EXCLUSIVE: Kenzo Taps Karen O to Record Original Song
HEAR MY SONG: First film, now music. Having commissioned leading filmmakers including Gregg Araki and Sean Baker to create short films, Kenzo has tapped singer-songwriter Karen O to record an original song, and writer-director Ana Lily Amirpour to direct the accompanying film.
Titled “Yo! My Saint,” the track will be released on Jan. 12 across more than 50 streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Pandora, Deezer and Google Play Music. A companion limited-edition vinyl is to go on sale on Jan. 22 in Kenzo stores and online.
While championing female talent is nothing new for Kenzo creative directors Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, the project marks the first time the label has released an original song. Others brands which have produced music include Burberry, which supports British artists via its Burberry Acoustic initiative, and Kitsuné, which has its own record label.
Best known as the frontwoman of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, O — whose full name is Karen Lee Orzolek — frequently works with director Spike Jonze, another member of Kenzo’s extended tribe of creative collaborators. The two were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original for “The Moon Song,” which appeared on the soundtrack of Jonze’s movie “Her.”
Amirpour’s short film features a cast of all Asian descent including “Game of Thrones” star Jessica Henwick, Alex Zhang Hungtai — aka musician Last Lizard — and Kiko Mizuhara, who juggles acting and modeling with designing collections for Opening Ceremony, the New York-based brand founded by Leon and Lim.
The main spring campaign images will feature historic Kenzo muse Sayoko Yamaguchi and Japanese composer and performer Ryuichi Sakamoto, the two inspirations for the coed collection.
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