In “Ajá,” Dominican singer/songwriter Maffio goes all out in a satire that lashes out at conformity in Latin music, set to a vampy cumbia/urban beat. The lyrics are incisive and visuals are dazzling.
Maffio, who’s produced major hits for Farruko (“Chillax”) and Fonseca (“Eres mi sueño”) has remained independent as a recording artist. In “Ajá,” he poured creativity into the song and the video, which is chock-full of symbolism and imagery; “Are you singers?” Maffio asks a group of uniformed, marching men at one point, and they all nod in unison (“Ajá) to everything he says, a rebuke to the sameness of playlists today.
“Ajá” is sardonic and wildly fun. Check out our exclusive first peek below, and keep an eye out for these key moments and imagery, as outlined by Maffio below:
1. Fur: Maffio wears lots and lots of it. There’s white fur and back fur and brown fur. Don’t worry, PETA, it ain’t real.
2. Two tigers: Because in Maffio’s Dominican Republic, “a tiger is someone clever and smart and witty. These cats are real.”
3. Tall, willowy models: “Usually videos now feature girls with big booties and big breasts. I didn’t want to go that direction.”
4. Spirals: They’re everywhere, from the set to the pupils of the marching men. “The whole concept is a spiral that will hypnotize the industry.”
5. Gold: Golden mikes, golden podiums, golden chair. “I love gold. Gold symbolizes richness, and not just money-wise.”
6. Puppets: “These are the artists that continue to do the same thing. And I’m just controlling you.”