Nakhane and Perfume Genius release sweaty, sensual ‘Do You Well’ video
Non-binary South African artist Nakhane explores queer Black love and lust in their arresting new video.
Nakhane is exploring carnal desire in the sweaty, sensual video for their new single ‘Do You Well’.
The non-binary singer and actor has teamed up with Perfume Genius on the funky-infused track, which was produced by Emre Türkmen with additional production by disco legend Nile Rodgers.
Of the decision to collaborate with ‘Slip Away’ singer and fellow queer artist Perfume Genius, Nakhane says: “I always thought singing with him would be a beautiful thing. I liked that it’s a song that was not necessarily what people would expect from us: a sad, trauma-mining ballad. Instead I wanted us to make a banger.”
Visually, the ‘Do You Well’ video sees Nakhane explore queer Black love and lust as Nakhane and their co-star wrestle while submitting to their desire.
“I wanted to explore the intersection of violence and sensuality, the dance of courting someone before you actually have sex with them,” says Nakhane of the video.
“It was inspired by a lot of gay-themed films, where we normally see characters wrestling with their inner dialogue before they give in to their desires. So I said why not make that wrestling literal? Of course the inspiration for that was how homoerotic wrestling is.”
‘Do You Well’ follows the release of ‘Tell Me Your Politik’ featuring Moonchild Sanelly and Nile Rodgers back in July.
Born in South Africa’s Eastern Cape and raised in a Christian community in Gqeberha (formerly known as Port Elizabeth), Nakhane has released two albums to date; 2013’s Brave Confusion and 2019’s You Will Not Die.
In 2017, they starred in John Trengrove’s acclaimed 2017 feature film Inxeba (‘The Wound’), which charted the relationship of two men during the the Xhosa initiation ritual of Ulwaluko.
The film sparked homophobic protests across South Africa in the same year that the video for Nakhane’s ‘Clairvoyant’ was given an age restriction by YouTube despite not showing any sexually explicit content.
Nakhane’s ‘Do You Well’ (feat. Perfume Genius) is available to stream and download now.