Get to Know the Directors Behind the Best Music Video Nominees
by Kristen Yoonsoo Kim
A great music video has the power to give a song new life. It elevates music beyond aural pleasure by marrying the creative visions of the musical artist and the director, rendering it an art form all its own. It becomes a statement, and a space not just for imagination, but for auteurism as well. Over the years, iconic music videos have gone on to represent some of pop culture’s most memorable imagery. Before Music’s Biggest Night, get to know the geniuses behind the cameras of this year’s nominees for Best Music Video.
Beyoncé — “Formation”
Director: Melina Matsoukas
The New York City-bred filmmaker has previously taken home a GRAMMY for Best Music Video (Rihanna’s “We Found Love”), and she is in the running again for the powerful, unforgettable “Formation” video, which brings Beyoncé back to the South. She first teamed up with Queen Bey for “Pretty Hurts” in 2013. With its surprise release, the video had everyone talking about it for days, weeks, and even months, and it will undoubtedly go on to become part of 2016’s canon. As if that wasn’t enough, Matsoukas has also branched out to television and now serves as an executive producer and director on Issa Rae’s hit HBO series, “Insecure.”
Leon Bridges — “River”
Director: Miles Jay
The video for Leon Bridges’ spiritual ballad, “River”, was released in February 2016 — to kick off Black History Month — as a tribute to the Baltimore Riots in 2015. Director Miles Jay included footage of the protests and scenes from a real vigil in this moving video. Jay, an up and coming filmmaker, hails from Vancouver, British Columbia, and currently resides in Brooklyn, having done work in commercials and music videos. He also boasts a long list of accolades for his short films, including a special jury prize from Tribeca Film Festival in 2015.
Coldplay — “Up&Up”
Directors: Vania Heymann & Gal Muggia
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin called this video “one of the best videos people have made” — the retro collage format created by Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia is sure to make even the cutest Pinterest board or Tumblr page green with envy. This mesmerizing work of art garnered 3 million views in just one day and remains infinitely watchable. Born in Jerusalem, Heymann, has made music videos for the likes of CeeLo Green and Keys N’ Krates — defying music video conventions for both — but is perhaps best known for his innovative work with Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone” video, a viral, interactive experience that lets the viewer switch between 16 channels that all feature people lip-syncing. It’s always fascinating when Heymann’s creative eye is involved. “Up&Up” was co-directed by Muggia, a fellow Israeli artist and film editor who previously directed Israeli rapper Adi Ulmansky’s colorful, imaginative “Was It You?” video.
Jamie XX — “Gosh”
Director: Roman Gavras
The exquisitely choreographed video for Jamie XX’s “Gosh” owes its spectacle to the participation of 400 Chinese teenagers, whose bodies become moving pieces in one large, surreal dance. All dressed alike with bleached blond hair, these students can be seen moving in sync under an imitation Eiffel Tower, which exists in Tianducheng, a town in China modeled after Paris. At the center of the video is a black albino man, and behind the camera is Greek-French director Romain Gavras, who accomplished this striking feat without the help of any CGI. Gavras is known for pushing the envelope with his videos, as can be seen in his controversial video for M.I.A.’s “Born Free.” He also collaborated with the rapper for her “Bad Girls” video. Gavras has directed for Justice, Simian Mobile Disco, and even Kanye West and Jay Z (“No Church In The Wild”), while releasing his first feature film in 2010 — the Vincent Cassel-starring Our Day Will Come.
OK Go — “Upside Down & Inside Out”
Directors: Damian Kulash Jr. & Trish Sie
You can always rely on OK Go to have creative music videos. The gravity-defying “Upside Down & Inside Out” was birthed from the mind of OK Go frontman Damian Kulash Jr. He once again brought on choreographer Trish Sie (it’s impossible to forget the treadmills in the GRAMMY-winning music video for “Here It Goes Again”) to co-direct as the band does somersaults in the air. Sie has choreographed for other artists like Miranda July and Rufus Wainwright, and even has a film directing credit for Step Up: All In (2014), the fifth installment of the franchise. This year, she’s back in the director’s chair for the third Pitch Perfect film, set to release in the summer.
Kristen Yoonsoo Kim is a freelance music, film, and pop culture writer living in New York. Follow her on Twitter.
For more exclusive GRAMMY content, visit GRAMMY.com.
(The 59th GRAMMY Awards will take place Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, live from Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast on the CBS Television Network from 8–11:30 pm ET/5–8:30 pm PT. Follow Recording Academy/GRAMMYs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and use #GRAMMYs to join the conversation.)
