Vodafone carries sweet music across countries

The two women, Ainur and Dina, met in Russia while they were attending conservatory. Their friendship has lasted for 35 years, but the music has fallen flat. 

Vodafone set out to change that. Before the big reveal, they talk about their relationship to music, their deep friendship, and Ainur gets emotional as she says that music is in every organ of her body; in every cell. It’s a touching moment, coming right after the reveal that Ainur was diagnosed with cancer in 2020. The emotion is allowed to ride in this piece, and when the two women finally get to play music together, it feels genuine and earned.

Using a pair of souped-up internet-connected pianos, when Dina plays the opening notes in Amsterdam, the keys on Ainur’s piano depress. It’s as if they’re playing together again. Director Maarten Groen has crafted a nuanced performance from these two women, and not just from behind the piano keys. The Boundless 5G Duet was created by production company DPPLR and helmed by agency Glasnost.