Publication : Portable Infinite
Date: April 3, 2025
Acclaimed Singer & Actress Ute Lemper Releases “Speak Low”
From New Album Pirate Jenny
Celebrating Revolutionary Composer Kurt Weill’s 125th Birthday
Out April 25
“Fierce, multilingual chanteuse Ute Lemper” – The New York Times
“She may channel the likes of Dietrich and Piaf, with a strong sense of Jean Ross, but Lemper is still very much her own woman” – The Guardian
“A chanteuse of unique range and ability across all media” – The Washington Post
“It’s about building a bridge between eras, where Weimar meets the club.” – Ute Lemper on Pirate Jenny
April 3, 2025 – Today, on the 75th anniversary of revolutionary composer Kurt Weill’s passing, acclaimed singer & actress Ute Lemper has released “Speak Low,” the new single from her album Pirate Jenny, out April 25 via The Audiophile Society.
Composed by Kurt Weill for the musical One Touch of Venus, “Speak Low” was inspired by Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and popularly performed by Weill’s wife Lotte Lenya, and others such as Tony Bennett, Barbara Streisand, and Sarah Vaughan. With its tender melodies and romantic depth, “Speak Low” remains one of Weill’s most enduring classics, celebrated in both Broadway and jazz circles.
Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya’s legacy continues through the work of artists like Ute Lemper, who, since 1985, has been performing the songs of Weill and other Jewish composers from the Weimar era— whose music was banned and persecuted by the Nazis. She notes that Weill’s works remain relevant today: “Exotic characters fight for survival, rising from the ashes of racism, disadvantage, and neglect—stories that feel strikingly contemporary.”
Lemper will release one more single from the album, title track “Pirate Jenny” (a revolt against the ruling party of the rich) from The Threepenny Opera – full tracklist below. Sultry vocals and atmospheric beats are brought to life with The Audiophile Society’s immersive Mega-Dimensional Sound™, transporting longtime fans and new listeners alike to a smoky Berlin jazz club outside of time, reminiscent of Lemper’s award-winning roles as Cabaret’s Sally Bowles in Paris and Chicago’s Velma Kelly in New York and London.
“This project is about creating a new audience for Kurt Weill,” says Lemper.“By blending his timeless melodies with a groove. I’m opening the door for younger listeners who might not know his work. It’s about building a bridge between eras, where Weimar meets the club.”
A Billboard Crossover Artist of the Year, Lemper has reimagined icons like Marlene Dietrich (Rendezvous with Marlene is based on a three-hour phone call between Dietrich and Lemper), Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel, alongside more modern collaborations with artists like Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Elvis Costello, and Roger Waters (The Wall: Live in Berlin, 1990).
Ute Lemper NYC Shows:
Rendezvous With Marlene @ Neue Galerie
Wednesday, May 14 at 7pm ET
Thursday, May 15 at 7pm ET
Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill @ 54 Below
Tuesday, May 27 at 7pm ET
Thursday, May 29 at 7pm ET
Track List
Mack the Knife
Lyrics: Bertolt Brecht / Music: Kurt Weill
The Threepenny Opera
English adaptation by Marc Blitzstein
Speak Low
Lyrics: Ogden Nash / Music: Kurt Weill
One Touch of Venus
Surabaya Johnny
Lyrics: Bertolt Brecht / Music: Kurt Weill
Happy End
English adaptation by Marc Blitzstein
My Ship
Lyrics: Ira Gershwin / Music: Kurt Weill
Lady in the Dark
Pirate Jenny
Lyrics: Bertolt Brecht / Music: Kurt Weill
The Threepenny Opera
English adaptation by Marc Blitzstein
Le Grand Lustucru
Lyrics: Jacques Deval / Music: Kurt Weill
Marie Galante
Ballade vom Ertrunkenen Mädchen
Lyrics: Bertolt Brecht / Music: Kurt Weill
The Flight of Lindbergh
The Salomon Song
Lyrics: Bertolt Brecht / Music: Kurt Weill
The Threepenny Opera
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