Nicole Atkins' newest album, Slow Phaser, which was released last February, has been recognized as her most striking, experimental work to date. With its psychedelic/disco influences, her signature folk-rock sounds, and her haunting, soulful voice, the 11-track LP is a testament to Atkins' effervescent creativity. One year later, Atkins is still rocking out as usual, (see: her Letterman performance) and is now debuting a partnership with one of our favorite brands, Free People.
With her tousled, ombré hair, piercing eyes, and all-in-all badass music, Atkins is an obvious fit for Free People's unbridled spirit and aesthetic. And so the singer/songwriter has curated a collection of her favorite fringe-filled, tie-dyed dresses to wear on and off stage. "The sound of the music I like to make follows in the tradition of my psych sisters of the '70s like Grace Slick and Janis Joplin," she explains. "I'm glad that Free People makes clothes that gives a nod to not only them but also Alejandro Jodorowski who directed Holy Mountain and El Topo, hence the names of the dresses and why I picked them."
And because Free People is known for its cool girl styling, Atkins set up a laid-back photo shoot. "We did this shoot at Retromedia Sound Studio in Red Bank, NJ, while I was mixing a record for a new band I have with Jim Sclavunos of the Bad Seeds and Grinderman. I got my good friends photographer Lucia Holm and makeup artist Mandy Bisesti to come over and play dress up with the Free People dresses while the boys mixed drum tracks." Dressed in impossibly gorgeous pieces from Free People and rocking a '60s cat-eye, Atkins fits perfectly in the musical space, surrounded by drum sets, microphones, and records of other iconic performers.
About the dresses, she says, "I love how simple these dresses are, yet they're powerful in the simplicity. They make me feel like a 7 foot y'all bad ass bitch. Kind of like how Jim Sclavunos is in real life. I mixed the Holy Mountain Dress with a custom leather belt made by Jackie Ehrler of Queen of Hearts. She also made the blue geode fringe necklace. She's incredible."
Nicole Atkins will be playing on Tuesday, February 10 at Bootleg Bar in L.A. The deluxe edition of Slow Phaser is now available on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play.
Check out the dresses and the rest of Nicole Atkins' shoot in the gallery.