
Scarlett & Pete Yorn were featured on the September issue of BlackBook magazine, where they gave an interview about their Break Up album. Read it after the cut
Even when critics weren’t so kind to your first album?
SJ: I’ve had plenty of films that were released with mixed reviews. You win some, you lose some, I suppose. My only hope is that the album was actually listened to before it was reviewed.
“Belle & Sebastian,” says Scarlett Johansson, who then goes on to name Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra, and the White Stripes, when listing off her favorite musical duos. The 24-year- old actress and musician should be forgiven for her error—the Scottish purveyors of indie-pop currently boast seven members—because, after all, she’s here today to discuss another duo altogether.
With her longtime friend, singer-songwriter Pete Yorn, the four-time Golden Globe nominee (two of those nods came in the same year, for 2003’s Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring) recorded The Break Up, an album of harmonious he said/she said tracks loosely inspired by the rapport between Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot. About love and its aftermath, the songs were recorded three years ago, over two afternoons, with little thought given to the outcome.
“When Scarlett showed up,” says Yorn, “we had no idea what was going to happen. We just went with what felt right. I knew a handful of their songs, and had seen some videos that I thought were fun.” This is not, evidently, a passion project on the level of Johansson’s debut album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, her tribute to Tom Waits, whose music she fell in love with at the age of 12. “I didn’t start listening to these recordings until five years ago,” she adds. But despite their casual interest in the famous French musical partners, the collaboration between Yorn and Johansson perfectly captures the playful tenor of their sexually liberated predecessors.
Like Bardot, Johansson has become lauded as an international sex symbol, and had been romantically linked to a swarm of high-profile Hollywood types—until settling down last year with her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. And like Gainsbourg, whose later life included a slew of drunken embarrassments, Yorn, 35, has been forthcoming about his excessive past, although he summoned the courage to dry out when the rock- star cliché veered too closely to self-destruction. “I’ve never felt tempted by self-destructive behavior,” says Johansson, who quickly shifts the discussion away from any real-life parallels: “The album happened in a very organic way. Pete asked me if I’d like to record with him—it was as simple as that.”
In what ways did the relationship between music and film color this album?
SCARLETT JOHANSSON: I never thought of this as an actor-and-musician collaboration. It was merely a project between friends. Perhaps Pete felt differently—he had such a strong idea about what the duets should be.
PETE YORN: The Serge-and-Brigitte thing is really loose, not much more than a guy- girl concept. It really could have been Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra. Thinking back on it, my work with Natalie Maines on “The Man” might have been the initial catalyst for wanting to make a record with a female perspective.
What is it about Gainsbourg and Bardot that makes them so iconic?
SJ: I just enjoyed the ambiance of the sound—perfect for winter in New York.
PY: It was more of a feeling I got when I thought of them, the vibe that Brigitte seemed to bring to the table. It made me think of Scarlett.
Bardot once defined what it meant to be a sexy, spirited, cultured woman. Is she someone you admire?
SJ: I don’t know that I have a fully formed opinion about who exactly I look up to. There are actors, however, who encompass that sort of spirited quality: Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood and Bette Davis. A varied group, I know, but all equally strong, sensual and feminine performers.
Where do you mine inspiration from when conveying heartbreak, when you’re happily partnered in a relationship?
PY: I seem to be able to feel or tap into all emotions at all times. If I’m happy in a situation, and I want to go the dark side, I just remind myself how fleeting that happiness will be for me. Anyway, I’m usually led there naturally.
SJ: Past relationships, I suppose.
In what ways has your music evolved on this project?
SJ: The singing voice on Break Up is very different from the vocals on Anywhere I Lay My Head. On the Waits covers album, the register is much lower, and the songs are grittier and sort of dreamlike. Break Up gave me the opportunity to harmonize.
PY: In a weird way, this record reminds me of my younger self, maybe because of the way it was made, back in someone’s garage without outside influences or expectations—just innocent fun.
Do you normally try to shut out critical reception?
SJ: I’ve never been one to focus on reviews. I’m as guilty as the next person when it comes to critiquing music and film—I always think my opinion is the most thoughtful. I realize, of course, that’s not the case, so I guess I put just as much faith in everyone else’s critical reception as I do my own, which is to say that I understand that each person is entitled to their own opinion.
Even when critics weren’t so kind to your first album?
SJ: I’ve had plenty of films that were released with mixed reviews. You win some, you lose some, I suppose. My only hope is that the album was actually listened to before it was reviewed.
Scarlett, when working on your solo album, you said, “There wasn’t anybody asking if we wanted lattes.” What about this time around?
SJ: Well, there was that time I asked Pete for gum…
How does the pressure of live musical performance compare to appearances in front of the camera or on a red carpet?
SJ: I have terrible stage fright. I’ve never had to sing in front of a live audience, other than some back-up vocals. It seems incredibly revealing, very different from making a red-carpet appearance, where the glitz and glamour of movie stardom can mask any sort of insecurity.
What is the most significant compliment you’ve received for your work?
SJ: Having David Bowie agree to sing on Anywhere I Lay My Head—after hearing it.
PY: While listening to track 11 on one of my records, Bono said, “I keep waiting for you to drop the ball, but you’re not dropping the ball!”
If you could wear anything onstage, what would you choose?
SJ: I’d dress like a character from The Dark Crystal.
PY: If I was getting weird, I’d wear something furry, like a costume from the Banana Splits or that dude in the hotel room in The Shining.
How much of what you’re wearing helps you get into performance mode?
PY: Sometimes my black leather boots help me snap into it, for sure. I have terrible stage fright. Live performance is very different from the glitz and glamour of movie stardom, which can mask any sort of insecurity.

On October 15th, Scarlett was in Munich, Germany to promote her new campaign with MANGO Winter 2009/10 . HQ photos from that event and the other event scarlett did again for Mango this time in Madrid in to the gallery.







GALLERY LINKS:
– Public Events: 2009 > Mango Winter 2010 Campaign Photocall
– Public Events: 2009 > Mango Press Conference in Madrid

Back in September, Scarlett was in Paris promoting the release of her album with Pete Yorn, ‘Break Up’. I’ve added a nice selection of HQ and MQ images from the press conference.








GALLERY LINKS:
– Public Events: Events in 2009 > ‘Break Up’ Press Conference in Paris

Back in July, I posted screencaptures and a link for the very quick glimpse of what was then thought to be the video for ‘Relator’. We’ve since found out that is not the case as it’s a promo video shot to advertise the album. And while it does feature some footage from the ‘Relator’ video, it mostly shows footage of the photoshoot for the album. A longer version of this video has been released and you can view it below




GALLERY LINKS:
– Other Projects > Music > Scarlett’s Music > “Breke Up” By Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson > ‘Relator’ Music Video
New York Magazine just posted a nice interview with Scarlett and Pete Yorn about their upcoming album ‘Break Up’. The piece also included two MQ photos from the promotional photoshoot which I have added to the gallery.
One muted winter afternoon in 2006, Pete Yorn awoke from a sleeplike trance convinced that recording a duets album with Scarlett Johansson would save him. Unlike most people who have this thought, Yorn actually had the actress’s number. The two were acquainted through Yorn’s brother, an entertainment lawyer Johansson has worked with since she was a teenager. So Yorn texted her. Johansson hadn’t yet recorded or even announced her own 2008 album, the slight but likable Anywhere I Lay My Head, a collection of Tom Waits covers. But it turned out to be an opportune moment for both.

Scarlett news is really slow right now but I am working behind the scenes on a couple new treats which should be up very soon. In the meantime, enjoy the three HQ pics from the Break Up photoshoot that have been added to the gallery. The album is due to come out on September 15th so we should start seeing more promotion for it any time now. Pete Yorn himself hinted that a live show or two could be in the works. How exciting would that be?




GALLERY LINKS:
– Other Projects: “Break Up” By Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson > Promotional Photoshoot
Pete Yorn, courtesy his official Twitter, sent out a link to a very brief clip from the ‘Relator’ video. Unfortunately, I can’t embed the file but I did make and add screencaptures to the gallery and you view the clip here. Scarlett is so adorable in this! I hope we get to see the full (and better quality) version soon.




GALLERY LINKS:
– Singing: “Break Up” By Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson > ‘Relator’ Video Clip
Austin360 posted a short interview with Pete Yorn. It’s mostly about his current album Back and Forth but he did have a comment about his upcoming album with Scarlett and he hints at a possible tour (of sorts).
Is it fair to say your writing is more direct on the new songs? In the past, I’d maybe probably protect myself more by being vague. There was a conscious decision to make this more simple and straightforward.
Did that spill over into writing your upcoming album (‘Break Up’) with Scarlett (Johansson)? That was more like a flurry. I was trying to figure out how to get some female perspective in my songs.
Will you two tour together when that album’s out this fall? We’ll do a couple events. I think we’ll go to Europe as well.
For those of you who still enjoy collecting and listening to vinyl records, there’s a great event happening on June 20th.
This just in music fans – June 20th will mark the first Vinyl Saturday, a new event from the Record Store Day people. Like Record Store Day, Vinyl Saturday will involve a whole lot of bands releasing exclusive material to independent record stores.
Other exclusives include a 7″ from the forthcoming Scarlett Johansson/Pete Yorn duets album Break Up (with a Yorn solo demo on the b-side).
So head on over to your local independent record store on the 20th and see if you can get a copy. I’ve added a photo of the exclusive cover from this promotion to the gallery.
The folks over at Earsucker have posted another song off of Scarlett’s upcoming album. As you all know, the album consists of nine duets with Pete Yorn and tells the story of a relationship from beginning to end. This new song, titled ‘Shampoo’, is track #7 so it’s near the end of the story. I really liked ‘Relator’ a lot and I like this one even more. Go check it out here.
The full track list for Scarlett and Pete Yorn’s upcoming album of duets has been released. I don’t know about you all but I am really looking forward to hearing more from this.
1. “Relator”
2. “Wear and Tear”
3. “I Don’t Know What to Do”
4. “Search Your Heart”
5. “Blackie’s Dead”
6. “I Am the Cosmos”
7. “Shampoo”
8. “Clean”
9. “Someday”
Scarlett and Pete Yorn’s first single from their Break Up album, ‘Relator’, is now available on iTunes, if you want you can buy it here*!
Also the cover of the single has been released and it has a really cool new photo of Scarlett and Pete. I’ll be adding the bigger version of it to the Scarlett-Photos gallery, but for now, enjoy this little preview.