Record labels know this, images have great power and good video clips can significantly determine the spread of a new song. On everything, location and styling are the most important components to take into account. A wow effect and a good look can make all the difference. Travis Scott’s recent music video, shot in the Palais Bulles sculpture-house on the French Riviera, is a striking example. The first track of the album Utopia, released a few days ago, is already a hit and makes people talk about themselves everywhere. To attract attention, in addition to the song itself that sees the featuring with The Weeknd and Bad Bunny, is undoubtedly the location of the video, former property of Pierre Cardin worth 400 million euros. Let’s find out more about Palais Bulles and five other villas-locations of as many iconic video clips that we have selected today.
- Travis Scott ft Bad Bunny,The Weeknd – “K-Pop” at Palais Bulles in Costa Azzurra
Palais Bulles – also known as Bubble Palace – is no stranger to the spotlight. Many fashion houses, including Dior, have chosen it as a location for fashion shows, parties and exclusive events. In addition to fashion, culture also chooses it as a place for art exhibitions, theater performances and concerts. What is striking is undoubtedly its strange shape, at times alien and sometimes fairy-tale, conceived and designed by the architect and designer Antti Lovag who in 1984 built it for the French industrialist Pierre Cardin. The genius of this project is confirmed in 1999, when it was included in the list of French historical monuments. In 2016, Cardin sold the property for 400 million euros, making it one of the most expensive homes in the world.
- Måneskin – “Torna a casa” at Villa Arconati, Castellazzo di Bollate (MI)
Villa Arconati is perhaps one of the most sought-after villas in Italy to shoot video clips. From the Måneskin who choose it as the setting for the famous song “Torna a casa”, to Blanco, Elettra Lamborghini, Lazza and Mr. Rain, the historic home in the province of Milan becomes the scene of wonderful music videos. Called the small Italian Versailles, because of its sumptuousness and grandeur, the villa was built in the seventeenth century by the will of its first owner Galeazzo Arconati. Its interior area is 10,000 square meters and is divided into 70 rooms, as well as having a wonderful Italian garden. Recently it has also been called “the lucky villa” because all the artists, with the exception of Elettra, after shooting a video in this villa have climbed on the podium of Sanremo.
- Taylor Swift – “Blank space” at Wingfield Hall, Long Island Sound
The villa, the scene of the famous Taylor Swift video “Blank space” in 2014, was built over a hundred years ago by the famous architect CPH Gilbert, commissioned by businessman Frank Winfield Woolworth. At the time of construction it was said to be the largest house in America and, just last year, it was sold for more than 7 million euros. It was certainly not Taylor Swift to make it famous indeed, before her great characters like Theodore Roosevelt and Billy Joel passed through here at exclusive events.
- Drake – “Toosie Slide” at The Embassy in Toronto
The Embassy is the villa that appears in the video clip of “Toosie Slide” by Drake. But whose is it? The villa is just the same Drake who, more than anything else out of necessity, chooses to shoot the video right in one of its properties. The video was released in the spring of 2020, in full lockdown, and sees a Drake “hidden” by a balaclava, just for a need more “high” and not for a stylistic choice. The villa is located in Toronto and was designed by American architect Ferris Rafauli. Valued at $100 million, The Embassy exudes wealth from every pore: it has marble interiors, golden chandeliers, an indoor basketball court, as well as a number of indoor and outdoor pools. Due to its evident fear of emptiness, the villa can be defined as a contemporary reinterpretation of Art Deco, tacky for some, elegant for others.
- Migos – “Narcos” at Madonna’s ex villa in Miami
Perhaps some of you remember Madonna’s famous comment – “That’s my house in Miami! What are you doing there??” – below the photo posted on Instagram by the Migos outside his villa. The post announced the release of this video, shot inside the luxurious Tuscan-style villa in Miami. Did the Migos enter without her consent? Not quite so, the mystery is easy to unravel. The villa was rented on Airbnb, and the Migos certainly didn’t back out of shooting a Pablo Escobar video right there. But actually, this was probably all just a farce. The villa was no longer Madonna for several years and here the story acquires an ironic component even more fun. In fact, in 2000, the American star put on sale her home, bought for the sum of 7.5 million dollars from a dog. This is Gunther IV, the German shepherd who inherited all the capital of the wealthy German countess Karlotta Liebenstein.
- ROSALÍA, Rauw Alejandro – “VAMPIROS” at impossible house by Xavier Corberó
It could not miss a videoclip of the undisputed queen Rosalia, with the now ex boyfriend Rauw Alejandro. This is perhaps the most unconventional of the six, even more than the former villa in Cardin. This is the impossible house of the sculptor Xavier Corberó located in Esplugues de Llobregat, a small Spanish town. The house is the work of the artist himself, friend and collector of Dalì and Duchamp, eccentric and extravagant character who decided to retire right here, in this metaphysical-looking villa. In architectural terms, the house is developed on several levels with 25 rooms, a hexagonal inner courtyard and more than 400 works inside, as well as a garden full of Corberó sculptures. On his death the estate was inherited by his wife Maria Dolores Rica who today, together with the small Spanish town, is working to give a new life to the house. It should become a cultural complex open to the public.
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