Music band Manja is happy to take you to an otherworldly utopia via MNSF, their latest single, out today. Formed by vocalist and guitarist, James Sukadana, guitarist Nick Pratama, and keyboardist Mark Saputra, the Bali-based pop-rock trio “hope the song can become a musical getaway that inspired people to find their own Shangri-La,” they say. Paired with a music video filled with creatures from another dimension presenting blue skin, rhinestoned faces, and animalistic features, MNSF is set to be a departure from the band’s usual repertoire both sonically and visually.
Speaking of how the band’s new track came to be, lead vocalist James Sukadana says: “When the melody came, I had this incredible idea to write about an otherworldly heavenly place where we can escape to, a world where fantasy and reality coexist side by side.” Music is the perfect way to escape from reality, and even better medium to build a universe that only exists in the artists’ minds. And through the magic of their craft, listeners are invited to join them and build that fantastical imaginary place together.
On that note, the music video aims to amplify that “heavenly place” that James talks about. Looking a bit lost, the three band members enter a bar where the customers are dressed outrageously – a mix and match of heavy prints, bedazzled faces, shimmering party looks, multi-coloured wigs, goggly eyes, and horns, to name a few. Directed by Jakarta-based directors Gisela Febrina Juwono and Adine Halim, it certainly conveys the message of MNSF. “It felt like we were in a movie set. The location was unique, and Gisela, Adine, and their crew did an amazing job designing the set. We had so much fun,” Nick says about the experience. If you’re feeling curious and want to explore their fantasy world, just have a listen and take a look!