As a prelude to International Women’s Day, Kira Skov releases the single It Ain’t Pretty on March 7th. She focuses on ageism from a woman’s perspective in the lyrics and music video

Watch the music video for It Ain’t Pretty HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTABNmake-c&ab_channel=StuntRecords

“It ain’t pretty when you’re growing old, not for a woman and not for a girl.” 

This is the final verse of Kira Skov’s new single It Ain’t Pretty, released on March 7th – the day before International Women’s Day. The song is about aging as a woman in a youth-obsessed culture, balancing between rage and reflection on the internal transitions people go through, and how society treats women when the external shows signs of aging. 

“It’s a kind of gospel/punk song that rebels against ageism from my own – a woman’s – perspective. Funnily enough, I feel that it also contains the roots of my origins and the music I wrote when I was young with Kira and the Kindreds Spirits,” says Kira Skov. 

The song serves as a bonus track for Kira Skov’s upcoming album, as it stands out from the rest of the material thematically and sonically. 

AI recreates Kira Skov as a child in music video
Anina Tang created the video for the song that supports both humor and rebellious energy: “From the start, Kira’s idea was that she should age throughout the music video. We worked on adding visual layers that would mirror the dimensions of the song. Natural elements contrast wrinkles, youth, and old age, but they also embrace the contradiction of beauty in decay. At the same time, they celebrate the journey towards the inevitable, filled with memories of times gone by. We were particularly inspired by vanitas and the symbolism of Baroque art. The fun part of the process was that through a single image of Kira as a child, green screen footage and AI, we could recreate Kira as a child,” says Tang. 

Biography
Kira Skov debuted in 2001 with Kira and The Kindred Spirits and has since built a remarkable solo career with 16 releases under her own name. With her intense, soulful vocals and ability to move freely between rock, jazz, and experimental music, she has attained worldwide recognition. Kira has collaborated with Peter Peter, Marie Fisker, and producer John Parish, and has toured internationally, including with triphop star Tricky. In 2017, she received two Danish Music Awards and the Steppenwolf Prize as Composer of the Year. The following year she released the critically acclaimed THE ECHO OF YOU, dedicated to her late husband Nicolai Munch-Hansen, followed by her first Danish-language album I NAT BLIVER VI GAMLE (2019). During the pandemic, she created the duet album SPIRIT TREE (2021), which was followed by a tour of Denmark. Her latest album, MY HEART IS A MOUNTAIN (2023), received critical acclaim, including five stars in GAFFA.

 

optakt til Kvindernes kampdag: Kira Skov udgiver single og opsigtsvækkende video om ageism 

Som optakt til Kvindernes Internationale Kampdag udsender Kira Skov singlen ‘It Ain’t Pretty’ d. 7. marts. I teksten og den tilhørende musikvideo sætter hun fokus på ageism, set fra en kvindes perspektiv. 

Se musikvideoen til ‘It Ain’t Pretty’ HER! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTABNmake-c&ab_channel=StuntRecords

“It ain’t pretty when you’re growing old, not for a woman and not for a girl.” Sådan lyder den konkluderende strofe på Kira Skovs nye single It Ain’t Pretty, der udkommer d. 7. marts – dagen inden Kvindernes Internationale Kampdag. Sangen kredser om det at ældes som kvinde i en ungdomsfikseret kultur og balancerer mellem raseri og eftertanke over de indre forandringer og den måde, samfundet møder kvinder på, når det ydre ældes. 

“Det er en slags gospel/punk-sang, som gør oprør mod ageism, set fra mit eget – en kvindes – perspektiv. Sjovt nok føler jeg, at den samtidig rummer rødderne til mit ophav og den musik, jeg skrev, da jeg var ung med Kira and the Kindreds Spirits”, fortæller Kira Skov. 

Sangen fungerer som et bonustrack til Kira Skovs kommende album, da den skiller sig ud fra resten af materialet tematisk og lydmæssigt. 

AI genskaber Kira Skov som barn i musikvideo
Anina Tang har skabt en musikvideo til sangen, der både understøtter dens humor og oprørske energi: “Hele Kiras grundidé var fra start, at hun skulle skifte alder igennem musikvideoen. Vi arbejdede med at tilføje visuelle lag, der kunne spejle dimensionerne i sangen. Gennemgående naturele- menter skulle danne kontraster til rynker, ungdom og alderdom, men også omfavne modsætnin-gen i skønheden i forfaldet. Samtidig skulle de hylde rejsen mod det uundgåelige, fyldt med minder om svundne tider. Vi var særligt inspireret af vanitas og barokkunstens symbolik. Det sjove i processen var, at vi igennem et enkelt billede af Kira som barn, greenscreen-filmede op-tagelser og AI fik genskabt Kira som barn”, fortæller Tang. 

Biografi
Kira Skov debuterede i 2001 med rockgruppen Kira and The Kindred Spirits og har siden op-bygget en markant solokarriere med 16 udgivelser i eget navn. Med sin intense, sjælfulde vokal og evne til at bevæge sig frit mellem rock, jazz og eksperimenterende udtryk har hun opnået bred anerkendelse. Hun har samarbejdet med kunstnere som Peter Peter, Marie Fisker og producer John Parish og har turneret internationalt, bl.a. med Tricky. I 2017 modtog hun to DMA Jazz-priser og en Step-peulv for årets komponist. Året efter udgav hun det anmelderroste The Echo of You, dedikeret til sin afdøde mand Nicolai Munch-Hansen, efterfulgt af sit første dansksprogede album I nat bliver vi gamle (2019). Under pandemien skabte hun duetalbummet Spirit Tree (2021), der blev fulgt op af en landsdækkende turné. Hendes seneste album, My Heart Is A Mountain (2023), fik stor ros fra anmelderne og modtog bl.a. fem stjerner i GAFFA.