When the Michael Jackson Estate and Sony Music set out to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Thriller, they weren’t just looking backward at history, they were looking for a way to make one of the most iconic albums of all time speak vividly to today’s global, visually driven audience. We all know the change of logo and the track list were a failure for many fans. For “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” a song that has lived for decades through dance floors, radio waves, and live performances, the brief was clear: create something entirely new.
That mission led Sony Music New York and the Michael Jackson Estate to Drasik Studio, a Barcelona-based creative animation studio known for its bold art direction, strong storytelling, and the ability to craft a distinct visual language for every project it touches.
A Studio Built on Storytelling and Style
With over ten years of experience in the industry, Drasik Studio has carved out a reputation for blending production expertise with striking design and narrative clarity. Their work is rooted in the belief that visuals should not simply decorate a song, but amplify its emotional and cultural impact.
Based in Barcelona but working internationally, the studio brings a global sensibility to its projects, something that proved essential when handling the legacy of an artist whose influence transcends borders, languages, and generations.
Giving “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” a Visual Identity
Sony Music New York approached Drasik Studio to produce an official lyric video for “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” marking the Thriller album’s 40th anniversary. Notably, the song had never received an official music video, giving the creative team a rare opportunity: total freedom, with one major condition.
There was to be no reference to Michael Jackson’s past likeness, iconic looks, or previously established visual motifs.
Rather than seeing this as a limitation, Drasik Studio embraced it as a creative catalyst.
With lyrics positioned as the hero of the project, the studio focused heavily on typography: its design, rhythm, and motion. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” is famously packed with fast-paced, often misheard lyrics, and the video leans into that reality, using kinetic type to clarify, energize, and visually perform the words in sync with the music.
Japan-Inspired, Globally Minded
Visually, the team drew inspiration from Japanese culture, particularly anime aesthetics, blended with contemporary underground street style. The result is a bold, modern look that complements the song’s post-disco, funk-driven energy while avoiding nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake.
Anime-style characters appear at key moments throughout the video, representing cultural and ethnic diversity, an intentional nod to Michael Jackson’s global reach and universal appeal. These characters don’t imitate MJ; instead, they channel the boundary-pushing spirit he embodied throughout his career.
The aesthetic is confident, colorful, and unapologetically modern, designed to resonate with longtime fans while welcoming a younger audience encountering the song in a digital-first world.
Why Drasik Studio?
So why did the Michael Jackson Estate and Sony Music choose Drasik Studio for such a significant project?
First, the studio’s strength in art direction and storytelling made them ideal for a lyric-driven piece where visuals needed to carry meaning without relying on archival imagery or familiar MJ iconography. Second, their experience crafting unique visual identities allowed them to honor the music without copying the past.
Drasik Studio understands how to respect legacy while still pushing forward, an essential balance when working with an artist as culturally significant as Michael Jackson.
Is It Strange to Avoid Michael Jackson’s Likeness?
For many long-time Michael Jackson fans, the absence of MJ’s visual presence in the “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” lyric video was immediately noticeable and, for some, distancing. Michael Jackson’s image, movement, and unmistakable style are deeply woven into how generations of fans emotionally connect to his music. Without those familiar visual anchors, part of the audience found it difficult to immediately associate the new design language with the artist they revere.
This reaction is understandable. Few artists in history have such a powerful visual identity, and for many fans, Michael Jackson himself is the bridge between sound and image. In that sense, MJ alone has always been enough to attract new generations, his music, charisma, and cultural impact have proven timeless without needing reinvention.
However, from the Estate and Sony Music’s perspective, the decision to avoid direct references to Michael Jackson’s likeness was a conscious attempt to let the music and lyrics lead the experience, rather than relying on familiar iconography. The aim was not to replace or redefine MJ, but to create a parallel visual interpretation, one that could exist alongside his legacy rather than replicate it.
In this context, Drasik Studio’s approach represents an experiment in how Michael Jackson’s catalog can live in today’s visual culture: one where typography, motion, and global artistic influences carry the song forward. While it may not resonate equally with every segment of the fanbase, it reflects an ongoing effort to keep MJ’s work visible and active in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, without diluting or reusing the imagery that fans already hold sacred.
Did It Leave a Lasting Impression?
Since the lyric video’s release, a lingering question remains: did Sony Music and the Michael Jackson Estate succeed in creating something that truly stayed in the collective memory? From where many fans stand, the answer appears uncertain at best. While the video was visually polished, fresh, colorful, and technically accomplished, it has generated little sustained conversation within the fan community or beyond. Since 2023, there has been no noticeable wave of enthusiasm, no recurring praise on social media, and no strong emotional attachment expressed by longtime fans or casual listeners alike. In an era where successful visual releases spark ongoing discussion, sharing, and reinterpretation, silence speaks volumes. As a result, despite its artistic merits, the project struggles to register as culturally impactful. For many observers, this positions the video not as a bold reinvention, but as a missed opportunity, pleasant to watch, yet ultimately forgettable.
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