In 1997, OBK stood as a well-established group with a string of records sold and recently signed by a multinational label. Yet Jordi Sánchez, the lead singer, and Miguel Ángel Arjona, the keyboardist, remained unsettled by a key aspect of their techno-pop project: its visual presentation. They sought imagery inspired by Anton Corbijn, the famed visual auteur behind the looks of Depeche Mode and U2. It was during an audition that JA Bayona, whose brother Carlos revealed that their sibling had started directing music videos, entered the scene and offered fresh creative direction.
Their first collaboration, A contrapié, was shot in a single day in the Monegros with a shoestring budget just over a thousand euros. When the final cut appeared, it was clear this was a project that would stay. The stark black-and-white treatment, the sense of fantasy, imagination, and inventiveness spoke its own language. Even though the video was modest in scope, it carried a distinctive Depeche Mode influence that helped Jota broaden his creative horizons.
Sánchez later spoke with El Periódico de Catalunya, part of the same media group, in the middle of La Paloma where, twenty-three years earlier, the fifth of the fourteen videos they would produce together between 1997 and 2008 was shot. The standout piece, Tú sigue así, earned the Ondas Award for best video clip in 2000. It remained a striking moment for Sánchez: the moment when the team realized Jota could command attention and elevate the entire creative ecosystem in the area. The impact of that video helped solidify Bayona’s reputation as a director capable of pushing the envelope in music videos. Bayona later directed promotional films for artists like Rosario, Raphael, Lolita, Nena Daconte, Bunbury, and, notably, Camela, weaving them into enchanting cinematic fantasies that drew on classic genres.
In addition to Tú sigue así, Bayona contributed meticulously crafted videos for OBK, including El cielo no entiende and Falsa moral. The latter, with its music and visuals, prefigured later cultural narratives—the story of Mary Kay Letourneau, long before similar real-life scandals entered popular culture. Perhaps the most provocative collaboration was Quiéreme otra vez. It fused vibrant, pop-iconography with a playful critique of fame. The director’s approach in Quiéreme otra vez leaned on bold color and a spirit of counterpoint, echoing the work of artists like David LaChapelle. The piece was designed to be entertaining and visually striking, while still carrying a meaningful resonance in live performances that continued to feature the video visuals in the artist’s concerts.
Overall, the Bayona-OBK partnership represented a turning point. It demonstrated how a director’s flair could redefine a musical act’s image, creating a synergy that extended beyond a single video and into a broader cultural footprint. The collaboration not only advanced OBK’s artistic vision but also helped Bayona emerge as a trusted creative voice in music-related storytelling, capable of marrying cinematic craft with pop sensibilities for audiences across regions and demographics.