Although Madonna and Swae Lee never share the screen in the flirtatious video for their Madame X collaboration “Crave,” they still trade sparks of electricity. The Nuno Xico-directed video finds the pair performing in isolated locations in one of the most bustling cities in the world, with scenes of Madonna singing in an abandoned warehouse and Swae Lee roaming a lonely rooftop interspersed between sweeping shots of the New York City sky.
Toward the end of the video, their titular chemical reaction is represented by their hands reaching out for one another, and although they never touch, a jolt of electricity travels from Madonna’s ring-clad fingers to Swae’s. In the rest of the video, the two vamp into the camera, smoldering and simmering into the frame, doing their best to evoke the tension implied in the song’s passionate lyrics.
Madame X, Madonna’s upcoming fourteenth studio album, is set for release in June and will feature appearances from a number of today’s hottest stars, including Swae Lee, Anitta, Quavo, Maluma, and more. The album will be accompanied by a sweeping tour that will begin on September 12 and hit several dates in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The European leg of the tour is set for 2020.
