Foals - Miami

What this video is

Released on 4 July 2010 as the second single from Foals' critically acclaimed second album Total Life Forever (Transgressive/Warner), 'Miami' arrived during a pivotal moment of British indie rock's flirtation with American hip-hop rhythms and maximalist visual provocation. The video deliberately subverts the song's longing, unrequited-romance lyrical content by deploying an ensemble of LA drag performers and…

Why it matters

A key artifact of the 2008–2012 British indie art-rock wave, 'Miami' demonstrates the genre's willingness to absorb new jack swing rhythmic influences into guitar-based songwriting. The video's cross-cultural casting — Oxford indie band meets LA drag and bodybuilding subcultures — exemplifies the…

The director

Dave Ma is a British music video director and photographer who began his career producing a fanzine to showcase work with emerging bands, leading to a long-running creative partnership with Foals from 2007 onward. He has directed music videos for artists…