With “9 (After Coachella),” viewers are introduced to the dualistic lives of Cashmere Cat and MØ during their time playing at the desert festival, Coachella. The music video succeeds in humanizing the now-famous artists while paying respect to a high point in their careers.
The story begins with Magnus August Høiberg (better known as Cashmere Cat), a shy, dog-loving kid from Norway now spending lots of time with a friend in Los Angeles. Next, viewers are greeted by his overwhelmingly normal parents, childhood home and memories about the dog he had as a child.
In almost direct contradiction of what most would believe, the childhood of this famous producer could not be more ordinary. We could all probably share a similar memory about a childhood dog that died or our favorite hideaway at home. Høiberg is essentially giving an inside look at his true self instead of a distorted view through which people see him as Cashmere Cat.
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At this point, those unfamiliar with Høiberg as an artist would find themselves thinking who is this mellow, not intimidating person, and what the hell is he about?
Because of his innocent demeanor and relatable story, these people may have never guessed that Høiberg has collaborated with and produced for the biggest artists in the game including Kanye West, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Tory Lanez and several others.
With an electrifying, monumental shift to a festival setting, the video introduces Høiberg’s alter ego Cashmere Cat.
Playing the absolutely captivating trap banger in front of a massive audience almost immediately garners respect for the artist’s production abilities. Members of the crowd reaching for the shy, timid man are a testament to the sometimes skewed view that fans have of the artists they idolize. How could this be the same man we were introduced to?
Introducing Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted, widely known simply as MØ. Images of the average looking artist attending elementary school and family home in Denmark reinforce the central theme of the video. Ørsted seems to have an exceptionally ordinary childhood, but is now leading an above average lifestyle as she rose to popularity after providing vocals for Major Lazer’s hit, “Lean On.”
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The lyrical content may seem confusing at first, but the conclusion of the video provides some clarification. Cashmere Cat is merely describing the ever familiar experience of the girl that got away. The lyrics produce the ultimate evidence of the dualistic lifestyle. We’ve all had an instance of someone getting away or not working out, but not backstage at Coachella.
The “9 (After Coachella)” music video should be taken as an absolute inspiration, telling the story of two normal kids traveling to America, achieving their dreams but still remaining true to themselves.
When thinking of Coachella, images of celebrities and Instagram models dancing along to musicians approaching the peak of their careers comes to mind. Often we think of these people as out of the public reach and leading lives unattainable to an average person. The “9 (after Coachella)” video demonstrates that this simply is not true.
