Les Créations de 2008 by Chloe Flower

Krug presented Les Créations de 2008 in the US over the course of three days in mid-October 2021. One hundred and fifty guests were invited to experience a celebration of the two coveted Krug Champagnes, Krug 2008 and Krug Grande Cuvée 164^ème Édition, at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, New York. As guests arrived, they were escorted into a vintage-meets-contemporary vinyl lounge, where they enjoyed a glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 169^ème Édition and Krug 2006. After a welcome toast and introduction of the House, a hidden door rolled open, revealing a 360˚ immersive experience in an intimate performance space. Attendees found their seats in the virtual courtyard of the Krug Maison, where their journey through the story of Krug and Music began. Olivier Krug’s voice narrated the unique experience, invisibly cueing glasses to be filled with the newest vintage. He invited guests to take their first sips of Krug 2008 as renowned pianist, composer and fellow Krug Lover, Chloe Flower made a grand entrance toward her Steinway piano.

She performed her unique Echo of Krug 2008 live, enhanced by an ensemble of instruments playing around the room via National Sawdust’s multi-dimensional sound system. The first leg of the journey ended with Chloe speaking about her composition, prompting Olivier’s voice to re-immerse guests for the story behind Joseph Krug’s revolutionary dream of a Champagne free from the limitations of a yearly harvest. A second glass was filled, this time with Krug Grande Cuvée 164^ème Édition, as Chloe waited to play the orchestral masterpiece of her second Krug Echo.

Following the performance, guests journeyed to a private dining room where they each discovered a small dark cherry box waiting at their seat. A fabric pull revealed a curated dinner menu along with a vinyl record of Chloe’s two Echoes and other mementos of the event. Guests then enjoyed a four-course meal paired with a quartet of Krug Champagnes: Krug Grande Cuvée 169^ème Édition, Krug 2008, Krug Grande Cuvée 164^ème Édition and Krug Rosé 25^ème Édition. Notable attendees included Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Angie Mar, Prabal Gurung, Philip Lim, Sally LaPointe, Marcus Teo, Peter Som, and Stephanie Goto.

A talk with Chloe Flower

Can you tell us about yourself?

My name is Chloe Flower and I am a pianist, composer and producer.

What is your relationship with the House of Krug?

I started working with Krug as a performer and I was excited when I was asked to compose my own music for the House.

Do you remember your first sip of Krug?

I never used to like Champagne but when I tried it at Le Bernardin with a pairing menu upon the insistence of the sommelier, it became my favourite champagne. I remember that experience very well, especially the crispy bubbles.

How would you describe your creative process?

My creative process depends on what I’m writing. Sometimes I write solo piano music, or sometimes it will involve a larger orchestra, as it did with my composition for Krug. I may also have trap beats in some of my music – it really depends on what I’m writing. Typically, I write between 1:00 and 7:00 in the morning. For me it is the most productive time because it is quiet, and everything is dark. I usually start and end my process that way.

Do you sing in the car?

Yes, although I have a terrible voice.

Do you have a current favourite song you like singing along to?

I am obsessed with music from the 90s and early 2000s.

How would you describe your style of music?

I describe it as popsical, which is pop plus classical, as I didn’t feel I fit within one genre. I was a little too pop for classical and a little too classical for pop. I am a combination because I want to have a pop sound and structure but still be instrumental.

What performance has particularly impacted or inspired you?

The Grammies in February 2019 when I performed with Cardi B because it went viral on Twitter, and after that everyone suddenly got my style. I am not just mixing a classical sound with an EDM beat and calling it a crossover: I really treat each instrument and drumbeat like an instrument in an orchestra, so all the 808s and kicks are as important to me as violins and flutes. With popsical, I am able to explain it better and show the world that this sound works, that people like instrumental music – it doesn’t have to sound like anything we are accustomed to hearing.

Do you have a hidden talent?

I can draw. I even won a couple of big art competitions and one of my watercolours hung in the Philadelphia Museum of Art for a year. I also love fashion and I style myself, but that is not a hidden talent. Fashion to me is a visual art.

Krug grande cuvée

Composed by Grand soleil

Selected by Grand soleil

Krug Grande Cuvée

Composed by Grand Soleil

5:15

MUSIC PAIRINGS

Echo of Krug Grande Cuvée

Composed by Chloe Flower

Echo of Krug 2008