The visuals capture the chaos, clarity, and catharsis of true friendship in motion
Photo by Nina Sandejas
The official music video for “Platonic,” a highlight song from Barbie Almalbis’s critically praised fifth studio album, Not That Girl, has been released. Almalbis is a Filipino alt-rock icon. The movie, which was directed by Nina Sandejas, an award-winning photographer and longtime creative partner, offers a raw look inside a night of sweat and music at Mow’s, an underground music club in Quezon City.
A documentary-style montage of mosh pits, dance breaks, and crowd surfing is shown in the video, which is set against the backdrop of Barbie’s most recent performance at the renowned gig space. It is driven by the intense delight of a shared, meaningful musical experience rather than by angst. Barbie exclaims, “I want to see a pit… lovingly,” before breaking into “Platonic,” a two-minute outburst of cathartic intensity.
“This song is about loving people fiercely, unconditionally, generously, vulnerably, in a non-romantic context,” shares Almalbis. “Platonic love has been so enriching in my life, and I’ve really felt much less alone because I have deep friendships to count on or because I can be a friend to someone. I think the world would be less lonely if more people would embrace its joys.”
The idea for the music video came to Sandejas after attending a series of metal shows and noticing the primal yet euphoric energy in the mosh pit. “When I saw Barbie was playing Mow’s, it hit me; we have to document this,” says Sandejas. “Barbie starting a riot? That’s exciting. But of course, it had to be done with love. That’s what makes this different.”
The end result is a raw, kinetic visual experience: a time capsule of the night where friendships collide in the most visceral way. “It was a rush,” adds Sandejas. “We stitched together this fast, chaotic blur of sweat and joy. My favorite moment? That loving pit Barbie asked for. She knew exactly how wild it would get and how to ground it in something beautiful.”
Produced by Nick Lazaro, “Platonic” is Barbie’s first foray into heavier territory. What began as a quiet acoustic sketch quickly transformed into a thunderous anthem, thanks to Lazaro’s instrumentation and contributions from Eclectic Kiss artists Faye Yu, Marika Laciste, Marj Roxas, and Pikoy on gang vocals. “I just said, Nick, I have something—can you make it metal?,” Barbie laughs. “He absolutely did.”
The idea behind “Platonic” comes from C.S. Lewis’s work, The Four Loves, particularly his discussion of friendship as a quick but essential kind of love. Barbie’s words in “Platonic” tackle this concept with candor and a dash of edge, driven into musical overdrive by an unexpected and thrilling metal shift.
Check out Barbie Almalbis’ “Platonic” music video here.
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