Text and Cover image by Rosy Ramírez for I’M Firenze Digest.
How many iconic album covers come to your mind? The number is due to impressive visual artist’s album covers artworks. Music and art have always walked hand in hand, creating interesting intersections in history. From Andy Warhol teaming up with The Rolling Stones for “Sticky Fingers” (1971), Peter Blake and Jann Haworth collaborating with The Beatles on “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967) to Jeff Koons adding his touch to Lady Gaga’s “ARTPOP” (2013), iconic collaborations echo through time. But what about today? From art direction and photography to painting, here are six must-know collaborations between visual artists and musicians that you can’t miss on your visual and musical radar.
Let’s refresh 6 of our favourite visual artists album covers artworks
1. A BRIEF INQUIRY INTO ONLINE RELATIONSHIPS by The 1975: Samuel Burgess-Johnson (2018)
The 1975, a groundbreaking British rock band formed in 2002 by Matty Healy, Ross McDonald, Adam Hann and George Daniel, mirrored the growth of a generation, navigating through a lot of contemporary themes. With their strong musical identity, they are still on stages on one of their most acclaimed tours so far, “The 1975 At Their Very Best”. Yet, let’s go back to 2018 when they released “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships”, an album that delves deep into internet relationships, the digital age, self-discovery, youth culture, mental health and identity.
Now let’s talk about Samuel Burgess, the English creative known for his multi-medium approach with a minimalist and conceptual style. Burgess teamed up with The 1975 to create the cover of their album, but he also worked on all additional visual content around this band’s era. The result is a design that not only mimics the album’s experimental and thoughtful sound, but reflects its intricate, complex, and contemporary vibe. And this is just the beginning of our 6 visual artist’s album covers artworks.
2. MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO by Karol G: Humberto Cruz (2023)
The Colombian singer Karol G recently made music history by winning the “Best Musica Urbana Album” at the 2024 Grammys for her latest album, “Mañana Será Bonito”. She now stands as the first female artist to ever win this category.
“Mañana Será Bonito” takes listeners on a journey into self-love, empowerment, friendship, healing, and just enjoying the good times. With powerful features like Shakira, Quevedo, Bad Gyal, Sean Paul and more, Karol G blends the vibrant sound of reggaeton with urban and Latin influences, showcasing her unique musical identity. This is how a visual artist artwork for an album cover works.
For this case, meet Humberto Cruz, the Mexican-American artist, illustrator and graphic designer known for his cartoonish and charismatic style. Cruz becomes a visual storyteller, translating the essence of love, summer, sensuality, reggaeton beats, fun, party, and the flourishing energy that defines Karol G ́s musical journey. Along with his playful style, he uses profound symbolism that mirrors the meaning behind the music itself.
3. DAWN FM by The Weeknd: Matilda Finn (2022)
In 2022, the Canadian singer, songwriter and producer Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, released an album that goes through a deep journey into self discovery and acceptance of one’s state of being. The storyline in the album “Dawn FM” takes the listener on a journey through the various phases of purgatory, from life to death, light to dark, and ultimately, to an epiphany. There are multiple layers of sound and production, with a retro, upbeat, radio-like, 80’s synth-pop sound, guided by insightful interludes.
Matilda Finn, a London-based director and photographer known for her dark and eclectic style inspired by Asian cinema and gaming, creates surreal and conceptual styles that play along with the narratives. With the help of FX artist Mike Marino, Finn transformed Abel into an aged version of himself. Finn crafted a frigid, obscure and introspective atmosphere, reflecting the maturity, introspection, mortality, and conceptual richness behind “Dawn FM”.
4. DATA by Tainy: Hiroshima Ogura (2023)
Tainy is an influential Puerto Rican superstar producer and songwriter recognised for his innovative sound, successful productions, and his significant contributions to the reggaeton genre. He recently released his debut solo studio album with a lineup of over 20 mind-blowing collaborations, featuring artists like Bad Bunny, The Marías, J Balvin, Daddy Yankee to Skrillex, and more.
Hiroshima Ogura is an animation artist born in Tokyo. He is well-known for his work as the art director of the 1995 cult classic “Ghost in the Shell”, a dystopian cyberpunk anime film. This film is one of Tainy’s favourites, not only for its aesthetics but also for how it embraces individuality in a high-tech society.
Fast-forward to the present, Ogura designed the cover for Tainy’s newest album, introducing us to Sena, an android whose music awakens various feelings, as a metaphor of how humans need music in the era of the artificial and technological advancements. Ogura’s art perfectly combines past and future, music and humanity, along with ever-evolving technology.
5. EL MAL QUERER by Rosalía: Filip Ćustić (2018)
What first started as her graduate thesis at her university in Barcelona, later evolved into the album that truly launched her career. “El Mal Querer” by the globally acclaimed Spanish artist Rosalía draws inspiration from “Flamenca”, a 13th-century medieval novel that goes through love and heartbreak, possession and loss, and ultimately, freedom. Each song is named after a chapter of the novel, and both the album and its narrative embody the power of women. Rosalía blends different musical genres like flamenco, experimental pop, Latin R&B, mixed along with Spanish traditional sounds to bring her conceptual vision to life.
Filip Ćustić, a Spanish-Croatian artist known for his multimedia practice, which combines photography, performance, video and sculpture to create a surreal and enigmatic work, mixed with a dreamy and soft aesthetic. For the cover of El Mal Querer, Ćustić skillfully captures the intensity of emotions, drama, spirituality and liturgic style, creating an ambiance of passion, strength and cultural pride. His visual elements almost evoke traditional images from Christian iconography, imparting a sense of empowerment that harmonises with the narrative and complements Rosalía ́s concept and musical style.
6. LA CANTERA by Guitarricadelafuente: Pepo Moreno (2022)
Back in 2022, the Spanish singer-songwriter Álvaro Lafuente Calvo, also known as Guitarricadelafuente, released his first studio album, “La Cantera”. This artisanal work , both poetic and present, immerses listeners in a mystic and reflective ambiance, accompanied with traditional Spanish sounds. In “La Cantera” Álvaro goes through a journey between present and past, recognising and admiring his own cultural heritage, and using this to contribute to the future of music and his own generation.
Catalan artist Pepo Moreno is known for his playful and childish style exploring variations of acrylic painting techniques we well as themes such as queerness, stereotypes, and the outcast. Moreno was commissioned to create the album cover for “La Cantera”, and also painted accompanying singles from the album, offering viewers a visual journey reminiscent of a youthful memory. This resonates with the musician’s concept, as he aims to bring the past into the present, much like the act of recalling a memory.
As we witness these collaborations, we cannot help but appreciate the teamwork and synergy between visual artists and musicians, enriching each other ́s works and providing an immersive and impactful experience for their audience. With the advancement of technology and social media, the space for these intersections continues to expand, promising more exciting collaborations in the future. You too can start keeping an eye on the work of visual artists for the cover albums of the future.
