From Spain to California - Alhambra (Collaboration w/Spicy.Uke)
- sivan4
- Nov 1, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 2, 2024
RELEASED: June 30, 2024
Our Alhambra music video began when our ukulele teacher, Boris Mogilevski, wrote a flamenco-style piece called Alhambra during his travels in Spain, inspired by the beautiful palace of the same name in Granada. The song resonated with us immediately, and we knew it had to be the focus of our next Aloha video (our monthly performance night in the Spicy Uke community).
The Concept
As we brainstormed, it dawned on us that Alhambra, California, was just a short drive away. We thought it would be really fun to play Alhambra in Alhambra! Originally we thought about filming under the Alhambra sign, but with Marina's suggestion to look for a nearby Spanish mission, we quickly realized that it would be the perfect spot for our shoot. Farrah jumped into scouting mode, using Google Maps to pinpoint the best filming locations there with respect to the sun’s position. Meanwhile Sivan was on her own mission to spend hours and hours learning this song!
Styling and Filming Day
To capture the flamenco vibe, we styled ourselves in black dresses, classic red lipstick (which Farrah absolutely hated—ha!), and flowers in our hair, leaning into a Spanish-inspired look. Once we started filming, passersby assumed we were performing and kept stopping to watch or film. Not distracting at all!
From Alhambra in California to Alhambra in Spain
After filming our portion, we realized how incredible it would be to have Boris play on top of our final track. Farrah showed him the edit, and he loved the idea. He recorded an enchanting melody and drove all the way out to Alhambra in Spain to film his segment! Then Farrah put the edit together, color grading all of the shots to blend both locations for a unified appearance.
Seeing "Alhambra" come together with our teacher’s musical talent felt incredibly special. (Thank you, Boris!). He even recorded an amazing fingerstyle version of this on his new album, Diary of a Nomad. Check it out if you get the chance! The album includes all original fingerstyle ukulele songs inspired by his travels, and it’s absolutely beautiful!
Creating this video was a beautiful reminder of how inspiration travels—from the palaces of Spain to California missions. We’re thrilled with how it all turned out and can't wait to keep exploring new ideas!
Trixie & The Jumping Fleas xoxo
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