It might only be a few minutes long, but the new campaign film for Chanel No. 5 has more than its fair share of eye candy. Between the shots of Gisele Bündchen running along the beach in a skintight wet suit, that logo surfboard, and director Baz Luhrmann’s gorgeous cinematography, it’s impossible to turn away. But all of that visual stimulation is only enhanced by the emotive score—and it’s thanks to one notable rising star.
Meet Lo-Fang, the L.A.-based multi-instrumentalist who soundtracks the clip with his captivating rendition of “You’re the One That I Want.” Injecting the classic Grease hit with his signature shadowy production, heartfelt vocals, and an austere vibe, the classically trained musician (whose real name is Matthew Hemerlein) adds a soulful depth to the mini movie.
Given Lagerfeld’s talent for subverting pop culture references into unexpected fashion statements, Lo-Fang’s a perfect fit for the film. As Luhrmann explains in Chanel’s behind-the-scenes video, “When I heard the interpretation, I thought, He’s done exactly that with that classic song what Karl does with fashion, taking something you think you know and showing you a different emotional take.”
With Lo-Fang currently on tour with Lorde and his debut album, Blue Film, out now, this collaboration is just a step in his quick ascent. On a rare break between shows, he phoned in to talk about working with Lagerfeld and Luhrmann, and how he’s taking life cues from Chanel.
How did you first connect with Baz Luhrmann?
Baz first found out about me from his music supervisor, Anton Monsted. He happened to see one of my shows in December of last year. It was actually my second show in L.A. and it was on a Monday night, so not that many people were there. Funny enough, though, Lorde was also in the audience that night to hear me play. Now we’re on tour together.
Talk about a lucky show!
I know, right? I actually couldn’t even hear out of my left ear that night—I had been at an audiologist all morning because I hurt my ear. I was so worried about the show, but it all came out all right. [ laughs]
“You’re the One That I Want” is such a unique take on the Grease song, it’s barely recognizable. What originally inspired you to cover it?
I don’t know, really. I started working on it at the end of 2010, and around that time I was just sketching songs that I liked. I liked those reverse guitar sounds, plus the baseline in the chorus is very compelling. Somehow the melody and the lyrics spoke to me, and I just played around it until I felt like it was right. I kept working on it and then coming back to it for almost two years.
What was the filming process like for Chanel?
It was amazing. It’s fascinating because Chanel runs such a dialed-in operation, but at the same time, there was so much room for creativity. The whole thing was really organized and fluid. In the future if I ever do anything like that, I want it to be as streamlined as Chanel.
How do you feel about the final product?
It’s great! I love it. This project was especially interesting because I have known about it for a while. It’s sort of fun to have a really big secret, and have a bunch of other people in on the secret, as well. But all of the positive reactions to the video feel great. It’s amazing how Baz and Karl’s visions blend together so well and just came to life. I remember several months ago when Baz was telling me about it, there were so many different elements in such a visual piece. They came together perfectly, and the result just feels totally fresh.
