The director, now signed to new—land, on his recent video for Sasha Keable and 6lack, a family trip to Mecca, and how stumbling across a show on late night TV changed his life.

Abdi Ibrahim is Somali-American director and photographer, hailing from the North West USA, who has established his own unique visual language largely through working in the fashion world, shooting portraits and campaigns for editorials, with his work appearing in publications such as The New Yorker, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, and Esquire.

He made an auspicious debut as a filmmaker, with a short documentary for Apple Music, and since then he has since gone on to collaborate with Lacoste, the NFL, Subaru, and more, in the brands space. His music video career took off in 2022 with his video for Vince Staples' MAGIC, featuring DJ Mustard - an example of how his work incorporates storytelling and visceral imagery with touches of magic realism.   

This year Abdi joined the new talent roster at new—land for representation in London, Amsterdam, Stockholm and Copenhagen and has made his first UK-commissioned video for Sasha Keable and 6lack. He now submits himself to a quick end-of-the-year grilling via the ever-popular SNAPSHOT Q&A...  

Name: Abdi Ibrahim

Birthday: July 13, 1996

Where did you grow up? I grew up in Kent, Washington near Seattle 

Where do you live now? I currently live in Los Angeles

What were the important first projects for you, in terms of a learning experience and getting noticed?

The Vince Staples music video for Magic featuring DJ Mustard, and a Lacoste commercial with Venus Williams. More so for the learning experience [than getting noticed].

The Vince Staples video was my first time on a set with so many people. With a large crane, multiple locations, 30 plus extras... The whole ordeal was scary - but such a huge learning experience.

The Lacoste commercial with Venus Williams was my first time working with a big athlete AND a real actor in Saniyya Sydney, so that was it’s own experience as well.

Best film you’ve seen this year? Poor Things by Yorgos Lanthimos. I also watched Cinema Paradiso for the first time this year by Giuseppe Tornatore and THAT was beautiful. It’s been on my letterboxd watch list for a minute but wow, what a beautiful film.

Most recently my colleague and friend sent me a 44 min film by Kiyoshi Kurosawa called Chime. It’s not the best film but I loved it. Every frame and shot was gorgeous.

I feel like I'm in a transition phase, so I think the creative reward is right around the corner.

Favourite song/album/music artist this year? Two Star and The Dream Police by Mk.gee, Hit Me Hard And Soft by Billie Eilish, Short n Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter, and Rema’s Heis are my favorite projects from music this year and I've come back to these records the most! My favourite artists more recently have been Teezo Touchdown and Cash Cobain.

Favourite music video/videos you’ve seen this year? Tailor Swif by ASAP Rocky directed by Vania Heymann & Gal Muggia - by far my favourite video of the year!

360 by Charlie XCX directed by Aidan Zamiri, Witchy by Kaytranada featuring Childish Gambino directed by Bethany Vargas. And Take Your Time by Sasha Keable directed by me. 

What has been (or usually is) your favourite night out this year? The last couple nights of Ramadan are my favorite every year. The holiest time of the holiest month. I also get to be back home with my family and spend nights awake eating, praying, laughing. It’s very healing and feels like an escape from the world. 

Name a film or video or other creative work that had a huge influence on your career choice?

I watched a Behind The Scenes of a film I don’t remember. The “making of” video was on TV on some network. I was in high school. My cousin and I happened to stumble upon it late night on a school night. I think the process was so new and so interesting to us. We decided to make a short that same week with zero knowledge whatsoever.

Also every film I’ve ever watched has influenced me whether I liked them or not - but some have had a special place in my mind and heart over the years. 

The Take Your Time video... pushed me and felt rewarding throughout the process.

In terms of music video-related jobs of the past year or so - what was the most rewarding creatively, and why?

I don’t feel fully rewarded yet. This doesn’t mean the work I’ve done hasn’t been fulfilling and fun and really good. Just don’t feel rewarded. I am feeling like I am in a transition phase creatively so I think the creative reward is right around the corner!

Everything I’ve done has felt good more recently and has fulfilled me in certain ways. The Take Your Time video with Sasha Keable and 6lack has creatively pushed me recently and has felt rewarding throughout the process till the end. It’s a project I’m genuinely proud of and love the new—land team for fully supporting it and backing this one and Sasha’s team for collaborating to create such a great video.

What are your favourite other (non-mv) projects of the past year or so?

I did a cover photoshoot for Elsa Majimbo for OkayAfrica. This has been my favourite project outside of the video work. The shoot itself was very beautiful. The location, the energy, the styling looks, hair. I loved that process so much. And plus it was an honour shooting an East African legend, considering I am East African myself. It felt truly authentic and fun.

What’s the most surprising thing that’s happened this year? Finding the new—land family and getting our first project on the board. Working with Sasha and 6lack! Being back home in Seattle with my family most of this year. Starting a company with my friends called neo-neo.

I think leaving LA for a significant amount of time has been another surprising thing. I’ve lived here almost five straight years now without really leaving much unless it was for work. But I’ve recently been out of LA a lot. Also going to Umrah in Mecca (Islamic pilgrimage) this past year with my mom and family was surprising and AMAZING. A very cleansing experience.

Each year some of the best music videos come out and the crews are doing it for nothing - you can feel pure energy and creativity oozing out.

Most annoying/irksome thing that’s been going on this year (work-related or otherwise)? The most genuinely disappointing and annoying thing I’ve witnessed this year has been finding out so many people I know are in support of genocide. I know directors, producers, and others that’d repost terrible things this time last year. I remember adult professionals reposting “Kill Them All”  posts but we won’t speak on that too much. But yeah that’s been annoying to see and quite disappointing. 

Your top suggestion to change and improve how the music video industry works? Maybe more ethical practices from labels and paying people and production, and having better budgets. That’s a reoccurring issue I’ve seen. 

I think outside of just money and overall respect for directors and crew, the music video industry is killing it due to the dope creatives. Each year some of the best music videos come out and the crews are doing it for nothing. You can feel the pure energy and creativity oozing out of these videos. It’s genuine.

What are you looking forward to most for the rest of the year? More music videos. More work in the U.K. specifically. More projects with friends. More life. Peace and freedom for the peoples of Palestine, Sudan, Congo, and the rest of the world. I also am looking forward to making more time for myself and taking care of myself first. I want to go back to creating for fun and not for work!

• Abdi Ibrahim is on new—land's new talent roster, represented for music videos by Mouthpiece; watch more of Abdi's work here.