Sienna Bentley

Musician Tove Lo and photographer Kenny Laubbacher have teamed up to create The Kiss Book, which captures more than 600 people kissing in 15 countries and 18 cities.

During Tove Lo’s Dirt Femme tour in 2023, Laubbacher, Lo and creative director Charlie Twaddle wanted to foster an inclusive and close knit environment through an interactive experience for concert goers. They invited those interested to participate in a kiss, which was then photographed for inclusion in the book.

We all still vividly remember covid, don’t we? An unprecedented time in which we were unable to touch, combined with the proliferation of technology, the intimacy of physical connection is fading away. With this project, Laubbacher and Lo aimed to bring back this spark and ignite a discussion on the multifaceted nature of affection. “All pictures were taken soon after the world fully reopened following the pandemic, when kissing and dancing in sweaty crowds still felt surreal and a little forbidden. This added a level of ecstasy to these moments and you can feel that energy in the photos,” they say.

The book invites readers to explore and embrace spontaneous and playful desires. Kissing is presented not only as a physical act but also as a fun form of connection that transcends traditional sexual roles.

Tove Lo hopes The Kiss Book leaves people feeling “happy, horny, and inspired to kiss” and Laubbacher wants it to be “an excuse to make out with your crush”.

The book is available for pre-order, with a rather vague release date of summer 2025.