The creative behind the presentation video for U2’s new album, Songs Of Surrender, is Portuguese. João Pombeiro revealed that he only accepted the invitation from the British band after some insistence, but now it seems that the partnership could be repeated in the future.
First, the plastic artist had to say “no” because he was working on the 35th anniversary of the Circo de Feras album, by the Portuguese Xutos & Pontapés. During a period of hard work on a professional level, he received an email from Island Records, “from someone who wanted to talk, but it was a very secret thing and they wouldn’t say what band it was.”
Only when he was turned down did João Pombeiro know it was an opportunity to work with U2. “Obviously I felt pretty silly, but it was impossible,” he revealed. in statements to TSF. However, after a few months, the Portuguese was contacted again, because the album had been postponed, and he was questioned again about its availability, and the negative response became positive.
The Portuguese believes that the interest arose because “there are not many people doing this type of work”: it is a kind of collage of the band’s assets from the formation to the present, something that vocalist Bono Vox “seems to like”. it”, according to the artist, after reading his biography, published in November 2022.
The work, all made in digital format, uses old images, donated by the members of the quartet formed in Dublin, as well as animations, created from scratch by João Pombeiro, including scenes from the high school where U2 met and formed the friendship that follows paying off or some “extras” that he discovered after accessing the band’s fan forums.
When the British finally saw the video featuring a touch by the Portuguese artist, they made sure to send a message. “They said that they were very happy with the creative work, and until the last things they did, they liked it the most, and that for me was the highlight of any other recognition that I could have, this was clearly the best”, he said.
In monetary terms, João Pombeiro revealed that this was one of the jobs in which he was better paid, because “obviously, it is a millionaire and generous band.” Even if he is not called back to work with U2, the Portuguese artist admitted that he is already happy to “leave a mark” on the history of a band he admires.
Sounds Of Surrender will feature 40 of the many songs released by U2 since the band’s inception, but have been re-recorded over the past two years. The album has a release date set for March 17.
Source: TSF
