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"XXXO"
Song

"XXXO" is a song by British musician M.I.A.. It was released by XL Recordings and Interscope Records on the 11 May 2010 as the lead single for her third studio album Maya. The song was written by Maya "M.I.A." Arulpragasam, Charles "Blaqstarr" Smith and Cherry Byron-Withers, and produced by Blaqstarr and Rusko. "XXXO" was first released as a digital download following its world premiere on radio on 10 May 2010, and released in physical format in the United Kingdom on 28 June 2010. Two XXXO remix EPs were released alongside the single, featuring Jay-Z and SBTRKT amongst others on official remixes. The song's release followed the digital release of "Born Free", also from Maya.

An uptempo electropop-dance song, "XXXO" exhibits a Tamil folk music-influenced melody with elements of techno, electronica and tribal music displayed. The song's instrumentation consists of marching band percussion, and backing vocals, drawing inspiration from pop music. "XXXO" is lyrically based on the theme of the creation of a sex symbol and romance in the digital age. Music critics praised the direction of the record, its playful lyrics and futuristic sound. An accompanying music video for the song was filmed by M.I.A. during the month of July 2010, who opted to direct herself having initially commissioned Hype Williams to direct. It features graphics interchange formats and animation of her album artwork, and depicts the singer singing seductively to the camera and scenes from her flip-cam, framed by stars, greeting card flower decorations and English words written in Arabic calligraphy scripts. The video features leopard imagery alongside references to social networking platforms such as MySpace and YouTube, with the singer singing "you want me be somebody who I'm really not" as the song's chorus. The video was nominated for the "Best Video" award at the 2011 UK Asian Music Awards. The "XXXO Burka" she wore to the 2010 Scream Awards was named by TIME as the second top fashion statement of 2010.

Following the release of Maya, the song charted at number 26 in the United Kingdom and number 30 in Scotland, debuting at number two on the UK Indie Chart and number 12 on the UK R&B Chart. "XXXO" is M.I.A.'s second single to reach the UK top 40 and second most successful single in the UK after "Paper Planes" reached number 19 in 2009. The single debuted at number 74 in Australia, charted at number 39 in Spain, reached number 60 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, and the top ten on the Danish radio airplay chart and in Belgium. "XXXO" was danced to by contestants Robert Roldan and Courtney Galliano of So You Think You Can Dance in 2010 for their Jazz selection. M.I.A. performed the song live for the first time at the Toronto Sound Academy in 2010. Critically, "XXXO" was lauded as yet another departure for M.I.A.. The song was listed at number two on the NME's best tracks of 2010 and in October 2011, the publication placed it at number 70 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".

Background

"XXXO" was written by M.I.A., Charles Smith, and Cherry Byron-Withers and produced by Rusko and Blaqstarr. The single was premiered on BBC Radio 1 as Zane Lowe's "Hottest Record in the World" on 11 May, 2010.[1]

Composition

"XXXO" is a beat-driven uptempo synthpop-electronica club song. It draws heavily from M.I.A.'s trademark percussion and clap beats in each bar and incorporates a folk style melody.[2] "XXXO" is considered the most pop-influenced song on the album, with M.I.A. describing the song as showcasing her "cheesy pop side".[3] "XXXO" is performed in a tempo of 120 beats per minute. Written in common time, the song is in verse-chorus form with a bridge before the fourth and final chorus repeating as the coda. The song's instrumentation is simple and minimal, consisting of electro keyboard synths, marching band percussion, beeps and bloops. Charles Aaron of Spin noted that the song was one of M.I.A.'s most plainspoken tracks, reminiscent of the "data-dazed R'n'B" of the song "Space" on the album.[4] Ann Powers of Los Angeles Times compared the song's chorus vocals favorably to those of Robyn and that her vocal style resembled a girlish coo of early 1980s new wavers, about a seduction that was artistic and not sensual.[5]

"XXXO" is a portmanteau of "XXX," which most commonly represents pornography, and "XOXO," which implies kisses and hugs; a slant on teenage girls' charm, naivety, and their attempts to appeal to boys. "XXXO" is also meant to be a pun to "Excess Sex Oh", which expresses disapproval of the overly manifested sexuality of modern media. Lyrically, the song concerns the making of a sex symbol, and consists of M.I.A pulling a switcheroo on a pop template.[5] The song's lyrics contain textspeak, and reference iPhones and Twitter.[6][7] The bridge features the lyrics "Upload your photo / see below / you like what you see, you can download and store / we can find ways / just scan what you know / I can be that actress, you be Tarantino." A writer for Rap-Up describes the song as an angry love letter, noting how the singer laments over an over-bearing boyfriend who is "tweeting [her] like Tweety Bird on [his] iPhone" before giving him the cold shoulder in the chorus "You want me be somebody who I'm really not."[8] According to Powers, the male in her picture is Tarantino, less likely a lover than a producer trying to turn her big ideas into something more containable. The bridge features the lyrics "I can be that actress" but as the reviewer notes "she really can't. She's all push and pull; like her fellow "post-feminist" art star Karen O, she understands that something's gotta break -- either the role designed for her, or herself."[5]

Release and promotion

M.I.A. performing "XXXO" during her /\/\ /\ Y /\ Tour

The song was premiered on BBC Radio 1 on 10 May 2010 in the UK.[9] It was released as a digital download on 11 May 2010 with the physical release of the single the following day. On 18 July 2010 it reached number 26 on the UK Singles Chart. "XXXO" was danced to by contestants Robert Roldan and Courtney Galliano of So You Think You Can Dance in 2010.

"XXXO"'s official remixes included contributions from Riton ReRub, SBTRKT and a dirty mix by Blaqstarr appearing on the UK 12-inch single released by XL Recordings. A red transparent 7-inch single was released featuring the main song and Blaqstarr dirty mix. An official main mix features rapper Jay-Z who previously appeared on a remix of the M.I.A. single "Boyz" from the How Many Votes Fix Mix EP. This main mix leaked onto the Internet on 10 June 2010. The US CD Single feature various official remixes including the Jay-Z main mix, two remixes of this mix by Fulton Yard with Walt Boogie and Rieces Pieces and those remixes by Riton ReRub and SBTRKT. Two Digital EPs of these remixes to the song were released separately by her labels in June 2010 in 12 inch single, CD and download formats. XL Recordings and Interscope Records released XXXO (The Remixes) on 15 June 2010 and XXXO The Remixes, Part 2 on 29 June 2010.[10][11] DJ Qness and Mujava created their own remix which was circulated on the Internet, fusing South African Kwaito, house music and M.I.A.'s pop vocal alignment.[12] On the 15 June, 2010, Zane Lowe made the Jay-Z remix his "Hottest Record in the World", a month following bestowing the single the same accolade.[13] "XXXO" was released in the UK on June 28, 2010.[14] Revealing her surprise that Jay-Z liked and decided to appear on the album version of "XXXO" and not Blaqstarr's dirty mix which was more "urban" sounding to the songwriter, M.I.A noted "It was interesting he liked the one with the crazy synths and stuff. It's more sort of [an] electro vibe ... and his verse is so great. It was good to hear him say the word 'metrosexual.' "[15]

M.I.A. performed "XXXO" at the Sound Academy in Toronto in late 2009. On the red carpet to the Spike TV 2010 Scream Awards she wore the "XXXO Burka", a black burka - a traditional Islamic garment - printed with lyrics, the graphic "XO I Love You" inside a heart and artwork to the song and album, and revealing teal eye shadow, studded stilettos and yellow nail polish.[16] The singer went with a different ensemble for her onstage performance later in the night, sporting a blue-turquoise wig, yellow sequined blouse, pink pants and green shoes to sing "Teqkilla."[17] Time magazine placed the "XXXO Burka" at number two on its list of the "Top Ten Fashion Statements of 2010", stating "there was a sharp intake of breath when singer M.I.A. turned up at an awards event this year in one of the most controversial garments of our era: a burqa. For many, it's a symbol of oppression, representing the systematic silencing of female voices. For others, it's a symbol of liberation, freeing the women who wear it from oversexualization or objectification of the female form. Either way, at least we know it's versatile" before concluding that it was difficult to be offended by the friendly piece.[18]

Reception

Critical reaction

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Rolling Stone[19]

Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly had concerns about M.I.A.'s third album after listening to previous single "Born Free", but said with "XXXO" his worries had been eased. Wete wrote, "this techno-tinged dance record is what we hoped for from our Sri Lankan anti-pop star. It's an aggressive but friendly love cut dressed up with playful lyrics [...] It's the fun, naughty stuff we like."[20] Rolling Stone's reviewer characterized the song as a "futuristic, tribal jam," revolving around "little more than reverb-dunked marching-band beat and M.I.A.'s tweaked-to-the-max vocals," before concluding "you have to admire her for always pushing her sound and art forward. When M.I.A. sings, "You want me be somebody who I'm really not," she does it with her middle finger raised high, pointing squarely at your face."[19] PopMatters described the song as being "catchy, relatively straightforward dance pop", shedding the "Technicolor excesses" and world-music hybridity that listeners had come to expect from the rapper.[21]

Chart performance

"XXXO" first debuted on the UK Singles Chart on 18 July 2010 at number 26, following the release of Maya. "XXXO" marks M.I.A.'s second Top 40 single and second most successful single after "Paper Planes" reached number 19 in 2009. The single also debuted at number 2 on the UK Indie Chart behind Example's "Kickstarts" as well as number 12 on the UK R&B Chart.

Awards and accolades

The song was listed at #2 on the NME's best tracks of 2010.[22] The song placed number 101 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2010, a list of the most popular songs of the year as chosen by listeners of Australian radio station Triple J.[23] In October 2011, NME placed it at number 70 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[24] The music video was nominated for the "Best Video" award at the 2011 UK Asian Music Awards.

Music video

Background and synopsis

The official music video was released on August 11, 2010 on her official VEVO account, following an announcement by M.I.A. on her Twitter feed that read "WORLD PREMIA XXXO XXXO XXXO VIDEO!!!YO!”.[25] The music video was to be directed by Hype Williams, but M.I.A. eventually directed the video.[26][27] The quirky, playful visuals, evolved from animated web graphics based on M.I.A.’s own designs for the album cover and booklet.[28][27] The video features shots filmed on M.I.A.'s flipcam.[29] The video for "XXXO" references several online social networking sites and resembles online gifs and animations that are popular on Arabic language Internet forums, blogs, and social/dating websites. It features M.I.A. in a number of headshots amongst glittery floral graphics, resembling those made on Blingee.com. At one point in the clip, four white unicorns gallop across the screen. Golden Arabic-style calligraphy spells out her name and, at another point, the phrase "click here to download," written in a similar font, scrolls diagonally across the screen. The YouTube screenshots featured on the cover of the Maya's album also appear in the video, in various video feedback sequences. The video ends with the MySpace refrain "Thank you for adding me."[30] As of February 2012, the video has had over 7 million views on YouTube.

Reception

Several music critics noted the video's difference to her previous video for "Born Free." After a week of upload, the video had over 2 million views on her VEVO account on YouTube. It reached 8 on Billboard magazine's AOL Video chart of the most streamed video clips on AOL music.[31] On August 18, 2010, the video was aired on Adult Swim. As of September, 2011 the video has over 5 million views on YouTube.

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from album liner notes:[32]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2010) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[33] 74
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[34] 7
Denmark Airplay (Tracklisten)[35] 3
Japan (Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay)[36] 29
Japan (Billboard Hot 100)[37] 60
Scotland (OCC)[38] 25
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[39] 39
UK Singles (OCC)[40] 26
UK Indie (OCC)[41] 2
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[42] 12

References

  1. ^ 19:27. "Zane Lowe's Hottest Records blog: Hottest Record - MIA - XXXO". BBC. Retrieved 2012-03-16. {{cite web}}: |author= has numeric name (help)
  2. ^ "M.I.A.'s Sri Lankan Graffiti". ASCAP. 2010-07-01. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  3. ^ Noakes, Tim (July 2010). "Shock to the System". Dazed & Confused (87): p.85. {{cite journal}}: |page= has extra text (help)
  4. ^ "SPIN - Google Books". Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  5. ^ a b c "Pop & Hiss". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ "New M.I.A. Track, 'XXXO' - What Do You Think? - reviews - NME.COM - The world's fastest music news service, music videos, interviews, photos and more". Nme.Com. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  7. ^ Powers, Ann (7 July 2010). "Album review: M.I.A.'s MAYA album". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  8. ^ "New Music: M.I.A. – 'XXXO' [CDQ]". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  9. ^ Tom Breihan (2010-05-10). "New M.I.A.: "XXXO"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  10. ^ "M.I.A. : Releases : XXXO". Interscope Records. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  11. ^ "Xxxo (The Remixes, Vol. 2) - EP -M.I.A." iTunes. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  12. ^ guitar switches says: (2010-07-26). "MIA, "XXXO (DJ Mujava and DJ Qness Remix)" MP3 « The FADER". Thefader.com. Retrieved 2012-03-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  13. ^ Producer Kat. "Zane Lowe's Hottest Records blog: Hottest Record - M.I.A - XXXO (Jay-Z Remix)". BBC. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  14. ^ "Xxxo: M.I.A." Amazon.com. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  15. ^ Baron, Zach (2010-07-06). "M.I.A. Collaborates With Nicki Minaj, Talks Jay-Z's "XXXO" Remix: "It Was Good to Hear Him Say the Word 'Metrosexual' " - New York Music - Sound of the City". Blogs.villagevoice.com. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  16. ^ Caitlin Petreycik (October 18, 2010). "M.I.A. Fashioned an 'XXXO' Burka for Herself". Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  17. ^ Up for Discussion Jump to Forums (2010-10-18). "M.I.A Wears a Burqa on Scream Awards Red Carpet". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  18. ^ #ixzz1gYiv2eQ3
  19. ^ a b O'Donnell, Kevin (11 May 2010). "M.I.A. Unveils New Futuristic Tribal Track "XXXO"". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 12 May 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ Wete, Brad (11 May 2010). "M.I.A.'s new single, 'XXXO': Now this is more like it". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 12 may 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  21. ^ Pan, Arnold. "M.I.A. - "XXXO" single (stream)". < PopMatters. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  22. ^ "Pictures of 75 best tracks of 2010 - Photos". Nme.Com. 2010-11-24. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  23. ^ "triple j : New music with Richard Kingsmill". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  24. ^ "150 Best Tracks Of The Past 15 Years". Nme.Com. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  25. ^ "M.I.A. drops video for 'XXXO' – FACT magazine: music and art". Factmag.com. 2010-08-11. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  26. ^ "Jay-Z Remix Of M.I.A.'s 'XXXO' Hits The Net - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  27. ^ a b "M.I.A. :Video : XXXO". Interscope. 11 August 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  28. ^ "M.I.A.'s new album pushed to July, single to premiere this week". Rap-Up. 2010-05-08. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  29. ^ "M.I.A. Shoots 'XXXO' Video on Flip Cam". Rap-Up.com. 2010-07-07. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  30. ^ "Video: M.I.A. – 'XXXO'". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
  31. ^ "XXXO - M.I.A." Billboard. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  32. ^ (Media notes). {{cite AV media notes}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Unknown parameter |Format= ignored (|format= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Type= ignored (|type= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Year= ignored (|year= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ "Issue1059.pdf" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  34. ^ "M.I.A. – XXX0" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  35. ^ "M.I.A. – XXX0" (in Danish). Tracklisten.
  36. ^ "Adult Contemporary Airplay". Billboard Japan. July 21, 2010. Archived from the original on July 21, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
  37. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. July 28, 2010. Archived from the original on July 28, 2010. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  38. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  39. ^ "M.I.A. – XXX0" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  40. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  41. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company.
  42. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.

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