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Girl on Fire (album)

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Girl on Fire is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Alicia Keys. The album, which was released on November 22, 2012, is Keys' first release with RCA Records following Sony Music Entertainment's decision to close J Records during a company reshuffle. Girl on Fire was conceived shortly after Keys' marriage to record producer and rapper Swizz Beatz as well as the birth of her first child Egypt. The title track became the album's lead single, and charted at 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Background and development

Girl on Fire is Keys' fifth studio album, and follow up to 2009's The Element of Freedom. It also serves as the singer's first release under RCA Records, after a re-organization at parent company Sony Music Entertainment led to her previous label J Records roster being absorbed into RCA.[3] After 2009, Keys got married to record producer and rapper Swizz Beatz, became a mother, began co-managing her own career, produced and directed both a Broadway play and short film, in addition to designing a line of trainers for Reebok.[3] Keys had also either appeared on or produced material for several other artists including work on Kanye West, Emeli Sandé and Miguel's albums.[4] Speaking on how the events of the last three years inspired her during an interview with Billboard, Keys stated: "These last three years have been the most in every way. The most newest, the most difficult, the most loving, the most dream-filled, the most breaking free . . . an entire crazy dynamic of lessons and emotions to grow into and claim. This whirlwind has definitely forced me to be who I am, to be free enough and brave enough to just not accept anything else-nor try to be anything else."[3]

Speaking on how Girl on Fire was different to The Element of Freedom, Keys said "I've stepped more into my business and really... taken control for how I want that to be. So every way that I've created now is totally in a new space. It's more in a true space of who I am and what story it is that I'm trying to tell, what it is I'm going through, what the world is going through. And it's really important for me to describe that and say that exactly how I see it, period. So, things are just new. The world is new! Everything feels like brand new to me."[5]

Recording and production

Recording sessions for the album took place at Jungle City Studios and Oven Studios in New York, Chalice Studios and The Record Plant in Los Angeles, Geejam Studios in Jamaica, and Metropolis Studios in London.[6] Keys worked with a range of producers for Girl on Fire, including husband Swizz Beatz, Babyface, Kerry Brothers, Jr. and Jeff Bhasker among others.[4] When working on the album, Keys said she was not inspired by the current rhythmic trends in pop music. "I was really focused on writing, on the crafting of a song, more so than anything else. I didn't care about a beat. I didn't care about a hot track. I didn't even want to hear those things. I wanted to create a song."[7] During a Keep a Child Alive concert in New York, Keys met bluesy-rock guitarist Gary Clark, Jr.. Keys had initially asked Clark, Jr. if he would play the guitar elements from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by George Harrison. Seeing potential in Clark, Jr.'s skills, Keys would present him with the song "Fire We Make" and asked him if he could play some guitar on the track.[8] Speaking about the collaboration he said, "I went in and I was like, 'What do you want me to do?' and she was like, 'This is the song. You just do what you do, and we'll see what happens.' It was one of the best studio experiences I've ever had."[8]

Music and lyrics

The album's music is typified by Keys' heightened singing, piano playing,[9] and a minimalist production.[10] An R&B album,[1] Girl on Fire has a balance of conventional R&B songs and piano ballads.[11] It also showcases Keys' attempt at different styles, which range from electro soul and hip hop,[9] to rock and reggae flourishes.[12] The songs are mostly midtempo and feature unconventional chords and melodic changes.[12] Lyrically, Girl on Fire features aphorisms about relationships and God.[9] A portion of the album's songs have their narrator examining and struggling with a stifling relationship, while others touch on Keys' recent personal life, including marriage and motherhood.[13] James Reed of The Boston Globe writes that its "emphasis on looking inward recalls the mood of Beyoncé's 4."[10]

"Listen to Your Heart" is one of the album's uptempo songs, taking a more dancier direction than Keys' previous material. It contains the lyric "He says take a chance... Listen to your heart.. You say I'm a little bit scared/ Just hold on we're almost there."[14] The song "Brand New Me" was penned with Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé, as an autobiographical snapshot of Keys' life, while Sandé also helped Keys' pen two more songs, "Not Even the King" and "101".[14] Keys and Sandé previously worked together for Sandé's debut album Our Version of Events, on the song "Hope". On "Brand New Me", Keys sings about finally taking control over a domineering partner.[7] "Not Even the King" is a piano-driven song about "rich love" which is bigger than the entire world, where Keys sings: "They offer the world to have what we got, but I found the world in you."[15][16]

Promotion

In early September 2012, the audio for the song "Not Even the King" was uploaded to Keys' official VEVO channel.[16][15] On September 24, Keys performed an exclusive set for a MTV event called MTV Crashes Manchester (UK). The set which took place outside the City Cathedral in Manchester included a variety of songs from her discography as well as songs from Girl on Fire.[17] On September 28, she performed several new tracks from the album as well as older hits at the iTunes Festival.[18] On October 16, Keys performed her set at the 'City Advantage Love the Journey Concert' at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in New York City.[14] On November 12, Keys was featured on an episode of VH1 Storytellers. She performed multiple songs; old and new. Josh Stillman of Entertainment Weekly praised her appearance on the show as a whole; he wrote: "She carries herself onstage with cool and confidence – not showy or attention-seeking, merely comfortable – and speaks in a voice so smooth you could drape it over your shoulders."[19] He noted that Keys was backed by a six-piece band for songs such as "No One" and "If I Ain't Got You", but stripped down the mood for the "passionate solo renditions" of "Not Even the King" and "Brand New Me".[19]

On November 18, 2012, Keys performed "Girl on Fire" on The X Factor (UK) Results Show. On November 20, Keys streamed a Google+ Hangout on her official YouTube channel live from her studio, to give fans a "guided tour" of the album.[20] When announcing the session, she stated: "hear all the songs on the record [and] I'll be able to share my creative process and also tell you some of the very special and important meanings behind some of the songs."[20]

Tour

In November 2012, following her performance on The X Factor, Keys announced a eight date UK & Ireland arena tour, which will take place in 2013. Dates in other countries are expected to be announced soon.[citation needed] Keys also said that she will tour with Miguel beginning in March 2013.[21]

Singles

The album's title song was unveiled on September 4, 2012 as the album's first single.[22] Recorded as a three part suite, "Girl on Fire" was accompanied by an Inferno Remix which features two new verses from Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj and a Bluelight Remix where Keys' resings her vocals over a stripped back production. The song was written by Keys, Jeff Bhasker and Salaam Remi who also all worked together to produce the song. American rock guitarist Billy Squier also gets a writing credit for the inclusion of a sample of the drum track from his 1980 song "The Big Beat".[23] Keys performed "Girl on Fire" live for the first time at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards on September 6, 2012, where she joined by Nicki Minaj who rapped her verses from the Inferno Remix of the song as well as the 2012 Summer Olympics gymnastics gold medalist Gabby Douglas who performed during the second half of the song.[24] In the United States, "Girl on Fire" peaked at four on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart while on the Billboard Hot 100 the song has reached number 21. On November 19, 2012, "Brand New Me", which was co-written with Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé, impacted on urban adult contemporary radio in the United States.[25]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[13]
Entertainment WeeklyB[1]
The Guardian[9]
The Independent[26]
Los Angeles Times[27]
The Observer[28]
Rolling Stone[12]
Slant Magazine[29]
The Times[30]
Uncut[31]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 70, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 16 reviews.[32] Although she observed "one too many jazzy smoothfests", Melissa Maerz of Entertainment Weekly commented that "the music feels surprisingly intimate" when Keys returns to her piano-based songs.[1] Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone praised Keys as a musical "iconoclast" and dubbed it "both her catchiest and subtlest album yet – and one of the best R&B records of 2012."[12] Uncut stated, "Her technical brilliance remains stunning; it's now matched by her maturity and modernity."[31] Will Hodgkinson of The Times wrote that the album "works by combining odd modern touches with a classic songwriting sensibility."[30] Helen Brown of The Daily Telegraph felt that, although "the powerful simplicity of her lyrics" occasionally "tends toward the trite", the album "does at least see her classily smouldering and occasionally ablaze."[2] Andrew Hampp of Billboard felt that it is "low on the filler" of some of Keys' previous albums and dubbed it "arguably [her] most consistent album to date."[33] BBC Music's Daryl Easlea dubbed it "classic Keys at her most commercial".[34]

In a mixed review, Ben Ratliff of The New York Times observed "so many clichés" and critiqued that the songs with Keys' personal "subtext ... quickly grow trite, in words and music."[35] Dave Simpson of The Guardian wrote that, "as a reinvention, the album doesn't go far enough, and there are some underwhelming tunes".[9] Simon Price of The Independent found it to be "dominated by navel-gazing auto-therapy sessions" and asserted, "What it lacks, ironically, is fire."[36] Slant Magazine's Eric Henderson found the album to be "less a portrait of Keys's womanhood at a crossroads as it is another extension of a career spent predominantly navigating straight down the middle of the road."[29] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune, Kitty Empire of The Observer, and Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times all found it formulaic with Keys' previous albums;[28][37][27] Empire quipped, "she's supposed to be on fire here, not just warming the piano stool",[28] while Wood viewed it as another "collection of handsomely crafted, gorgeously sung ballads interrupted by several overworked anthems about the value of perseverance."[27]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."De Novo Adagio (Intro)"  1:19
2."Brand New Me"Alicia Keys, Emeli SandéKeys3:53
3."When It's All Over"Keys, John Stephens, Stacy BartheKeys, Jamie xx4:34
4."Listen to Your Heart"Keys, StephensKeys, Rodney Jerkins3:46
5."New Day"Keys, Andre Brissett, Kasseem Dean, Amber Streeter, Trevor Lawrence Jr., Andre YoungSwizz Beatz, Dr. Dre4:02
6."Girl on Fire" (Inferno Version) (featuring Nicki Minaj)Keys, Salaam Remi, Jeff Bhasker, Onika Maraj, Billy Squier[A]Keys, Remi, Bhasker4:30
7."Fire We Make" (Alicia Keys & Maxwell)Keys, Warren "Oakwud" Felder, Andrew Wansel, Gary Clark, Jr.Keys, Oakwud, Pop Wansel5:21
8."Tears Always Win"Keys, Bhasker, Bruno Mars, Phillip LawrenceKeys, Bhasker3:59
9."Not Even the King"Keys, SandéKeys3:07
10."That's When I Knew"Keys, Antonio Dixon, Kenneth EdmondsBabyface, Dixon4:05
11."Limitedless"Keys, Felder, Wansel, Streeter, BartheKeys, Oakwud, Pop Wansel3:57
12."One Thing"Keys, James Ho, Frank OceanMalay4:08
13."101"Keys, SandéKeys6:27
Total length:53:08
Japanese bonus tracks[38]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Girl on Fire" (Main Version)Keys, Remi, Bhasker, Squier[A]Keys, Remi, Bhasker3:44
15."Girl on Fire" (Bluelight Version)Keys, Remi, BhaskerKeys, Remi, Bhasker4:22
Notes

^[A] "Girl on Fire" samples the drum track from Billy Squier's 1980 song "The Big Beat", earning Squier a writing credit.[23]

Personnel

Credits for Girl on Fire adapted from Allmusic.[39]

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[40] 22
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[41] 50
Dutch Albums Chart[42] 8
Irish Albums Chart[43] 27
Norwegian Albums Chart[44] 13 Irish Albums Chart 14

Release history

Region Date Label Format(s)
Netherlands[45] November 22, 2012 Sony Music CD, digital download
Australia[46] November 23, 2012
Germany[47]
France[48] November 26, 2012 Jive Epic
United Kingdom[49] RCA Records CD, LP, digital download
United States[50] November 27, 2012 CD, digital download
Italy[51] Sony Music
Japan[38] November 28, 2012
Sweden[52]
Netherlands[53] November 29, 2012 LP
United States[54] December 11, 2012 RCA Records
France[55] December 14, 2012 Jive Epic
Germany[47] Sony Music
Sweden[56] December 19, 2012

References

  1. ^ a b c d Maerz, Melissa (November 30, 2012). "Girl on Fire - review - Alicia Keys Review". Entertainment Weekly (1235). New York. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Brown, Helen (November 23, 2012). "Alicia Keys, Girl on Fire, album review". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Mitchell, Gail (November 2, 2012). "Alicia Keys' 'Girl on Fire': The Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Kellman, Andy. "Girl on Fire – Alicia Keys: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on November 21, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Up for Discussion (2009-09-14). "Alicia Keys Talks 'Girl on Fire,' Nicki Minaj & How 'Everything Feels Brand New': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
  6. ^ "Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire CD Album". CD Universe. Muze. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (2012-09-06). "Alicia Keys and Her New Album Girl on Fire". New York Times. New York Times Company. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  8. ^ a b Phares, Brian (2012-11-09). "Alicia Keys Gives Gary Clark Jr. The 'Best Studio Experience' Ever". MTV News. (MTV Networks: Viacom). Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  9. ^ a b c d e Simpson, Dave (November 22, 2012). "Alicia Keys: Girl on Fire – review". The Guardian. London. section G2, p. 23. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  10. ^ a b Reed, James (November 27, 2012). "Alicia Keys's sensual 'Girl on Fire' burns bright". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  11. ^ Koellner, Amanda (November 29, 2012). "Album Review: Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  12. ^ a b c d Rosen, Jody (November 27, 2012). "Girl on Fire". Rolling Stone. New York. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  13. ^ a b Kellman, Andy. "Girl on Fire – Alicia Keys". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  14. ^ a b c Cline, Georgette (2012-10-16). "Alicia Keys Offers a Sonic Journey With 'Girl on Fire' at New York's Lincoln Center". TheBoomBox.com. (AOL Music). Retrieved 2012-11-10.
  15. ^ a b Alexander, X. (September 8, 2012). "Alicia Keys' Priceless "Not Even The King" Lyric Video: Watch". Idolator. Buzz Media. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  16. ^ a b Fitzgerald, Trent (September 10, 2012). "Alicia Keys Releases 'Not Even the King' Lyric Video". Popcrush. Townsquare Media. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  17. ^ "Alicia Keys, 'Girl On Fire': Singer Tests Out New Songs On Adoring Fans". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
  18. ^ Alexander, X (29-09-2012). "Alicia Keys Performs Brand New Track "Brand New Me" At iTunes Festival". Idolator. Buzz Media. Retrieved 20-11-2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  19. ^ a b Stillman, Josh (12-11-2012). "On the Scene: Alicia Keys' VH1 Storytellers". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 20-11-2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  20. ^ a b Lewis, Randy (November 19, 2012). "Alicia Keys to unveil 'Girl on Fire' in live stream Nov. 20". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  21. ^ Greenwald, David (November 20, 2012). "Alicia Keys Previews 'Girl on Fire,' Announces Miguel Tour: Watch". Billboard. Los Angeles. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  22. ^ Ramirez, Erika (2012-09-04). "Alicia Keys Releases Three Versions of "Girl on Fire"". Billboard: The Juice. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-09-09. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  23. ^ a b Markman, Rob (2012-09-04). "Alicia Keys and Nicki Minaj Team Up for "Girl on Fire"". RapFix. MTV (Viacom International). Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  24. ^ Markman, Rob (2012-09-06). "Nicki Minaj, Alicia Keys Deliver Golden VMA Performance With Gabby Douglas". MTV News. (Viacom International). Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  25. ^ "Brand New Me" (Graphic Interchange Format). RCA Records. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  26. ^ Gill, Andy (November 24, 2012). "Album: Alicia Keys, Girl On Fire (RCA)". The Independent. London. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  27. ^ a b c Wood, Mikael (November 26, 2012). "Album reviews: Alicia Keys treads familiar ground on 'Girl on Fire'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  28. ^ a b c Empire, Kitty (November 24, 2012). "Alicia Keys: Girl on Fire – review". The Guardian. London. The New Review section, p. 35. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  29. ^ a b Henderson, Eric (November 25, 2012). "Alicia Keys: Girl on Fire". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  30. ^ a b Hodgkinson, Will (November 23, 2012). "Alicia Keys: Girl on Fire". The Times. London. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  31. ^ a b "Review: Girl on Fire". Uncut. London. 2013. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  32. ^ "Girl on Fire Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  33. ^ Hampp, Andrew (November 26, 2012). "Alicia Keys, 'Girl On Fire': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. New York. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  34. ^ Easlea, Daryl (November 30, 2012). "Review of Alicia Keys - Girl on Fire". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  35. ^ Ratliff, Ben (November 27, 2012). "The Country a Rap-Rocker Calls Home". The New York Times. p. C1. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  36. ^ Price, Simon (November 25, 2012). "IoS album review: Alicia Keys, Girl on Fire (RCA)". The Independent. London. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  37. ^ Kot, Greg (November 25, 2012). "Album review: Alicia Keys, 'Girl on Fire'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  38. ^ a b "アリシア・キーズ : ガール・オン・ファイア" (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Retrieved November 27, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  39. ^ "Girl on Fire - Alicia Keys : Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  40. ^ "Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  41. ^ "Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  42. ^ "Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  43. ^ "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 29 November 2012". Irish Recorded Music Association. Chart-Track. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  44. ^ "Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
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  46. ^ "Girl On Fire – Keys, Alicia". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
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  49. ^
  50. ^ "Girl On Fire: Alicia Keys". Amazon.com. Retrieved October 27, 2012.
  51. ^ "Alicia Keys – Girl on Fire" (in Italian). Internet Bookshop Italia. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
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  54. ^ "Girl On Fire (Vinyl)". Amazon.com. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  55. ^ "Vinyl album – Girl on fire : Alicia Keys" (in French). Fnac. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  56. ^ "Girl On Fire (Vinyl LP) – Keys Alicia" (in Swedish). CDON.se. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
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