k.d. lang is back with a new album — and swoon-worthy cover art
The legendary crooner has released “If I Were You (Main Mix)”—a track off her forthcoming album, makeover.
The 1995 remix was produced by Junior Vasquez, and the remix video was edited by Dean Kensler from Kevin Kerslake’s original “If I Were You” music video. As journalist Larry Flick says in his essay about makeover:
“With ’If I Were You,’ lang did more than enhance the promotability of her work to the dance market. She made good on the promise of her previous club-focused remixes … Her collaboration with Junior Vasquez laid her emotional cards on the table. No more mystery. No more hiding in shadows of innuendo. lang had evolved from delightfully confounding country music star to proudly queer pop icon.”
makeover, in celebration of Pride Month, is due May 28 on Nonesuch Records and comprises classic dance remixes of some of lang’s best-loved songs. The album brings these remixes, made between 1992 and 2000, together for the first time, and includes “Sexuality,” “Miss Chatelaine,” “Theme from the Valley of the Dolls,” “Summerfling,” and the #1 dance chart hits “Lifted By Love” and “If I Were You.”
makeover’s cover art features a previously unseen 1995 portrait of lang by David LaChapelle. The album is available to pre-order on all formats, including transparent turquoise vinyl, here.
“I had the idea of putting together a dance remix compilation, as I mused about how we built community in those days before the internet, mobile devices, and dating apps. Those dance clubs were a key to a world, which was still called ‘underground’ in the ’90s. I also surprised myself by finding that there was a cryptic, sort of secret zone in my career, that hadn’t been explored, overlooked even by me. Two of these tracks had even hit #1 on the dance charts!” says lang.
Called “one of the greatest singers of all time,” by Elton John and “the greatest female singer in the whole world” by fellow Canadian Michael Bublé, k.d. lang’s distinguished career includes four Grammy and eight Juno Awards. In addition to a fruitful collaboration with Tony Bennett (who calls her “the best singer of her generation”), lang has performed alongside luminaries including Roy Orbison, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, and Loretta Lynn.
