Jump to content

What About Us? (Brandy song): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
style fixes, incl. dates, MOS:LINK and MOS:TEXT
Year-end chart added
Line 8: Line 8:
| Released = January 1, 2002
| Released = January 1, 2002
| Recorded = 2001
| Recorded = 2001
| Genre = [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]
| Genre = [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[electronic music|electronic]]
| Length = 4:10 <small>(album version)</small> <br> 3:57 <small>(radio mix)</small>
| Length = 4:10 <small>(album version)</small> <br> 3:57 <small>(radio mix)</small>
| Label = [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]
| Label = [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]
Line 19: Line 19:
}}
}}


"'''What About Us?'''" is an [[contemporary R&B|R&B]] song written by American singer-songwriter [[Brandy Norwood|Brandy]], [[LaShawn Daniels]], [[Rodney Jerkins]], Kenisha Pratt, and Nora Payne for Brandy's third studio album, ''[[Full Moon (Brandy Norwood album)|Full Moon]]'' (2002). It was produced by Jerkins, and was released as the album's lead single during the first quarter of 2002 (see [[2002 in music]]). While "What About Us?" managed to enter the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, it reached the top ten in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, [[Philippines]], the United Kingdom, and the United States. [[Steve "Silk" Hurley]]'s remix version was nominated for a 2003 [[Grammy Award]] for "[[Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical|Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical]]".
"'''What About Us?'''" is a song by American recording artist [[Brandy Norwood]]. It was written by [[LaShawn Daniels]], [[Rodney Jerkins]], Kenisha Pratt, Nora Payne, and Norwood for her third studio album, ''[[Full Moon (Brandy Norwood album)|Full Moon]]'' (2002), featuring main production by Jerkins. The song's development was motivated by the fact that the singer wanted something different – an aggressive, sexier and edgier sound with a message which would give women strength while also portraying her own growth and maturity.
The song was released as the album's lead single during the first quarter of 2002 (see [[2002 in music]]). While "What About Us?" managed to enter the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, it reached the top ten in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, [[Philippines]], the United Kingdom, and the United States. [[Steve "Silk" Hurley]]'s remix version was nominated for a 2003 [[Grammy Award]] for "[[Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical|Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical]]".


== Writing and recording ==
== Writing and recording ==
"What About Us?" was one of a couple of new tracks Jerkins worked on while he was putting the finishing touches on Brandy's ''[[Full Moon (Brandy album)|Full Moon]]'' album in Los Angeles, California.<ref name="one">{{cite web|title="Brandy Comes Full Circle On ''Full Moon''"|work=MTV News|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451839/20020117/brandy.jhtml|accessdate=January 17, 2007}}</ref> After playing it to her, enthusiastic Brandy asked Jerkins to save the "offbeat, aggressive high-tech track" for the album: "I was like 'Oh my God, Rodney, this is it", she said in an interview with ''[[MTV News]]'' the following year. "This is exactly what the industry needs. We can maybe change the game with this.' He said, 'Yeah, this is what I'm going for'."<ref name="one"/> The singer eventually consulted longtime collaborators [[LaShawn Daniels]], Nora Payne and Kenisha Pratt to re-write several lyrics in the song. "I told them what I wanted to talk about. 'This is an aggressive record – it's edgy, it's sexy. I wanna sing about something that's sexy and edgy.' I revisited my past in my mind and kind of told them what I wanna talk about."<ref name="one"/>
"What About Us?" was one of a couple of new tracks Jerkins worked on while he was putting the finishing touches on Brandy's ''[[Full Moon (Brandy album)|Full Moon]]'' album in Los Angeles, California.<ref name="one">{{cite web|title=Brandy Comes Full Circle On ''Full Moon''|work=MTV News|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451839/20020117/brandy.jhtml|accessdate=January 17, 2007}}</ref> After playing it to her, enthusiastic Brandy asked Jerkins to save the "offbeat, aggressive high-tech track" for the album: "I was like 'Oh my God, Rodney, this is it", she said in an interview with ''[[MTV News]]'' the following year. "This is exactly what the industry needs. We can maybe change the game with this.' He said, 'Yeah, this is what I'm going for'."<ref name="one"/> The singer eventually consulted longtime collaborators [[LaShawn Daniels]], Nora Payne and Kenisha Pratt to re-write several lyrics in the song. "I told them what I wanted to talk about. 'This is an aggressive record – it's edgy, it's sexy. I wanna sing about something that's sexy and edgy.' I revisited my past in my mind and kind of told them what I wanna talk about."<ref name="one"/>


Brandy has noted that it took the team a while to get it because she didn't want "that sound that’s already saturated the industry. It’s important to me to be a trendsetter and change the game. It was a great feeling to see Rodney soar like that."<ref name="three">{{cite web|title="Brandy Released Her New Single "What About Us?"|work=e-Jams|url=http://www.ejams.com/brandy.htm|accessdate=January 17, 2007}}</ref> The song's protagonist describes the aftermaths of an untrue love, facing would-be Mr. Right with the current point of the one-sided attachment. "It was about being in a relationship that's not working anymore," Brandy said in a 2005 interview, adding: "'What About Us' was a little more aggressive and different for me. I'd say it was a little bit ahead of its time..."<ref name="five">{{cite web|title=''The Best of Brandy''|work=Soultracks|url=http://www.soultracks.com/brandy.htm|accessdate=January 17, 2007}}</ref> Media sources compared it to the [[Janet Jackson]] single "[[Control (Janet Jackson song)|Control]]," released in 1986 (see [[1986 in music]]), which the singer has cited as an influence on the song.<ref name="four">{{cite web|title="Brandy Expecting A 'Full Moon' On March 5"|work=XS-4-All|url=http://www.xs4all.nl/~mroyen/News/2002/news_january_13_2002.htm|accessdate=January 17, 2007}}</ref>
Brandy has noted that it took the team a while to get it because she didn't want "that sound that’s already saturated the industry. It’s important to me to be a trendsetter and change the game. It was a great feeling to see Rodney soar like that."<ref name="three">{{cite web|title=Brandy Released Her New Single 'What About Us?'|work=e-Jams|url=http://www.ejams.com/brandy.htm|accessdate=January 17, 2007}}</ref> The song's protagonist describes the aftermaths of an untrue love, facing would-be Mr. Right with the current point of the one-sided attachment. "It was about being in a relationship that's not working anymore," Brandy said in a 2005 interview, adding: "'What About Us' was a little more aggressive and different for me. I'd say it was a little bit ahead of its time..."<ref name="five">{{cite web|title=''The Best of Brandy''|work=Soultracks|url=http://www.soultracks.com/brandy.htm|accessdate=January 17, 2007}}</ref> Media sources compared it to the [[Janet Jackson]] single "[[Control (Janet Jackson song)|Control]]," released in 1986 (see [[1986 in music]]), which the singer has cited as an influence on the song.<ref name="four">{{cite web|title=Brandy Expecting A 'Full Moon' On March 5|work=XS-4-All|url=http://www.xs4all.nl/~mroyen/News/2002/news_january_13_2002.htm|accessdate=January 17, 2007}}</ref>


On January 8, 2002 the full song was available [[Streaming media|streamed]] on-demand in its entirety with a special recorded introduction from Brandy,<ref name="two">{{cite news|title="AOL Music Hosts Record Breaking Global 'First Listen' of Brandy's Latest Single"|work=Business Wire|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Jan_9/ai_81516415|accessdate=July 17, 2007 | date=January 9, 2002}}</ref> on the [[AOL]] service at [[AOL Music]]: ''First Listen'', across AOL's Web Properties including [[Netscape]], [[AOL Instant Messenger|AIM]], [[ICQ]] and [[CompuServe]], as well as on its international services in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, [[Mexico]]/[[Argentina]], and the UK.<ref name="two">{{cite news|title="AOL Music Hosts Record Breaking Global 'First Listen' of Brandy's Latest Single"|work=Business Wire|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Jan_9/ai_81516415|accessdate=January 17, 2007 | date=January 9, 2002}}</ref> "What About Us?" was remixed by several producers and DJs, among spawning versions with rappers [[Nas (rapper)|Nas]] and [[Joe Budden]] each. Although it "didn't pop," [[Darkchild]] signee Fats was supposed to appear on the album version of the song. [[Steve "Silk" Hurley]]'s remix version was nominated for a 2003 [[Grammy Award]] for "[[Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical|Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical]]".
On January 8, 2002 the full song was available [[Streaming media|streamed]] on-demand in its entirety with a special recorded introduction from Brandy,<ref name="two">{{cite news|title=AOL Music Hosts Record Breaking Global 'First Listen' of Brandy's Latest Single|work=Business Wire|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Jan_9/ai_81516415|accessdate=July 17, 2007 | date=January 9, 2002}}</ref> on the [[AOL]] service at [[AOL Music]]: ''First Listen'', across AOL's Web Properties including [[Netscape]], [[AOL Instant Messenger|AIM]], [[ICQ]] and [[CompuServe]], as well as on its international services in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, [[Mexico]]/[[Argentina]], and the UK.<ref name="two">{{cite news|title=AOL Music Hosts Record Breaking Global 'First Listen' of Brandy's Latest Single|work=Business Wire|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_Jan_9/ai_81516415|accessdate=January 17, 2007 | date=January 9, 2002}}</ref> "What About Us?" was remixed by several producers and DJs, among spawning versions with rappers [[Nas (rapper)|Nas]] and [[Joe Budden]] each. Although it "didn't pop," [[Darkchild]] signee Fats was supposed to appear on the album version of the song. [[Steve "Silk" Hurley]]'s remix version was nominated for a 2003 [[Grammy Award]] for "[[Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical|Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical]]".


== Music video ==
== Music video ==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Brandy wau1.jpg|210px|thumb|left|Brandy performing atop a pyramid of kneeling men in the music video for "What About Us?" (2002)|{{deletable image-caption|1=Monday, December 8, 2008}}]] -->The song's music video was directed by [[Dave Meyers (director)|Dave Meyers]] and produced by Ron Mohrhoff. It was entirely filmed at the Ten 9 Fifty Studios in [[Culver City, California]] between December 1 and 2, 2001, and features close shots and dance sequences using [[bluescreen|greenscreen technique]].<ref name="six">{{cite web|title=Brandy – "What About Us?"|work=MVD Base|url=http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=4361 |accessdate=February 25, 2007}}</ref>
The song's music video was directed by [[Dave Meyers (director)|Dave Meyers]] and produced by Ron Mohrhoff. It was entirely filmed at the Ten 9 Fifty Studios in [[Culver City, California]] between December 1 and 2, 2001, and features close shots and dance sequences using [[bluescreen|greenscreen technique]].<ref name="six">{{cite web|title=Brandy – What About Us?|work=MVD Base|url=http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=4361 |accessdate=February 25, 2007}}</ref>


The video does not have a substantial plot and, per Brandy's request, focuses on capturing her "moments as a performer," dealing with "different set-ups" and "beauty, fashion, edginess, hip."<ref>[http://vidsearch.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=956453805 "What About Us?" on ''Making the Video''] ''Myspace''. Retrieved 2007-02-05.</ref> It opens with a digitized long shot of the singer standing atop a pyramid of kneeling, taut men, all holding up Brandy on her pedestal. The scene switches into a "futuristic [[wind tunnel]]", where she wields a bat against cell phones, two-way pagers, and a flying man, whose sunglasses she grabs off. While the video among intercuts scenes of Brandy performing on a platform with two black-painted men in collars and leashes, it ends with her sitting in the passenger's seat in a [[lowrider]], amid a sea of lowriders. The final scenes feature [[cameo appearance]]s by [[Rodney Jerkins]] and Brandy's younger brother [[Ray J]].
The video does not have a substantial plot and, per Brandy's request, focuses on capturing her "moments as a performer," dealing with "different set-ups" and "beauty, fashion, edginess, hip."<ref>[http://vidsearch.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=956453805 "What About Us?" on ''Making the Video''] ''Myspace''. Retrieved 2007-02-05.</ref> It opens with a digitized long shot of the singer standing atop a pyramid of kneeling, taut men, all holding up Brandy on her pedestal. The scene switches into a "futuristic [[wind tunnel]]", where she wields a bat against cell phones, two-way pagers, and a flying man, whose sunglasses she grabs off. While the video among intercuts scenes of Brandy performing on a platform with two black-painted men in collars and leashes, it ends with her sitting in the passenger's seat in a [[lowrider]], amid a sea of lowriders. The final scenes feature [[cameo appearance]]s by [[Rodney Jerkins]] and Brandy's younger brother [[Ray J]].
Line 73: Line 75:


==Charts==
==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
===Weekly charts===
{|class="wikitable"
{|class="wikitable"
!align="left"|Chart (2002)
!align="left"|Chart (2002)
Line 114: Line 119:
|-
|-
|}
|}

{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Chart (2002)
! style="text-align:center;"|Peak<br />position
|-
|Australia ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-singles-2002.htm |title=ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 12002|publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]] |accessdate=2012-02-25}}</ref>
|align="center"|65
|-
|-
|Switzerland ([[Swiss Music Charts|Schweizer Hitparade]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=2002|title=Hitparade.ch - Jahreshitparade 2002|work=Swiss Music Charts. Hung Medien|accessdate=2011-03-20|language=Deutsch}}</ref>
|align="center"|80
|-
|US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=2002|title=Billboard Top 100 - 2002|accessdate=2012-03-06}}</ref>
|align="center"|65
|-
|}
{{col-end}}


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 15:47, 6 March 2012

"What About Us?"
Song

"What About Us?" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood. It was written by LaShawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, Kenisha Pratt, Nora Payne, and Norwood for her third studio album, Full Moon (2002), featuring main production by Jerkins. The song's development was motivated by the fact that the singer wanted something different – an aggressive, sexier and edgier sound with a message which would give women strength while also portraying her own growth and maturity.

The song was released as the album's lead single during the first quarter of 2002 (see 2002 in music). While "What About Us?" managed to enter the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, it reached the top ten in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Steve "Silk" Hurley's remix version was nominated for a 2003 Grammy Award for "Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical".

Writing and recording

"What About Us?" was one of a couple of new tracks Jerkins worked on while he was putting the finishing touches on Brandy's Full Moon album in Los Angeles, California.[1] After playing it to her, enthusiastic Brandy asked Jerkins to save the "offbeat, aggressive high-tech track" for the album: "I was like 'Oh my God, Rodney, this is it", she said in an interview with MTV News the following year. "This is exactly what the industry needs. We can maybe change the game with this.' He said, 'Yeah, this is what I'm going for'."[1] The singer eventually consulted longtime collaborators LaShawn Daniels, Nora Payne and Kenisha Pratt to re-write several lyrics in the song. "I told them what I wanted to talk about. 'This is an aggressive record – it's edgy, it's sexy. I wanna sing about something that's sexy and edgy.' I revisited my past in my mind and kind of told them what I wanna talk about."[1]

Brandy has noted that it took the team a while to get it because she didn't want "that sound that’s already saturated the industry. It’s important to me to be a trendsetter and change the game. It was a great feeling to see Rodney soar like that."[2] The song's protagonist describes the aftermaths of an untrue love, facing would-be Mr. Right with the current point of the one-sided attachment. "It was about being in a relationship that's not working anymore," Brandy said in a 2005 interview, adding: "'What About Us' was a little more aggressive and different for me. I'd say it was a little bit ahead of its time..."[3] Media sources compared it to the Janet Jackson single "Control," released in 1986 (see 1986 in music), which the singer has cited as an influence on the song.[4]

On January 8, 2002 the full song was available streamed on-demand in its entirety with a special recorded introduction from Brandy,[5] on the AOL service at AOL Music: First Listen, across AOL's Web Properties including Netscape, AIM, ICQ and CompuServe, as well as on its international services in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico/Argentina, and the UK.[5] "What About Us?" was remixed by several producers and DJs, among spawning versions with rappers Nas and Joe Budden each. Although it "didn't pop," Darkchild signee Fats was supposed to appear on the album version of the song. Steve "Silk" Hurley's remix version was nominated for a 2003 Grammy Award for "Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical".

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Dave Meyers and produced by Ron Mohrhoff. It was entirely filmed at the Ten 9 Fifty Studios in Culver City, California between December 1 and 2, 2001, and features close shots and dance sequences using greenscreen technique.[6]

The video does not have a substantial plot and, per Brandy's request, focuses on capturing her "moments as a performer," dealing with "different set-ups" and "beauty, fashion, edginess, hip."[7] It opens with a digitized long shot of the singer standing atop a pyramid of kneeling, taut men, all holding up Brandy on her pedestal. The scene switches into a "futuristic wind tunnel", where she wields a bat against cell phones, two-way pagers, and a flying man, whose sunglasses she grabs off. While the video among intercuts scenes of Brandy performing on a platform with two black-painted men in collars and leashes, it ends with her sitting in the passenger's seat in a lowrider, amid a sea of lowriders. The final scenes feature cameo appearances by Rodney Jerkins and Brandy's younger brother Ray J.

The final edit of "What About Us?" worldpremiered at the end of its Making the Video episode on MTV on January 10, 2002.[8] It debuted on the network's Total Request Live top ten video countdown on January 25 and peaked at number one, remaining on the countdown for 25 unconsecutive days.[9] The video entered the MuchMusic Countdown in Canada in the week ending February 8, and it peaked at number seven in the week ending February 22.[10]

The video was nominated for Viewers' Choice Video in the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.

Formats and tracklistings

These are the formats and track listings of major single-releases of "What About Us?."

Other versions
  • "What About Us (Felix Da Housecat's Glitz Mix)"
  • "What About Us (Joe Bermudez Messin' With Your Mind Mix)"

Charts

References

  1. ^ a b c "Brandy Comes Full Circle On Full Moon". MTV News. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
  2. ^ "Brandy Released Her New Single 'What About Us?'". e-Jams. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
  3. ^ "The Best of Brandy". Soultracks. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
  4. ^ "Brandy Expecting A 'Full Moon' On March 5". XS-4-All. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
  5. ^ a b "AOL Music Hosts Record Breaking Global 'First Listen' of Brandy's Latest Single". Business Wire. January 9, 2002. Retrieved July 17, 2007. Cite error: The named reference "two" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Brandy – What About Us?". MVD Base. Retrieved February 25, 2007.
  7. ^ "What About Us?" on Making the Video Myspace. Retrieved 2007-02-05.
  8. ^ ""Brandy Stands On Hill Of Men, Rocks Low Rider In New Video"". Vh1 News. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
  9. ^ "Archive". TRL Archive. Retrieved July 19, 2007.
  10. ^ "Countdown". Much Music. Retrieved July 19, 2007.
  11. ^ "Brandy – What About Us". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  12. ^ "Brandy – What About Us" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  13. ^ "Brandy – What About Us" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  14. ^ "Brandy – What About Us" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  15. ^ "Brandy Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  16. ^ "Brandy – What About Us". Tracklisten. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  17. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Brandy" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  18. ^ "Brandy – What About Us" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  19. ^ "Chart Track: Week 7, 2002". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  20. ^ "Brandy – What About Us". Top Digital Download. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  21. ^ "Brandy – What About Us". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  22. ^ "Brandy – What About Us". VG-lista. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  23. ^ "Brandy – What About Us". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  24. ^ "Brandy – What About Us". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  25. ^ "Brandy: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  26. ^ "Brandy Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  27. ^ "Brandy Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  28. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 12002". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved February 25, 2012.
  29. ^ "Hitparade.ch - Jahreshitparade 2002". Swiss Music Charts. Hung Medien (in Deutsch). Retrieved March 20, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  30. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 2002". Retrieved March 6, 2012.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=What_About_Us%3F_(Brandy_song)&oldid=480506481"