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
Credits
Production/Creative
- Director
- Emmanuel Adjei
- Producer
- Tom Birmingham
- Creative Director
- Imogen Snell
- Production Company
- C
- 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
Stills Photography
Riccardo Castano
Special Thanks To Dino D' Santiago And The Orquestra Batukadeiras.
David Knight - 22nd July 2019