Anti (album)
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Anti is the eighth studio album by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. It was released on January 28, 2016, by Westbury Road Entertainment and Roc Nation Records. The album will be promoted with the upcoming Anti World Tour, scheduled to begin in February 2016. The album's lead single "Work" was released on January 27, 2016.
Background
In November 2012, Rihanna released her seventh studio album, Unapologetic, a pop[2] and R&B album[3] that incorporates elements of dubstep and EDM.[4][5] It received mixed reviews from music critics[6] and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with sales of over 238,000 copies.[7] The album spawned seven singles, including the international hits, "Diamonds" and "Stay". To further promote it, in 2013, Rihanna embarked on her fifth concert tour, the Diamonds World Tour. From the start of her career in 2005 until 2012, Rihanna released or re-released at least one album annually. However in 2013 Rihanna took a step back from music and did not release a new album that year or the following.[8] Instead Rihanna opted to take part in other endeavours, starring in a 3D animated film entitled Home, alongside Jim Parsons, Steve Martin and Jennifer Lopez, as well as executively producing its accompanying soundtrack.[9]
In May 2014, it was announced that Rihanna had left Def Jam to sign fully with her managers company Roc Nation,[10] during this time the media reported that the album was delayed or scrapped, with Rihanna opting to start the project again and in search of a new sound.[11] There was considerable confusion among music journalists and fans, with Rihanna avoiding discussing the album or its release.[8] In October 2015, it was revealed that Rihanna had acquired the masters to all her recordings and would be releasing Anti jointly through her own record label Westbury Road and Roc Nation.[12] Later that month it was announced that Rihanna had inked a $25 million contract with Samsung. The deal would see Rihanna promoting Samsung's Galaxy line of products whilst Samsung would sponsor the release of Anti and its supporting tour.[13]
Development
The span gap between Rihanna's last studio album, Unapologetic and Anti is the longest wait between records in her music career. On October 8, 2014, she posted a picture of herself in the studio, working on the album.[14] American singer Ne-Yo, and also her frequent collaborator, in an interview with Capital Xtra on November 11, regarding Anti said, "The stuff I've heard is absolutely incredible. I can’t speak on what it sounds like because I’ll get in trouble. But I definitely feel like people are gonna enjoy it. Anybody that's a Rihanna fan is gonna stay a Rihanna fan, and anybody that's not might become a Rihanna fan … just gear up for it."[15] On November 19, 2014, while on the red carpet for the premiere of director Andrew Jenks documentary, It's Not Over, Rihanna told Entertainment Tonight, that her album should come out "very soon". She further said, "I'm really excited about the music that we've been working on, so I can't wait for people to hear it."[16]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Paris_-_Eiffelturm_und_Marsfeld2.jpg/170px-Paris_-_Eiffelturm_und_Marsfeld2.jpg)
Rihanna invited "hundreds" of her fans in Paris to participate in a promotional video shot on December 18, 2014. It was reported that the clip might be associated with the release of Anti.[17] On January 21, 2015, American rapper Kanye West made a surprise appearance at the iHeartMedia Music Summit, where he spoke about his career, played a few upcoming songs, and concluded with a collaboration with Rihanna that "featured acoustic guitar and a big, soaring chorus and melody with a massive hook. He then slammed his laptop shut and walked offstage to a standing ovation".[18] Earlier, on January 2, recording artist and producer Ty Dolla Sign gave an interview to Billboard magazine where it revealed that he, West, Rihanna and English musician Paul McCartney worked on a track together, which was yet to receive its final title.[19]
On February 8, 2015, during his Grammy Awards red carpet interview, West explained how the collaboration came to fruition: "I'm executive producer of Rihanna's album, and I said I'd done a few songs with Paul McCartney and she couldn't get past this record. She had to have it on her album. … So now we at the Grammys doing it".[20] West further compared Rihanna's vocals on the song to that of Scottish singer Annie Lennox: "I feel like she has this type of energy in her vocals. And she even brought it to another level of like soul and heart and artistry".[21] However, in January 2016, in a Twitter reply message to a fan, Rihanna wrote that West is no longer executive producer of the album as both of them are working on different projects.[22]
Writing and recording
On May 16, 2014, in an interview with VH1, Australian singer and songwriter Sia Furler stated that she recently gave a new song to Rihanna, "Like as soon as I played it for her manager, he flipped over it and [when] he left the house I felt sick. I was like, 'F–k.' It was going to be on my record, but he was over and I was playing him loads of jams."[23] Canadian musician Grimes and her frequent collaborator Blood Diamonds, wrote a song for Rihanna which was turned down, so Grimes decided to perform the song herself.[24] On June 11, American rapper Big Sean posted a picture on his official Instagram account; the picture featured him and Rihanna in the studio with a caption "#2014". According to MTV News, the collaboration was recorded either for his third studio album or Anti.[25] In late June, the Roc Nation-signed songwriter, Alicia Renee, posted a photo on Instagram with her and Rihanna in the studio. Renee cried when she heard Rihanna performing one of the songs she wrote for her.[17]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Kiesza2014.jpg/170px-Kiesza2014.jpg)
In an interview with Digital Spy, on July 7, Canadian artist and songwriter, Kiesza, told that Rihanna recorded two or three songs she wrote, but was not sure whether they will make the final track listing. According to her, "The one that Rihanna has cut is one that I never in a million years expected her to pick out, so it was super interesting. It just shows that people want to evolve and try new things."[26] On September 15, record producer DJ Mustard confirmed that he and Rihanna collaborated on a song for Anti, "We haven't got our club record just yet but we have a ballad that I really like and that she likes too. I did a couple of songs with her, we're still working, we’re still in the early stages, trying to come together with a massive record."[17] Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, who previously penned Rihanna's 2011 single, "We Found Love", told UK's KISS FM that he and American singer Tinashe wrote a song for Anti which Rihanna later rejected.[17] English singer Natalia Kills, on December 12, posted on her official Twitter account that she has worked on a song for Rihanna.[17]
Rihanna together with British producer Alex da Kid and American rock group X Ambassadors co-wrote "American Oxygen". The writing of the song started in 2014, and it was written and produced over a course of a year span. It was originally conceived by Kid, who sent the beats of the song to Sam Harris of X Ambassadors who started writing some lyrics. In an interview with Billboard magazine Harris told how "American Oxygen" really stuck with him and he started the chorus with a couple lines he wrote, "We worked on just that chorus for like three or four months, going back and forth, back and forth.... It goes to show you that sometimes these songs just appear out of nowhere and sometimes you just have to go at it like a block of marble and you're chipping away at it."[27] According to him, the inspiration for starting to write "American Oxygen" was the 1984 single "Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen. When Rihanna got a hold on the song, she and Kid started adjusting the song. The singer co-wrote the verses together with Harris and Kid, "I wrote one thing and then Alex and Rihanna had the idea to turn it into this song about an immigrant story, coming to this country as an outsider... That was her idea, really, hers and Alex's, to turn it into that kind of song.".[27] In October 2015, duo R. City stated that they worked with Rihanna: "We definitely contributed to Rihanna's album. We did some cool stuff and Rihanna is a cool person; good vibes, good energy....She's very talented from the Caribbean, just like us; We have a whole new level of respect for her and she is tuned into the Caribbean vibe this time. One of them in particular is tailor made for Rihanna. If Rihanna doesn't use it, I don't see anyone else being able to record it outside of her".[28] On January 25, 2016, Rihanna announced that the album was finally complete.[29]
Composition
"James Joint" is a mellow jazz[30] and neo-soul song, that features keyboards built over rising bass riffs that create a thickly textured groove, the song takes influence from neo-soul and was compared to the work of Stevie Wonder, due to the use of a harmonica.[31] The songs "light keys and synth bass" were compared to the work of producer Thundercat by Patrick Lyons, who also noted Rihanna's vocals as being "low-key" and "warm".[30] Lyrically "James Joint" speaks about a love, "laced" with weed, wild lovemaking and danger.[32]
"Work" which features Canadian rapper Drake is an reggae-pop and R&B song,[33][34] was described as "an understated midtempo jam in the vein of Janet Jackson's recent 'No Sleeep', with a percolating beat, sinuous synth lines, and vocal samples stretched and pulled in a way that recalls Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis's masterful production work on Janet's 1997 album The Velvet Rope."[35]
Packaging and title
"I sometimes fear that I am misunderstood. |
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—A reading of the album's artwork poem If They Let Us.[36]
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On October 7, 2015, Rihanna held a private viewing for fans and press at Los Angeles' MAMA Gallery, where she debuted the album's official artwork and title; the guests were encouraged to wear red blindfolds upon entry and closed their eyes to the Braille versions of the album's liner notes.[36] The album cover art was designed by Israeli artist Roy Nachum, and was described by Rihanna as her "favorite album cover".[37] The album's front cover shows an image of Rihanna, which was taken on her first day of day care,[38] holding a black balloon, with a gold crown covering her eyes, the majority of the artwork is black and white with a "smattering" of red paint.[37] Speaking about the cover art's concept, Nachum stated that he painted a young Rihanna to represent her "bringing something new" to music.[39]
Over the red, black and white canvas there is a poem written in Braille by poet Chloe Mitchell, the braille follows the theme of the album's singles artwork which also feature the same technique. Speaking on her choice to use Braille, Rihanna commented, "Sometimes the ones who have sight are the blindest."[37] During the cover's designing stage, Rihanna met with Chloe Mitchell, in which they "drank" and came up with a poem that would be used for the artwork and liner notes entitled If They Let Us.[36] Mitchell explained the poem and its meaning to Rolling Stone magazine, stating it was about being misunderstood, but still be able to stand out whilst doing what is right for you, continuing Mitchell said that the poem speaks about not conforming to society and being a leader as well as accepting that being misunderstood is a positive thing. [39]
At the gallery, the album's back cover, along with multiple inside album artworks were revealed. The album back cover features a similar image of Rihanna as a child, however this time from behind, like the front cover the back art features Braille, while the inside cover features poetry sculpted in Braille by Nachum, the use of Braille made the album become the first album ever to incorporate physical Braille. [40] The seven pieces of artwork were all named and featured a poem written by Mitchell or Nachum, the front and back covers were titled "If They Let Us Part I" and "If They Let Us Part II" and featured a poem that was split over the front and back, another piece entitled "If They Let Us" was commissioned and featured the full reading of the poem.[41] The inside booklet contains a further five pieces entitled "Fire Part I", "Fire Part II", "Fire Part III" and "R".[41] Initially thought to have been entitled R8 by fans and critics alike, Rihanna announced the official title during the album's cover art release, revealing the album would be called ANTI, the exhibition included a piece of art which defined the album's title stating that anti is "a person opposed to a particular policy, activity or idea." [42] Following the exhibition, Rihanna took to social media to confirm the album's title along with an explanation of its meaning. The explanation stated, "By continuing to follow her own instincts, her work strives to make an impact by doing the very antithesis of what the public expects."[43]
Singles
The lead single entitled "Work" featuring Canadian rapper Drake was released on January 27, 2016 just hours before the Tidal release of Anti. Rihanna stated on Twitter that the song was the "first single" from her album.[44]
Release and promotion
In November, 2014, Rihanna announced, that her album should come out "very soon".[45] The following month Rihanna invited "hundreds" of her fans in Paris to participate in a promotional video which was thought to be associated with the release of the album.[46] Following the albums announcement Rihanna released three singles, various snippets of songs and performed at numerous award shows, but never announced the albums release or possible release date. The first single from the album, "FourFiveSeconds", featuring Kanye West and Paul McCartney, was released on January 24, 2015,[47] She later released the second single from her eighth studio album "Bitch Better Have My Money", performing it for the first time at the 2nd iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 29, 2015.[48] Another song entitled "American Oxygen" debuted on Tidal on April 5, 2015. The song will reportedly be featured on her upcoming album.[49][50] Rihanna also posted an interlude entitled "James Joint" in its entirety from the upcoming album on her website on April 21, 2015, as a "celebration of 420".[51]
In November 2015, it was announced that Rihanna had inked a $25 million contract with Samsung to not only promote Samsung's Galaxy line of products, but to also sponsor the release of Anti and its supporting tour.[52] On November 19, 2015, Rihanna and Samsung released a 16-second cryptic video for Anti, launching a website for Rihanna's forthcoming album entitled "ANTIdiaRy". Upon launch, the mobile-only site gave messages, such as "She's waiting for you. Are you in?" and "Be patient and keep your eyes open".[53] The website then proceeded to launch eight "rooms" over the following 9 weeks, each loosely corresponding to her previous albums, detailing her personal life over the course of her career and including clues from Anti.[54] In the same month, she canceled her performance at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show to finish work on Anti.[55]
The album leaked onto the internet in its entirety on January 27, 2016, after it was released prematurely on music streaming service Tidal.[56] Anti will be exclusive to Tidal for its first full week of availability.[57] Also through Tidal, the album was made available for free download, regardless of whether a listener is a Tidal subscriber or not.[57][58]
Tour
The Anti World Tour was announced on November 23, 2015.[59] The Samsung-sponsored[52] tour will start in February 2016, with Travis Scott supporting in North America, and The Weeknd and Big Sean supporting at selected European dates.[60]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Consideration" (featuring SZA) |
|
| 2:41 |
2. | "James Joint" |
| 1:12 | |
3. | "Kiss It Better" |
|
| 4:13 |
4. | "Work" (featuring Drake) |
| Boi 1da | 3:39 |
5. | "Desperado" |
|
| 3:06 |
6. | "Woo" |
|
| 3:55 |
7. | "Needed Me" |
|
| 3:11 |
8. | "Yeah, I Said It" |
|
| 2:31 |
9. | "Same Ol' Mistakes" | Kevin Parker | Parker | 6:37 |
10. | "Never Ending" |
|
| 3:22 |
11. | "Love on the Brain" |
| Ball | 3:44 |
12. | "Higher" |
| Dion "No I.D." Wilson | 2:00 |
13. | "Close to You" |
|
| 3:43 |
Total length: | 43:36 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
14. | "Good Night Gotham" | |
15. | "Pose" | |
16. | "Sex with Me" |
References
- ^ Cox, Jamieson (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna's new album ANTI is available now". The Verge. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
The R&B album was accidentally uploaded to Tidal's servers earlier this evening
{{cite web}}
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{{cite news}}
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{{cite web}}
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{{cite news}}
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{{cite news}}
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ignored (|url-status=
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(help) - ^ Aswad, Jem; Ramirez, Erika (January 22, 2015). "Kanye West Plays New Music, Embraces Radio at Industry Event: 'Of Course I Want to Be on Radio!'". Billboard. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
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- ^ Lipshutz, Jason (January 27, 2016). "Rihanna's 'Work' Featuring Drake Debuts on BBC Radio". Fuse. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
"Work" is a straightforward, fairly minimal reggae-pop track
- ^ Menyes, Carolyn (January 27, 2016). "Rihanna and Drake Redeem 'ANTI' with New Single 'Work' as Release Date Approaches". Music Times. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
poppy R&B with her mild patois
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(help) - ^ camp, Alexa (January 27, 2016). "Single Review: Rihanna featuring Drake, "Work"". Slant Magazine. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
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- ^ http://listen.tidal.com/album/56677089
- ^ http://www.thefader.com/2016/01/27/rihanna-anti-officially-released-on-tidal