‘REI AMI’ by Samantha Long is the best music video in ages
When was the last time you watched a truly great music video? Considering that most people consume music these days through streaming apps, chances are good that it has been a long while. Now there is a video that is too good to miss. The clip for REI AMI demands to be seen as well as heard. The song was written by South Korean alt pop star REI AMI and directed by the multitalented Samantha Long.
The result is ten times the video you would expect from a first time director, yet Long pulled together all her skills and years of experience into one cohesive, high impact package. Long is a viral content creator, choreographer, and entrepreneur who has now proven she belongs in the director chair for music videos.
REI AMI and Samantha Long had already been collaborators for years when they made the video, but the finished piece marked an important step in their joint creative output. The clip arrived around October 2021 and immediately stood out for its bold imagery and confident direction.
Samantha Long
Born December 3, 1996, Samantha Long is now 29. At that age she has already established herself as a leader in viral media production and an award winning music video director. She was the host and co producer of Lil Wayne UPROAR Festival at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The year before, Long created one of the most watched Reels on Instagram and launched the viral Samantha Long Challenge.
Her talents have taken her across a wide range of high profile artists. She has worked with Nicki Minaj, Janet Jackson, Paul McCartney, and Cheat Codes. Long also serves as founder and CEO of A THREAT, her own brand and artist development studio, and she was named J Balvin Global Dance Captain. She continues to choreograph and direct while expanding her own music output, including the 2025 single RUN.
Long has said she is proud to have dove head first into music video production and directing, a world that rewarded her more creatively than she could have imagined. She has also been clear about her commitment to promoting the work of women and using her platform to empower others. Her message to aspiring first time female directors remains the same: nobody told me I could do this, but I told me I could do this. Be a threat to everything that is holding you back.
REI AMI
The music video envisions REI AMI fight for freedom and her determination to become the one who terrorizes her own oppressors. The story moves from helicopter pads to closed down strip clubs and features striking performances from Christian Blue, Samantha Long real life partner at the time, and REI AMI herself. The video won Best Music Video at IndieXFest 2022 and earned recognition on January 2022 award winners lists.
Longtime fans and newcomers alike responded strongly to the clip and to REI AMI music. The song and its imagery have held up, continuing to draw new viewers years after release.
REI AMI's Subsequent Career Highlights
After the 2021 video, REI AMI kept building momentum. In 2023 she released the EP shhh, which included multiple music videos and new singles such as body bag and yellow tape. The project showed her sharpening her alt pop sound while keeping the visual edge that first drew attention to the Samantha Long directed clip.
In 2025 she voiced the character Zoey in the Netflix animated film KPop Demon Hunters and contributed several songs to its soundtrack, including Golden and How It Done. As of late 2025 she is working on a new solo album, with singles planned for 2026.
Samantha Long's Expanded Portfolio and Brand
Long has grown her reach well beyond the 2021 video. As founder and CEO of A THREAT she now runs a full brand and artist development studio. She added high profile choreography credits, including her role as J Balvin Global Dance Captain, and she directed the 2023 video I Can Never Tell for Christian Blue.
She also stepped in front of the camera as a recording artist with the 2025 release of her own track RUN. These moves show how Long has kept expanding the same mix of choreography, directing, and entrepreneurial drive that shaped the original REI AMI video.
Awards and Recognition for REI AMI Video
The video success extended past initial online buzz. It won Best Music Video at IndieXFest 2022 and appeared on several January 2022 award winners roundups. Those nods confirmed that Long first time effort was not only strong on its own terms but also competitive with work from more established directors.
Ongoing Collaboration Between Long and REI AMI
Long served as creative director for REI AMI during the video period, and the two artists have stayed connected through shared management circles and overlapping projects. Their early partnership has continued to influence both careers, even as each has pursued solo work and new collaborations.
Long and REI AMI delivered a music video that still stands out for its craft and vision. The clip remains a benchmark for what two young artists can achieve when they combine strong ideas with sharp execution, and their later projects show that the same drive is still in motion.
