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Who is Aidan Zamiri, the man shaping the stars’ image from Charli xcx to Billie Eilish?
Who is Aidan Zamiri, the visionary photographer and director behind the aesthetics of Charli XCX and Caroline Polachek, who will soon unveil his first feature film? Let’s dive into the visual universe of a creator redefining the codes of contemporary pop…
Aidan Zamiri: From design to moving images
In the world of experimental pop, visual aesthetics have almost become more essential than the music itself. British photographer and director Aidan Zamiri has clearly understood it and now appears as a leading figure.
At 29, the Glasgow-born talent is making a name for himself as a key figure in redefining the image of contemporary pop through collaborations with superstars. Among them are Charli XCX and her 360 video (2024), Billie Eilish and her Birds of a Feather video (2024), FKA twigs, Shygirl, Yung Lean, PinkPantheress, Sega Bodega, and Caroline Polachek and the photographs for the 2023 album Desire, I Want to Turn Into You.
As a former student at Central Saint Martins in London, he started his career in graphic design. This background gave him a unique sensibility to visual composition, which he then applied to photography and film directing. His style? A blend of elements from the 1990s, contemporary memes and a glitchy, VHS aesthetic. With a touch of humor, the Brit playfully subverts digital culture in a theatrical atmosphere.
Aidan Zamiri quickly caught the eye of Vivienne Westwood, JW Anderson, Nike, and Off-White. His work was soon recognized by the British Fashion Council, and his name was mentioned on the New Wave: Creatives list, celebrating the “50 most innovative and inspiring young creative talents worldwide.”
A successful collaboration with Charli xcx
The meeting between Aidan Zamiri and Charli xcx happened through a mutual friend, Caroline Polachek. Their collaboration began with a visual interpretation of the track 360. A whirlwind of cameos and humour that will mark the “Brat era” with its distinctive style. The song even won Video of the Year and Best Pop Video at the UK Music Video Awards in 2024. This recognition instantly cemented Aidan Zamiri’s position as a film director.
Cinema thus appears as an obvious continuation. Besides, the British artist isn’t exactly entering the world of the seventh art through the back door. With The Moment, a feature film scheduled for release in 2026 and distributed by A24, Charli xcx takes on a dual role as both producer and leading actress.
In this mockumentary – a fictional film presented in the style of a documentary – we follow the preparations of a pop star ahead of her first headlining tour. The cast includes Kylie Jenner, Rosanna Arquette, Alexander Skarsgård, Rachel Sennott, Mel Ottenberg, Shygirl, and even Arielle Dombasle.
A generational vision of the image
The collaborator of FKA twigs — behind the videos for jealousy (2022), meta angel (2022) and ride the dragon (2022) — ultimately embodies a new generation of visual creators… Artists shaped by an omnipresent digital culture and a post-Internet aesthetic.
Aidan Zamiri himself describes his identity as one shaped by Gen Z. A generation with constant access to a flood of content, and characterised by a deep nostalgia for times it hasn’t necessarily experienced firsthand.
The Moment (2026) by Aidan Zamiri has no release date yet.
