01 August 2024 - 0 Comments

Today, New Zealand-born, London/LA-based electronic artist and producer, BAYNK, shares a Keone and Mari Madrid (Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar) choreographed and directed video for his newest single, Grin.

In the mesmerizing visual tapestry crafted by BAYNK, alongside the visionary duo Keone & Mari, lies a profound narrative of love and longing. The video captures the essence of reuniting with a distant lover, blending tender vulnerability with joy. Each frame paints a dreamscape that mirrors the song's emotive melody, evoking a sense of wanderlust and deep connection. Together, they create a heartfelt ode to love and imagination, celebrating the magic of creativity and collaboration.

The new single was announced alongside the news of his sophomore album, Senescence, dropping September 27 via Virgin Music Group (Pre-save Here). The album will be released episodically in two-song bundles, leading up to its full release later in the year.

Listen to Grin HERE.
Watch the video HERE and visualizer HERE.

A dreamy, late-summer breeze, the Grin video captures the wonder of a crush, one that's about to be fulfilled and thereby brings the holder's fantasies to the front of mind. BAYNK, collaged and pieced into vibrant visuals himself, soars between open windows and ocean waves, fueled by an excitement familiar to anyone who's ever been infatuated.

Jock shared his thoughts on the video and working alongside Keone and Mari: "So happy to have had the opportunity to work with Keone & Mari on this one. Their creativity and work ethic is unmatched. I feel the imagery here perfectly paints what I first felt when creating and listening to the song. A dreamscape where the mind wanders to thoughts of faraway lovers."

Keone and Mari likewise felt a creative kinship with Jock: “For this piece we wanted to capture the story behind Grin - the journey and fluttery feeling of reuniting with a long-distance lover. We adore the song (and so does our 5 year old *tough critic*). We were so lucky to create and play with amazing collaborators, and an artist like BAYNK who leaves so much space for creativity.”

Grin will be the focus of the campaign, but the bundle also includes Mr. Jocko, with interesting origins “Traveling through Africa to see family, we stopped in Zambia at a friend's place. They introduced me to a local children’s choir at a school that they founded. We sang some songs for each other and I asked to record them to which they obliged happily. They imbued a simple chant with beauty, excitement, and energy. A year later I found the samples whilst finishing this album and this collaboration emerged.”

From the album so far, BAYNK has released Feel which Flaunt Magazine praised for “its bright beats and fast tempo itch the brain like a hit of ecstasy as BAYNK sings, ‘Feel just a little bit / Push it up / Try to take it in.’ And it has the immersive, blurry neon fantasy of a music video to accompany it.” Upon release, BAYNK graced the cover of Spotify’s ‘Metropolis’ playlist. Feel was preceded by Fool For You which premiered on KEXP and was included in KCRW’s “5 Songs to Hear This Week.”

With BAYNK’s debut album Adolescence exploring themes of growth, development and boundless possibilities of youth, Senescence is the other side of the coin - about time and the passing of it and the realisations that physical life is not forever.

Amassing over a half-a-billion streams across his independently-released discography since his 2017 debut, BAYNK has quickly solidified himself as one of New Zealand's biggest musical exports.

Earning a Grammy nomination for his debut album Adolescence which Pitchfork called his “most meticulous work to date,” BAYNK has collaborated with the likes of Tinashe, Sinead Harnett, Cub Sport, and Cosmo's Midnight. But it's his solo records that crown his catalogue, with his 2019 single go with u established as an indie-dance anthem with 100 million streams and counting.

A full-circle creator and noted innovator, BAYNK is responsible for his own creative direction from music videos to tour visuals, alongside close collaborator Spencer Graves who has worked with Kendrick Lamar, Harry Styles and FKA twigs.

Photo Credit: Nolie Feldpausch

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