New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Aluna returns today with her official music video for latest single “The Recipe,” her collaboration with KAYTRANADA and Rema, from her critically acclaimed debut solo album RENAISSANCE, out now via Mad Decent.
Aluna reveals, “I wanted to play with the way history has been dictated to us. Growing up in England you are constantly exposed to glamorous white history of period dramas without a black person in sight. I feel that since the British Empire was so heavily funded by slavery that history is ours too, we’ve just never been pictured in the finery…and I wanted to see what that would look like.”
Directors, Reggie. (née Clay Dirkse and Jake Herman) add “This video brings together a lot of elements that you wouldn’t necessarily find in one place, but when combined create something magical. We drew inspiration from Aluna’s album name, Renaissance, the Elizabethan era, dancehall, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Busby Berkely, the Wiz and more. We were very fortunate to collaborate with an incredible cast and crew. Our choreographer Chris Emile, captured the energy of the song and the idea perfectly.”
‘The Recipe’ brings Aluna together with KAYTRANADA, fusing afrobeat elements in with his trademark percussion and the mesmerizing vocals of Nigerian singer-songwriter Rema. She croons, “I do something for me, you do something for me, if I like what I see, you’ve got the recipe.” “It’s quite a girl power track,” Aluna exclaims. “As someone who has an inferiority complex and difficulty feeling confident, I’m introducing myself as a new person. I decided, ‘Be honest. Don’t pretend you’re a chill, low-key, and low-maintenance person, because you’re simply not. You’re an absolute basket case, and you need it all, or the relationship won’t work’.”
Earlier this month, Aluna unveiled very own personally curated all Black, POC, Female electronic virtual festival. ALUNA & FRIENDS: RODEO RAVE, which streamed live via Twitch from the Compton Cowboys Ranch in Los Angeles. There, Aluna performed RENAISSANCE live, along with DJ sets from BAMBII, GuiltyBeatz, UNIIQU3, Lady Bee, Kiddy Smile and Austin Millz.
Talking about the festival, Aluna offers, “Originally, putting together my dream festival line up (Black, POC and women DJs who play dope dance music) was an incredible goal, a chance to show exactly how I see the future of mainstream dance festivals.” Aluna explains. “Then we found out the Compton Cowboys we’re down to help us put the festival on and all of a sudden you have this parallel of two black people in totally different worlds doing the same thing – re-invigorating the inclusion of black people in a space where we had been erased. Getting to connect like this is really what music should always be about – bringing people together. This is gonna be an epic cultural moment for myself and anyone who is looking forward to the future of dance music.”
2020 has already been a momentous year for Aluna, her latest singles have amassed more than 30 million combined global streams with 2K global radio spins in 32 countries, garnering global support from some of the world’s most respected radio stations, including BBC Radio 1, Triple J, KCRW, KEXP, and Sirius BPM, as well as ‘Envious’ being playlisted on Capital’s newest station Capital Dance. Spotify’s New Music Friday has championed her in more than 20 countries this year, as well as placing her on the cover of their flagship dance playlist Mint and Massive Dance Hits. Nectar (Amazon Music) and New Music Daily (Apple Music), along with support from radio staples Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden continue to amplify her solo project.
In June Aluna also penned a powerful open letter to the global dance community, demanding the community re-assess the platforms and positioning of Black creators within the dance world. “When I started looking at all the challenges I face being a black woman making dance I realized I wanted to do more than just create a space for myself – I want all black people to know that the genre of Dance is their heritage and they should feel included and encouraged to create under that banner by expanding the genre to be culturally and racially inclusive.”
RENAISSANCE is out everywhere now.
