Usher and Rémy Martin explore the ties between cognac, music and American Black culture in stylish brand film

Cognac brand Rémy Martin has partnered with Usher on a stylish new brand film, in which the Grammy Award-winning artist takes viewers on a dance-filled journey through the history of the brand's association with music and Black American culture. The six-minute film was created by Fred & Farid New York and directed by Jake Nava, known for his music video work with the likes of Beyoncé and Britney Spears, as well as campaigns for Ballantines, Mastercard and others. In it, Usher guides viewers through the decades since 1917, when Black American soldiers stationed in France discovered Rémy Martin, with scenes set in different eras of music and dance, from jazz and blues to hip-hop, swing, break-dancing and more. Throughout, he emphasizes the partnership and harmony between cognac and music. “I was really inspired by creating the historical music scenes in a way that felt true to the spirit of that moment, but also relevant and eye-catching to a young contemporary audience,” said Nava in a statement. “This dual priority informed my direction of all the music, dance and Usher’s performance." The film was lavishly crafted by a team that also included composer Raphael Saadiq, choreographer Aakomon Jones and Academy Award- winning costume stylist Marci Rodgers. It's running on TV, social media and cinema, globally over the next three months. It's not Usher's first collaboration with the brand: Rémy Martin sponsored after parties during his 2010 “OMG” world tour, and Usher co-hosted the launch dinner for the brand's Producer Series with Jermaine Dupri in 2018.

Usher and Rémy Martin explore the ties between cognac, music and American Black culture in stylish brand film

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