Models have been making music since before Carla Bruni became the Bride of Wildenstein. Some have made the jump gracefully; others, less so. Here are our top picks of the singer-slash-model genre…
CARLA BRUNI
The First Lady of France and former super raised a few eyebrows when she sang the words “I give you my body, my soul and my chrysanthemum” in her song ‘Ta Tienne’. “I think we know exactly what she means by this. It is hardly appropriate imagery for a First Lady of France,” wrote French daily France-Soir.
KATE MOSS
Serial video star Kate Moss has appeared in clips for the White Stripes, Elton John, Marianne Faithfull and Johnny Cash. She also lent her pipes to this 2003 Primal Scream number, though our all-time favourite has to be the Moss-Doherty lesson in why drink and computers are best enjoyed separately. Not so much a duet as a series of expletives mumbled over guitar and punctuated by the occasional kick to the head.
LISSY TRULLIE
She’s posed for Jalouse and modelled Chloe Sevigny’s clothing line but regards modelling more as a means of making ends meet. She’s occasionally managed to do both simultaneously, covering Hot Chip’s ‘Ready for the Floor’ for the Herve Leger campaign.
TWIGGY
Twiggy and Bryan Ferry dressed as highschool sweethearts to perform this duet on Twiggy’s TV show in 1974. In ‘76 she signed to Mercury records and released the albums Twiggy and Please Get My Name Right.
MILLA JOVOVICH
Milla Jovavich has been writing songs since she was 15 and released her first album, The Divine Comedy in ’94 at the age of 19. She described the album as “a mix between Kate Bush, Sinead O’Connor, This Mortal Coil and the Cocteau Twins.” She’s since contributed numerous songs to the soundtracks of her film projects.
JANE BIRKIN
The heavy-breathing that launched a career. Birkin was best known for her racy collaboration with longtime partner Serge Gainsbourg on ‘Je t’aime… moi non plus”. When she wasn’t making love to the microphone, she was teaming up with equally beguiling French chanteuses.