009. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  15. ^ a b "Internet Sessions | Mars Argo". Bandcamp. August 18, 2010. Archived from the original on October 17, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  16. ^ a b "Linden Place EP | Mars Argo". Bandcamp. March 20, 2011. Archived from the original on April 13, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  17. ^ a b "Linden Place - EP by Mars Argo". iTunes. April 4, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  18. ^ "Mars Argo - Fearless Radio Interview". YouTube. February 17, 2012. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  19. ^ "Mars Argo - Using You (Official)". YouTube. January 13, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  20. ^ "Mars Argo". South by Southwest. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  21. ^ "Mars Argo That Poppy Lawsuit" (PDF). TMZ. April 17, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  22. ^ "Mars Argo". Twitter. April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  23. ^ "The Internet is Boring". Tumblr. April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  24. ^ Hinds, Julie. "Detroit makes its mark on the lineup for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival in January". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  25. ^ a b Mars Argo (April 25, 2022). "Spotify – Angry". open.spotify.com.
  26. ^ "Mars Argo - Angry". YouTube. April 25, 2022.
  27. ^ "Spotify". open.spotify.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  28. ^ Alexander, Julia (May 16, 2018). "A new legal battle could threaten Poppy's YouTube career". Polygon. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  29. ^ "MARS SUES TITANIC AND THATPOPPY .. You Jacked My Identity!!!". TMZ. April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  30. ^ Farokhmanesh, Megan (April 18, 2018). "YouTuber Mars Argo is suing Poppy's creator for 'severe' abuse, ripping off her persona". The Verge. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  31. ^ "Poppy Responds to Mars Argo Copyright Suit, Calls It 'Desperate Grab for Fame'". Billboard. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  32. ^ "Poppy and collaborator Titanic Sinclair settle lawsuit with Mars Argo". NME. January 8, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  33. ^ "Lawsuit against YouTube personality Poppy dismissed". The Daily Dot. September 18, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  34. ^ "The lawsuit against Poppy and her creator has been dismissed". The Verge. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  35. ^ Lavin, Will (December 29, 2019). "Poppy parts ways with Titanic Sinclair, accuses him of "manipulative patterns"". NME. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  36. ^ "Poppy interview". The Forty-Five. July 1, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  37. ^ Newton, Randi (November 30, 2018). "The Beautiful, Bizarre Future of Poppy". Playboy. Archived from the original on November 30, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  38. ^ "Poppy and collaborator Titanic Sinclair settle lawsuit with Mars Argo". NME. January 8, 2019.
  39. ^ "Mars Argo Store – Mars Argo CD". Big Cartel. March 23, 2012. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  40. ^ Argo, Mars (June 24, 2024). "I Can Only Be Me EP - Album by Mars Argo - Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  41. ^ "Mars Argo". Bandcamp. June 7, 2011. Archived from the original on June 19, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  42. ^ "Pls Don't Forget Me | Mars Argo". Bandcamp. December 10, 2012. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  43. ^ "Runaway Runaway | Mars Argo". Bandcamp. December 14, 2012. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  44. ^ "Runaway Runaway - Single by Mars Argo". iTunes. February 14, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  45. ^ "Using You - Single by Mars Argo". iTunes. December 21, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  46. ^ I Can Only Be Me, March 15, 2023, retrieved March 15, 2023
  47. ^ "Limousine Machine (feat. Mars Argo) | Titanic Sinclair". Archived from the original on December 11, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  48. ^ "GROCERYBAG.TV". Grocerybag. March 18, 2009. Archived from the original on April 6, 2009. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  49. ^ "The Singularity is Near". YouTube. July 10, 2009. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  50. ^ "Monsters Under My Bed". YouTube. September 9, 2009. Archived from the original on April 9, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  51. ^ "Mars Argo - Mrs. Stadler (OFFICIAL VIDEO)". YouTube. November 11, 2010. Archived from the original on May 27, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  52. ^ "Mars Argo - Love in Black and White (Official)". YouTube. June 6, 2011. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  53. ^ "Mars Argo - Beauty is Empty (Official)". YouTube. August 28, 2012. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  54. ^ grocerybagdottv (December 8, 2012). "Titanic Sinclair (feat. Mars Argo) - Limousine Machine - YouTube". youtube.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  55. ^ "Mars Argo - Runaway Runaway (Official)". YouTube. February 14, 2013. Archived from the original on February 19, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  56. ^ "Using You". Vimeo. January 14, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  57. ^ Mars Argo - I Can Only Be Me (Official Music Video) on YouTube
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