Lenny Kravitz shows off his drumming skills in a new commercial for Belgian beer Stella Artoisthat will air Sunday during Super Bowl 55.
In the spot he says, “We’re all born with 2.5 billion heartbeats. That makes you a billionaire.” It then transitions to an animated Kravitz playing the drums along to his 1991 hit, “It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over.” At the end of the spot, the real Kravitz returns, toasting with friends before saying, “Invest your heartbeat in the life Artois.”
Commenting on the commercial, Kravitz says, “This campaign is about investing in each other, using our 2.5 billion heartbeats to spread love, to nurture the relationships in life that are important to us during this time.
"This [pandemic] has been an opportunity, despite all the drama that's going on, to really connect with our loved ones and our families, and it's given us an opportunity to see what is important in life. At the end of the day, it's how are you going to spend your life? What kind of energy did you put out there into the world?"
Kravitz is no stranger to commercials, having appeared in ads for designer Yves Saint Laurent, Dom Perignon champagne, Levi’s, Gap and the Bahamas board of tourism.
As for the song, “It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over,” its title was inspired by the late baseball legend Yogi Berra.
Kravitz says, "I was a huge Met fan as a kid. I used to go to all the ball games with my grandfather. We'd get on that subway and go to Flushing and we'd go to Shea Stadium. And yes, that would be the first time that I heard that phrase. It ain't over 'til it's over. And that also stands for this time. We're in a time right now, but we will continue. We will get through this."
Berra coined the phrase in 1973 when, as manager of the New York Mets, he was asked about the team’s chances of winning the 1973 National League pennant race, which they did, beating the heavily favored Cincinnati Reds. The Mets, however, didn't fare so well in the World Series, losing to the defending champion Oakland A's.