Ruben Mendes

Remember this name, because you will be hearing a lot about him in a near future. Some of your favourite artists music videos feature the vision and direction of Ruben Mendes, one of the names to watch out for in this new generation for sure.

For those who don’t know you yet – who is Ruben Mendes?

I’m 19 years old, I’m a filmmaker, editor, and creative.

Where are you from? How would you describe your adolescence there, and how did it shape your creative path?

I was born in Maputo, Mozambique, and moved to Portimão when I was 7 months old, where I spent my life until I turned 18 and moved to Lisbon.
In Portimão, I spent most of my time behind my computer. I was always obsessed with technology, and since I wasn’t very social when I was younger, I had plenty of time to experiment and create whatever intrigued me.

Portimão was always very limiting, and as a consequence, it pushed me to look for other ways to express myself. I started by making homemade tapes of my friends with my phone, then moved on to music videos for local artists, and also a personal project called “ILOVEYOU”, where I tried to express my feelings through video.

The creative scene in Portimão, although it has improved, is still small today. We had a few good musicians and others not so much, but people working in audiovisual were always very few. Naturally, I surrounded myself with people who had a creative streak. Some of my closest friends there made music, and we always created projects together—whether it was my videos or their clips—and that helped me shape my identity.

Where did your interest in video and photography come from? Was there a specific moment or person who sparked it?

One of my first contacts with visual art was through my sister Filipa. I remember watching her create her designs in Photoshop to post on Tumblr from a very young age; she always had an excellent eye for art and aesthetics. I believe that seeing her work on her projects planted a creative seed in my mind. I created my first YouTube channel at 10 years old, where I made short films and remakes of music videos in GTA5 with my friends. I also had Instagram accounts with photos I took inside games.

It was at 13 that I made my first music video. I was in a park with my best friend at the time when she showed me a music video of her cousin’s first single. I remember thinking it was the worst thing ever - truly terrible - but it sparked a desire in me to try making a video with him. Not long after, we started filming with an iPhone 5, and miraculously, I managed to make a video even worse than the one we had seen. Even Ferp reacted to our video and roasted it.

That was the beginning of my journey, and from that moment on, I never stopped - right up until I moved to Lisbon.

Today you’re more focused on video. Is it the medium where you feel most fulfilled, or just your current career phase?

At the moment, making music videos is where I feel most fulfilled. Envisioning how a track is communicated is something I absolutely love doing. At the same time, I recognize that eventually I would like to direct films written by me and also explore other art forms more fully, such as design.

Tell us about byGRAIN. Is it an audiovisual agency? How did the project start?

byGRAIN was born from a desire to create a multidisciplinary creative powerhouse that allows us to share our ideas with the world. We work on any type of project that makes us feel fulfilled, whether it’s visual content, music, fashion, events - pretty much a bit of everything. It’s in our nature to have a deeper involvement with the artists we collaborate with. Beyond visuals, we often work on strategy, creative direction, events, merch, management, and various other areas important to an artist.

The core team at our studio in Chiado consists of ARV, Santiago Caiado, Daniel Pato, and myself. Sometimes we work solo, sometimes together, but always as byGRAIN.

You’ve been working closely with ATJ, an artist rising fast in the portuguese underground scene. How is it to witness the growth of someone you work with and also consider a friend?

I’ve been working with Afonso since his first project in 2022. Growing in this world with someone from such an early stage in both our careers is rare - something that needs to be cherished. Being with him at his first club show in Lagos and then, two years later, seeing him perform at Sumol Summer Fest is an indescribable feeling. Watching ATJ’s growth has been an incredible journey, which at the same time always felt inevitable, because I’ve always seen his potential

And when you work with artists you admired growing up—how does it feel to go from fan to collaborator?

It’s always a blessing to be part of the art of the people who inspired you to start in your field. It’s a surreal feeling, but also a bit intimidating, as it made me question whether I could meet their expectations. However, I quickly realized that they are just normal people trying to do their thing - it’s like meeting a coworker or making a new friend. This might seem obvious to many, but when I was younger, I genuinely thought that the artists I admired were superhuman and unattainable. I find reality much more beautiful.

Recently you’ve worked with Daniel Pato, a historical name in the portuguese underground scene. How has that experience been? Have you learned a lot from him?

I met Pato at the end of 2024 during the shoot for Crashout x Estábulo by Yuri NR5. At the time, I had no idea of his impact on the creative scene in Portugal, nor what he represents. When we started developing “Alta Costura” side by side, I quickly realized his talent and unique vision. I remember the first brainstorming sessions at his place perfectly - the way our ideas flowed and the projects we managed to build in the end are something I will always cherish. Continuing to work and learn with him has been a blessing, and considering him a friend even more so.

This year you worked on big projects - music videos for Van Zee, Sippinpurpp, Yuri NR5, Lon3r, ProfJam… Is 2025 your year?

Even before 2025 started, you could feel in the air that it was going to be a year of positive change. Over the past 365 days, my life has completely transformed in every aspect. I moved to Lisbon in september 2024 and immediately met an amazing group of people who welcomed me and gave me the opportunity to learn and shine. I’ve had several blessings that made 2025 my year.

How do you see the creative and musical scene in Portugal right now? What’s positive, and what still needs improvement?

I feel that the scene in Portugal is reaching a turning point that has been needed for a long time. I believe that soon we will experience a cultural reset across all areas, especially in the visual world, with names like ARV, Valdir, and many other directors, VFX artists, and designers leading the way.

A positive message to our community :)

Shoutout to Portufiles for your work and meticulous documentation of portuguese culture.
And to anyone still reading this who has a dream: dive in headfirst, give everything you have to give, and sooner or later you’ll start reaping the rewards - be inevitable.