Grammy-Award nominated artist Tove Lo teamed up with Tokyo-based Shinsei Galverse NFT project to create an animated music video for her track “I like u.” The sci-fi music video features characters designed by Satoshi Ishino (, ) and is directed by Shinsei Galverse founder Ayaka Ohira and co-directed by Yūta Takamura ( chief director).
The 90s nostalgic dance track is meant to invoke the emotional range of women while nodding to Tove’s dark musical aesthetic.
“I wanted to create something like a science fiction spectacle. I thought a lot about how to combine the sadness of love and a story on a cosmic scale. Tove and I talked about how we wanted to express the insecurity, vulnerability, and powerful strength of women, as well as the intense and bizarre side of Tove’s character,” said Ohira.
The music video references the story of the Shinsei Galverse project. Tove’s anime persona confronts Annie, her robot lover from the “No One Dies From Love” video. The same song is referenced on the character’s t-shirt in the music video. Tove’s planet comes under fire from hostile aliens, and she eventually awakens her true form as a scorpion-tailed fighter. However, like a scorpion, she has to consume her mate to survive the incoming battle.
The video’s additional staff includes art director Hiromasa Ogura (, , ). Ogura’s studio provided the background art for the video. Yasuhiro Saiki, Shiori Nakasone, Satomi Tominaga, Tomotsuga Sakakibara, Ayaka Ohira, Wei-Li Chen, and Youko Sirai provided the key animation. S.o.K is credited for animation production.
Ohira previously worked on traditional cel-animated series under the guidance of Yoji Kuri and Manabu Ōhashi. She directed music videos for m-flo, JP THE WAVY, and CHAI prior to founding the Galverse project. Shinsei Galverse describes itself as “empower[ing] our community with next-generation tech like digital collectibles, VTubers, and custom AI to help us tell a unique story: 8,888 badass Gals shooting across time and space to make the galaxy a better place.
The Gals are available to purchase via OpenSea.
Ohira and Tokyo-based NFT, blockchain, and Web3 development company Wagmi Labs Inc plan to release a Shinsei Galverse anime pilot next year.
Swedish-born pop singer Tove Lo grabbed attention in the U.S. with the release of her album Queen of the Clouds and its single, “Habits (Stay High).” Her follow-up album included the international hit “Cool Girl,” and she achieved continued success with he 2019 album Sunshine Kitty. The album’s lead single “Glad He’s Gone” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Video. Last year’s “No One Dies from Love” was featured on the hit HBO show Euphoria.
Source: Press release
