Today punk rock band Pussy Riot and the group Boyfriend have released the single “Dance With the Devil” which brings a dose of rock, dance and hyperpop into a lustful anthem. Both parties are standing at the forefront of counterculture and reclaiming what women are owed. The music video for “Dance With the Devil” was premiered by PAPER Magazine earlier today.
The music video is co-directed by Pussy Riot‘s creator Nadya Tolokonnikova and visual artist Yulia Shur. The video sees Boyfriend appearing opposite of Tolokonnikova and features legendary model/performance artist Amanda Lepore.
In the press release Boyfriend describes the meaning of “Dance With the Devil.”
“I grew up believing in the Devil. Try as they might to depict him as evil, my main takeaway was that he lived in the land of cigarettes and sex…he drank red wine, gambled, had a choir of electric guitars and was the keeper of the orgasm. This song is an invitation to the Devil’s party, where indulgence isn’t a sin and temptation isn’t a threat. It’s also an inversion of the patriarchal depictions of Satan… if God is a woman, so is the Devil, and she’s way more fun to hang with.”
Tolokonnikova adds: “I believe that Virgin Mary was a feminist, and if she lived today, she’d be making music with Boyfriend and Pussy Riot. We’ve co-created this piece with two of my dearest friends, both incredibly strong, dedicated and vocal female artists, Boyfriend and Yulia Shur, and isn’t it everyone’s dream to work with your best friends on something that excites you deeply?”
Pussy Riot joined the NFT community in early 2021, co-founder of UnicornDAO, instrumental in raising over $7 million with UkraineDAO, a PleasrDAO member, and a supporter of a stronger female representation in the NFT space. Pussy Riot stands for gender fluidity, inclusivity, matriarchy, love, laughter, decentralization, anarchy, and anti-authoritarianism.
Boyfriend is a songwriter (Big Freedia, Charli XCX, Pussy Riot, Slayyyter, Mala Rodriguez, etc.), producer (Rebecca Black, Jon Batiste, Big Freedia). Boyfriend is best known for her over-the-top live show.
Conceptual artist and activist Tolokonnikova is the creator of Pussy Riot, a global feminist protest art movement. Today hundreds of people identify as a part of the Pussy Riot community.
Photo Credit: Brett Padelford