The 38-year-old singer celebrates the power of love and shows his stance on current immigration orders and racist views in the emotional visuals.
- May 23, 2017
AceShowbiz - John Legend has released a poignant music video for his "Darkness and Light" track, "Surefire". He seemingly uses the clip to prove that love has no border, both territorial and cultural, as the four-minute visuals follows the journey of a Mexican mechanic, Roberto, who falls in love with his boss' Muslim daughter, Jamila.
While there are heartwarming moments in the video, there are also some heartbreaking scenes. The interracial lovers have to face challenges like Jamila's disapproving father and a racist pedestrian who roughly grabs Jamila's hijab. The conflict peaks when Roberto is deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
With her mother's blessing, Jamila goes south to Mexico to meet Roberto and his mother. When they're finally reunited, they're joined by their parents, staring at a border barricade.
The celebration of borderless love is the theme intended by Legend for the video. "Love is powerful. Love endures. Love can overcome the divisions that dear creates. We made this film to accompany my song 'SUREFIRE' and to celebrate the power of love," he said in a statement.
It also seems to be a form of protest against immigration policies and racist views that have emerged under the country's current presidential administration. The video isn't the first time Legend has spoken out against President Trump's immigration orders. Back in January, he voiced his disapproval during his Producer Guild Awards speech. "Our America is big, it is free, and it is open to dreamers of all races, all countries, all religions," he said.
The video's director, Cole Wiley, also has similar opinion with Legend. He explained, "Human civilization is experiencing an extraordinary moment in time. We are more capable of doing more good than ever before, but we are still mired by a myriad of systemic failures that continue to arise because of our continuing lack of empathy towards others."
He added, "That is why Jamila and Roberto, the star-crossed lovers features in the 'Surefire' music video, face a number of obstacles that are heavily rooted in the current state of America. Fear of immigration, religious bigotry and many other forms of prejudice are contaminating our cultural landscape on a daily basis."
