R. Kelly And Björk To Perform Together In Once-In-A-Lifetime Pitchfork Fest 2013 Joint Set

R. Kelly / Björk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

R. Kelly and Björk to perform first-ever, one-time-only collaborative joint set at Pitchfork Festival 2013

Chicago – February 1, 2013 – R&B singer Robert Kelly, better known by his stage name, R. Kelly, and Icelandic musician Björk Guðmundsdóttir, better known as simply Björk, will be performing together in an elaborately staged, one-time-only joint set during this year’s Pitchfork Festival in Chicago, July 19-21.

Already announced as co-headliners of the festival, alongside Scottish indie-pop band, Belle & Sebastian, Kelly and Björk have announced plans to not only perform onstage together for a full-length set but to also collaborate on designing a massive “womb-shaped” set surrounding (“engulfing,” per Björk’s representatives) the audience as well as an otherworldly, yet funky, light show.

Full details of the stage set have yet to be revealed, but Björk and Kelly are said to be collaborating with Apple engineers and French music video director Michel Ocelot to create a glittering, chrome, multi-level edifice that surrounds the audience, with long, vibrating walkways protruding into the audience and 3-dimensional video displays. It has been described by Björk’s representatives as “the iPad of our future. Of our soul.”

The show will reportedly also involve scantily-clad backup dancers (“from nations all around the world,” per Kelly’s representatives), a baby elephant, and a jewel-encrusted volcano at the center of the undulating walkways that periodically erupts cocoa butter.

A full setlist has not been revealed, but Kelly has said he would like to do a remix of “All is Full Of Love” onstage (“loosen it up a bit, take the tie off,” per Kelly’s representatives) and Björk has reportedly written a 19-minute orchestral reinterpretation of “It Seems Like You’re Ready” with help from Dirty Projectors frontman Dave Longstreth.

Bjork has refused to directly comment on the performance other than to confirm its occurrence, but Kelly, when reached for comment, had this to say: “It’s gonna be funky you know. She do what she do, and I do what I do. I like her style. I think I can bring a little of what I do to what she do. And you’re gonna like it. We just gonna have fun. So bring all yo friends. Tell them there’s this Icelandic lady, and it’s Kellz, and we’re gonna get down.”

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