In one of the most pleasing crossover curveball moments of the year so far, a brand new music video for Nick Jonas and Indian rapper King’s recent collaboration Maan Meri Jaan (Afterlife) has rapidly soared past the million-view mark.
A bouncier, dance-inspired reworking of King’s massive 2022 single Maan Meri Jaan, the new interpretation of the song – released by the duo last month – comes with bolder, bolstered-up production, and several additional verses from Jonas.
Mirroring King’s original lyrics, Jonas’ contributions also explore the pain of an eternal farewell, and the drastic steps he’s prepared to take in order to avoid it. “I would say no to the gates of heaven, if that meant I left you behind,” he sings.
Much to fans’ delight, the Jonas brother sings in Hindi for part of the song: joining in with the central refrain “Tu maan meri jaan”.
The US singer-songwriter married the Indian actor Priyanka Chopra in 2018, and frequently shares the deep respect he holds for her culture. “My wife is Indian. She is Hindu, and she is incredible in every way,” he wrote on Instagram the following year, as the couple celebrated Karva Chauth. “She has taught me so much about her culture and religion.”
Maan Meri Jaan was lready a massive hit for King; the original video for his solo version of the song has already been watched a staggering 341m times.
The New Delhi-raised singer smashed through multiple records with the track, becoming the first Indian artist in history to score a Top 10 on the Spotify Global charts. The song’s new Afterlife version with Jonas, meanwhile, looks set to be the moment that King’s influence goes truly worldwide.
The artist first rose to fame after competing in India’s rap reality show MTV Hustle in 2019. After finishing in the top five, King later returned to the show as a mentor, and put out his debut album The Carnival in 2020. That album’s biggest breakthrough hit Tu Aake Dekhle has been streamed 260 million times on Spotify.
“It’s been an overwhelming experience to witness the journey of Maan Meri Jaan since its release. Watching a song take over a country and then cross borders to global charts is a dream come true,” King told Rolling Stone, just ahead of the new music video’s release. “We’ve given a brand new twist to the emotion of love beyond death and we hope the audience will love the visuals that bring together both of our identities.”
