Collaborators King Princess and Ethan Gruska incorporated raw and glitchy tones into the anthemic rock song 'Let Us Die' and emphasized the importance of unique instruments.
Producer Mark Ronson and drummer Taylor Hawkins played pivotal roles in shaping the song, with Ronson's guidance and additional guitars creating a powerful climax, and Hawkins's energetic drum performance bringing a dynamic element.
Deep dives
The Story Behind the Song
In this episode, King Princess, along with her collaborators, Ethan Grusca and Mark Ronson, breaks down the making of the song 'Let Us Die.' They discuss the inspiration behind the lyrics, the creative process, and the role of different instruments in shaping the song's sound.
Collaborative Process and Instruments
King Princess and Ethan Grusca share how they collaborated on the song, with King Princess providing the initial chorus melody and Ethan contributing the idea of using a unique instrument called a retrofitted acoustic tenor guitar. They also discuss the importance of incorporating raw and glitchy tones into the anthemic rock song.
Influence of Mark Ronson and Taylor Hawkins
Producer Mark Ronson and legendary drummer Taylor Hawkins played significant roles in elevating the song. Mark Ronson provided guidance and added more guitars to create a powerful climax for the song, while Taylor Hawkins's drum performance brought an explosive energy. The episode also reflects on the emotional impact of Taylor Hawkins's unexpected passing and how his family's approval influenced the decision to release the song.
King Princess is the project of Mikaela Straus, a singer, songwriter, and producer from Brooklyn. She’s a platinum-selling artist, and she put out her second album in July, 2022. The last track on the album is the song "Let Us Die." Rolling Stone called it "the banger of the year."
In this episode, Mikaela breaks down the song, along with two of her collaborators on it: co-producer and co-writer Ethan Gruska, and multi-Grammy winning producer Mark Ronson. You’ll hear the original voice memo that Mikaela recorded, and the demo she made with Ethan. And you’ll hear the drums recorded by the late Taylor Hawkins, the legendary drummer of Foo Fighters and Alanis Morissette, who passed away earlier this year.