Last week, Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin dropped his follow up to the summer hit “Ay Vamos,” titled “Ginza.” Today he’s delivered a clip for the erotic new track, directed by Juan Pablo Valencia.
The track’s title hinted at some of the visuals we might get for the video–Ginza is a luxury shopping district located in the heart of Tokyo, and the clip’s excellent production value and location in an upscale nightclub reflect just that. The clip opens with Balvin perched atop a tower, gazing down at a beautiful woman walking the streets alone. Balvin ninja-jumps from the tower into the alley where the woman waits for him. He follows her into a futuristic, hexagonal passageway that leads to darkly lit, swanky club. The rest of the video showcases Balvin’s sultry vocals, along with skilled backup dancers silhouetted against a light sculpture. Meanwhile, Balvin seductively caresses the mysterious woman.
It’s the perfect visual treatment of “Ginza,” a sensual club banger that is bound to become a late summer chart topper. The reggaetonero has stepped up his game for the video. His avant-garde, chic outfits are reminiscent of fashion-obsessed K-pop stars like Taeyang and G-Dragon, and the high production value of this video proves the emerging star isn’t messing around. The singer is giving life to what many have deemed a fading genre, most notably through his breathy vocals and love for smooth R&B vibes, and with dark, striking visuals to support his new song, it’s clear the artist is on a mission. There’s no doubt that the pan-Asian ninja aesthetic and rice hats are questionable and I hope he steers clear of that in the future. But the singer isn’t stopping anytime soon–his first U.S. headlining tour is scheduled for the fall.