Pop-star will.i.am has shot a short film with Lexus that captures a live remix of his track #thatPOWER, using a stunt-driven Lexus NX.
It's part of a collaboration between the Grammy Award-winner and Lexus that encompasses the worlds of music, design and technology. Building on Lexus's Amazing in Motion campaign, will.i.am remixed his 2013 hit #thatPOWER using three NX SUV's, piloted by stunt drivers through hundreds of motion and sound-sensitive lights and lasers. The event was shot in the course of one night last week on a disused airstrip in Spain.
The unique interpretation was created live by the musician and global entrepreneur, using hundreds of motion and sound-sensitive lights and lasers and three Lexus NX crossovers, piloted by a team of top stunt drivers. will.i.am takes on the role of the frontman, 'battling against speed and rhythm' to conduct and navigate the Lexus NX by hitting a sequence of laser targets.
Commenting on the finished video, will.i.am said: "Working with the stunt guys to hit the laser targets in time with the music wasn't easy to get right but the result was awesome. The combination of technology, design and music in this project was out of this world."
The lighting and laser rig was created by Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF), famous for its work with U2 and Coldplay, and took a team of 65 technicians more than week to install.
Barnaby Steel, MLF's Creative Director, explained how the concept worked: "Together with Lexus, we've created a huge musical game with three stunt drivers as the players and will.i.am as the conductor. Music is brought to life when the cars hit beams of light that are motion sensitive at the correct time and rhythm. It's basically like a giant laser harp with cars instead of fingers. The challenge for will.i.am and the drivers was to navigate the light points on tempo. When they fell off beat and triggered notes off tempo, the system had to restart."
Alain Uyttenhoven, Head of Lexus Europe, said: "We're projecting that the NX will represent one third of all Lexus sales across Europe this year, so it feels right that we've created something as bold as this event with will.i.am - something that truly embodies our brand philosophy of Amazing in Motion."
The NX, introduced last autumn, marks Lexus's entry into the mid-size premium crossover market. The range includes both the full hybrid NX 300h and the NX 200t, powered by Lexus's new 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine.