Britney Spears, Harry Styles, Ashanti: 9 Unexpected Music Videos Filmed in Mexico
Music has always garnered the power to captivate us. Getting lost in the rhythm and sounds of a song is universal. Musicians know that to bring a song to life, the accompanying music video must capture its nuanced feeling.
The Buggles’ “Video Killed Radio Star” was the first music video aired on MTV in the early 1980s, according to Vue.ai. But Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” completely changed how musicians and artists would create their videos. The publication cites that he wouldn’t call his pieces videos. He’d called them “short films.”
In the years since, artists have gone on to travel the world, taking fans to scenic locations in hopes of creating something unique. The following nine videos did just that and were filmed in distinct parts of Mexico, providing a different vantage point of the country.
“Hold Me Closer” by Sir Elton John and Britney Spears
For the remix of his hit song “Hold Me Closer,” Sir Elton John collaborated with Britney Spears to help bring a new spin to the iconic song. With the new song came a new music video to help tie into the emotions conveyed in the piece.
Mexico News Daily cites that the video was filmed in Mexico City. It showcased the Cablebus, the house and studio of architect Luis Barragán, Los Clubes and Praxis House.
“A Head Full of Dreams” by Coldplay
Coldplay has always been known for its playful and sometimes abstract videos. So it is no surprise that for their song “A Head Full of Dreams,” they would ride a bike through Mexico City. Indiewire cites that they filmed the video while they were in Mexico for their performance at the Foro Sol.
“Tell It To My Heart” by Meduza featuring Hozier
Hozier’s music has always carried deep meaning, and their collaboration with Meduza is no exception. The music video, shot in Mexico, follows the story of twin brothers coming to terms with a secret one of them had been keeping.
“Lights Up” by Harry Styles
Harry Styles loves to pack deep meaning and innuendos into his music videos. So when photos of him in Cancun started to leak, people began speculating what he was cooking up. The result was the masterpiece that was “Lights Up.”
“Only U” by Ashanti
R&B star Ashanti dominated the charts in the early 2000s with her sultry voice. But fans didn’t see the singer in a new light until her album “Concrete Rose.” Her song “Only U” pulled double time by filming in Vancouver and Mexico City, per SongFacts.com.
“Fool Again” by Westlife
The Irish group Westlife enjoyed much love during the late 1990s and early 2000s. So when they went to Mexico City to film the music video for “Fool Again” they were greeted by eager fans, The Free Library cites.
“What Kind of Man (The Odyessy – Chapter 1)” by Florence + The Machine
Florence Welch’s music videos always tell an intricate story seamlessly woven into her songs’ storytelling. With “What Kind of Man,” the band takes it to a new level of storytelling by connecting the videos and songs à la Beyoncé’s “Lemonade.” In chapter one of her Odyessy series, fans get to see in Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico.
“St. Jude (The Odyessy – Chapter 3)” by Florence + The Machine
Like chapter one, chapter three of Florence + The Machine’s The Odyessy series also takes place in Mérida. The other videos see the story continue in Scotland, California and England.
“When We Were Young” by The Killers
“When We Were Young” by The Killers is rounding off the list. The music video was filmed in the small town of Tlayacapan, Mexico La Higuera cites. The production staff and the cast were also all of Mexican origin.
