"Lovebird" | |
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Song |
"Lovebird" is a song recorded by British singer-songwriter Leona Lewis for her third studio album Glassheart (2012). It was written by Bonnie McKee, Joshua Coleman and Dr. Luke, and produced by Josh Abrahams, Ammo and Oligee. The song was recorded at Pulse Recording in Los Angeles and is a power ballad, incorporating a piano and synth-driven melody. The lyrics of "Lovebird" focus on how Lewis informs her lover that enough time has passed since their relationship ended for her to have developed as a person. Critics praised Lewis' vocal performance; the musical structure of the song was heavily compared to one of her previous singles, "Bleeding Love", along with songs performed by Adele.
To promote "Lovebird", Lewis performed the song on Daybreak and Loose Women in the United Kingdom, in addition to La Voz in Spain. The accompanying music video shows Lewis trying to escape from a giant bird cage. "Lovebird" sold fewer than 600 copies upon its release, failing to attain one of the top 200 chart positions on the UK Singles Chart. However, it did peak at number 22 on the South Korea Gaon Single Chart due to strong digital download sales.
Background
Lewis began working on her third album Glassheart in late 2010, shortly after completing her first headlining tour, The Labyrinth.[2][3] Glassheart was due to be released in November 2011 after the release of the first single, "Collide" (with Avicii).[4] However, in September 2011, Lewis posted a message on her official Facebook page writing that the album would no longer come out in 2011 as planned, explaining that she was "inspired" to continue making new music and was, therefore, personally pushing back the release to early 2012.[5] That same month, it was announced that the album was expected to be released on 26 March 2012.[6]
In December 2011, Lewis released Hurt: The EP, a collection of cover songs to bridge the gap between Echo (2009) and Glassheart (2012). In January 2012, the album was pushed back again, this time to November 2012, following announcements that Lewis had worked on a track with Scottish DJ Calvin Harris and Fraser T Smith would be producing for the album.[7] Record executive Simon Cowell later publically give his support for Glassheart, saying to Lewis that, although there had been a lengthy wait of two years for new music, the album was "sensational", and that Lewis had "never sounded better."[8]
Release
On 1 January 2012, a low quality snippet of "Lovebird" leaked under the title "Love Birds".[9] After the song leaked, Lewis expressed her frustration at the song being available for listening to on the Internet, stating: "I'm sad that one of my songs leaked. As an artist that holds music dear to my heart I would've liked to share it with u [sic] when it's ready. I hope that you feel it like I do and when it's time to be released you'll still support it in the right way. Thank u [sic] for the love."[10] After the release of Glassheart's lead single "Trouble" in October 2012, the singer announced that "Fireflies" would serve as the album's second single; a lyric video for "Fireflies" was uploaded to Lewis' official VEVO account on 26 October 2012.[11][12] However, when Lewis appeared as a special guest performer at the London Oxford Street Christmas light switch-on event on 5 November 2012, she introduced "Lovebird" as the second single and performed it for the first time.[13] It was later confirmed by Sony Music that "Lovebird" had replaced "Fireflies" as the album's second single, and that it would be released as the lead single for the rest of Europe.[14] "Lovebird" was made available for download in Finland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland on 16 November 2012.[15][16][17][18] It was released in France, Italy and Spain a few days later on 19 November 2012.[19][20][21] In the United Kingdom, "Lovebird" was not released as a digital download single, but was released with an "impact date" of 9 December 2012.[22] It was released in Germany on 12 April 2013.[23]
Production and composition
"Lovebird" was written by Bonnie McKee, Joshua Coleman and Dr. Luke, and produced by Josh Abrahams, Oligee and Coleman, under his production name Ammo.[1] The song was engineered by Ryan Williams, assisted by Daniela Rivera.[1] "Lovebird" was mixed by Phil Tan at the Ninja Beat Club in Atlanta, Georgia and mastered by Colin Leonard at SING Mastering using SING Technology, both located in Atlanta.[1] The song was recorded at Pulse Recording in Los Angeles.[1] "Lovebird" is a power ballad of three minutes and 30 seconds.[24][15] The song's musical structure bears strong resemblances to one of Lewis' previous singles, "Bleeding Love", from her début studio album Spirit (2007).[25] The track opens with a piano introduction similar to that on "Bleeding Love", and features an "instantly hummable chorus".[25] Lewis informs her lover in the lyrics – with the lines "But the time went on, the wind has blown, and I have grown" – that enough time has passed since their relationship started for her to have developed as a person.[24] As power ballad beats and "airy synths" play, she sings "Your lovebird's flying away/ Cos my heart's been stuck in a cage".[24] The hook consists of Lewis singing "I've got to sing my song, so pretty/ Dum, dum, diddy".[24]
Critical reception
Mike Wass, a writer for Idolator, wrote that "Lovebird" was one of the two best songs on Glassheart, along with the title track.[25] He further commented that it had strong radio potential, and that it would be successful if it were to be released in the United States, as it sounds like a "clone" of "Bleeding Love".[25] Digital Spy critic Lewis Corner felt that the song was reminiscent of "Bleeding Love" as well as "Better in Time".[24] Although he noted that Lewis' vocal performance on "Lovebird" is very impressive, as with all her material, he was unsure of why it was included on the final cut of the album due to Glassheart having "bigger" songs on it, which were likely to chart better.[24] The Mirror's Clemmie Moodie thought that although the recording is a "catchy" song, it does not compare to "Bleeding Love", but noted that it does contain "lyrical gems", including “Your lovebird’s flyin’ away, ’cos my heart’s been stuck in a cage".[27] Hermoine Hoby, writing on behalf of The Observer, wrote that Lewis appears to be following in the footsteps of singer-songwriter Adele, due to the inclusion of "big heartfelt ballads" such as "Lovebird" and "Fireflies" on Glassheart.[26] For Hoby, Lewis' vocals are just as "technically irreproachable" as Whitney Houston's and Mariah Carey's.[26]
Promotion
Lewis performed "Lovebird" for the first time at the switching-on of the Christmas lights at Oxford Street in London on 5 November 2012.[28] She also performed "Trouble" at the event.[28] The singer performed the song live on Daybreak on 23 November 2012,[29][30] and on Loose Women on 29 November 2012, where she was also interviewed by the hosts.[31] Lewis wore a figure-hugging red dress with black high heel shoes, had a "coating" of red lipstick on and "heavy" black eye makeup.[31] On 8 December 2012, she performed "Lovebird" at the National Lottery Awards.[32] To promote the song in Spain, Lewis sung "Lovebird" on La Voz.[33]
The song's accompanying music video was filmed in November 2012 and premiered on 5 December 2012.[34] The video has a metaphorical theme, and features Lewis in a giant bird cage in a dimly lit room.[35] Some scenes show the singer in a shadow and darker settings, while others are light and colourful.[35] For most of the video, Lewis ponders about being able to escape her cage and experience freedom. At the end of the video, she realises that the cage is in fact unlocked and she is able to leave her confine. Lewis leaves wearing an ivory sleeved dress and long skirt while she is trapped in the cage along with "jewelled eye decorations" in the video.[36][35] Lucy Buckland for the Daily Mail felt that Lewis looks "positively mournful" in the video, and that while it may not be the best advert for feminism, she looks "beautiful".[36]
Track listing
- Digital download[15]
- "Lovebird" - 3:30
- Digital single[23]
- "Lovebird" - 3:30
- "Lovebird" (music video) - 3:29
Credits and personnel
- Recording
- Recorded at Pulse Recording, Los Angeles.
- Mixed at Ninja Beat Club, Atlanta, Georgia.
- Mastered at SING Mastering, Atlanta, Georgia.
- Personnel
- Songwriting – Bonnie McKee, Joshua Coleman, Lukasz Gottwald
- Production – Josh Abrahams, Oligee, Ammo
- Engineering – Ryan Williams
- Additional/assistant engineering – Daniela Rivera
- Mixing – Phil Tan
- Mastering – Colin Leonard
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Glassheart.[1]
Chart performance
Upon the release of Glassheart, "Lovebird" debuted on the South Korean singles chart at number 68 during the week of November 18 to 24, 2012, due to digital download sales of 4,310.[37] In its second week on the chart, "Lovebird" jumped 46 positions to number 22.[38] In the United Kingdom, "Lovebird" sold fewer than 600 copies upon its release, meaning it failed to attain one of the top 200 chart positions on the UK Singles Chart.[22] As of December 2012, "Lovebird" is Lewis' lowest selling single, and her first to not chart in the UK; according to Digital Spy, the reason cited for its commercial failure was due to not receiving airplay support from radio stations.[22]
Chart (2012) | Peak position |
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South Korea International Singles (Gaon)[37] | 22 |
Release history
Country | Release date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Finland[15] | 16 November 2012 | Digital download | Sony Music |
Netherlands[16] | |||
Portugal[17] | |||
Switzerland[18] | |||
France[19] | 19 November 2012 | ||
Italy[20] | |||
Spain[21] | |||
United Kingdom[22] | 9 December 2012 | Impact day | Syco Music, Sony Music |
Germany[23] | 12 April 2013 | Digital download | Sony Music |
External links
References
- ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Leona (2012). Glassheart (Liner Notes) (Media notes). London, England: Syco.
{{cite AV media notes}}
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(help); Text "p" ignored (help) - ^ Lewis, Leona (28 February 2010). "Under the Skin of Leona Lewis" (Television) (Interview). Interviewed by Rick Edwards. London: 4 Music. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
{{cite interview}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Sheridan, Emily (12 September 2012). "Leona Lewis becomes a lady in red for intimate gig in London nightclub as she prepares for return to the charts". Daily Mail. Daily Mail and General Trust. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
- ^ "Leona Lewis – Leona Lewis' Album Pushed Back Again". Contactmusic.com. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
- ^ Lewis, Leona (26 September 2011). "Just wanted to..." Facebook. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- ^ Corner, Lewis (30 September 2011). "Leona Lewis album Glassheart release date announced". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ Corner, Lewis (25 January 2012). "Leona Lewis delays release of third album 'Glassheart' – Music News". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ Pakinkis, Tom (13 September 2012). "Simon Cowell: Leona Lewis saved X Factor". Music Week. Intent Media. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ Daw, Robbie (1 January 2012). "Leona Lewis' New Song "Love Birds" Flies Online". Idolator. Buzz Media. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ "Leona Lewis Angry Over Song Leak". Contactmusic.com. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
- ^ Nissim, Mayer (22 October 2012). "Leona Lewis announces new single 'Fireflies': 'It's really powerful'". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ Leona Lewis VEVO (19 October 2012). "Leona Lewis - Fireflies (Lyric Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ "Leona Lewis- Oxford Street Xmas Lights Switch on 2012 - Trouble and LoveBird". YouTube. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ "Leona Lewis, Una de las Voces Mas Carismaticas y Respetadas del pop mundial, anuncia su nuevo album "Glassheart" el proximo27 de Novembre" (in Spanish). Sony Music. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ a b c d "iTunes - Music - Lovebird - Single by Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Finland) (in Finnish). Apple. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ a b "iTunes - Music - Lovebird - Single by Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Netherlands). Apple. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ a b "iTunes - Music - Lovebird - Single by Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Portugal) (in Portuguese). Apple. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ a b "iTunes - Music - Lovebird - Single by Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Portugal) (in Swiss-German). Apple. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ a b "Leona Lewis - Lovebird" (in French). Amazon.fr. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
- ^ a b "Leona Lewis - Lovebird" (in Italian). Amazon.it. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
- ^ a b "Leona Lewis - Lovebird" (in Spanish). Amazon.es. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
- ^ a b c d Corner, Lewis (21 December 2012). "Leona Lewis Fails to Make Top 200 with New Single Lovebird". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ a b c "Leona Lewis - Lovebird (Digital Single)" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Corner, Lewis (30 November 2012). "Leona Lewis - Lovebird (Single Review)". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ a b c d Wass, Mike (23 October 2012). "Leona Lewis' 'Glassheart': Album Review". Idolator. Buzz Media. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ a b c Hoby, Hermione (13 October 2012). "Leona Lewis: Glassheart – review". The Observer. London. The New Review section, p. 33. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ^ Moodie, Clemmie (21 December 2012). "Bleeding hell! New single from Leona Lewis fails to make the top 200". The Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
- ^ a b "Leona Lewis- Oxford Street Xmas Lights Switch on 2012 - Trouble and LoveBird video" (video). NME. IPC Media. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
- ^ "Leona is a Lovebird". Daybreak. ITV. 23 November 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ Corner, Lewis (23 November 2012). "Leona Lewis performs new single 'Lovebird' - watch". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ a b "Leona Lewis shows off her lady in red look in a figure-hugging dress as she performs on Loose Women". Daily Mail. Daily Mail and General Trust. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ "Leona Lewis - Lovebird on the National Lottery Awards. video" (video). NME. IPC Media. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
- ^ Hernández, Nuria (12 December 2012). "'La Voz': Carly Rae Jepsen, Alejandro Sanz y Leona Lewis acompañarán a los 8 semifinalistas" (in Spanish). Que.es (Factoría de Información). Retrieved 23 December 2012.
- ^ Corner, Lewis (5 December 2012). "Leona Lewis premieres new single 'Lovebird' music video - watch". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ a b c "Leona Lewis v. Girls Aloud / Music Video Fight Club". The Metro. Associated Newspapers. 7 December 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ a b Buckland, Lucy (5 December 2012). "Don't lose the key! Behind the scenes with a caged Leona Lewis on her Lovebirds video shootk". Daily Mail. Daily Mail and General Trust. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ a b "South Korea Gaon International Chart (Week: November 18, 2012 to November 24, 2012)". Gaon Chart. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
- ^ "South Korea Gaon International Chart (Week: November 25, 2012 to December 1, 2012". Gaon Chart. 25 November 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2012.