The video for Michael Jackson's posthumous stirring ballad single "Hold My Hand" has finally hit airwaves, is heavy on moody lighting, fairly light of images of MJ. "Hold My Hand," recorded by Michael Jackson with the help of Senegelese rapper Akon, is the first of what is sure to be a Tupak-level quantity of post-mortem music from the deceased pop star. The record debuted as the first single from the late great King of Pop's upcoming 10-unheard-song posthumous CD, "Michael," the first album released under a seven-year, come out on December 14."Hold My Hand" is a Jackson's classic love ballads, which is a heart-stirring call to unity with a touch of a Caribbean lilt. It sways along with its gentle piano line, and is punctuated by light synthesizer effects as the inspirational verses blossom into the track's singalong chorus. The from-beyond-the-grave duet with Akon was recorded in 2007 and, as a message on Jackson's site points out, "a handwritten note from Jackson belonging to his estate indicated his desire that 'Hold My Hand' be the first single on his next project." After an unfinished version leaked in 2008, Akon recently went back into the studio to complete production on the track. While the "Thriller" singer dominates the first verse, the remaining three quarters of the anthemic song are carried by Akon.
The legacy of Jackson is celebrated by his fans in this Akon-featuring music video directed by veteran video helmer Mark Pellington, who said in a statement, "The video is a tribute to all that Michael stands for -- life, in all its permutations...love, and its power. A video of memory, healing and joy." The clip opens with a crowd of people standing in front of a large airplane hangar and unleashing a flood of white balloons as they say "Thank you, Michael" and "We love you, Michael," while a gigantic image of the singer in silhouette appears on the side of the structure. As Jackson begins to sing the first verse, we see a variety of different hands — old, young, holding babies, reaching up to the sky, down into a bathtub... all intended to pull heartstrings and stir emotion.
But while Akon does play a major role in the crisply shot video, the visual product is undoubtedly a tribute to the King of Pop, who passed away in June 2009. Instead of the eye-popping special effects and intricate choreography of the past, the "Hold My Hand" video goes for a simpler, more predictable sentimentality. Without Jackson around anymore to call the shots and push the video envelope, it also signals a quiet, uneventful end to a career of constant reinvention and visual ambition via music video. Michael Jackson left behind a huge catalog of unreleased music, some completely mixed and some diamonds in the rough. So you can expect to be hearing new Michael Jackson music for years to come.
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