Kelela - Washed Away

What this video is

Released September 13, 2022, 'Washed Away' marked Kelela's return after a five-year hiatus since her 2017 debut album 'Take Me Apart' on Warp Records. The video arrives at a cultural moment of heightened discourse around Black wellness, rest, and self-preservation — themes Kelela explicitly foregrounded in press materials. By filming in Ethiopia's Danakil Depression, the video situates Black diasporic healing…

Why it matters

As the lead single for 'Raven,' 'Washed Away' signaled a deepening of Kelela's ambient and experimental R&B practice beyond the club-adjacent sonics of 'Take Me Apart.' Produced by Berlin-based Yo van Lenz, it reflects the transnational networks of the Warp Records ecosystem and the growing…

The director

Yasser Abubeker is a director and producer whose work spans music video and visual media. Confirmed credits include visuals for Shygirl and Ms. Carrie Stacks. The 'Washed Away' video represents a notable intersection of his work with diasporic landscape…