premiere: shingai’s ‘ancient futures’ short film is a must-watch

Sometimes, to get a fuller understanding of what an artist is trying to convey with their music, it can be useful to have a visual aid. This is the idea behind the ubiquitous promotional asset we know as the music video. But in this era of visual overstimulation, how do you cut through the noise and stand out? You could drop a brief but extremely viral dance clip like DaBaby or you could go in another direction and go long instead of short to get your point across. That’s what Noisettes frontwoman and director Derrick Kakembo did with their stunning short film, Ancient Futures, a companion piece to her EP of the same name.

Featuring her songs, “Zimtron,” “Coming Home,” “Champion Styles,” and “Revolutions,” the film focuses on affirming Black masculinity, women’s empowerment, personal resilience, and Afro-futurism. Travel with Shingai on her journey in the captivating visual piece.