Gifted multi-hyphenate Kat Von D follows the success of her critically acclaimed debut album Love Made Me Do It with her new single and accompanying music video of “Fotos y Recuerdos,” the hit song from legendary Mexican-American recording artist Selena. The single is out now and the video will go live on Kat Von D’s Youtube channel at 1 PM PST / 4 PM ET. You can watch the video here.
Kat Von D, who herself was born in Mexico and is a native Spanish speaker, has always felt a deep connection with the music of Selena, even before Kat began recording her own music. Selena’s language-crossover album, Dreaming of You, was Kat’s first introduction to English.
“Selena was such a big part of my childhood! Her music was on constant rotation in our house growing up, so covering “Fotos y Recuerdos” was something that felt natural to me, and I’m so excited for this song to be my first musical release in my native language, Spanish.”
“Fotos y Recuerdos,” a song adapted from the iconic rock group The Pretenders’ song “Back On The Chain Gang,” is at once an emotionally-resonant and energizing blend of the rock roots it originates from, danceable pop and house elements, and Selena’s Latin pop flair to tie it all together. This combination of sounds plays perfectly into the synthwave sound Kat Von D has established for herself on Love Made Me Do It, making “Fotos Y Recuerdos” a truly fitting cover for Kat and her band to add to their discography.
On Kat’s cover, her melancholy vocals carry the pining lyrics through a soundscape of lush, atmospheric piano that gives way to a club-ready electronic beat, resulting in a poignant reimagining that fully displays the strengths of Kat and her band while preserving the energy and emotion of Selena’s original work – an effect Kat looked to achieve as a way to honor and pay tribute to Selena.
“Fotos y Recuerdos,” a song about the heartache of a love not meant to be, is steeped in emotional power that makes Kat’s interpretation all the more meaningful. In the music video, Kat explores the theme of loved ones being gone and spins it as a way to remember those who meant the most to us who have passed away. The video features projections of photos selected by Kat and her band of past people and loved ones who had a great impact on their lives. From Alan Vega, to Lemmy of Motörhead, to Kat’s pet cat who passed away, the music video is a beautiful and touching ode to remembering the ones who meant the most to us, elevated by the power of Selena’s touching songwriting.
Of the meaning of covering this Selena song to her and her bandmates, Kat says, ““Fotos y Recuerdos” has a beautiful chorus that translates to, “And all that I have left of your love, are photos and memories” so for the music video, my bandmates and i compiled a collection of photographs of loved ones we have lost, and had these sentimental images projected onto us while we performed the song. It was an emotional experience to say the least. But one that I hope Selena would be proud of.”
The release of the cover comes as Kat Von D and her band prepare to embark on their first ever nationwide headlining tour across The United States, kicking off in Pittsburgh, PA on February 28 and concluding in Santa Ana, CA on April 2 before heading over to the UK and Europe. Kat will be joined on tour by her full live band consisting of Gregg Foreman AKA Mr. Pharmacist (synth 1/Cat Power, The Gossip), Sammi Doll (synth 2/IAMX) and Brynn Route. The upcoming tour will feature the opportunity to meet and hang out with Kat Von D and her band through Meet & Greet and VIP upgrade packages. For more information on tour dates, tickets and upgrade packages, visit Katvond.com.
About Kat Von D
Long before the history-making tattoos, ubiquitous television shows, best-selling books, and influential beauty empire, Kat Von D sat down at a piano for nearly two hours a day and played. In essence, music became her first creative language and most trusted outlet. Classical training and a deep appreciation for music of all genres essentially underscored her life. She studied voice under Ken Tamplin six days per week, strengthening her vocals. In 2012, she began writing with GRAMMY® Award-nominated legend Linda Perry. Following this experience, Kat continued to write on her own, sitting at the piano and summoning songs from raw emotion. During 2014, she retreated to London to record the original mix of what would become her full-length debut album ‘Love Made Me Do It’ (KVD/Kartel Music Group) before cementing it with her band—Gregg Foreman AKA Mr. Pharmacist (synth 1), Sammi Doll (synth 2), and Brynn Route (contortionist). They moved into a bungalow cottage on her property, lived together, and finished the record. Capping off the process, Dan Haigh of Gunship handled mixing. A pastiche of shapeshifting analog synths, post-punk dreamscapes, gothic hues, and shy pop magnetism, these eleven songs echo the eternal will of the perennially brokenhearted to love until death. It’s highlighted by standouts such as the first single ‘Exorcism’, ‘Protected’ featuring Peter Murphy of Bauhaus and produced and co-written with Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle), and ‘The Calling’ capped off by never-before-heard recordings from original scream queen Vampira.
