The Pink Phantom

"The Pink Phantom" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz featuring Elton John and 6lack. The track was released on 1 October 2020 as the eighth single for Gorillaz' seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, and the seventh episode of the Song Machine project, a web series involving the ongoing release of various Gorillaz tracks featuring different guest musicians over the course of 2020.[4]

"The Pink Phantom"
Single by Gorillaz featuring Elton John and 6lack
from the album Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez
Released1 October 2020
Recorded2020
StudioDamon Albarn's home studio, Devon, England
Genre
Length4:13
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Gorillaz singles chronology
"Strange Timez"
(2020)		 "The Pink Phantom"
(2020)		 "The Valley of the Pagans"
(2020)
Elton John singles chronology
"Learn to Fly"
(2020)		 "The Pink Phantom"
(2020)
6lack singles chronology
"Touch & Go (Remix)"
(2020)		 "The Pink Phantom"
(2020)		 "Stay Down"
(2020)
Music video
"The Pink Phantom" on YouTube

Background

The song was recorded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Elton John recording from London, and Gorillaz singer Damon Albarn recording from Devon.[5] The song was originally planned to be made solely with Elton John in Atlanta, where Albarn was meeting with 6lack and EarthGang. After the pandemic prevented these sessions, however, 6lack was added to the track.[6]

Music video

The video, directed by Jamie Hewlett, Tim McCourt, and Max Taylor, features 2-D, Elton John, and 6lack performing a lavishly pink and emotional song inside Kong Studios during a thunderstorm. Prior to the video, the group used the portals seen in "Désolé" to evade the COVID-19 travel restrictions; the journey inadvertently warped Elton John and 6lack’s appearances, turning the former into an animated character and the latter into a semi-holographic state. However, the two decide to continue with the shoot regardless.[7]

Meanwhile, Murdoc tries to catch the Pink Phantom with a butterfly net. After the song ends, Murdoc, dressed as a matador and strumming a guitar, attempts to join the others, but realizes he missed the entire number.

The video is a homage to 1960s MGM cartoon The Pink Panther.[8]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducersLength
1."Machine Bitez #14" (with 2-D, Murdoc, Russel and Noodle)  0:46
2."The Pink Phantom" (featuring Elton John and 6lack)
4:13
3."Machine Bitez #15" (with 2-D, Murdoc, Russel and Noodle)  0:45
4."Machine Bitez #16" (with 2-D, Murdoc, Russel and Noodle)  0:37
Total length:6:21

Personnel

Gorillaz

Additional musicians and personnel

  • Elton John – vocals, piano
  • 6lack – vocals, engineering
  • Stephen Sedgwick – mixing engineer, engineering
  • Samuel Egglenton – engineering
  • John Davis – mastering engineer
  • Matt Doughty – engineering

References
  1. "Gorillaz share new song "The Pink Phantom" featuring Elton John and 6LACK". Vman. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  2. "Listen to Gorillaz, Elton John & 6LACK's new song "The Pink Phantom"". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  3. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/gorillaz-review-strange-timez-song-machine-damon-albarn-robert-smith-b1156905.html%3famp
  4. Iyer, Siddharth (10 September 2020). "Elton John Will Guest Star As 'The Pink Phantom' In Gorillaz's Upcoming Song Machine Track". Republic World.
  5. "Elton John on Twitter: "Here it is – 'The Pink Phantom'. Even working remotely (I was in London and he was in Devon), collaborating with Damon on this was such an engaging and creative process. I'm very, very happy this came about and I hope you enjoy the track"". 1 October 2020.
  6. "Gorillaz Present Song Machine - A Gorillaz Conversation w/ Co-Creator Damon Albarn & Anthony Fantano". YouTube. November 5, 2020.
  7. Bulut, Selim (2 October 2020). "Behind the scenes of Gorillaz's 'The Pink Phantom' video". Dazed.
  8. Sutherland, Mark (14 September 2020). "Gorillaz Present Music Biz 2.0". Music Week.
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