New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Leading interactive fitness platform, Peloton, released its latest holiday campaign for the UK and Germany featuring two new versions of Nina Simone's iconic track "Feeling Good," including a rendition from Canadian power-rock duo Crown Lands. The campaign, which is now live across TV,
Digital and Web, features the original version by
Nina Simone alongside the Crown Lands cover and a hip-hop interpretation by L.A-born rapper, Duckwrth.
Alongside premiering in the advert, Crown Lands released their cover in full which is now available to stream here and will be integrated into future Peloton classes. Peloton has over 3.6 million Members and music is an integral part of the Member experience.
Featuring its newly launched Peloton Bike+, the advert shows a family taking a variety of workouts on the Peloton platform. The scene is set with dad doing a Yoga class, to the original
Nina Simone classic, then it transitions to the son taking an indoor cycling class and singing along to a Hip-Hop cover by the rapper Duckwrth. The action then cuts away to the daughter doing a strength workout with a rocking version of the song by Crown Lands. Finally, we see the mother taking an indoor cycling class and the music returns to the original song.
The artists Crown Lands and Dukwrth were specifically chosen for this campaign to bring their unique background, style and musical vision to the song. Crown Lands approached the task with respect and admiration, recognizing the importance of galvanizing the meaning behind the lyrics especially after the events of this past year. Crown Lands explain, "when Peloton asked us to work on an iconic
Nina Simone song, we knew we had to honour Nina and do our spin on it. We are a heavy band and it was a unique challenge to take on such a significant jazz standard. There are many versions of this song, but the only one we tried to pull from was Nina's. Hers will always be the definitive version. Nina is such a powerful and incredible woman, and the world needs her message now more than ever."
Crown Lands partnership with Peloton on this holiday campaign culminate an impressive year for the breakout powerhouse duo. Despite challenges posed by the global pandemic early in the year, Crown Lands forged ahead releasing an unrelenting wave of new music including an acoustic EP Wayward Flyers Volume 1 that showcased the band's artistic range and their self-titled debut album-produced by six-time Grammy award winner Dave Cobb (Lady Gaga, Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlisle, Rival Sons). Crown Lands music marks the arrival of a major new force in rock and roll and this is only the beginning.
Capturing an integral part of the Peloton experience, the spot's authentic music video feel is the result of Adam Smith from Ridley Scott Associates at the helm who directed The Streets' video 'Blinded by the Lights' with more than 7 million views on YouTube. Smith has also worked closely with the
Chemical Brothers since their first gig in 1994, designing the surreal video elements of their shows, their music videos and their documentary, Chemical Brothers: Don't think.
Bruce Resnikoff, UMe President & CEO, said, "This is an opportunity to reach across generations by re-envisioning this
Nina Simone song by two completely different, young artists and offer Peloton Members a unique artist and musical experience."
Marian Holties, Senior Marketing Director, International for Peloton commented: "Music is such an important part of the Peloton experience and we are truly excited about using one of the all-time great tracks with Nina Simone's 'Feeling Good', which really strikes a chord with why our Members enjoy Peloton so much. We hope the different covers of the track will help showcase the variety of different workouts that are available on the Peloton platform."
Steve Howell, Executive Creative
Director at Dark Horses, added: "We needed to take the existing style we've built in past years and move it forward so the entire household could engage. We did that by using one of the greatest songs ever written and, working closely with Peloton and UMe, to commission two unique versions to draw the viewers in and bring the variety of different workouts to life.
Raised in Southwestern Ontario, Comeau (guitar, bass and keys) and Cody Bowles (vocals and drums) are bringing together a range of influences and, drawing on their own intense personal chemistry, creating something unique and fresh. The two musicians met six years ago, when Comeau came home for Christmas from Los Angeles and bonded over their shared obsession with Rush, they became "instant best friends" and started jamming together in a local barn, switching up instruments, but never straying from a two-piece set-up.
The group's name is indicative of their musical ambitions: "Crown Land" is territorial area belonging to the monarch—or, as Bowles puts it: "Crown Land is stolen land and we are reclaiming it." Crown Lands are on a mission to represent a sense of empowerment for marginalized communities through their music and the weighty subject matter of their lyrics. "People are going to listen to you, so you may as well say something that matters," says Comeau.
