videoNicky Jam, Will Smith & Era Estrefi 'Live It Up' (2018 FIFA World Cup Russia)' by Yasha MalekzadLive It Up, the official song from the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, brings together Puerto Rican superstar Nicky Jam, Hollywood royalty Will Smith and pop newcomer Era Istrefi - and Yasha Malekzad has directed a video that delivers a charismatic performance from each artist, a feast of World Cup football footage, guest cameos and a gritty urban aesthetic that is surprising for an official World Cup video. Predominantly filmed in Budapest, to fit around Will Smith's movie shooting schedule, each perfomer has their own big performance set-piece: Nicky Jam is backed by a brass band on an industrial-looking iron bridge; Era Istrefi sings whilst in a council estate setting circled by drift cars; while Will Smith performs in front of group of flag bearers and horses in an abandoned warehouse.At the same time, there are football-related vignettes, cameos from Brazilian stars old and new - the great Ronaldinho, and current star Willian - and lots of World Cup action. It's almost exciting as the 2018 tournament itself.Additional footage was filmed in London, and Kingston, Jamaica, in a video that Malekzad and the team at Artist Preserve heroically pulled around in a matter of days. The fastmoving pace and gritty aesthetic helps to give the Caribbean-sounding song a more Russian feel, but there's no diminishing the feelgood factor. And that's completely appropriate for what is turning out to be a classic World Cup.
Promo News - 3rd July 2018