Natalia Nykiel recorded "Peace" in Cyprus. Salt and mud damaged the crew's shoes.

Natalia Nykiel also chose Cyprus as the location for her music video. In 2017, the island was the location for the video for "Spokoj" (Peace), one of the songs that launched the next stage of her career. Instead of postcard-worthy beaches, however, the crew chose a completely different location.

The film was shot on a dried-up salt lake. The stark, almost desert-like landscape perfectly complemented the minimalist concept of the video, but working there proved to be much more challenging than the serene shots suggest.

Natalia Nykiel recorded on a dry lake

“Spokój” appeared in 2017 as the first single announcing Natalia Nykiel’s second studio album.

A music video for the song, directed by Krzysztof Grudziński, was created. The crew flew to Cyprus, but instead of the typical seaside locations, they chose the bottom of a dried-up salt lake.

Filming took just one day. The entire piece was shot in slow motion, deliberately contrasting with the tempo of the song itself. The artist aimed for minimalism and symbolism.

The effect is distinctive. The space appears almost completely empty, with bright, raw surfaces dominating, and more intense colors appearing primarily in the styling.

There were several centimeters of mud under the salt

What is not visible at first glance in the finished clip was later told by Natalia Nykiel herself.

The lake's surface was covered with a layer of salt. Beneath this was about two inches of mud.

For the film crew, this meant much more difficult working conditions than one might expect from the final result.

Nykiel recalled that the salt and mud damaged the footwear so much that the participants in the filming left one pair of shoes in Cyprus.

And it is this story that makes the Cypriot set of "Peace" more interesting than the usual outdoor location used in the music video.

Cyprus, but without the holiday atmosphere

Other Polish music videos shot on the island feature the sea, beaches, palm trees and the most recognizable attractions.

Natalia Nykiel went in the opposite direction.

The Cyprus in "Calm" is stark, empty, and almost abstract. At first glance, the dried-up salt lake could seem to be in a completely different part of the world.

That's why the clip shows another side of the island.

Cyprus doesn't have to be all blue seas and holiday resorts. In summer, the drying salt pans can create a landscape more reminiscent of a desert than a typical Mediterranean postcard.

"Peace" heralded a new phase

The song was also important for the artist herself.

Nykiel said at the time that the title was subversive. The song spoke about a very turbulent period in her life. The singer treated it as a personal piece and a preview of her next album.

In the fall of 2017, "Discordia" was released – the artist's second studio album.

“Spokój” was the first announcement of the release, which appeared three years after the debut “Lupus Electro”.

Cyprus was featured in the music video opening another important chapter of her career.

Who is Natalia Nykiel?

Natalia Nykiel became known to the wider public thanks to "The Voice of Poland." In 2013, she reached the show's finale, competing on Patrycja Markowska's team.

A year later, her debut album "Lupus Electro" was released.

The real breakthrough came with subsequent singles. "Bądź Duży" and "Error" became among the singer's biggest hits and cemented her position on the Polish electronic pop scene.

“Spokój” continued this story, but also heralded more personal material.

And its visual side was created thousands of kilometers away from Poland.

One day in Cyprus stayed in the clip for years

The filming lasted only one day.

However, they left behind a music video, which has already garnered millions of views on Natalia Nykiel's official channel. The official video was released in June 2017.

For people familiar with Cyprus, the choice of location may be particularly interesting.

Margaret utilized the Paphos area. KOMBII showcased, among other locations, the Aphrodite's Rock area. Szymon Wydra and 4Dreamers filmed in Limassol.

Natalia Nykiel, on the other hand, showed a landscape almost completely devoid of tourist associations.

The whiteness of salt, mud and vast empty space were enough for Cyprus to play a completely different role in "Peace".

The material was developed based on Natalia Nykiel's official music video, Red Bull materials, the artist's statement for Interia Muzyka and archival publications regarding the making of the "Spokój" video.