Timbaland’s ear for international sounds hasn’t faded away. The producer has announced his latest collaboration with Chinese pop star Jane Zhang with favorable results. The singer dropped her American debut single “Dust My Shoulders Off” with a very artsy video to match.
Produced by Timbo, Jane sings away her troubles over the hypnotic beat while referencing Jay Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder.” Just two weeks after releasing the track, it broke the Top 5 on the iTunes download chart, making her the first Chinese artist to do so. Her video is also making its rounds, with unique homages to Vincent Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait, Girl with a Pearl Earring (Johannes Vermeer) and The Scream (Edvard Munch). Over the worries of life, Jane takes a trip to a museum to immerse herself in the works of Andrew Wyeth’s Christina’s World, Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, only to have her memory erased by Men In Black members in Munch’s The Scream.
The singer may be new to the states, but Jane took off internationally in 2005 after being discovered on the American Idol-inspired talent show, Super Voice Girl. She’s also the winner of several China Pop Charts Awards, having won the category for “Best Female Singer” seven years in a row. She was also featured on Oprah for her voice.
In a press release, Jane shared her excitement on working with Timbaland to expand her sound. “I grew up loving the sound and feel of Western popular music, working with Timbaland allowed me to not only see how great music is produced but also the creative culture behind the scenes that enables the continuous production of great music,” she said. “It was an amazing learning experience.”
Timbaland also praised the singer. “Jane is a global artist, working with her [is] a great experience. Our collaboration allowed us to continue bridging the gap between Chinese and American pop culture.” The Gammy-winning producer is also labeled the executive producer on her upcoming album.
Get lost in “Dust My Shoulders Off” below.
