A look at the inimitable actor’s first musical performance

Rose McGowan is done with being told what to do. Having called out the film industry for sexism and left her acting career behind, The Doom Generation star returned to Hollywood earlier this year with guns blazing – this time from the other side of the camera. After shooting her arresting directorial debut, the Sundance Award-nominated short Dawn, the actor-turned-director has teamed up with Spun director Jonas Åkerlund, enlisting his signature gothic vision for her unanticipated pop promo in the form of “RM486”.

“Not only did I not fit in, I didn’t want to fit in” 

Styled by Swedish fashion maverick B. Åkerlund, each of McGowan’s theatrical guises represents a different facet of the star’s morphing persona: from alien outsider (“Not only did I not fit in, I didn’t want to fit in,” she says of her formative years) to Hollywood starlet and beyond. Each persona carries a message, with the goth confronting people’s perception of beauty: “I actually think she’s the most beautiful,” McGowan says. Here the actor-turned director talks rocking the boat and kicking up an art fuss.

This release marks your musical debut, why now?
Rose McGowan: In the last few years I’ve actually released some songs under different names, just me pranking the public. I woke up one day and realised I hated acting and that I’d always hated it. Imagine, its predominantly men whose scripts get done so it was mostly a male voice coming out of my mouth for fifteen years.  

Your film work touches on ideas of female empowerment and sexual liberation – do you feel a responsibility to create a feminist dialogue?
RM: Yes I feel like it’s my duty and other people who have a voice, it’s their duty as well. We’re told from when were very young: ‘don’t upset anybody, don’t rock the boat.’ Why not? I believe in civil disruption. I also think it’s important for bodies to be represented in a non-sexual manner, especially women’s bodies.”

You’ve been vocal before about the importance of nudity, why do you think it’s important to reclaim the representation of women’s bodies this way?
RM: The body shaming that goes on in America is absurd. Recently at a museum there was this woman behind me looking at a nude sketch of a man and she said she’d never let her child around that, and I turned to her and said, “Oh really? Would you like your child to first see a penis when it’s erect and coming at her?” I don’t want to do this kind of thing but I feel like I have to, to stimulate change. You realise when you’re well known that you have won the public election: you are in office of a sort, and what you say does matter.”

Source: Nowness

From Rose McGowan at WhoYouAre:

I am a version of all five characters in the video. All are pieces that make up my whole — as an artist, a public figure and most importantly, as a person. I am pushing back at the idea of who I am suppose to be, to embrace who I want to be. Changing the idea of what beauty is and exposing people to art in a real way is what I want to do. There is true power in art and true power in we who believe in it. I hope you will join me on this journey of promoting art, pushing boundaries and never being afraid to be who you.

Hi there,
Rose McGowan here. I wanted to share these lyrics I wrote for my new song, RM486.
The song is in collaboration with the band Punishment Paris and the video is in collaboration with WHOYOUARE. The video is directed by the renowned Jonas Akerlund, styled by the incomparable Bea Akerlund with prosthetics/makeup by the acclaimed artist, Sammy Mourabit.
Video guide:
All five characters in the video are versions of me. All are pieces that make up my whole- an artist, a public figure, and most importantly, as a person. I’m pushing back at the idea of what I am supposed to be, I want to expose people to art in a real way, and I want to change the idea of what beauty is. There is true power in art and true power in we who believe in it.
The characters are all me and I am all of the characters. Here is a breakdown in order of appearance.

THE ALIEN:
Where I’m from and how I have always felt. I want to communicate in the purest form and she is pure.
DARK BEAUTY:
Challenging the preconceived notion of what beauty is. Representative of the media perceived “goth” period of my life. She’s challenging you to not look away.
GREEN HAIR HOLLYWOOD:
The most agitated. The most over the top. Note the mouth taped over my own mouth. This is my “Hollywood” chapter. The agitated glamour of it all. I find her to be the most harrowing.
NEEDLES:
The needles I wear represent my armor and shield.
RED GLITTER BOMB:
My knives are out. I have a mission and it is fierce.
ART:
The most powerful is also the rawest. I want people to feel, the way to start that is by transmitting emotion. Feel, just feel.
So this is me. Speaking to the world in my own words, for the very first time.
Like the song’s chorus says, “we’re only here to paint colors on the sun, only here to see the fires run.”
I hope you’ll join me on my journey of promoting art and pushing boundaries.
x,
Rose McGowan

Rose's debut single “RM486” is available now!
[ iTunes … Amazon … Spotify ]