Courtney Love Names Kendrick Lamar & Lana Del Rey Dream Collaborators, Walks Back PJ Harvey Praise

After more than 20 years, Courtney Love is preparing her long-awaited second solo album and, by her own admission, is shaping up to be an eclectic release.

Having been released America's Sweetheart in February 2004 after its dissolution Hole Two years ago, Love's debut record didn't set the world on fire, only reaching No. 53 on the Billboard 200 upon its arrival. However, in the following decades, she experienced something of a career renaissance, having released a new album with Hole in 2010 and promising the release of her forthcoming memoir, Girl with the most cakeafter a decade of writing.

Another project that appears to be on the way is her second solo album, which was teased for a late 2023 release but never completed. It's a much more hopeful update than the 2013 news that a test-titled record She died blonde it would arrive early next year.

In a new interview with The Standardhowever, Love did talk about her new record and talking about the artists she'll be guesting along the way — just don't call anything made with another artist a “collaboration.”

“I don't do 'collaborations' – man, I hate that word! However, I have co-written songs with some people on this album,” he explained. “[R.E.M.’s Michael] Stipe mentioned our partnership The New York Timesso i can say it's great.

“I fell down crying hearing his voice – it's better than ever! I thought I knew the outcome, but I'm still the grasshopper while Michael is the sensei. There are others I cannot mention. I had no intention of doing any collaboration.”

Love also confirmed that Echo & the Bunnymen's Will Sergeant contributed to her new record, calling his involvement a “miracle”.

Will Sergeant, my favorite guitarist on earth, from my favorite band agreed to work with me! she was excited. “Oh my god, when he came back from LA for our first song together, I almost fainted—he's such an icon! If you're giving up Jimmy Page, Jonny Greenwood and Will Sergeant, I'd pick Sergeant every time. it's crazy! It's on this album and elevates the songs beyond description.”

Elsewhere, Love also checked in on a number of contemporary artists she likes, citing a desire to work with Kendrick Lamar (“I have a crazy crush on him,” she admits) and a love of Stormzy and Doja Cat.

“I'd like to co-write a song with Lana Del Rey — I'd like to be 'Paul' and go hard on the choruses while I go back to Norman and go hard on the choruses, or whatever,” Love explained. “She is currently on her honeymoon. I am very happy for her.

“But every time some kid asks me to 'team up' with Lana – I mean come on!” she added. “Can you stop saying 'co-op' to someone who is crossing Gen X and boomer? We don't do that! Call it “writing a song together”, not “participating”. It makes me lose my temper and makes it the last thing I want to do. I love Lorde too.”

However, one artist who has apparently fallen into Love's favor is English musician PJ Harvey. In an earlier interview with The Standard In April, Love listed Harvey as a female artist she likes, along with Nina Simone, Patti Smith, Julie London and early Joni Mitchell.

While noting in the same interview that she was growing tired of Lana Del Rey, Love cited Harvey's “first four albums” as her favorite period in the musician's discography. Now, Love has apparently turned against Harvey.

“I asked PJ Harvey to come back – I just wanted one of those great Stones guitar riffs,” he said. The Standard. “We have a relationship. I have supported her for decades, but she chose not to answer me. So I wrote her how rude that was.

“Her manager tried to smooth things over but it's not OK – she hasn't played rock music in 100 years!” she added. “Her first five albums are great. After that, he went into art (although I like 'The Last Living Rose,' which looks like a John Donne poem with… WTF? A somersault?).”

Love's upcoming album has yet to receive an official release date.