Justin Timberlake may have used Kuala Lumpur as the setting for his music video “Filthy”, but he didn’t really shoot the music video in Malaysia.
Nevertheless, we’re still grateful that he decided to use our beloved country in his music video even though the location was fictional – but who knows? Maybe there will be a Pan-Asian Deep Learning Conference in Kuala Lumpur by 2028.
Anyway, though Justin didn’t record his music video in Malaysia, there are many other artists who did. Well, we’re not surprised. After all, Malaysia is a country with rich cultural heritage and plenty of iconic landmarks.
So without further ado, here are 8 international artists who shot their music videos in Malaysia.
1. Chainsmokers – “Roses” ft Rozes
Back in 2015, DJ duo Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall have included the city of Kuala Lumpur in their music video “Roses” as one of the many exotic places they have visited during their world tour. Some of the iconic landmarks seen in the video include the KL Twin Towers and also KL International Airport (KLIA). The MV was shot by videographer Rory Kramer who documented their experience and compiled it all into one beautiful music video.
2. Yellow Claw – “Light Years” ft Rochelle
DJ duo Jim Aasgier and Nizzle released the music video “Light Years” featuring Dutch singer Rochelle last year during their 1st Asia tour, and one of the locations filled in the video was Kuala Lumpur. In the music video, Malaysia’s iconic skyscraper, The Petronas Twin Towers can be seen in the background.
3. Super Junior – “Dancing Out”
Released in 2006 as part of SMTown’s studio album “06 SUMMER SMTOWN”, Super Junior’s “Dancing Out” music video was filmed in various locations within Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. The summer anthem is also Super Junior’s 1st participation in an SMTown album.
4. B.A.P – “Crash”
K-Pop group B.A.P came to Sunday Lagoon Malaysia in 2012 for some fun activities with the local team from 8TV channel. The recording clips of their visit was used in their music video “Crash”, a song which was included in the repackage version of their 1st EP “No Mercy”.
5. GOT7 – “A”
GOT7’s quirky and fun “A” music video was partially shot in Shah Alam, Malaysia. The filming locations include Holy Smoke Café, Burger King, and street art @ laman seni, and also Tesco Kota Damansara. “A” is the lead track of GOT7’s 2nd EP “Got Love”.
6. Panjabi MC – “Mundian To Bach Ke” ft Jay-Z
The 1999 bhangra hit was remixed by British Indian rapper Panjabi MC. The song was re-released in 2002 featuring Jay-Z, and it achieved considerable worldwide success. The music video of the song was shot in the streets of Kuala Lumpur. The song is frequently used in western media especially when Indian characters are introduced or are on screen.
7. Harris J – “My Hero”
English Muslim singer Harris J who is commonly referred to as the Muslim Justin Bieber, shot the music video of his 2016 hit “My Hero” at the TM Tower in Kuala Lumpur. The 21-year-old singer has been in the country several times and has a considerably large fan base here.
8. HaKU – “What’s With Him”
4-piece Japanese rock band shot a documentary-style music video for “What’s With Him” in Kuala Lumpur in 2013. The music video includes images shot in sites such as the Petronas Twin Tower, Batu Caves, the large-scale shopping mall Pavilion, and markets in the city. The song was released in conjunction with HaKU’s 2013 show in Malaysia.
