Glistening waves softly lap the shore behind a tall figure masked in mirrors. Four young women - striking in their diverse serenity - traverse a verdant forest. And a warrior of peace - armed with a sacred sword - goes forth. This is the world conjured up by filmmaker/photographer Katya Abedian and rapper/producer Sam Turpin for ‘Sahara Flow’ - a Nataal film debut.

The Joburg-based duo have joined forces to create this music video, Abedian’s dreamy aesthetics complimenting Turpin’s honest and self-reflective lyrical flow. "Essentially the song is a metaphor for a spiritual journey that I've been on since I became an artist,” Turpin explains. “After I lost my mother in 2011, I had to confront the world and my mind and soul were bombarded with the typical ‘Where am I going in this life?" questions… I approached Katya because I loved her work and I knew that she would be the right person to explore this metaphor in a way that shows all the beauty and reality that we may find in this world and beyond.”

The emerging musician released his first mixtape ‘4am in Jozi’ in 2017 and last year brought out the songs ‘Sahara Flow’ and ‘Cloud City’. With this film further expanding his creative landscape, 2020 also promises to see his second mixtape. Meanwhile Abedian came to prominence in 2018 with her debut, award-winning short film ‘Skin Diver’ and has since made three more shorts and worked on videos for Ricky Rick and Sho Madjozi.

This latest collaboration continues her visual pursuit of universal oneness. “It was important to me to highlight the unique strength, beauty and presence of each female character and the contribution they bring to the story of Sam’s character,” Abedian says. “’Sahara Flow’ is a soul’s journey, protected and guided by spirits that are no longer confined to this earth nor blinded by its distractions. They reflect the higher wisdom that there is no beginning nor end to the journey of our souls, only greater depths and stages of learning, understanding and sensitivity.”

Read our story on Skin Diver here.

Words Helen Jennings

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Published on 17/05/2020