Pharrell Williams Showcases New ‘Over the Moon’ Lego Set at Paris Event, Talks ‘Piece by Piece’ Biopic: Telling ‘My Story This Way Made It More Universal’

As a follower who has been captivated by Pharrell Williams‘ journey since his days as part of N*E*R*D and beyond, I must say that witnessing his latest collaboration with Lego is truly inspiring. Growing up in Virginia Beach, I can relate to the fascination he had with gazing at the night sky from his apartment window, filled with questions about the mysteries of space.

Prior to the launch of his Lego animated biopic titled “Piece by Piece,” produced by Focus Features, Pharrell Williams was the main attraction at a unique event hosted by Lego in Paris. At this occasion, the versatile individual shared insights about his expanding partnership with the company during his stage appearance.

In addition to the movie that Morgan Neville directed and was positively received during screenings at Telluride and Toronto for its uniqueness, Williams is collaborating with LEGO on a fresh toy collection. This new set showcases a sleek black-and-gold rocket ship adorned with a vivid trail of colors in its wake.

At the celestial-themed gathering held at Espace Niemeyer, once the renowned Oscar Niemeyer-designed French Communist Party headquarters, a new exhibition called “Over the Moon” was showcased. This event attracted various local artists, among them Williams who has recently relocated to Paris and assumed the role of Louis Vuitton’s men’s creative director. Notable attendees included actor Kevin Dias, DJ Bob Sinclar, and Thomas Bangalter from Daft Punk, with Busy P, their former manager and founder of Ed Banger records, spinning a set primarily consisting of French electro music.

The movie ‘Over the Moon,’ debuting later this month and to be presented at an upcoming LA event, is a spin-off from ‘Piece by Piece.’ In this film, an animated Lego version of Williams travels to space, a concept inspired by early discussions he shared on stage in Paris.

At around 4 or 5 years old, I often found myself gazing out of the window at Atlantis Apartments, my home. I was captivated by the night sky, filled with stars that seemed so vibrant and mysterious. I had many questions about the universe – questions like ‘How far does space stretch on?’, ‘Why is this star blue?’ and ‘Why does this one twinkle?’ – questions my mother couldn’t fully answer. To me, space was always an enigma; it held a sense of mystery that was never solved, making it intriguing. Each night presented a chance to ask a new question.

Williams found great joy in the “Piece by Piece” movie, as he appreciated the unique opportunity it provided to share his story using Lego animation. As a Black man from a disadvantaged background, he felt that expressing his tale in this manner made it more relatable and universal, enabling viewers to perceive it for its true essence. Interestingly, Legos were a part of his childhood playtime, but they have a remarkable ability to tap into the inner child within anyone, regardless of age, from 8 to 80 years old.

The “Over the Moon” collection introduces Lego’s broadest variety of adjustable mini-figure skin shades, coming with 50 mini-figure heads in total, 30 of which are uniquely crafted for this specific set.

Williams’ association with Lego is set to expand towards his charitable organization, Yellow, which strives to create educational equality among children globally. This alliance will lead to the introduction of a novel Lego “Build the Change” global initiative, designed to foster creative play for children everywhere.

2024-09-19 12:46

Pharrell Williams Showcases New ‘Over the Moon’ Lego Set at Paris Event, Talks ‘Piece by Piece’ Biopic: Telling ‘My Story This Way Made It More Universal’

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