As you might be aware, many American college students are presently enjoying their spring breaks. And it would seem the chief chronicler of their X-Rated escapades — director Harmony Korine — has possibly returned to the hallowed ground that spawned his debauched neon opus, Spring Breakers. But this time, he’s brought a new pop princess (sorry, Selena): Rihanna.
This morning, New York Times music reporter Joe Coscarelli tweeted some pap snaps of Rihanna in a translucent periwinkle robe and a notably not-bedazzled thong exchanging words with a person who appears to be Korine. Coscarelli’s tweet suggests the stuff of dreams: that the pair are working on a new music video together in Florida.
RIHANNA x HARMONY KORINE video is happening (in Florida, obviously) pic.twitter.com/FzQGcr0Fhm
— Joe Coscarelli (@joecoscarelli) March 18, 2016
This wouldn’t be Korine’s first music video. In 2004, he enlisted Macaulay Culkin and a slow motion ballerina for Sonic Youth’s “Sunday,” before directing Cat Power’s oddball “Living Proof” video a few years later. Bizarre bonus trivia: he also shares a writing credit with the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach on Lana Del Rey’s “Florida Kilos,” which basically describes many plot elements of Spring Breakers in strummy sad girl style.
It’s not technically a music video, but James Franco’s corn-rowed kingpin Alien performing Britney Spears’ “Everytime” poolside on a white piano absolutely should have been one. In it the film’s most memorable scene, the remaining spring breakers (Gomez has long left the picture) don pink ski masks, sweatpants with DTF printed on the derriere, and brightly colored Reeboks as they waltz with assault rifles around Alien’s baby grand. It illustrates Korine’s brilliantly idiosyncratic and often controversial style: a blend of violence, humor, nuanced social commentary, nihilism, and genuinely beautiful visuals. The scene might have very well been the progenitor of the Bad Gal’s revenge fantasy “Bitch Better Have My Money,” or at least the the jumping off point for Rih and Korine’s rumored partnership.
We’re not sure when or if we’ll ever see what’s bound to be the totally insane fruits of their labor, but given Korine’s previous collaborations with Proenza Schouler, we’re crossing all of our fingers for some strong looks to boot.
Credits
Text Emily Manning