Video Phone (song)

For the video telecommunication device, see: Videophone

"Video Phone"
Song

"Video Phone" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce (2008). The track was released as the album's eighth single. Before its release as a single, the song charted in late 2008 due to strong digital sales. It was sent to U.S. radio on September 22, 2009. It was going to be released on CD on September 22 as well; however, it was delayed to November 17, 2009.

Critical reception

In its review of the album, The Guardian stated that the song is "almost equally weird" as "Diva" "but much better": "The spare, eerie backdrop of groans and echoing electronics is so thrilling". PopMatters wrote that "'Video Phone' is sexy enough to the point where it almost becomes uncomfortable to think of her listening back to this with her father in the room."

Chart performance

After the album's release in 2008, the song charted on the Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number fourteen due to strong airplay. After the song was released as a single in 2009, it debuted at number sixty-six on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart solely based on airplay. The single has peaked at number seven so far. "Video Phone" makes I Am… Sasha Fierce one of the first albums of the 21st century to have seven entries on the U.S. R&B chart ("Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "If I Were a Boy", "Diva", "Halo", "Ego", "Sweet Dreams", and "Video Phone").

Remix with Lady Gaga

The official remix & video features pop singer Lady Gaga. This remix is included on the deluxe edition re-release of the album.

Music video

The video, featuring Lady Gaga features Gaga out of her usual style taking on her "Gee-yoncé" persona.

The video will be directed by Hype Williams. On October 15, 2009, a spokesperson for Williams confirmed to MTV News that reports of Lady Gaga and Beyoncé working on the music video together true.

Although details are still scarce about just what Beyoncé and Lady Gaga will be doing in the video, Gaga did talk about the clip in a new interview: "When I was doing her video with her, she called me and she said, 'What do you want to do?'" Gaga explained in an interview with New York's Z100 radio station on Tuesday morning (October 27): "And I'm like, 'I don't want to show up in some frickin' hair bow and be Fashion Gaga in your video.' I said, 'I want to do you.'" In a photo that emerged from the video shoot, Gaga was seen wearing a white strapless leotard with matching opera gloves, and her long hair is loose and flowing. "I want to do my version of Beyoncé", she said. "So the whole time I was learning the choreography they were calling me Gee-yoncé."

"Video Phone" was set to premiere in the United States on MTV and MTV.com on November 5, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. EST and in 162 other countries after the MTV Europe Music Awards; however, due to unknown reasons the video did not premiere as scheduled. The video will premiere on November 23, 2009.

Track listing

USA CD single(UPC:886975929528)

1. "Video Phone" (Album Version) – 3:35
2. "Video Phone" (Instrumental) – 3:27

Credits

Performance credits

• Beyoncé - primary artist

Technical Credits

• Tom Coyne - Mastering
• Jim Caruana - Engineer
• Beyoncé Knowles - Producer, Executive Producer
• Mathew Knowles - Executive Producer
• Miles Walker - Engineer
• Bangladesh - Producer

Charts

Chart (2009)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	51 [a]

Notes

• a ^ Album version

Release history

Country	Date	Format
United States	September 22, 2009 [a]	Airplay
	November 17, 2009[a]	CD single

Notes

• a ^ Album version

• b ^ Remix version