Top artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Post Malone have actively voiced their anger and dissatisfaction with the president’s policies on immigration. Latin artists such as Camilla Cabello, J Balvin and Ricky Martin opened the Grammy’s with a performance including a not-so-subtle message for the President: build bridges, not walls.
Today, Pop artist Nikki King is portraying the struggles of immigrant families who are separated at the border in the release of her music video for her single, “Starlight.” With a strong message to youth everywhere, King is hoping to start a movement that influences perspectives and policies that affect immigration. The video, which takes a strong stance on immigration and the planned wall along the southern border of the United States, is available to view on YouTube and on the “Spread the Starlight” website.
Her production crew, 90% of which were women, spent four days shooting scenes across Los Angeles. Some of the iconic locations include Asher Caffe, the 4th Street bridge in DTLA’s Arts District and Murphy’s Ranch in the Pacific Palisades. King reports that she was proud to work with such a diverse group of people both on-screen and behind the camera.
The video begins with a group of humanoid aliens boarding the “alien express” to visit Earth before being intercepted and held captive. King’s character watches these events play out on a TV news screen in horror. Using a megaphone and social media, King resolves to find a way to rescue the aliens from their captors.
King reported that her inspiration for the video came from the powerlessness she felt in response to watching news reports of child immigrants being detained at the border.
“I didn’t know what I could do to help, but I felt like I just needed to do something. These are somebody’s little girls and boys, and they’re alone, separated from their families,” said King. “I couldn’t stand it, so I decided to write about it. I wanted a song that could inspire everyday people who didn’t know what they can do to keep moving on, find hope, do the small things. That’s how ‘Starlight’ came to be.”
In addition to portraying the struggles of immigrants using metaphorical aliens, King has announced that she’s donating a portion of the proceeds from her song sales to Kids In Need of Defense (KIND). KIND specializes in protecting unaccompanied minors by providing them with legal counsel, preventing forced migration against a child’s wishes, and connecting kids with social services when necessary.
“I’m so excited to finally share my vision for ‘Starlight’ with everyone,” said King. “The cast and crew should be incredibly proud of all their hard work making this a reality. I can’t wait to see where this goes.”
King studied at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts before moving to Los Angeles at the age of 19. She met her music collaboration team through connections she made during her acting career.
“Starlight” is currently available across all platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music.
