Created during the depths of lockdown the theme of collaboration can be seen and heard; it’s the backbone of the 50 minute Future Nostalgia mixtape, featuring Dua’s collaborations with the likes of Mark Ronson, Madonna, Gwen Stefani and Stevie Nicks.  

BlinkInk’s James Papper directed thirteen different artists and animators from all around the world working on each bespoke visualiser.  Each artist worked under lockdown conditions from their home cities: Madrid, Seoul, Sydney, Berlin, LA, Vancouver, New York, Kentucky, Gent and London to name a few. Having each track designed by a different artist, mirrored the structure of the mixtape itself; with each track being taken on by a different musician.

Blink’s Will Hooper directed all of the live action elements, including the video for Levitating featuring Madonna & Missy Elliot, remixed by The Blessed Madonna. The live action video features Dua Lipa with her boyfriend Anwar Hadid.

Artists from around the world were brought together to give their own unique touch to Dua’s album. Such a wide array of musicians have been involved, from Mark Ronson and Missy Elliot to Moodyman and Jayda G, this mixtape has crossed the commercial line into the underground and back to Madonna! 

With this in mind, Blinkink and Blink joined forces to create a master plan for the remix of Future Nostalgia, with James Papper leading on animation and Will Hooper overseeing all things live action. 

From the beginning, their plan was to mirror the structure of the mixtape and have as many incredible artists as possible work on the visuals. The result is a mixed media masterclass of some of the finest animators, illustrators, artists and studios around the world coming together to create a wild 50 minutes of entertainment.

The list of collaborators is impressive; HipHops’s favourite Rhymezlikedimez takes on the first track, Future Nostalgia featuring Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard. From there we enter the world of Berlin Collective Sucuk & Bratwurst, with the remix of Cool handled by Jayda G. Ausi based artist Jonathan Zawada, takes on the Zach Witness’s remix of Good in bed. LA’s Actual Objects created an incredible 3D world for London based producer Midland’s remix of Pretty Please. Design legend Robert Beatty, working out of Kentucky, flexes his surreal talents for another Zach Witness mix of Boys Will Be Boys. 

The following two tracks take us into the illustrated world of Mason London for Love Again and Idaho’s Miza Roux, in Break My Heart with Jamiroquai and HorseMeatDisco taking care of the sound. 

From here, we take a break out of animation and into the real world for the track ‘Levitating’ ft Missy Elliot, remixed by The Blessed Madonna. Directed by Blink’s Will Hooper, this brilliantly crafted live-action piece features Dua Lipa with other half Anwar Hadid, in a world where young lovers harness the power of a cosmic event.

With that craziness over we transition back into animation with Vancouver based Saida Saetgar surreal trip into Love Is Religion and Bristol’s Studio Dosage offering up some 3D magic for Don’t Start Now. Mark Ronson’s remix of Physical featuring Gwen Stefani is brought to life with the exceptional artwork of Ignasi Monreal, who teamed up with the visualiser master Connor Campbell. Julian Glander, takes on the  trumpeteering 1960s legend that is Herb Alpert in an amazing link up of the old and the new for Kiss and Make Up. From there, we go into the illustrative world of LA’s YouTube star Victoria Vincent, with the remix of That Kind Of Woman by none other than Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks, in another cross generational team up! Finally, we finish up with Seoul illustrator, Seo Young Kwon teaming up with House legend Moodyman for his version of Break My Heart.