The new single by Outlandish, entitled “Better Days” features a video clip about a taxi driver searching for a better day. Aptly named so, for the many of us out there are always searching for a much better day or tomorrow by living in the present. But not all of our presents are enjoyable, making us yearn for it even more.
The video clip shows how a poor taxi driver (played by Hassan El Sayed) drives around the city of London to make a halal wage, sending various customers from different walks of life, both local and foreigners, and some unscrupulous characters resulting in an unpaid service. Makes the writer to feel more for the taxi drivers who yearn more than anything to just return home and be with their children after a very tiring day. Some even stay awake for days just to ensure that their family live a better life.
Directed by Tobias Gundorff Boesen, the music video goes hand-in-hand with the lyrics, questioning our desires, dreams and devotion to the Creator in living our daily lives. In this aspect, Outlandish have successfully created another thought provoking masterpiece that should be heard by the public. Hats off to all the crew members, actors and technical team.
However, the steamy scene between the two lovers when the Taxi Driver said “Get a room” is a bit of a shocker to me. Although such scene are a norm in most Western/European based music videos, it was a shocker to see it in a spiritual and positive tone, more so by the Outlandish singers. This was quite the contrast as compared to their previous music videos. The intention is good, in showing the various “scenes” and common situations that the taxi driver will face and wishing to tell the viewers of the driver’s daily experiences. Nevertheless, such scenes should not have been included in the music video, what more one that was produced by Outlandish.
A note of caution to Outlandish and also to other religious and spiritual singers or groups, creating a music video that shows the grim life and the real truth of the world to the public is highly encouraged. But the writer urge that one should do with caution and care, for the viewers might take the bad instead of the whole actual good that was shown to them. Therefore, it is hoped that other will be wary more about what they place in their music videos.
Aside from this particular scene, it managed to remind me as a viewer of how other improvised people are working just as hard just to get a “Better Day”.