When music accompanies architecture and cinema, the result often feels electric: a fresh, contemporary format that not only promotes a subject but also communicates it with renewed clarity. It tends to elicit a more intense set of emotions inside a single architectural space, aligning sound with space in a way that feels both alive and purposeful.
Among the most memorable cases is La Muralla Roja in Calpe, celebrated in the theme Do It Right, a centerpiece in which a building designed by Ricardo Bofill became a canvas for Martin Solveig’s collaboration with Australian rapper Tkay Maidza. The terraces, pools, stairs, bridges, walkways, and hidden corners of this residential labyrinth create a setting where music and architecture converse, turning the locale into a living stage.
In a nod to avant-garde heritage, The Chemical Brothers’ video for Go stands as a remarkable example. The wardrobe choices and locations along the Front-de-Seine in Paris recall historical movements like constructivism, where choreography and framing emphasize a retro essence while feeling strikingly futuristic at the same time.
Today, international stars such as British artist Dua Lipa continue to lean on the cinematographic potential of their music videos to highlight the architectural value around them. The clip Physical showcases bold lighting and color collages, while a track from the album Future Nostalgia features a scene shot by a renowned architectural firm at a distinctive residence, illustrating how space shapes perception in music video storytelling.
Spain also benefits from artists who use architecture as a showcase for audiovisual work. Singer Amaia Romero, alongside Rojuu, filmed a video at Madrid’s Zarzuela Racecourse, a site connected to rationalist design traditions and distinguished architects. This collaboration underscores how architectural language can amplify a song’s narrative and mood.
Among Spanish talents, C. Tangana has notably brought attention to some of the country’s architectural gems through video projects. His work spans brutalist landmarks of the 1960s to more intimate, residential spaces, sometimes rarely visited today. The Church of Santa Ana in Moratalaz by Miguel Fisac, the Torres Blancas building by Francisco Javier Sáenz de Oíza, the España Building by Julián Otamendi, and Casa Carvajal by Javier Carvajal are all recontextualized through video to tell new stories about space and identity, and to explore what it means for a place to be loved anew. (Citation: architectural heritage in contemporary music videos.)
Earlier this year, C. Tangana released a new single, La culpa, with collaborators including Omar Montes and Daviles de Novelda. The accompanying video, directed by Santos Bacana, navigates Casa IV, a project by Mesura architecture studio, to recreate a fictional setting named Santa Paz. This extension of a single-family house built in 1984 in the Matola district of Elche becomes a space where healing and resilience are visually imagined, surrounded by palm trees and a verdant landscape. The selected location mirrors a broader trend: artists leveraging distinctive houses and their surrounding environments to craft cinematic narratives that resonate with audiences and communities alike. (Citation: use of architecture in contemporary Spanish music videos.)