Elle Fanning Covers a Previously Unreleased Carly Rae Jepsen Song
The second single from Fanning’s new film Teen Spirit is the Emotion-era “Wildflowers.”
Have you ever wished there were more Emotion-era Carly Rae Jepsen? Have you ever wished, in fact, that it would come courtesy of one Elle Fanning, younger sister of Dakota Fanning, star of Neon Demon and How to Talk to Girls at Parties and The Beguiled? Well, if that’s your specific niche interest, you’re in luck, because that’s exactly what Fanning’s new film, Teen Spirit is delivering: On Thursday, the second song from the movie’s soundtrack dropped—and it’s “Wildflowers,” a previously unreleased Carly Rae Jepsen song that leaked online three years ago, as Stereogum pointed out, but never got an official pressing.
The song is a burbling, synth-streaked delight, perfectly in keeping with Jepsen’s catalogue at the time but also with the other songs featured in Teen Spirit, like Fanning’s cover of Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own,” the first track released from the soundtrack, and of Ellie Goulding’s “Lights,” which is featured in a recently released trailer for the film. (The trailer also promises Fanning performing music by Tegan & Sara—“I Was a Fool,” according to a recent Billboard story—Sigrid—“Don’t Kill My Vibe”—Jack Antonoff, Annie Lennox—“Little Bird”—and Orbital, though a complete tracklist for the soundtrack itself has not yet been released.) By the time the chorus hits, you could be forgiven for mistaking it for Jepsen herself.
Fanning’s character, according to the same Billboard story, was based on no pop star in particular (a familiar story…) though her narrative bears some obvious similarities to that of Dua Lipa; director Max Minghella described himself as “one of the first people on the Dua Lipa train” in an interview for the story. For research, Fanning looked to Björk, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga, watching documentaries and going to concerts.
“Wildflowers” is just one of many, many songs Carly Rae Jepsen has got in the archives; in an interview with Apple Music’s Beats 1 radio, in which she also revealed she has footage of Seal eating an entire loaf of sliced bread on her phone, she said she has some 200 unreleased songs. So… enough for a Teen Spirit sequel. And Fanning, apparently, is really ready to basically be Carly Rae Jepsen: “I feel like if I wanted to do an album now, maybe I could,” she told Billboard.
Elle Fanning Has a Bold, Grown-Up Wardrobe to Match Her New Role in The Beguiled
For a brief moment, Fanning, in Vivienne Westwood, seems to have pondered wearing a bit of color. It didn’t last long, though it made a splash at the Hollywood Foreign Press dinner in Beverly Hills, California, August 2014. Photo by Getty Images.
The baby-faced, temporarily brunette actress was already in the know at 16, wearing insider favorite label Rochas to a screening of Low Down at the Mill Valley Film Festival in San Rafael, California, October 2014. Photo by Miikka Skaffari/WireImage.
In Marchesa, Fanning demonstrates her penchant for dressing beyond her years (and somehow making it work). Here, she promotes her film Low Down at its premiere in Hollywood, California, October 2014. Photo by Tibrina Hobson/FilmMagic.
Like any good baby style star, Fanning puts in the requisite Rodarte appearance, at a dinner for the Rodarte x Superga collaboration with Gia Coppola in Los Angeles, California, January 2015. Photo by Stephanie Keenan/WireImage.
This Valentino is a quintessentially Fanning look — pastels, ruffles, chiffon, almost-but-not-quite too much dress for a then-16-year-old. She deserves a place at the grown-ups’ table at the Women in Film pre-Oscar party in West Hollywood, California, February 2015. Photo by Getty Images.
At Outfest Los Angeles, Fanning proves that she’s not tied to any label — here, in a cute Prada dress at the opening night gala for Tig in Los Angeles, California, July 2015. Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.
Fanning rarely opts for a dark palette, but this black, ruffled Emilio Pucci dress stayed within her comfort zone of princess silhouettes at the Toronto Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, September 2015. Photo by Getty Images.
And when she does go for a color, it’s sure to pop. Here, she wears Gucci for the premiere of Trumbo at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, September 2015. Photo by Getty Images.
attends the premiere of “Trumbo” at Samuel Goldwyn Theater on October 27, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California.
While the stars around her opted for silver statements, Fanning kept it simple in Thakoon, her milky complexion allowing her to pull off ivory tones that others wouldn’t dare — here, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala in New York, New York, May 2016. Photo by Getty Images.
Over the past few months, Fanning has developed her own style aesthetic — this Valentino Couture gown is ethereal, yet with quirky details like a body chain. It’s a definite style statement from a girl who’s making her name working with Nicolas Winding Refn on a movie about models.
Elle Fanning at the amfAR Gala in Cannes, France, May 2016. Photo by Kevin Tachman/amfAR/WireImage.
Fanning joins the legions of cute young stars (Kristen Stewart chief among them) wearing Karl Lagerfeld’s designs — here, a short, frilly Chanel dress for the Neon Demon photocall in Cannes, France, May 2016. Photo by Getty Images.
She’s definitely got a color palette, and she’s sticking to it — here, she wears Alexander McQueen to the afterparty for Neon Demon‘s Cannes premiere in Cannes, France, May 2016. Photo by Getty Images.
Alternate title: Elie Saab and Elle Fanning, a love story. Fanning wore a couture design by Saab to the U.K. premiere of The Neon Demon in London, England, May 2016. Photo by Karwai Tang.
During a quick hiatus from promoting her new film, Fanning stopped in at Alessandro Michele’s Gucci Cruise 2017 presentation — in Gucci, naturally. She and director Nicolas Winding Refn sat front row at the presentation in London, England, June 2016. Photo by Getty Images.
Fanning’s latest designer ensemble was a sharp turn from her previous looks, and a welcome change: Her Gucci tracksuit proves she’s not getting fashion-stagnant. Photo by Getty Images.
Elle Fanning in Lanvin at the premiere of The Neon Demon in Paris, France, June 2016.
Elle Fanning in Marc Jacobs at Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood event in Los Angeles, California, August 2016.
Elle Fanning in Dolce & Gabbana at the premiere of The Neon Demon in Hollywood, California, June 2016.
Elle Fanning in Creatures of the Wind at the Just One Eye x Creatures of the Wind collaboration dinner in Los Angeles, California, August 2016.
Elle Fanning in Rodarte with Jimmy Choo shoes and Tiffany & Co. jewelry at the premiere of 20th Century Women at the New York Film Festival in New York, New York, October 2016.
Elle Fanning wore a pink Max Mara coat at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, January 2017.
Elle Fanning in Rodarte at the Harper’s Bazaar 150 Most Fashionable Women party in West Hollywood, California, January 2017.
Elle Fanning in Oscar de la Renta at the premiere of Live by Night in Hollywood, California, January 2017.
Elle Fanning in Prada at the Fondazione Prada dinner during the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.
Elle Fanning in Miu Miu at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala in New York, New York, May 2017.
Elle Fanning in custom Vivienne Westwood at the premiere of Ismael’s Ghosts during the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.
Elle Fanning in Marc Jacobs at the afterparty for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala in New York, New York, May 2017.
Elle Fanning in Prada at the photocall for How to Talk to Girls at Parties during the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.
Elle Fanning in Gucci at the premiere of How to Talk to Girls at Parties during the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 2017.
