Skepta stands outside a Rolls-Royce Phantom in Lucerne, Switzerland. Image credit: Rolls-Royce
British automaker Rolls-Royce is contributing to contemporary music by turning its Phantom model into a mobile recording studio.
For more than half a century, Rolls-Royce has been part of music culture as the go-to vehicle for the world’s top recording artists. In this spirit, Rolls-Royce recently collaborated with Joseph Junior Adenuga, who performs as Skepta, a Mercury Music Prize and MOBO award-winning musician, on a recording project.
Rolling recording Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce and British rapper and producer Skepta worked together to conceive and record a track exclusively from the interior of the new Phantom model.
Skepta was inspired by the serenity of being driven in a Phantom. The track, titled “Skepta RR” was recorded inside Rolls-Royce’s Phantom as the vehicle was driven by a chauffeur along the banks of Lake Lucerne and through the mountains of Switzerland.
The Phantom is “the perfect rolling recording studio” due to its all-new aluminum spaceframe and its more than nearly 290 pounds of sound insulation and two-layer 6mm glazing. Combined these elements create a smooth and quiet ride for passengers.
Rolls-Royce’s Phantom, now in its eighth generation, is the longest existing vehicle nameplate in the automotive world.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars: Skepta's rolling recording studio
“I want to welcome Skepta to the world of Rolls-Royce,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in a statement.
“He has shown a unique and exciting appreciation for the marque and interpreted Phantom’s credentials as the world’s quietest and most-luxurious motor car with an exceptionally creative track and film,” he said.
Other recording artists have collaborated on branded tracks to support a given cause.
Louis XIII de Rémy Martin, for instance, is looking towards the future with a musical composition that will not be heard for a century.
The cognac maker’s “100 Years – The Song We’ll Only Hear If We Care" project tapped musician Pharrell Williams to write a piece that will be released in 2117. The stunt aims to bring attention to climate change, with the recording’s premiere dependent on collective efforts to slow global warming (see story).