Dani Komari-If You Stay (Video)
“A bright and wonderful voice that is full of many colors. She dances on the natural jazzy beat like a sultry butterfly from the city. The band really pulls this together and really shows off their skills with the many twists and turns, that really make this one stand out in the crowd. ”
-Nagamag.com
Hop on the time-bending, visually sublime feast train, that is Dani Komari’s latest music video
Time is warped. Yes it is, because it was in December 2020 that KL born jazz crooner Dani Komari released her studio recording of ‘If You Stay’ which happens to be Komari’s second official single to hit the Malaysian airwaves. Fast forward one unbelievable year later, we are now treated with an official live recording and music video of ‘If You Stay’ The music video which marks the directorial debut of Sophia Shukeri, of the House of Karyawan (the production company responsible for Komari’s music video to her debut single Circles), was filmed in Angguk Studio and supported by the Cultural Economy Development Agency (CENDANA). CENDANA is set up by the Malaysian government to build a vibrant, sustainable and ambitious cultural economy for Malaysia. The formidable jazz outfit that makes up Dani and the Nightshades consists of; Jerry Lim on drums, Sylvia Wong on keyboard, Tasneem Bolhassan on bass, Bazli Zulkefly on guitar, Wan Zariff on Saxophone Alto and Firdaus Kamaruddin on Saxophone Tenor.
Getting on to business. Five seconds into the music video and you may already be swaying to the gently titillating saxophone and drums, inviting you in for some tete-a-tete, back to a time before the Covid-19 lockdown galore. Emerging from a silhouette in a pallid studio setting, reminiscent of the underground 70s, Dani immediately sets the tone visually for the entire video, whilst decorated in a magnificent chartreuse satin balloon sleeved top, pink palazzos and a matching rager of a hat, courtesy of local designers Behati and Hanna B. Watching this, you already feel like you are transported to the temporal time-space warp that is Angguk Studio, and all you are missing is a red shiraz or a bitter sweet hot chocolate to pair with that intimate retro warmth, and soul stirring jazz.
Right from the get go, as the spotlight and camera zeroes in on Dani, she wastes no time. She pleads with her eyes and raspy pipes, she’s in search of reason, looking for method to this madness. Is there a way? Who knows. Dani and the jazz troop will tell you; they have been waiting. Waiting to re-emerge from their onerous imprisonments. Distance being strenuous, but proximity futile, in the maze that was 2020 and 2021. It may not be no coincidence that this was set up and filmed within the confines of a cozy independent studio, an overlooking KL skyline in the background, with the jazz outfit strategically positioned all across the platform, at a comfortable distance, and armed in masks where needed.
No this is not just a song about hope. It is a dialogue that is inviting you to participate in the back and forth of hope, with the challenges and struggles of the players and shakers of the Malaysian art industry in mind. Struggling for stability, and constantly needing to reinvent how their art and message is being delivered without putting your health at risk. It is no secret that the Covid 19 pandemic has robbed us of our sanity and well-being across all strata of society, but more so for the already struggling arts community, due to the punishing loss of revenue resulting from the cancellation of shows, and events. Thankfully their saving grace comes in the form of CENDANA and their initiative Cendana’s Create Now 2.0, that aims to support practice and operations of Malaysian artists, collectives and art organizations amidst this extremely stressful public health crisis. CENDANA has afforded these young ones a glimmer of hope and mammoth support, replete with the fact that they deserve NO less. Kudos to them for that.
As the song draws into conclusion, there is a shift from morose uncertainty to blinding and child-like hope, as the dazzling songstress offers you an olive branch. She remains hopeful, convinced that we can only stand together in this aloneness. There just is no sense otherwise. So we ask you again, will you stay? Because Dani and the Nightshades are definitely going to be around for a long time. And maybe if you do take them up on their offer, this time warp will finally offer you some absolution….. What!??
Reviewed by Nagamag on January 26, 2022