Surely you’ve run into those travel blogs that insist that “anyone” can globetrot. The ones that portray financial independence as something you can meditate your way into, perhaps via a well-curated Instagram grid? There are two characters who follow those blogs in Bomba Estéreo’s new video for “Internacionales,” a song off the Colombian duo’s Ayo album. Pumping a small-town real estate agent on “the best place” she’s ever been, the sweater-clad couple goad their agent into admitting she’s gone as far as a road trip to a neighboring town. A fire is lit under the woman, who is literally spurred to buy roller skates from Bomba Estéreo frontwoman Li Saumet and see the goddamn world on the strength of her own calves. Our protagonist tangles with Hong Kong skate gangs and bypasses camels at sunset.
We haven’t seen a heroine this inspiring — apart from San Juan mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz — since Bomba Estéreo nabbed Sarai Gonzalez to star in its video for “Soy Yo.” It’s by design; “Internacionales” was directed by Danish auteur Torben Kjelstrup, who also worked with Bomba on the “Soy Yo” video. Warm thanks to Bomba Estéreo and Kjelstrup for joining forces on both clips — times of villains call for superlative heroines.