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Perfume (Britney Spears song)

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"Perfume"
Song

"Perfume" is a song recorded by American singer Britney Spears for her forthcoming eighth studio album, Britney Jean (2013). It was written by Spears, Chris Braide and Sia Furler and produced by will.i.am, Braide and Keith Harris.[3] A musical departure from its EDM-influenced predecessor, "Work Bitch", the song was met with positive reception from fans and critics.[4]

Background and release

In July 2013, Spears acknowledged through Twitter that she "wrote such a special song" with Sia Furler,[5] which was later revealed to be Spears' favorite track on Britney Jean, the ballad "Perfume".[6] In October, it was announced that the song would serve as the second single for the album.[7] RCA Records' CEO Peter Edge said he felt "fairly strong" that the song would be the second single after hearing it, and that it could be "a big career song."[8] He continued to praise Spears' vocals, commenting that "she sings it beautifully and it has a real sincerity to it. And it's outstanding -- I think people are not only gonna be surprised but also see another side of Britney."[8] Spears' manager Larry Rudolph described "Perfume" as being "a breakup song that's about wanting the next girl to smell your perfume on the guy afterwards. The lyric is really unique and she sings the shit out of it."[9]

On November 1, 2013, Spears tweeted that she would reveal previews of "Perfume" through her Snapchat account. Along with the lyrics "So I wait for you to call and I try to act natural / Have you been thinking 'bout her or me / And while I put on my perfume / Yeah I want it all over you", the singer also shared the artwork for the single.[10] The song was originally scheduled for release on November 5, along with the pre-order of Britney Jean.[7] However, Spears made the song available for streaming via Facebook on November 3,[11] and made it available for purchase at midnight on November 4, one day ahead of the scheduled date. Following the release of "Perfume", she tweeted: "Thank u all SO much for the kind words!! I'm so happy u guys are loving the song as much as I do! #PerfumePremiere".[12] Record producer Dr. Luke revealed that the single release of the song is a "radio-friendly" edit, while the "rawer" and "less produced" original version will be included as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of Britney Jean.[13]

Composition

"Perfume"
A 21-second sample of the song's chorus features Spears singing over an instrumentation with infused soaring strings and bubbling synthesizers.[14] Lyrically, the song plays heavily on themes of jealousy and suspicion in a relationship.[15]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Perfume" is a 80s-influenced power ballad, which Spears described as "incredibly special to me because it hits close to home, and I think the story is relatable to everyone. Everyone's been through an insecure moment in a relationship that's left them vulnerable and I think this song captures that."[16][17][18] Produced by will.i.am, Chris Braide, and Keith Harris, the instrumentation infuses an orchestral piano, soaring strings and bubbling synthesizers.[14][19] Braide was responsible for the vocal production, and commented to Bradley Stern of MuuMuse: "When I was producing her vocals, it was obvious to me why she's still one of the greatest pop stars ever. Unmistakably Britney, effortlessly iconic."[20] Lance Tolbert was responsible for the song's keys.[21]

Lyrically, the song plays heavily on themes of jealousy and suspicion in a relationship.[15] The song starts with Spears singing, "Do I imagine it, or do I see your stare / Is there still longing there? / Oh I hate myself, and I feel crazy / Such a classic tale".[17] Critics noted the singer's vocals are surprisingly strong, and compared them to those of recording artist Gwen Stefani.[14][22] Regarding the lyrics, Amy Sciarretto of PopCrush wrote, "it's Brit's most lyrically weighty song in quite some time. In fact, this sounds like something we'd expect Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood to record."[16] Spears told the Associated Press the song was about her split with Jason Trawick in January 2013, and commented, "I think it will make girls not feel alone in this situation. When they're alone in their room and they broke up with their boyfriend, they have a song they can go to and listen to, just makes them feel better about themselves."[23]

Critical reception

Upon release, "Perfume" received generally positive reviews from music critics, who noted the musical departure from its EDM-influenced predecessor, "Work Bitch" and praised Spears' vocal performance.[4] Marc Hogan of Spin gave a generally positive review of "Perfume", complimenting Spears for conveying "the type of emotional vulnerability" that is not evident on most of her hit singles.[11] Melinda Newman of HitFix lauded the song, stating Spears' vocal ability "is as strong as it has ever been" on the song and also stated it was Spears' "best song in years".[22] Robbie Daw of Idolator praised the song's lyrical content, however stated it "wouldn't exactly reshape Top 40 radio".[4] Jason Lipshutz of Billboard thought the song allowed Spears to momentarily discard the confident exterior of ‘Work Bitch’ and express vulnerability over ‘paranoid’ feelings about her romantic interest,"[4] while Katie Atkinson of Entertainment Weekly deemed the song "in the vein" of the singer's early ballads "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know" (2000) and "Everytime" (2003).[4] Joe Wilde of Contactmusic felt "Perfume" was similar to "Lucky" (2000), and deemed it "a much more delicate release" when compared to "Work Bitch".[24] Los Angeles Times journalist Mikael Wood noted that "Spears goes unexpectedly soft" on the song, adding that "she's pleading, not commanding. And that returns the star to the appealingly complicated zone of such tough/not-tough classics as 'Everytime' and 'Piece of Me'."[25] Tarun Mazumdar of International Business Times said "Perfume" is like "like breathing fresh air" for not including "annoying electro beats and overly done dubstep".[19] Mazudmar also wrote the song would be "memorable" as the singer hasn't released a ballad as a single in a long time.[19]

A reviewer for Popjustice rated "Perfume" an 8 out of 10, and explained why he gave the song such rate: "1. The melody — it's a cracker. 2. The tempo — it's mid, but it's not boring. 3. The lyrics — they are quite touching if you've had a drink or two. And also well done Britney for: 4. The singing, which is very much on the right side of competent."[26] Bill Lamb of About.com rated the song 3.5 out of 5 stars, praising the "drama in the lyrics" and "pulsating, intense production"; however, he criticized Spears' "weak vocals form".[27] Despite writing that the song "stands out from current pop hits both in being a ballad and in conveying dramatic feelings in a more complex, thoughtful manner than usual," Lamb thought the singer "sounds like she is so careful in sculpting her performance that she doesn't really feel the song."[27] New York Daily News contributor Jim Farber gave the song a mixed review, commenting that the song's production is "careful", and describing Spears as "pale" as she "overly ambitious [emotes]."[14] Alexa Camp of Slant Magazine cited the lyrics "I put on my perfume/Yeah, I want it all over you/I'm gonna mark my territory" and commented that Spears "equates lingering fragrances to territorial pissings and [the song] effectively reveals Brit to be a water sports enthusiast."[28]

Track listing

  • Digital download
  1. "Perfume" – 4:00

Charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[29] 69
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[30] 72
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[31] 41
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[32] 70
France (SNEP)[33] 34
songid field is MANDATORY FOR GERMAN CHARTS 78
Ireland (IRMA)[34] 36
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[35] 100
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[36] 13
South Korea (Gaon)[37] 14
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[38] 74
US Billboard Hot 100[39] 76

Release history

Country Date Format Label
Canada[40] November 4, 2013 Digital download Sony
France[41]
Germany[42]
Italy[43]
United States[44] RCA
United States[45] November 12, 2013 Contemporary hit radio

References

  1. ^ "Excluusive: Chris Braide On Britney's 'Perfume': 'Effortlessly Iconic'". Muumuse. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  2. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (November 3, 2013). "Britney Spears Sprays 'Perfume' As Second 'Britney Jean' Preview". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  3. ^ Ornos, Riza (November 4, 2013). "Britney Spear Debuts New Song, 'Perfume'". International Business Times. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d e Daw, Robbie (November 4, 2013). "Britney Spears' 'Perfume': Review Revue". Idolator. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  5. ^ O'Mance, Brad (July 12, 2013). "Along with most other popstars, Britney's been writing songs with Sia". Popjustice. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
  6. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (September 17, 2013). "Britney Spears Says 'Breakups Suck,' But They Make Great Music". MTV News. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
  7. ^ a b Corner, Lewis. "Britney Spears unveils new album 'Britney Jean' artwork — picture". Digital Spy. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  8. ^ a b Hampp, Andrew; Christman, Ed (October 22, 2013). "Q4 Label Special: RCA's Tom Corson and Peter Edge on Miley, Britney & JT, the Adult Xmas Market, 'Focusing on Hip-Hop & Rock' (From the Magazine)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  9. ^ Peters, Mitchell (September 26, 2013). "Britney Spears' Manager Larry Rudolph on Vegas Residency Ticket Sales, Lip-Syncing and New Album (Exclusive)". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  10. ^ Lee, Christina (November 2, 2013). "Britney Spears Reveals Cover Art & Lyrics For Next Single "Perfume"". Idolator. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  11. ^ a b Hogan, Marc (November 4, 2013). "Britney Spears' Ballad 'Perfume' Smells Winningly Human". Spin. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  12. ^ Kirby, Jillian (November 4, 2013). "Britney Spears Releases New Song "Perfume"—Listen To The Track Here!". OK!. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  13. ^ Joannou, Andy (November 4, 2013). "Dr Luke: 'Second version of Britney Spears's Perfume is rawer'". Digital Spy. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  14. ^ a b c d Farber, Jim (November 4, 2013). "Britney Spears' 'Perfume' is over-emotional departure from her last catchy single: Review". New York Daily News. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  15. ^ a b "Britney Spears, 'Perfume' (Single Review)". MuuMuse. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  16. ^ a b Sciaretto, Amy (Nov3meber 3, 2013). "Britney Spears, 'Perfume' - Song Review". Retrieved November 6, 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ^ a b Greenwood, Carl (November 4, 2013). "Britney Spears song Perfume is nearly here and we've got the full lyrics and the single artwork". Daily Mirror. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  18. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (November 3, 2013). "Britney Spears Sprays 'Perfume' As Second 'Britney Jean' Preview". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  19. ^ a b c Mazumdar, Tarun (November 5, 2013). "Review: Britney Spears – 'Perfume' (Single) is a Spiritual Experience!". International Business Times. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  20. ^ Stern, Bradley (October 26, 2013). "Excluusive: Chris Braide on Britney's "Perfume": "Effortlessly Iconic"". MuuMuse. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  21. ^ Harris, Keith (November 4, 2013). "New Song: Britney Spears – Perfume". Harris Productions. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  22. ^ a b Newman, Melinda (October 29, 2013). "Listen: Britney Spears new single, Perfume, smells like a hit". Hitfix. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  23. ^ Dixon, Louise (October 21, 2013). "Britney Spears' Song About Jason Trawick Split On 'Britney Jean'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  24. ^ Wilde, Joe (November 4, 2013). "Britney Spears Gets Personal On Latest Single 'Perfume'". Contactmusic. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  25. ^ Wood, Mikael (November 5, 2013). "Britney Spears in 'Perfume': Now the singer's working". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  26. ^ "Britney Spears – 'Perfume'". Popjustice. November 3, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  27. ^ a b Lamb, Bill (November 5, 2013). "Britney Spears - "Perfume"". About.com. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  28. ^ Camp, Alexa (November 4, 2013). "Single Review: Britney Spears, "Perfume"". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  29. ^ "Britney Spears – Perfume" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  30. ^ "Britney Spears – Perfume" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  31. ^ "Britney Spears – Perfume" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  32. ^ "Britney Spears Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  33. ^ "Britney Spears – Perfume" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  34. ^ "Chart Track: Week 45, 2013". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  35. ^ "Britney Spears – Perfume" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  36. ^ "Britney Spears – Perfume" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  37. ^ "Gaon Digital Chart (2013년 11월 3주차)]" (in Korean). Gaon Chart. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  38. ^ "Britney Spears – Perfume". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  39. ^ "Britney Spears Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  40. ^ "Perfume (2013) - Britney Spears - MP3 Downloasd". 7digital. Canada. November 4, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  41. ^ "Perfume". Amazon.fr (in French). Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  42. ^ "Perfume". Amazon.de (in German). Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  43. ^ "Perfume". Amazon.it (in Italian). Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  44. ^ "Perfume (2013) - Britney Spears - MP3 Downloasd". 7digital. United States. November 4, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  45. ^ "Available for Airplay". Friday Morning Quarterback. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
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