BATUKA

MADONNA RELEASES VISUALLY-STUNNING VIDEO FOR “BATUKA” FROM MADAME X

 

“BATUKA” VIDEO FEATURES ALL-FEMALE ORQUESTRA BATUKADEIRAS AND INSPIRED BY BATUQUE STYLE OF MUSIC CREATED BY THE WOMEN OF CAPE VERDE

 

19 JULY 2019 (TORONTO, ON) – Madonna today unveiled a visually-stunning video for “Batuka” from her new #1 album Madame X. Directed by Emmanuel Adjei, who most recently collaborated with Madonna on her “Dark Ballet” video, the video features the all-female Orquestra Batukadeiras and was shot off the coast of Lisbon, Portugal where Madame X was born.

Watch the video for “Batuka” HERE

“Batuka” is inspired by Batuque, a style of music created by the women that originated from Cape Verde. Condemned by the church for what was considered an act of rebellion, the female slaves were then forbidden to drum. But the inspiring and powerful women continued their singing and dancing, and the Batuque lives on today.

In Lisbon, while working on Madame X, Madonna formed a bond with Dino d’Santiago, a Portuguese singer of Cape Verdean descent. He began to introduce her to other musicians, including the all-female Orquestra Batukadeiras, who are featured on the song “Batuka.”

Madonna says, “We went to a tiny club in the middle of nowhere and a circle of women were sitting in chairs playing leather drums. The music started and they all took turns singing solos in Creole and dancing. It was so inspiring that I asked if possible, to collaborate with them. They agreed and we ended up in the studio recording ‘Batuka,’ this call-and-response song, live. It was a religious experience, just a total celebration of life.”

Madonna recently released her documentary short “World of Madame X”, which gives an intimate, behind-the-scenes look of how her recent #1 album came together. It is available now globally in over 100 counties and territories on Amazon Prime Video. Madonna is joined in the 23-minute documentary, beautifully set in Lisbon, Portugal, by collaborators that were part of, and inspired, Madame X.

Madonna is getting read to bring Madame X to life by embarking on a series of rare and intimate concert performances to take place exclusively in theaters, giving fans an opportunity to see her perform in an environment like they never have before. The Madame X Tour will kick off September 12^th at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House in New York and will feature multiple nights of shows in each city including performances at the Chicago Theatre, The Wiltern in Los Angeles, the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston, The Met Philadelphia and at the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theatre. The Madame X Tour will continue in early 2020 with performances at the Coliseum in Lisbon, the Palladium in London and at the Grand Rex in Paris.  Tickets and further information is available at https://www.madonna.com/tour.  

Madame X comes in a standard and deluxe version of the album and exclusive album bundles with limited edition merchandise are now available direct from Madonna.com.

 

“Batuka” Video Credits:

Directed by Emmanuel Adjei

Creative Direction by Imogen Snell

Starring the Orquestra Batukadeiras with special thanks to Dino D’ Santiago

Production Companies: COMPULSORY & Dreamers

Executive Producers: Chris Toumazou, Mélodie Saba

Producer: Tom Birmingham

Service Producer: Margarida Adónis

Prod. Designer: Paulina Rzeszowska

Ass. Prod. Designer: Ruth Levy

Make-up: Isamaya Ffrench

Ass. Make-up: Porsche Poon

Styling for Madonna: Eyob Yohannes

Hair: Andy LeCompte

Costume designers: Bratsk

Choreographer: Megan Lawson

Ass. Choreographer: Nicolas Huchard

Service Company: Ready To Shoot

Editor, Colorist: Danny Tull, Tom Watson

Post Production: Mathematic Studio

VFX supervisor: Yann Aldabe

Flame artist: Michael Bianchi

VFX producer: Guillaume Marien

Post producer: Julia Kerguelen

Stills Photography: Riccardo Castano

1st. AD: Dilia Brito

2nd. AD: Vanessa Patricio

Project Manager: Paulo Guedes

Talent & Prod. Coordinator: Sara Brito

Prod. Secretary: Renata Amaro

Location Managers: Tiago Nogueira, Luis Santos, Joao Barata, Joao Correia

Local Stylist: Isabel Carmona

Local MUA & HD: Mery Pastore Camino, António Carreteiro

Local Art Director: Sebas Serra