Mars Argo

Brittany Alexandria Sheets, known professionally as Mars Argo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, photographer, and Internet personality.[2] She is prominently known for her portrayal of fictionalized stage personas of herself on YouTube.

Mars Argo
Brittany Sheets, creator of the Mars Argo character
Born
Brittany Alexandria Sheets

Saginaw, Michigan
Occupation
  • Singer
  • actress
Years active
  • 2009–2015
  • 2019–present
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
YouTube information
Channel
GenreMusic, Internet culture, satire
Subscribers110K[1]
Total views20+ million[1]
(December 18, 2019)
100,000 subscribers 2019
Websitemarsargo.com

She is also known as the lead singer of the band Mars Argo, named after her main stage persona.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Mars Argo released their debut album, Technology Is a Dead Bird, in November 6, 2009. In a 2013 Vice article the band stated that they were working on their own TV show,[10] but this was later abandoned.

Besides releasing music, she self produced, wrote, and directed content for her YouTube channel, once 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 broke up, all but three videos were removed from the channel. The only videos that still remain on her Grocerybagdottv channel to this day are "Using You", "Runaway Runaway" and "Delete Your Facebook".[11]

The band took a hiatus in 2015, subsequently breaking up afterward. In 2018, Sheets filed a lawsuit against Sinclair and his collaborator at the time, Poppy. The lawsuit, which was settled out of court, alleged abuse by Sinclair and her artistic identity being stolen.

Sheets portrayed Sissy in the feature-length drama film Dinner in America (2020) which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.

Early life

Brittany Alexandria Sheets was born in Michigan. Growing up, she played piano and sang in her church choir. She has stated that her mother never allowed her to play videogames as a child, believing that they were a distraction from her studies. Before launching the YouTube project grocerybagdottv, Sheets attended university, pursuing a major in biology.[12]

Career

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

After meeting Corey Mixter (P.K.A. Titanic Sinclair) on Myspace,[13] they cameoed[14][15] and worked[16][17] on the YouTube channel titled digitalfuntown.[18] Sheets and Mixter later formed the alternative pop band Mars Argo. They also co-operated a YouTube channel under the title Grocerybagdottv, where they uploaded music-related content and a series of social commentary videos, dubbed Computer Show. Their most popular non-music video is a 2014 episode of this series, titled "Delete Your Facebook,"[19] 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 16 million views on the channel.

The band released their debut album, Technology Is a Dead Bird, on November 6, 2009.[20][21] It was followed up with an acoustic EP, Internet Sessions, in 2010,[22] and another EP, Linden Place, in 2011.[23][24] They began working on an eventually scrapped second album with Chicago-based producer, Johnny K, soon after Technology Is a Dead Bird was released.[25][26][2]

2015-2019: Personal struggles and hiatus

The couple moved to Los Angeles in 2012,[19] where they filmed and released the remainder of the YouTube channel's uploads throughout 2014, followed by the romantic separation of Sheets and Mixter. The band continued to perform during the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas,[27] before going on a hiatus and eventually breaking up. Subsequently, this also led to Sheets falling off of the Internet from 2015 to 2018.

Sheets resurfaced in April 2018, by addressing her absence, and promising new music in the future to her fans.[28][29]

2020: Dinner in America and future projects

Sheets portrayed Sissy in the Adam Rehmeier written and directed feature length coming of age drama 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.[30]

Lawsuit against Sinclair and Poppy

On April 17, 2018, Sheets filed a 44-page lawsuit against Corey Mixter (Titanic Sinclair) and his collaborator Moriah Pereira (P.K.A. Poppy) alleging copyright infringement, stalking, and emotional and physical abuse by Mixter during and after their breakup, and the subsequent abandonment of the Mars Argo project.[31][32] That same day, Argo posted a message on her social media pages addressing the lawsuit, thanking her fans for their support and confirming new music to come. On May 7, Poppy made a public statement about the "frivolous" lawsuit, stating that Argo was attempting to manipulate her psychologically. She called the suit a "publicity campaign" and a "desperate grab for fame".[33]

The lawsuit was dismissed on September 14, having been settled out of court with Sheets gaining all rights, title, and interest to the Mars Argo music and brand.[34][35]

Poppy later retracted her accusations towards Argo following her public split from Sinclair in December 2019, and alleged that she was a victim of the same psychological abuse he had inflicted on Argo.[36]

Discography

Studio albums
Title Details
Technology Is a Dead Bird[20][21]
  • Released: November 6, 2009
  • Label: Grocerybag Media
  • Format: Digital download

Compilation albums
Title Details
Mars Argo[37]
  • Released: March 23, 2012
  • Label: Grocerybag Media
  • Format: CD

Extended plays
Title Details
Internet Sessions[22]
  • Released: August 18, 2010
  • Label: Grocerybag Media
  • Format: Digital download
Linden Place[23][24]
  • Released: March 20, 2011
  • Label: Grocerybag Media
  • Format: Digital download

Singles
List of singles as lead artist, showing year released and album name
Title Year Album
"Love in Black and White"[38] 2011 Linden Place
"Pls Don't Forget Me"[39] 2012 Non-album single
"Runaway Runaway"[40][41] Mars Argo
"Using You"[42] 2014 Non-album single[lower-alpha 1]

Guest appearances
List of non-single guest appearances, showing year released, other artist featured, and album name
Title Year Other artist Album
"Pizza Rap"[17] 2008 Ian Kibbe Non-album song
Title Year Other artist Album
"Limousine Machine"[43] 2012 Titanic Sinclair Thick Jello

Music videos
Title Year Director(s) Ref.
"Tired Today" 2009 Titanic Sinclair [44]
"The Singularity is Near" [45]
"Monsters Under My Bed" [46]
"Mrs. Stadler" 2010 Matthew Franklin, Tony Katai [47]
"Love in Black and White" 2011 [48]
"Beauty is Empty" 2012 Titanic Sinclair [49]
"Runaway Runaway" 2013 Tony Katai [50]
"Using You" 2014/2015 Ryan Wehner [51][26]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2020 Dinner in America Sissy Feature

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

References
  1. "grocerybagdottvtest on SocialBlade". Socialblade. October 30, 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-30.}
  2. "Mars Argo are Done Being Cool - Watch Their New Video for "Runaway, Runaway"". Noisey. 2013-02-14. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  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. "Exploring The Mystery Behind Titanic Sinclair, Mars Argo, And That Poppy". Odyssey. 2016-11-15. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  5. Davis, Allison P. (February 6, 2018). "Like Warhol But for 2018 Is Poppy enacting a meta-commentary on fame in the YouTube era? Or does she simply want to be famous?". The Cut.
  6. Lewis, Olivia (July 13, 2017). "An Introduction to Poppy, the Internet Phenomenon". Baeblemusic.com.
  7. Hathaway, Jay (August 15, 2017). "The cult appeal of Poppy, the perfect pop idol of the future". The Daily Dot.
  8. Pippenger, Mason (2017). "This YouTube Sensation is Creeping Out the Internet". Vergecampus.com. Archived from the original on 2018-06-15. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
  9. Kristen (March 7, 2017). "That Poppy: A Mystery Not Meant To Be Solver". Locomag.com.
  10. "Mars Argo are Done Being Cool - Watch Their New Video for "Runaway, Runaway"". Noisey. 2013-02-14. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
  11. "grocerybagdottv". YouTube. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
  12. argo mars (2017-07-19), Mars Argo - Fearless Radio Interview (2/17/2012), retrieved 2018-10-25
  13. Juli, Boros. "Poppy, a projekt kimászna az internetből, de a világ még nem készült fel rá - 444". 444 (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  14. "Pirate Wheel of Fortune". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  15. "Doritos Sandwich". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  16. "Around the Watercooler - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  17. "Obama Rap by Pizza Featuring Obama Girl-Yes We Can - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  18. "digitalfuntown - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  19. Pandell, Lexi. "Welcome to Poppy's World". Wired. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  20. "Technology is a Dead Bird by Mars Argo". Bandcamp. November 6, 2009. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  21. "Technology Is a Dead Bird by Mars Argo". iTunes. November 6, 2009. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  22. "Internet Sessions | Mars Argo". Bandcamp. August 18, 2010. Archived from the original on October 17, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  23. "Linden Place EP | Mars Argo". Bandcamp. March 20, 2011. Archived from the original on April 13, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  24. "Linden Place - EP by Mars Argo". iTunes. April 4, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  25. "Mars Argo - Fearless Radio Interview". YouTube. February 17, 2012. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  26. "Mars Argo - Using You (Official)". YouTube. January 13, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  27. "Mars Argo". South by Southwest. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  28. "Mars Argo". Twitter. April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  29. "The Internet is Boring". Tumblr. April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  30. Hinds, Julie. "Detroit makes its mark on the lineup for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival in January". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  31. "MARS SUES TITANIC AND THATPOPPY .. You Jacked My Identity!!!". TMZ. April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
  32. 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.
  33. "Poppy Responds to Mars Argo Copyright Suit, Calls It 'Desperate Grab for Fame'". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  34. "Lawsuit against YouTube personality Poppy dismissed". The Daily Dot. 2018-09-18. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
  35. "The lawsuit against Poppy and her creator has been dismissed". The Verge. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
  36. Lavin, Will. "Poppy parts ways with Titanic Sinclair, accuses him of "manipulative patterns"". NME. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  37. "Mars Argo Store – Mars Argo CD". Big Cartel. March 23, 2012. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  38. "Mars Argo". Bandcamp. June 7, 2011. Archived from the original on June 19, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  39. "Pls Don't Forget Me | Mars Argo". Bandcamp. December 10, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  40. "Runaway Runaway | Mars Argo". Bandcamp. December 14, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  41. "Runaway Runaway - Single by Mars Argo". iTunes. February 14, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  42. "Using You - Single by Mars Argo". iTunes. December 21, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  43. Limousine Machine (feat. Mars Argo) | Titanic Sinclair at the Wayback Machine (archived December 11, 2012)
  44. "GROCERYBAG.TV". Grocerybag. March 18, 2009. Archived from the original on April 6, 2009. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  45. "The Singularity is Near". YouTube. July 10, 2009. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  46. "Monsters Under My Bed". YouTube. September 9, 2009. Archived from the original on April 9, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  47. "Mars Argo - Mrs. Stadler (OFFICIAL VIDEO)". YouTube. November 11, 2010. Archived from the original on May 27, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  48. "Mars Argo - Love in Black and White (Official)". YouTube. June 6, 2011. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  49. "Mars Argo - Beauty is Empty (Official)". YouTube. August 28, 2012. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  50. "Mars Argo - Runaway Runaway (Official)". YouTube. February 14, 2013. Archived from the original on February 19, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  51. "Using You". Vimeo. January 14, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
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