Edward Said in his book Orientalism explains Orientalism as a general patronizing Western attitude towards Middle Eastern, Asian and North African societies. One of the terms that I came across recently was Orientalism which explains the portrayal of India and other Eastern nations as foreign lands full of myths, sensuality etc. Thanks to my new found knowledge of literature, I have become more sensitive towards these issues and feel the need to address them. Diplo’s comparison of India to a “special creature” itself leans on the legacy of Orientalism and the racial exoticisation of India.(Watch the music video of “Lean On” here: ) A year ago I wouldn’t have bothered about or noticed the stereotypical image of India being portrayed in the media. If for Major Lazer “incorporating the attitude (of fans) and positive vibes into our video” means showing an orientalist view of India and its people as exotic, ancient, mystic and seductive, then I feel that they have made a mistake. We might rejoice over the fact that an English song features India and that now the world will get to know more about Indians, but not all of us realise the racial exoticisation of India that is propagated by such videos. MØ) (Official Music Video) by Hunter Thompson. Major Lazer has always been a culture mashup and to us, India feels like some kind of special creature with one foot in history and one firmly in the future” (Major Lazer & DJ Snake – Lean On (feat. “When we toured there as Major Lazer, it was mind-blowing to see our fan-base and we wanted to incorporate the attitude and positive vibes into our video and just do something that embodies the essence of Major Lazer. Speaking of the music video, Major Lazer member Diplo said of the music video: The video is said to be inspired by Major Lazer’s tour in India. MØ is shown to be wearing a somewhat modified version of a saari along with Major Lazer and DJ Snake in achkan and kurta. However, the color and pattern are more south Indian.
The backdrop of “Lean On” has been inspired by the ancient Indian architecture as MØ, Major Lazer and DJ Snake dance along with a group of Indian dancers, dressed in typical Maharastrian sarees. This video was shot at ND studios in Karjat, which is on the outskirts of Mumbai. One can hear it playing in almost every lounge and nightclub in Delhi and blaring out of fancy cars with sun roofs at night (talk about swag…or loneliness!).Īpart from its relatable lyrics and peppy music, the other important ingredient in the song is its video which was shot in Maharashtra, India.
“Lean On” made it to the Billboard Hot 100 and bagged number 2 position on the UK Singles Chart along with being a number one hit in many other countries. One of the most popular songs in 2015 so far has been “Lean On” recorded by music group Major Lazer and French disc jockey DJ Snake featuring Danish singer MØ for Major Lazer’s third studio album, Peace is the Mission (2015).
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