Chained to the Rhythm
| "Chained to the Rhythm" | |
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"Chained to the Rhythm" is a song recorded by American singer Katy Perry. It features vocals from Jamaican singer Skip Marley as well as uncredited guest vocals from Sia. The two co-wrote the track with Perry and its producers Max Martin and Ali Payami. Capitol Records released the song on February 10, 2017.
Production and release
In August 2016, Perry stated that she aspired to make material "that connects and relates and inspires"[1] and told Ryan Seacrest that she was "just having a lot of fun, but experimenting and trying different producers, and different collaborators, and different styles".[2] On February 8, 2017, in a global campaign for "Chained to the Rhythm", fans around the globe hunted for disco balls and shared their findings as part of a new promotional push.[3] Capitol Records released the song two days later.[4]
Composition
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Perry co-wrote "Chained to the Rhythm" with Skip Marley, Sia Furler, and its producers Max Martin and Ali Payami.[5] The track is 3 minutes and 57 seconds long.[4] It is a dancehall and disco song that contains a mid-tempo beat.[6][7] The track features guest appearance by Jamaican singer Skip Marley and uncredited guest vocals from Furler. In the chorus, Perry sings "Turn it up, it's your favorite song/Dance, dance, dance to the distortion/Come on, turn it up, keep it on repeat/Stumbling around like a wasted zombie/Yeah, we think we're free/Drink, this one is on me."[5] Jason Newman from Rolling Stone wrote that "Perry injects a subversive element underneath the ostensibly frothy song, lacing her lyrics with ideas of selfish comfortability and complacency."[7] Mike Wass of Idolator describes the song as "[a] curious disco/dancehall hybrid."[6] Slant Magazine states that "Despite the lightweight vibe" the track is a "decidedly political statement".[8] Lars Brandie from Billboard wrote the track "is built on a bed of warm, slightly-tweaked '80s keys and has its energies tuned to the dancefloor."[5] Nick Levine of NME also observed political criticism in the lyrics, stating they "appear to be a rallying cry for society to become more politically involved and less complacent.[9]
Critical reception
In a positive review, E!'s Samantha Scnurr wrote the song "sounds like a soon-to-be party classic with its easy pulse and disco elements, layered underneath the upbeat veneer, Perry delivers a strong message about awareness and activism—and, according to her, how it's lacking."[10] NME reviewer Jordan Bassett praised the track as "like Daft Punk, but fun", and felt the production was "crisp-as-fuck".[11] Writing for Vulture.com, Karen Brill was less favorable, questioning if the track was "pretty much just dance, without much subtext?"[12]
Lyric video
Aya Tanimura directed a lyric video for the song, which was released on February 10, 2017. It features a hamster inside a doll house, and a pair of hands is seen preparing miniature food for the hamster.[13] Analyzing the video, Erin Jansen from USA Today wrote "we're shown footage of a hamster running tirelessly on a hamster wheel, a visualization of the popular idiom meaning to perform activities repetitiously without progress." She also stated "Paired with Perry's lyrics, there's definitely a message to be absorbed."[14]
References
- ^ Carroll, Sarah (August 18, 2016). "Katy Perry Is 'Taking Chances' & 'Not Rushing' Her New Music". 97.1 AMP Radio. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
- ^ "Katy Perry Reveals She's 'Experimenting' With New Album, Talks Forthcoming Shoe Collection". On Air with Ryan Seacrest. August 18, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ Havens, Lyndsey (February 8, 2017). "Katy Perry Leaves Chained Disco Balls Playing New Single In Various Cities". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ a b Perry, Katy (February 10, 2017). "Chained to the Rhythm (feat. Skip Marley) - Single". iTunes. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ a b c Brandle, Lars (February 10, 2017). "Katy Perry Unleashes New Song 'Chained to the Rhythm': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ a b Wass, Mike (February 8, 2017). "Katy Perry's 'Chained To The Rhythm' Is A Kooky Disco/Reggae Hybrid". Idolator. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ a b "Hear Katy Perry's Bouncy New Song 'Chained to the Rhythm'". Rolling Stone. February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Review: Katy Perry's 'Chained to the Rhythm' Is the Song We Need Right Now | The House Next Door | Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ "Listen to Katy Perry's new reggae-disco single 'Chained to the Rhythm"". NME. February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ "Katy Perry's New Single "Chained to the Rhythm" Will Have You Dancing Into the Weekend With a Message". E!. February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ Bassett, Jordan (February 8, 2017). "We plugged into a disco ball on the street to hear Katy Perry's new song 'Chained To The Rhythm'". NME. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ Brill, Karen (February 10, 2017). "Katy Perry Releases New Song "Chained to the Rhythm"". Vulture.com. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (February 10, 2017). "Watch Katy Perry's Delicious 'Chained to the Rhythm' Lyric Vid: Bouncing Hamsters, Micro-Burgers & Teeny Spaghetti". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
- ^ Jansen, Erin (February 10, 2017). "Watch: Katy Perry's hamster-rific 'Chained to the Rhythm' lyric video". USA Today. Retrieved February 10, 2017.