Global music icon DJ Snake debuts the music video for “Patience”, a deeply personal project featuring his reimagination of Amadou & Mariam’s celebrated 2008 song “Sabali” The title holds profound meaning, as “Sabali” is the Bambara word for both “patience” and “immortality”. The video’s compelling storytelling sheds light on the realities of migration, offering a sensitive and humanizing portrayal of those compelled to leave their homeland in pursuit of a better future.

Shot in Senegal with stunning cinematography by Valentin Guiod, the music video immerses viewers in the emotional journey of its main character, allowing them to experience migration through an empathetic lens. DJ Snake, who was born in Paris to Algerian immigrant parents, felt a deep personal connection to this theme: “Each time, I try to explore new vibes, new inspirations, different parts of the world, and I had never really touched on West Africa. I thought of Omar [Sy], and I talked to Omar about it… And everything came together naturally. It took us almost a year and a half to get here today, in the suburbs of Dakar, Senegal. What’s funny is that ‘Sabali’ means patience.” 

The music video features special cameos by acclaimed French actor Omar Sy, whose parents are West African immigrants, and by the legendary Malian duo Amadou & Mariam—the original artists behind “Sabali”, who were so moved by DJ Snake’s reimagination of “Sabali” that they enthusiastically chose to take part in the music video themselves. The release comes just weeks after the passing of Amadou, lending even more poignancy to this tribute. 

The film has already received critical acclaim on the international festival circuit, having been selected for the Grand Angle section at Festival Côté Court (Césars qualifying), and winning Best Music Video and Best Cinematography at the Aesthetica Short Film Festival (BAFTA qualifying). It competed in official selections at Bogoshorts (Oscars qualifying), Indianapolis Indy Shorts (Oscars, BAFTA, Goya qualifying), and Festival du Film Court de Villeurbanne (Césars qualifying). It also won top honors at the Berlin Music Video Awards and the 1.4 One Point Four Awards, where it received the Gold award for Best Music Video – Long Form. At the Kinsale Shark Awards, the film took home the Grand Prix, along with awards for Best Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Electronic Music Video. 

Read more about festivals around the world here.