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Sexercize

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"Sexercize"
Song

"Sexercize" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue from her twelfth studio album Kiss Me Once (2014). The song was written by Sia Furler, Marcus Lomax, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Clarence Coffee and Nella Tahrini, whilst production was handled by The Monsters & The Strangerz and Kelly Sheehan. Musically, "Sexercize" is a dubstep song that incorporates influences of urban-R&B and electronic dance music. The song's production was compared to songs by Barbadian singer Rihanna and from Minogue's tenth studio album X (2007). The lyrical content talks about sexual intercourse with a male partner, referencing the acts of sexercising.

Upon release, "Sexercize" polarized music commentators. Some critics applauded the rapping verse and the production, while many dismissed this and criticized the lyrical content and production, with some listing the song as their least favorite from Kiss Me Once. Two official music videos were promoted for the song; one was directed by Roman Coppola and Chandelier Creative, and inspired by Kenneth Anger's 1965 short film Kustom Kar Kommandos, while the second video was directed by photographer Will Davidson. The second received favorable reviews from critics, but received scrutiny from public commentators. A dedicated Sexercize website, concepted by Chandelier Creative and built by Black & Black Creative, was also launched in conjunction.

Background

Australian singer Sia co-wrote the lyrics of the song.

Following the release of The Abbey Road Sessions (2012), Minogue split ways with her long-term manager, Terry Blamey and signed a new management deal with rapper Jay-Z's imprint Roc Nation.[2][3][4] Following this new deal, Minogue continued work on her twelfth studio album throughout 2013, with reports emerging in February 2013 that Minogue had been working with singer-songwriter Sia.[5]

The song was written by co-executive producer Sia, Marcus Lomax, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Clarence Coffee and Nella Tahrini while production was handled by The Monsters & The Strangerz and Kelly Sheehan. The song was mastered by Geoff Pesche and mixed by Phil Tan and Daniela Rivera. According to Minogue, she said "I actually blushed when I heard the title and thought, 'Oh, that's wrong'. But that's the genius of Sia. She can made [sic] it cool and make it hot. And I can probably put the little wink into it, so you know it's going to be more fruity than sleazy." She added that the song was one of those "tongue and cheek songs."[6]

Composition

Musically, "Sexercize" is a dubstep influence song that incorporates elements of R&B and electronic dance music. Ryan Lathan from PopMatters said that, while as a negative response; "The quivering electro-harp intro turns out to be one of the biggest come hither teases of the entire album, giving off the impression that some torrid, naughty storm is brewing ahead. It rolls right over. The chorus is negligible, the gauche 'Let's Get Physical' double entendres are eye-rollingly unsexy, and Minogue's delivery is too ladylike to deliver lines like, 'Feel the burn... Let me see you take it down. Let me see you take it up. Let me see you bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce... stretch it out baby.'"[7] Kitty Empire from The Observer said that, lyrically; "It's so raunchy, it could just be an in-joke cooked up between Kylie and Sia Furler (who wrote the song, and exec-produced KMO). Lyrics such as 'feel the burn' suggest an STD, not ecstasy."[8] Andy Gill from The Independent believed that "Sexercize" was an attempt to enter the American market with the contemporary use of dubstep.[9]

Lyrically, the song talks about sexual intercourse with a partner, basically referencing the sexercizing technique. Neil McCormick from The Daily Telegraph said that "Sexercize", "Les Sex" and "Sexy Love" had attracted "youth markets still obsessed with dating rituals."[10] Alexis Petredis examined that "Sexercize, which gets itself in to such a muddle trying to find sport-related metaphors for sex that it starts coming up with phrases that convey something other than what you suspect they're supposed to mean. "I want to see you beat all your best times," purrs Minogue: well, if you're absolutely sure that's what you want, I can probably be at the "finishing line", so to speak, in about 90 seconds flat."[11]

Critical reception

Minogue performing "Sexercise" during the Kiss Me Once Tour (2014).

"Sexercize" received generally mixed reviews from most music critics. Joe Sweeney from Slant Magazine said that while "Sexercize" and album track "Les Sex" were forgettable, "but none that truly ruin the party. Even the dubstep outlier 'Sexercize' works as a counterpoint to the album's deeper themes; as Minogue's maniacally digitized voice repeats the dumb/wonderful portmanteau over and over, her commitment to sounding temporarily insane is admirable."[12] Tim Sendra from AllMusic exclaimed that "Sexercise" rises above some really dorky lyrics to actually sound kinda sexy in a robotic R&B kind of way."[13] Chris Bosman from Consequence of Sound listed it as an "Essential Track", describing it as a "low-key dubstep seduction".[14]

Negatively, Joe Muggs from Fact Magazine said that the song was a thumpy filler and said that "the ridiculous single – full of exhortations to 'feel the burn', 'stretch it out', 'beat all your best times' and well-oiled US dubstep gurgles and slithers – is low camp of the most glorious sort, turning every bro cliché into pure muscle Mary flex."[15] Marc Hirsh from The Boston Globe was very negative, exclaiming that "Sexercize" could be the worst song Minogue has put out in well over a decade and felt it was the misstep of the album.[16] Kitty Empire from The Observer said "[Kiss Me Once]'s contemporary American slant adds up to a handful of anonymous R&B filler tracks with 'sex' in the title. Case in point: rubbery sub-bass on the misfiring Sexercise, which belies a need to keep up with EDM's digital libidinousness."[8] Annie Zaleski from The A.V. Club described the song as "cringe-worthy".[1] Kevin Ritchie from Now found the song "weirdly-dated dubstep".[17]

Music videos

Background

As part of Minogue's "Audio-Visual Experience", a short film was released on 18 March 2014. It was directed by Roman Coppola and Chandelier Creative, and inspired by Kenneth Anger's 1965 short film Kustom Kar Kommandos.[18] A second video for the song, an homage to the video for Olivia Newton-John's song "Physical", was directed by photographer Will Davidson and filmed at Carmel College in Oxfordshire, England.[19] It was released on YouTube on 19 March.[20] On 20 March, Minogue launched the sexercize.tv website, created to showcase "Sexercize" through the eyes of other collaborators such as Hattie Stewart × Chandelier, VFiles × Cody Critcheloe, Starsky + Cox, Mat Maitland × Jean Paul Gaultier, Gregoire Alexandre × Le Specs, Reilly × Dolce & Gabbana, National Geographic × Chandelier, Roman Coppola × Maserati, Will Davidson and Minogue.[21]

Music videos

The first music video snippet was released on 17 March 2014.[18] Through the video, it features Minogue rubbing a car with a buffer with neon lights being projected onto the car. It finishes with the car bumper bearing the abbreviation "SEXRCZE". According to Coppola, he said "When I was a kid there were a lot of custom cars made for bands or television shows: The Pink Panther and The Monkees had incredible vehicles. I thought to myself: 'I'll make a custom car for Kylie.'"

For the second video, Richard Christiansen from Chandelier said: "We were speaking to Kylie while she was recording the album, and we knew she was inspired by a particular time and aesthetic: late 1970s/early 1980s French Vogue with a bit of an Olivia Newton-John or Jane Fonda aerobics fashion filter."[18] Minogue's label spruiked the song in a statement which read: "In what can only be described as the hottest workout video ever, Kylie introduces her fans to the hot and steamy world of 'Sexercize'. Director Will Davidson, who also shot the viral video for 'Skirt', takes the viewer on a voyeuristic journey working out, sweating it up in the steam room and scenes that will no doubt see gym memberships soar."[22] The song premiered on Minogue's YouTube channel on 19 March 2014 and as of June 2018 has over 11 million views.[23]

Reception

Although the track was not well received by critics, the music video received favorable reception from music critics. Brett Malec from E! Online said "In the video (which contains a parental advisory warning at the start!), Minogue flaunts a super-fit and skinny bod in a skintight gymnastics leotard and stiletto heels. She runs her hands over her curves and poses seductively over a pummel horse."[24] A reviewer from The Sydney Morning Herald described it as "X-Rated" and that "Kylie Minogue is set to stun her fans by releasing an X-rated new promo in which she writhes with four women during a sex workout."[25] The Huffington Post compared it to "Spinning Around", writing "Ever since Kylie Minogue's perfectly formed derrière and a pair of now legendary gold hot pants helped catapult her back onto the pop scene back in 2000 in the video for 'Spinning Around', we've been wondering when her bottom would next be putting in an appearance - and the wait is finally over."[26]

Controversy

Laura Cox from Daily Mail said that "Hundreds took to social networking websites to criticize the 45-year-old after she posted raunchy footage on YouTube to accompany her latest single, 'Sexercize'." Labeling it as her most controversial video to date, Cox explained that many of the public felt that Minogue displayed the "sexual" image to market "mediocre" music.[27] Mediawatch-uk member Vivienne Patterson criticized the video, saying "It's just reinforcing the idea that your worth is defined by your hotness rather than anything else you have to offer, and that can be really damaging for the self-esteem of young girls." Pippa Smith of Safermedia said: "This latest release is very disappointing as she will understand perfectly well that she is a role model for young girls and children."[27]

Live performances

In March 2014, Minogue performed "Sexercize" on the French TV show Le Grand Journal in Paris, France.[28] Minogue performed the song on her Kiss Me Once Tour in the fourth section, "Lick Kiss", following a cover of "Need You Tonight".

Personnel

Credits below are adapted from the liner notes on Kiss Me Once from Discogs.[29]

  • Additional vocals and vocal producer – Kelly 'Madame Buttons' Sheehan
  • Assistant mixing – Daniela Rivera
  • Mastered by Geoff Pesche
  • Mixed by Phil Tan
  • Producer – The Monsters & Strangerz
  • Written by Clarence Coffee, Jordan Johnson, Marcus Lomax, Nella Tahriri, Sia, Stefan Johnson

Chart

Chart (2014) Peak
position
Russia Airplay (Tophit)[30] 167
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[31] 30

References

  1. ^ a b Kylie Minogue touches on dubstep, duets with Enrique, falls flat. The A.V. Club.
  2. ^ Daniels, Colin (13 January 2013). "Kylie Minogue denies plan to quit pop music". Digital Spy. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Kylie Minogue takes music break after split with manager Terry Blamey". Herald Sun. 14 January 2013.
  4. ^ O'Mance, Brad (6 February 2013). "Kylie (Minogue) has signed a deal with Roc Nation". Popjustice. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  5. ^ Corner, Lewis (22 February 2013). "Kylie Minogue working with Sia for new album?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  6. ^ http://www.tv3.ie/entertainment_article.php?locID=1.803.810&article=129374
  7. ^ http://www.popmatters.com/review/180030-kylie-minogue-kiss-me-once/
  8. ^ a b Kiss Me Once review - Kylie Minogue's raunchy R&B reboot | Music | The Observer.
  9. ^ Kylie, Kiss Me Once, album review - The Independent.
  10. ^ Kylie Minogue and George Michael: does age matter in pop? - Telegraph.
  11. ^ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/mar/13/kylie-minogue-kiss-me-once-review
  12. ^ Kylie Minogue: Kiss Me Once | Music Review | Slant Magazine. By Joe Sweeney. Retrieved on 21 March 2014.
  13. ^ Kiss Me Once - Kylie Minogue | Songs, Reviews, Credits and Awards | Allmusic.
  14. ^ Album Review: Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once | Consequence of Sound.
  15. ^ Kiss Me Once - FACT Magazine.
  16. ^ Album review: Kylie Minogue, 'Kiss Me Once' - Music - The Boston Globe.
  17. ^ http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=197038
  18. ^ a b c "Kylie Minogue: Sexercize". Nowness. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  19. ^ Melouney, Carmel (31 March 2014). "Behind the Lens with Will Davidson - Director of Kylie's "Sexercize" Video". Vice. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  20. ^ "Kylie Minogue Gets Physical in New "Sexercise" Music Video | The House Next Door". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  21. ^ "Kylie - Sexercize". Sexercize.tv. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  22. ^ Kylie Minogue unveils 'Sexercise' music video in full. Digital Spy.
  23. ^ Kylie Minogue - Sexercize - Official Video on YouTube.
  24. ^ Kylie Minogue, 45, Teaches Us How to "Sexercize" in Sexy, Sweaty New Music Video—Watch Now!. E! Online. Retrieved on 21 March 2014.
  25. ^ Sexercize: Kylie Minogue releases 'sex workout' video. Sydney Morning Herald.
  26. ^ Kylie Minogue: 'Sexercize' Video Sees The Return Of The Pop Princess's Famous Bum In A Starring Role (VIDEO). The Huffington Post.
  27. ^ a b Web backlash as Kylie, 45, gyrates for pop video: Fans criticise raunchy footage and argue she is using sex to mask 'mediocre' quality of the music. Daily Mail. Retrieved on 20 March 2014.
  28. ^ Mike Wass (19 March 2014). "Kylie Minogue Performs Sexercize On French TV Show Le Grand Journal". Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  29. ^ Kylie* - Kiss Me Once (CD, Album) at Discogs. Discogs.com.
  30. ^ "Chart Search: Sexercize – Kylie Minogue". Tophit. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  31. ^ "Kylie Minogue Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
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