Cool (Dua Lipa song)

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"Cool"
Song by Dua Lipa
from the album Future Nostalgia
Released27 March 2020 (2020-03-27)
Genre
Length3:29
LabelWarner
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Lyric video
"Cool" on YouTube

"Cool" is a song by English singer Dua Lipa from her second studio album Future Nostalgia (2020), serving as the album's third track.

Background and composition

My A&R played me this song two years ago, and I instantly hated it. I was like, 'Please never play me this again.' But a year down the line, when I was writing, he sat me down and was like, 'I have something to play you.' And he just played the instrumental and I was like, 'This is actually really good with no lyrics.' I went into the studio with Tove Lo and just had fun exploring. It has some Prince influences, and it was a range of my voice I hadn’t tried. This whole album was about exploring growth and trying out new things, so I wanted to embrace challenges. We wrote something that felt really real to me, and it’s just a romantic, summery song, about meeting someone who has you losing all your cool.

— Lipa on the background of "Cool"[1]
Tove Lo performing at sommarkrysset in 2014.
"Cool" was co-written by Swedish singer Tove Lo

"Cool" runs for three minutes and twenty-nine seconds, and was composed in the key of F minor with a tempo of 90 beats per minute.[2] Wonderland called it a "A serene yet twinkly," synth-pop song with "emotional pearls" and "tearjerking synths."[3] Stereogum agreed that the song is synth-pop.[4] Junkee categorized the song as a new wave-inspired track, driven by funk bass.[5] The Spinoff meanwhile fully categorized it as a new wave song while also saying it is pop.[6] No Ripcord called an '80s influenced track with "synthesized" beats and R&B vocals.[7] USA Today described "Cool" as a "thumping synth ballad,"[8] while Spectrum Culture called it synth-heavy.[9] American Broadcasting Company called it a "a breezy tune full of confidence."[10]

The Independent wrote about the song's production, saying it consists of "spacey spangle glitter gel noises."[11] Idolator said that Lipa has a "hopeful" tone in her voice that is paired with an "epic drum line."[12] Billboard called it "vulnerable" and commented on how Lipa allows her voice to "break."[13] The synths of the song were called "crisp" by Metro Weekly.[14] Insider called the song's baseline "thick."[15] Idolator also wrote about the song's lyrics saying it "is all about the initial rush of falling in love" as well as calling the lyrics "whimsical" and saying Lipa "[paints] a glorious picture of a summer romance in its earliest days."[12] Attitude said Lipa "turns up the heat about being in the throes of a hot romance" in the song.[16] Teen Vogue wrote "'Cool' [delves] into the feeling of a new love with a youthful, reckless energy."[17] PopMatters compared the song to Carly Rae Jepsen's Emotion (2015), with it's "slick synth tones."[18] Gay Times wrote that the song acts as a "bridge" from Lipa's self-titled debut studio album to Future Nostalgia.[19]

Critical reception

In a negative review from The Line of Best Fit, Chris Taylor wrote that "Cool" is the only misstep on Future Nostalgia saying it lacks Lipa's personality.[20] Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone also gave a negative review writing that it sounds "too tied" to pop trends of 2020 as well as saying it has a bad placing on the album's tracklist being "sandwiched" between "Don't Start Now" and "Physical".[21] Courteney Larocca and Callie Ahlgrim of Insider also criticized the song's tracklist placement while also writing that Lipa's vocals are not convincing, saying they lack earnestness.[15] Conrad Duncan of Under the Radar also criticzed the song for imitating other artists, specifically Charli XCX.[22] Craig Jenkins of Vulture called it a "worthy" successor to the Jonas Brothers and Gwen Stefani's songs of the same name.[23] In a positive review for Attitude, Thomas Stichbury called it a "sweet, shimmery delight" and said it has "has all the makings of a song of the summer."[16] Richard S. He of Junkee praised the song for it's "irresistible chorus" and "sultry low alto."[5] Wonderland 's Bailey Slater gave the song a positive review writing it "positions itself within the highest ranks of Lipa’s discography," calling it a "masterpiece" and it "[pleasures] our ears".[3] Brad Garcia of Exclaim! praised Lipa's vocals singing in a higher register, calling it one of her "strongest" performances.[24]

Cover versions

On May 6, 2020, a cover by Russian metal band "8452" was published on YouTube.[25] On April 14, 2020, a cover by Nick Broomhall featuring Ben Flanders was published on YouTube.[26]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[27]

  • Dua Lipa – songwriting, vocals
  • TMS – production, vocal production
  • Stuart Price – production, vocal production, bass, drum programming, guitar, keyboards
  • Ben Kohn – songwriting, guitar
  • Tom Barnes – songwriting, bass, drums
  • Pete Kelleher – songwriting, synthesizer
  • Kamille – songwriting, backing vocals
  • Shakka – songwriting, backing vocals
  • Tove Lo – songwriting
  • Lorna Blackwood – programming, vocal production
  • Cameron Gower Poole – vocal engineering
  • Daniel Moyler – engineering
  • Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
  • Matt Wolach – assistant mixing
  • Michael Freeman – assistant mixing
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering

Charts

Chart (2020) Peak
position
Lithuania (AGATA)[28] 58
Portugal (AFP)[29] 103
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[30] 80
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[31] 96
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[32] 60

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various 27 March 2020
Warner [1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa". Apple Music. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Key & BPM for Cool by Dua Lipa". Tunebat. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  3. ^ a b Slater, Bailey (26 March 2020). "Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia Album Review". Wonderland. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  4. ^ DeVille, Chris (30 March 2020). "Stuck At Home? Dua Lipa Will Bring The Dance Club To Your Living Room". Stereogum. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b He, Richard S. (1 April 2020). "Dua Lipa's 'Future Nostalgia' Isn't A Masterpiece, But It's The Album We Need Right Now". Junkee. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  6. ^ Adams, Josie (27 March 2020). "Everything that Dua Lipa's new album makes us feel". The Spinoff. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  7. ^ Nirenburg, Gabbie (11 May 2020). "Dua Lipa: Future Nostalgia - Music Review". No Ripcord. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  8. ^ Ryan, Patrick (26 March 2020). "Dua Lipa's 'Future Nostalgia,' and 5 more perfect pop albums to get you through quarantine". USA Today. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  9. ^ Davies, Jeffrey (5 April 2020). "Dua Lipa: Future Nostalgia". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  10. ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (1 April 2020). "Dua Lipa's 'Future Nostalgia' is a party with a purpose". American Broadcast Company. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  11. ^ Brown, Helen (26 March 2020). "Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia Album Review". The Independent. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  12. ^ a b Nied, Mike (30 March 2020). "Album Review: Dua Lipa's 'Future Nostalgia' Is A Perfect Pop Escape". Idolator. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  13. ^ Gracie, Bianca (27 March 2020). "Ranking All 11 Songs on Dua Lipa's 'Future Nostalgia': Critic's Take". Billboard. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  14. ^ Maunier, Sean (2 April 2020). "Music Review: Dua Lipa's 'Future Nostalgia'". Metro Weekly. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  15. ^ a b Larocca, Courteney; Ahlgrim, Callie (27 March 2020). "Dua Lipa's vivid, disco-infused 'Future Nostalgia' is an instant pop classic". Insider. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  16. ^ a b Stichbury, Thomas (26 March 2020). "DUA LIPA 'FUTURE NOSTALGIA' REVIEW: 'POP HEAVEN IN HELLISH TIMES'". Attitude. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  17. ^ Cardenas, Cat. "Dua Lipa's "Future Nostalgia" Is Dance Pop for When the Sky Is Falling". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  18. ^ Sawdey, Evan (30 March 2020). "Dua Lipa's 'Future Nostalgia' Is the Dance Escape We Need Right Now". PopMatters. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  19. ^ Megarry, Daniel (26 March 2020). "We ranked every track on Dua Lipa's excellent new album Future Nostalgia". Gay Times. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  20. ^ "Dua Lipa pulls from the past and pushes back to the future on her status-cementing second album". The Line of Best Fit. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  21. ^ Spanos, Brittany (26 March 2020). "Dua Lipa Crafts a Studio 54-Worthy Disco Revival on 'Future Nostalgia'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  22. ^ Duncan, Conrad (27 March 2020). "Future Nostalgia". Under The Radar. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  23. ^ Jenkins, Craig (27 March 2020). "Dua Lipa's here to stay". Vulture. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  24. ^ Garcia, Brad (27 March 2020). "Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia". Exclaim!. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  25. ^ "Dua Lipa - Cool (rock cover by "8452")". YouTube. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  26. ^ "Cool - Dua Lipa (Metal Cover) Nick Broomhall (Feat. Ben Flanders)". YouTube. 14 April 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  27. ^ "Credits / Future Nostalgia / Dua Lipa". Tidal. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  28. ^ "2020 14-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  29. ^ "Dua Lipa – Cool". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  30. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 202014 into search. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  31. ^ "Top 100 Canciones: Semana 14". Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  32. ^ "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
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