Reading an interview with attempted miserablist Swedish electro-poppet Lykke Li t’other day, I came across her justification for appearing as one of the “faces” of Levi’s new ad campaign. Having heard chunks of her new album “Wounded Rhymes”, having seen the ad at bus-stops on Putney Bridge, and having read comments from her about how sad she is and how lonely and how blah-de-blah-de-blah, I have to say I find the whole thing somewhat comical.
Life's Too Short To Be A Corporate Shill, I'd Have Said
I mean, how can you sell yourself as a sensitive, tortured soul, then suddenly go “Hey, free jeans, you say? W00t!!!”? Whilst I don’t quite subscribe to the Bill Hicks attitude, that it’s impossible to advertise and still be on, what he called, “The Artistic Roll-Call”:
(at 1:55)
…I have to say that, if you’re the kind of artist that pretends to be all sensitive and lonely and tortured and whatever, then don’t go round shilling any old product that comes your way. This is a credibility thing. Whether you like it or not, your music is inextricably linked to your face, your body, you. Saying that advertising jeans is nothing to do with your music is just kidding yourself, love.
Still, nice song, eh? Even if it is a bit maudlin-Scandi-electro-pop-by-numbers.
Loft And Lost 