will.i.am honors the Musée du Louvre in a clip and documentary exclusively launched on dailymotion and at www.louvre.fr on April 12 at 8 p.m.
In an exclusive launch on dailymotion on April 12 at 8 p.m., will.i.am unveiled two new works in association with the Louvre:
- The “Mona Lisa Smile” video featuring Nicole Scherzinger, a reinterpretation of the song “Mona Lisa Smile” from the album #Willpower.
- A twelve-minute documentary, “will.i.am at the Louvre”, evoking themes such as creativity in the 18th century, Marie-Antoinette, and scientific objects. In particular, the artist expounds on parallels between technological inventions, the cult of celebrity, and the social media of today and tomorrow. He is joined in the video by David Rowan, editor of the magazine Wired UK, and Frédéric Dassas, curator at the Department of Decorative Arts of the Musée du Louvre.
This remarkable and unprecedented collaboration is the fruit of many years of work. In 2010, the Louvre welcomed a production team from New York to film a documentary that was part of the “Visionaries” series. This episode was devoted to will.i.am and used to launch Oprah Winfrey’s TV channel, OWN.
Deeply inspired by his visit to the world's largest museum, will.i.am tapped into the experience to create a video for the song “Mona Lisa Smile.” But the creative juices didn’t stop there: the artist sought to perpetuate, and especially share with others, his great appreciation for the museum by producing a documentary on the newly renovated rooms of the Department of Decorative Arts and the surrounding galleries.
The Louvre, encouraged by the artist’s keen interest in a wide range of artistic expression and commitment to educating today’s youth, is very pleased to play such a prominent role in his enthusiasm for ancient art and desire to share his passion.
will.i.am
will.i.am hardly needs an introduction. His artistry runs the gamut, from DJ to musician, rapper, singer, and producer.
Born William James Adams, Jr. on March 15, 1975 in Los Angeles, will.i.am is the founding member of the Black Eyed Peas, one of the most prominent bands of the past decade. In 2003, when Fergie joined the group, the band was propelled to stardom, selling 46 million albums – of which three million in France – winning six Grammy Awards and six NRJ Music Awards, selling out three concerts at the Stade de France within an hour, and witnessing 18 singles hit the Top Ten in France in less than ten years.
His latest album, #WillPower, released in 2013, went platinum (167,926 albums sold). It features several singles that have since become major hits in France:
- “This Is Love,” featuring Eva Simons, was #1 for seven weeks in a row, and #1 on the airwaves for one month, selling 134,000 copies in France alone.
- The famous feature with Britney Spears “Scream & Shout” ranked #1 in sales and airplay, selling more than 250,000 copies in France and eventually going diamond.
With an insatiable curiosity and passion for all kinds of new technology, will.i.am created a new business in 2012 and launched “i.am+,” a keyboard camera designed for the iPhone. His smartwatch “Puls” followed in 2014. But he didn’t stop there: in 2011 Intel Corp. named him Director of creative innovation, and in 2013, the artist produced a documentary with the famous designer Stark, in which together they explore themes such as childhood, women, the mania for new technology, design, success, etc.
A true philanthropist, will.i.am has leveraged his fame over the years to fight for causes he believes in: education in 2009, with the creation of the foundation “i.am.angel,” and housing for the poor in 2010 with “i.am.home,” an association that works to help families living in poor conditions or threatened with eviction to find decent housing.
Will is now working on a new album which is due out in 2016.
The Musée du Louvre
The Louvre opened in 1793, after the French Revolution, and from the very beginning was intended to provide inspiration for contemporary art. Courbet, Picasso, Dali and so many others came to its hallowed halls to admire the old masters, copy them, immerse themselves in masterpieces and improve and fuel their own art. As an ancient royal residence, the Louvre is inextricably linked to eight centuries of French history. Designed in 1793 as a universal museum, its collections, among the best in the world, span many millennia and miles, from the Americas to Asia. Over 35,000 artworks are grouped into eight curatorial departments, including universally-admired works such as The Mona Lisa, The Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the Venus de Milo. With over 8.3 million visitors, the Louvre ranked as the world’s most visited museum in 2015.
