As we look to more creative times, we can’t help but reminisce about the unique collaboration between the iconic Belgian beer, Stella Artois, and the legendary hip-hop band, The Roots. In a game-changing endeavor in 2022, they joined forces to create “Bittersweet”, an original song designed to complement and enhance the flavor profile of Stella Artois. Today, in 2025, we’re taking a trip down memory lane to revisit this extraordinary project that revolutionized the future of entertaining by fusing the worlds of music, food, and beverage in a never-before-seen way. So, join us as we delve into the fascinating story behind this multi-sensory experience that continues to inspire music and culinary enthusiasts alike.
Stella Artois and The Roots: A Symphony of Flavors
Stella Artois a partnership in 2022 with The Roots to release “Bittersweet,” an original song you can taste, as part of its summer-long campaign, “Host One to Remember.” The campaign, which launched that June, honors a legacy of unforgettable hosting moments, tapping into some of today’s most innovative hosts to showcase the inspirational future of entertaining.
The Roots’ Passion for Music and Food
The Roots produced “Bittersweet” to complement and enhance the flavor profile of the iconic Belgian beer. “This project fuses two of our passions: music and food,” said QuestLove, The Roots. “As someone who loves to experiment in the studio and in the kitchen, this crazy unique collaboration inspired by Stella Artois was the perfect challenge.”
Music and Taste: An Unforgettable Experience
The Roots experimented with different pitches, instruments, and music styles to create this original, multi-sensorial song that stimulates the ears and the taste buds, based on the research of Professor Charles Spence of the University of Oxford. These unique findings from this new field of research, known as “crossmodal correspondences,” inspired the band to produce two versions of “Bittersweet” to complement the various flavors in Stella Artois.
“Bittersweet” and The Power of Sound and Taste
“Bittersweet” is now a classic on YouTube, with a music video that was released in 2022, allowing people everywhere to engage their senses and take part in a one-of-a-kind experience highlighting the power of sound and taste.
Tasting “Bittersweet” at “Le Savoir”
To close out the summer of inspiring fans to elevate their own hosting occasions, The Roots performed both arrangements of “Bittersweet” at an exclusive seating during the opening night of Stella Artois hosts “Le Savoir,” a multi-sensorial dinner theater experience in New York -america-in-open-letter” target=”_blank”>.
“Le Savoir” – The Future of Hosting
At “Le Savoir,” Stella Artois brought together culinary wizards Bompas & Parr, 45 DEGREES – Cirque du Soleil’s events and special projects – and The Roots to create an unexpected experience that stimulated all the senses. “Le Savoir” took place in New York at Skylight Clarkson Square from Wednesday, August 17 – Monday, August 22, 2016.
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