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Express Tribune
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
André 3000 wears piano to 2025 Met Gala to mark surprise release of ‘7 Piano Sketches' EP
André 3000 made a memorable return to the Met Gala red carpet for the first time in 17 years by wearing a baby grand piano on his back. The bold outfit aligned with the 2025 Met Gala theme, 'Tailored for You,' celebrating the museum's 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' exhibition. The musician collaborated with celebrity stylist Law Roach and Burberry creative director Daniel Lee on the custom Burberry x Benji Bixby jumpsuit. His outfit was a nod to his 2014 OutKast reunion look, blending artistic flair with avant-garde tailoring. André also wore a red cap and carried a black bag, adding to his distinctive interpretation of dandyism. Photo: AFP Speaking to GQ, he said, 'My understanding of dandyism is your own personal outburst in fashion, or your own exclamation point on fashion. You don't really have to try for it if it's something that you are doing.' More than just a fashion statement, the piano symbolised a surprise music release. On the same day, 5 May, André 3000 dropped a new EP titled 7 Piano Sketches, a follow-up to his instrumental album New Blue Sun. The EP features seven improvisational solo piano tracks, each introduced with voice notes by André, continuing his experimental journey into non-rap compositions. The Met Gala marked a significant moment in André 3000's evolving artistic narrative — from OutKast frontman to avant-garde instrumentalist. His return was not just a re-entry into high fashion, but also a strategic move to introduce a new creative chapter.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
André 3000 Wears a Grand Piano to Met Gala, Drops Surprise Album
André 3000 stepped out onto this year's Met Gala carpet with a grand piano strapped to his back and paired the look with a surprise album titled, 7 piano sketches. The 16-minute collection is his first body of work since his 2023 flute-based album New Blue Sun, which Rolling Stone praised as 'a gorgeous, deeply contemporary, prismatic breath of fresh incense.' Similar to his previous music, 7 piano sketches fully embraces its instrumentals and puts André's solo talents on full display. A press release for the album included the note: 'Warning: No Bars.' More from Rolling Stone Rihanna Reveals She's Pregnant With Third Child at Met Gala 2025 Met Gala Live Stream: How to Watch the Red Carpet Online Did Sly Stone 'Blow It?' Questlove Says the Answer Is Complicated The cover for the new music features an illustration echoing the artist's bespoke piano ensemble, which was created by Burberry in collaboration with benji bixby and styled by Law Roach, as part of the event's theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.' Per the release, the new project was partially composed and recorded prior to New Blue Sun, while André was staying in a house in Texas with his son that had only a piano, their beds, and TV screens. 'These piano pieces weren't recorded with the intention of presenting them in any formal way to the public. They were personal, at home recordings. I would sometimes text them to my family and friends,' said André in a lengthy social media post alongside the cover art. 'Pardon the sound quality,' he added, explaining that all the songs, with the exception of 'Blueberries,' were recorded on his 'iPhone sitting directly on the piano or my laptop microphone.' André wrote that the original title was The Best Worst Rap Album In History and offered an excerpt from the original liner notes: 'It's jokingly the worst rap album in history because there are no lyrics on it at all. It's the best because it's the free-est emotionally and best I've felt personally. It's the best because it's like a palette cleanser for me.' Last month, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced that André and Outkast bandmate BigBoi will join the class of 2025 in the performer category, along with Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, and the White Stripes. Track List 1. 'bluffing in the snow'2. 'and then one day you'll …'3. 'when you're a ant and you wake up in an awesome mood, about to drive your son to school, only to discover that you left the lights on in the car last night so your battery is drained'4. 'hotel lobby pianos'5. 'blueberry mansions'6. 'off rhythm laughter'7. 'i spend all day waiting for the night' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Buzz Feed
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
André 3000 Wore A Baby Grand Piano On His Back To The 2025 Met Gala, And For A Very Good Reason
Hot Topic 🔥 Full coverage and conversation on the Met Gala Who better to represent that theme than the dandyest music artist in entertainment — André 3000. It's been 17 years since he last walked the Met Gala carpet, and trust me, he already understood the assignment. 3k didn't disappoint this year, and showed up to the red carpet with an entire baby grand piano on his back. Here's a close-up: Here's what it looks like from another angle: André 3000 worked with famed celebrity stylist Law Roach and Burberry chief creative officer Daniel Lee. André's Burberry x Benji Bixby jumpsuit is a callback to his style, reminiscent of his OutKast 2014 reunion tour look. In an interview with GQ, Andre explained how it all came together. Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue, Josh Brasted / FilmMagic "It wasn't like we said, Okay, we got to check these boxes to find this dandy thing to do. My understanding of dandyism is your own personal outburst in fashion, or your own exclamation point on fashion. You don't really have to try for it if it's something that you are doing," he told the publication. There's actually a reason behind the piano on the back. On May 5, André dropped a surprise new EP, 7 Piano Sketches, in time with his Met Gala debut. Like New Blue Sun, his flute-based New Age album, there's no rapping but instead "seven raw, improvisational solo-piano pieces, plus oddball voice-note introductions at the top of each number by André," as Samuel Hine of GQ describes.
Vogue
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
André 3000 Wore a Grand Piano to the 2025 Met Gala
The 2025 Met Gala was an evening for theatricality and extravagance—and few understood this assignment quite like André 3000. The rapper and singer-songwriter showed up to the Met steps in a custom look by Burberry designer Daniel Lee, who worked in collaboration with the stylist Law Roach. However, the workwear-inspired jumpsuit was actually created by Burberry x Benjamin Bixby, the latter name André's own label, founded back in 2008. (Yes, call it an official comeback.) But it was the grand piano that he carried on his back that completely stole the show. Turns out there was a reason for such an accessory statement: On his way to the Met, André 3000 dropped a surprise new EP, 7 Piano Sketches. (As the title suggests, the album includes seven piano-solo tracks.) The piano was meant to tie into his new musical project—his first release since his 2023 release of his epochal, much-talked-about flute-based album, New Blue Sun. According to GQ, André first had the idea to wear a large piano when he was laying down some piano tracks over a decade ago. Tonight, he made that dream come true—and totally shut down the red carpet as a result. 'It wasn't like we said, 'Okay, we got to check these boxes to find this dandy thing to do,'' the star told GQ of his look. 'My understanding of dandyism is your own personal outburst in fashion, or your own exclamation point on fashion. You don't really have to try for it.' See All of the Celebrity Looks From the Met Gala 2025 Red Carpet:
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
André 3000 Releases Instrumental Project ‘7 Piano Sketches'
André 3000 has released a collection of piano instrumental tracks entitled '7 Piano Sketches.' The musician released the project just before walking the carpet at the Met Gala with a full piano strapped to his back. '7 Piano Sketches' was partially composed and recorded before 2023's instrumental flute album 'New Blue Sun,' which went on to earn a nomination for album of the year at the 2025 Grammy Awards. André conceptualized the project almost a decade ago while staying with his son at a house in Texas that only had a piano, their beds and TV screens. Stream '7 Piano Sketches' here. More from Variety Grammys Surprise: André 3000 Says Album of the Year Nomination for Jazz Flute Project Is Proof 'I Can Only Do What I'm Into' Tyler, the Creator, Erykah Badu, André 3000 to Perform at Los Angeles' Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival 2024 Lil Wayne, Jill Scott and André 3000 to Perform at Roots Picnic 2024 in Philadelphia With the release, André made sure to note: 'WARNING: NO BARS.' In a statement accompanying the project, André said, 'The original title for it was 'The Best Worst Rap Album In History' and here is an excerpt from the original liner notes: 'It's jokingly the worst rap album in history because there are no lyrics on it at all. It's the best because it's the free-est emotionally and best I've felt personally. It's the best because it's like a palette cleanser for me.'' The release comes shortly after the news that Outkast, his duo alongside Big Boi, will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Cyndi Lauper, White Stripes, Chubby Checker, Warren Zevon and more. André last released 'New Blue Sun' in Nov. 2023, a surprise to fans who were expecting another rap album from the musician. Speaking with Variety shortly after his Grammy nominations for the project, he explained that he followed his instincts to put the album together. 'I'm used to people feeling a way, but at the same time, it's just proof for me that I can only do what I'm into,' he said. 'I think that's why I'm here. I get up on trying to expand myself. I have to be fun and be into what I'm doing. That's it.' Check out the tracklist for '7 Piano Sketches' below: bluffing in the snow and then one day you'll … when you're a ant and you wake up in an awesome mood, about to drive your son to school, only to discover that you left the lights on in the car last night so your battery is drained hotel lobby pianos blueberry mansions off rhythm laughter i spend all day waiting for the night Best of Variety Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
