Bon Iver founder Justin Vernon has spoken about his recent collaborations and mentioned that he’s been writing songs with R&B singer-songwriter Alicia Keys in a recent interview with USA Today, saying “I have a big idea to do an American songbook of the greatest women singers.”
Recently Vernon has been working on a number of collaborations since finishing up on last years self-titled album. There’s been Shouting Matches, which he had refered to as a “sort of a blues-gospel band,”, and indie-pop Volcano Choir, which is currently working on an album for the Japanese market. He’s also collaborated with The Flaming Lips for an upcoming compilation.
He goes on to mention that he has written songs with Alicia Keys, which comes from an idea’s he’s had to “Do an American songbook of the greatest women singers. There are so many: Casey (Dienel) from White Hinterland, Bonnie Raitt, Alicia… (I’d make) a one-off charity album to have an excuse to work with a bunch of people that I’d choose to work with, all at once.”
As for new Bon Iver material, he says fans shouldn’t count on it soon, maybe not until 2015. “I don’t have songs written yet,” Vernon says. “I’m guessing three years. But it could be five. It could be only one more. It just depends when the songs come about. I sort of have to wait till they reveal themselves.”
