If we were called China is a Country…

Back in October 2011, AIAC ran a couple of postsn examining the music video for Coldplay’s “Paradise”—the plot revolved around a elephant’s, or rather a man (lead singer Chris Martin) dressed in an elephant suit, escape from the London zoo to return to his home in Africa. Elephant-Chris Martin smuggled himself aboard a plane to Cape Town where he wandered around on a tricycle before finding his friends roaming—bands do move in herds!—out in a hazy, Sahara-like landscape.

The interpretations of the video varied amongst contributors (read the posts here and here) but ultimately we all agreed that Coldplay missed whatever mark they were aiming at and their portrayal of Africa more closely resembled a tourist brochure than reality. 

Now Coldplay is making another attempt to pay homage to a culture not their own with their upcoming video, in collaboration with Rihanna, for “Princess of China.” Watch the behind the scenes video here.

If were were called China is a Country, we’d be having a heyday with this one.