In 2002, KAWS created the cover art for Cherie’s self-titled album on Ape Sounds, NIGO’s music label. The release featured a “peel slowly and see” sticker over the cover image, allowing the listener to remove the KAWS mask layer and reveal Cherie’s face underneath.

The Peel-and-Reveal Album Art

The design nods to Andy Warhol’s Velvet Underground & Nico banana cover in its interactive approach. Packaged with a slipcase and poster, the CD becomes more than music packaging—it’s a collectible art object. The overlay features KAWS’s skull-mask motif, while the reveal underneath presents Cherie’s portrait in full color (2, 3).

On the back side of the album features the artist encased by a KAWS Bendy Figure (in Orange/Yellow.) This design is reminiscent to his Bus Stop interventions, where he would place his characters interacting with pre-existing images/advertisements.

Why It Matters

This project captures an early 2000s moment when street art, music, and collectible culture intersected. KAWS translated his visual identity into physical media, turning a simple CD into an art experience. Today, sealed copies with the sticker intact remain highly sought after by collectors.