John Legend’s latest release is a love letter to the world, by the world, in the midst of a global pandemic. Mishka Kornai, who’s repped in the U.S. by L.A.-based Whitelist, directed the music video, “Bigger Love,” marking his second collaboration with the vocalist.
Kornai said, “If there’s a human story that’s worth telling across continents, cultures, and languages, it’s love. There’s a lot of violent rhetoric right now about being ‘at war’ or ‘fighting a common enemy,’ but it’s worth noting that this pandemic has united more people than any other moment in history.”
The radiant and uplifting visuals of the video highlight families coping with physical distancing and essential workers who have been on the frontlines fighting the virus. Told entirely from the perspective of real people from over 20 countries across the globe on six continents, Legend’s fans captured and submitted their personal stories, all shot using their cell phones.
Kornai’s first documentary, Growth, premiered at SXSW, and that same year he received an NAACP Award for his music video You & I, which he conceived and directed for Legend. Kornai is the founder of the Berlin artist studio Theia, in addition to his smartphone filmmaking collective, Pickpocket, which handled production for the video.
“When we pick up groceries for a neighbor, when we check in with a friend over text, when we wear a mask, or even when we just stay inside: we do it out of love,” adds Kornai. “Love for the elderly, for the vulnerable, for those saving lives, for those still working, and for the countless others we will never even know crossed our path. I’m grateful to the amazing group of people that made it possible to tell such a hopeful story about humanity at this moment in history.”
