The award-winning singer-songwriter braves rain, rush hour, and onlookers in a spontaneous Tokyo shoot directed by Niña Sandejas
Photo by Nina Sandejas
The music video for Barbie Almalbis’s most recent hit, “All U Wanna Do,” has been published.
Almalbis’ passionate performance in the middle of Tokyo, Japan’s busy city was captured in this eye-catching visual piece, which was shot guerilla-style at the famous Shibuya Crossing.
Almalbis stands out from the bustle of others around her as she sings with just her earphones for accompaniment, turning a brief moment into a very personal expression of annoyance, fortitude, and creativity.
Directed and conceptualized by celebrated photographer and filmmaker Niña Sandejas, the project emerged from an impromptu creative adventure during Almalbis’ travels in Japan, where she’s invited to perform.
“It wasn’t an original idea—every day, tourists record themselves in that famous scramble—but this shoot was something else entirely,” Sandejas explains. “Barbie sang full voice with only her earphones as a backing track, while strangers brushed past, stared, or bumped into her. The rain gave us only a brief pause to work, and we had a hard stop because she was headed straight to a gig that night. A few takes, a lot of faith, and a camera chasing her through the rush: that was all we had. Behind the lens, what struck me most wasn’t the crowd or the noise, but Barbie’s composure. Her dedication to bring to life each of her songs, giving the same devotion to a pop-up shoot on a rainy Tokyo street as she would to a stage.”
Joining Sandejas and Almalbis on the road was a tight-knit team: Rachael Roldan, who handled hair and makeup and assisted in lighting, and Martin Honasan, Barbie’s husband, who helped with crowd management. Ysmael Salvador, editor of the video, took Niña’s chaotic handheld footage and tied it into a cohesive and magnetic narrative. Salvador has previously worked with Almalbis on the visuals of her songs “Platonic” and “Needy.”
“As a nod to Barbie’s history, we layered in an echo from Hungry Young Poets’ song ‘Runaway’ where the sound of traffic and voices in Japanese that once opened the track,” Nina adds. “It felt right to bring that spirit full circle, folding memory into the present.”
“Niña truly is a natural, and I love seeing how she almost simply reacts to her surroundings instinctively,” Almalbis said in reference to the partnership, praising Sandeja’s innate artistic ability. I believe she has mastered that art for a very long time.
Click here to view the music video
No Comments