John Legend’s Music Video for ‘Surefire’ Makes a Powerful Statement
Music is a universal language, and in that same breath, it’s a language that can be interpreted differently by every single listener. That is part of what makes it so unifying and at the same time, the reason that so many people find parts of themselves in their favorite songs, albums, and videos.
When it comes to artists of today, many of them have paid attention to how important having a platform and using it wisely truly is. One of those people is John Legend and while a lot of what we know about him is fun and lighthearted, he’s got a serious side as well. In his newest music video for ‘Surefire’ he shows that and he addresses something that’s happening today, even if we don’t want to talk about it, and he does it in a way that hits home.
Love knows no borders is the theme of this video, and during a time when anti-immigration politics, basic human equality, and racism are all seemingly topics of daily conversation; this video proves that love wins. Love finds a way to win, even if everything in the world is working against it.
Cole Wiley directed the video and spoke a bit about what the message was behind it. “Human civilization is experiencing an extraordinary moment in time. We are more capable of doing more good than ever before, but we are still mired by a myriad of systemic failures that continue to arise because of our continuing lack of empathy towards others.
‘Human civilization is experiencing an extraordinary moment in time. We are more capable of doing more good than ever before, but we are still mired by a myriad of systemic failures that continue to arise because of our continuing lack of empathy towards others.‘
He went on to say that the ‘star-crossed’ lovers face obstacles that people in America are facing right now when prejudice still runs rampant in a country that prides itself on freedom.
‘That is why Jamila and Roberto, the star-crossed lovers featured in the ‘Surefire’ music video, face a number of obstacles that are heavily rooted in the current state of America. Fear of immigration, religious bigotry and many other forms of prejudice are contaminating our cultural landscape on a daily basis.‘
The song is gorgeous, but after seeing the video, we’re even bigger fans of the tune and of John Legend himself.
‘…but I knew him’
