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Madonna 'Batuka' by Emmanuel Adjei

David Knight - 22nd July 2019

Filmed on the cliffs on the Portuguese coastline near Lisbon, Emmanuel Adjei captures an extraordinary musical gathering, where Madonna pays homage to and performs with the all-female Orquestra Batukadeiras, guardians the Capa Verdean musical and dance tradition of batuque.

With its focus on the powerful faces of the women in the multi-generational Orquestra, and the harshly beautiful setting, this is the second successive video that Adjei has directed for Madonna, where the lady herself is not the centre of attention. It's also possibly the most documentary-like of any Madonna video ever - and she's made over 75 of them.

But unlike Dark Ballet, where Mykki Blanco takes the lead role, Madonna is a powerful presence here. Her introduction into the scene is gentle, and characterised by her being part of the collective. There's a lack of artifice, and her evident enjoyment in the performance of the song Batuka with the Orquestra, a defiant, joyful cry for rebellion with a rousing call-and-response structure.

It's not Express Yourself or Vogue, but Ajdei's video for Batuka is a real breakthrough into a different kind of Madonna video.

• Exclusive interview with Madonna about the Batuka video on Refinery29  

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David Knight - 22nd July 2019

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  • Performance
  • Pop

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Credits

Production/Creative

Director
Emmanuel Adjei
Producer
Tom Birmingham
Creative Director
Imogen Snell
Production Company
Production Company
Dreamers
Executive Producer
Chris Toumazou
Executive Producer
Melodie Saba
Production Manager
Paulo Guedes
1st AD
Dilia Brito

Art

Art Director
Paulina Rzeszowska

Wardrobe

Hair
Andy Lecompte
Make-up
Isamaya French
Wardrobe
Bratsk

Editorial

Editor
Danny Tull

VFX

VFX
Mathematic
Post production company
Mathematic
Post Producer
Julia Kerguelen

Commission

Label
Interscope

Other credits

Service Producer

Margarida Adónis

Ass. Prod. Designer

Ruth Levy

Ass. Make-up

Porsche Poon

Styling For Madonna

Eyob Yohannes

Talent & Prod. Coordinator

Sara Brito

Prod. Secretary

Renata Amaro

Location Managers

Tiago Nogueira, Luis Santos, Joao Barata, Joao Correia

Local Stylist

Isabel Carmona

Local MUA & HD

Mery Pastore Camino, António Carreteiro

Local Art Director

Sebas Serra

VFX Supervisor

Yann Aldabe

Flame Artist

Michael Bianchi

VFX Producer

Guillaume Marien

Post Producer

Julia Kerguelen

Ass. Choreographer

Nicolas Huchard

Service Company

Ready To Shoot

Colorist

Tom Watson

Special Thanks To Dino D' Santiago And The Orquestra Batukadeiras.

Stills Photography

Riccardo Castano

David Knight - 22nd July 2019

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