As it turns out, Lohan’s cameo is a case of “ask and you shall receive.” Keyboardist Nick Rhodes told Billboard that Lohan approached frontman Simon Le Bon about getting on the album — and through text, no less. (She befriended Le Bon a decade ago when they met and she told him she’d once dressed as him for a costume party.) Her request came at the right time; there just so happened to be a spot available on the track Dancephobia. “[We] needed someone to do a little role play for us,” said Rhodes. The actress fills a spoken word interlude on the track that was inspired by Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
After taking Lohan up on her offer, the final product impressed the 80’s hit-makers. Rhodes referred to her as “larger than life” and shared that she “nailed” her assignment. The cameo puts her in good company; Paper Gods also includes guest spots from Janelle Monáe, Nile Rodgers, and ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante, among others.
Duran Duran’s 14th studio album, Paper Gods “goes back to that strange early Duran mix,” according to bassist John Taylor. He describes it as “hard-edged pop, coexisting with this dark, weird, experimental side.” In preparation for its release, the band has performed at a series of summer festivals abroad, and will head to the U.S. in the late summer months as well. A U.K. arena tour is on tap after that, kicking off in November.
Paper Gods will be released on Sept. 11.
