Australian artist Ben Lee released the official video for “Slow Down” (feat. Shamir) that was directed and shot by Shamir. The song appears on his 20th album I’M FUN! that was released this summer via Warner Music. Lee has announced his first US shows in support of I’M FUN! that will take place on January 17 in Los Angeles at The Moroccan Lounge and January 19 in New York City at Berlin. Tickets go on sale this Friday, November 11.

“Shamir is one of my favorite current artists, not just in terms of his songwriting, performance and production, but his visual gift is deep and profound,” explains Lee. “Having already co-produced the track, it felt so natural to ask Shamir to direct the video. I basically said he had my complete trust and I’d do whatever Shamir wanted for the video. The whole concept was so moving to me, especially involving my daughter Goldie in the story (Goldie and Shamir have a very special connection of their own), and I really love how it turned out.”

“Having not had the chance to tour the US much at all over the last few years, I’m so excited to bring this show to LA and New York. It’s a show I put together for festivals in Australia, with a big emphasis on playing the tunes people love from throughout my 30 year career and having lots of FUN! There are props! There are costumes! It’s kinda ridiculous at times but I think that’s what people need more of right now. It’s a bit of a wild scene!”

“I feel so honored to have not only co-produce ‘Slow Down,’ but to direct and shoot the video. Ben’s trust in my creativity is a rare experience for me. My out of the box ideas usually put people off, but Ben is alway up for anything. I wanted the video to be heartwarming and represent coming of age, but I also wanted it to have a slight voyeuristic feel to it. I wanted it to feel like you’re starting your day with Ben.”

Despite live album recording sessions being thwarted by the pandemic, the singer-songwriter, composer and producer and his ‘I’M FUN!’ collaborators Zooey Deschanel, Money Mark (Beastie Boys), Christian Lee Hutson and Eric D Johnson (Fruit Bats/The Shins); and producers Jon Brion, Shamir, Sadie Dupuis (Sad13) and Darren Seltmann, wove their magic remotely, sharing their vocals, parts and arrangements online.

Lee’s new album finds the 43-year old artist three decades into a storied career of hit songs (“Catch My Disease”), a supergroup (The Bens with Ben Kweller and Ben Folds), collaborations with countless artists (How I Met Your Mother’s Josh Radnor, Lena Dunham, Mandy Moore & many more), an instrumental album inspired by the use of psychoactive drugs (Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work) and an album for kids (Ben Lee Sings Songs About Islam For The Whole Family). Lee and his wife Ione Skye host their own weekly podcast Weirder Together and also co-created the Weirder Together Podcast Network producing podcasts for left-of-center podcast hosts such as “Jello Biafra’s Renegade Roundtable” and “Vague Data” by multi-disciplinary artist Brock Enright.