“I was on a beach the first time I heard ‘Escape (The Piña Colada Song),'” JAX, the singer known for “Victoria’s Secret,” tells HollywoodLife when discussing her remix of the Rupert Holmes yacht-rock classic. The American Idol alum has teamed with Malibu Rum to offer a new take on the classic. “What’s really cool is this song (and cocktail) brings you those vacay vibes anywhere, though! I’ve been making Piña Coladas with Malibu at BBQs and hope the remake inspires others to do the same, wherever they’re celebrating!”
JAX tells HL that she was “beyond excited” when the classic Caribbean rum asked her to help give the song associated with the drink.” always have notes, but with Malibu, I was just like this is an awesome way to make people feel good,” she adds. “I was smiling the whole time working on this – it’s a really endearing and fun song to be a part of.
“It’s been super fun for everyone – I love the song, ‘Escape,’ and it brings me happy memories,” says JAX. “When talking to Malibu, I said I could remix this and make new memories for people, and took my own creative liberties to make it a new bop for summer (and after that!), thinking about how it would exist in 2023 with a drop.”
The song also came with a vividly colorful music video that catches the vibe JAX was going for. “While the music video takes place at an outdoor summertime celebration, the idea is that the song/cocktail inspires the feel-good vibes of Malibu no matter where you are,” she says. “Even working on this iconic song almost felt like a little mini vacation (definitely not like work) for me because it was so joyful and a great way to get in a positive mindset before the tour.”
What has made” ‘Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” endure since its release in 1979 is Rupert Holmes – the stage name for British-American songwriter/dramatist/composer David Goldstein – is a master of weaving a story into a song. It’s why his work on the stage (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) and screen (WENN) is just as captivating as it is on your favorite streaming service.
“Rupert Holmes is a genius,” remarks JAX. “The lyrics of ‘Escape (The Piña Colada Song)’ read like a story, which made working on this remix so special. It was really cool to follow the storyline of the song and see what I could resonate with so that I could put my own spin on it!
“We put a fresh take on this classic with a fun Malibu reimagined music video (directed by the renowned Drew Kirsch),” she adds. “You’ll see the lyrics come to life through the ultimate Piña Colada-themed party that mirrors the vibe of the song in the present day and embodies Malibu’s Do Whatever Tastes Good playful energy.”
JAX is no stranger to telling stories in her songs – or TikTok when she went viral for showing the mom’s side of things from Fountains of Wayne’s “Stacy’s Mom” hit. “I’ve always taken the storytelling approach in my songwriting, so remixing Escape (The Piña Colada Song) was a perfect fit with Malibu and the brand’s carefree confidence to Do Whatever Tastes Good,” she says.
As for what’s next in JAX’s story? “This summer, I’m pumped to be heading out on tour with Big Time Rush for 35 dates throughout North America! The tour is such a summertime vibe, you can expect celebratory toasts with Malibu Piña Coladas!”
