"Afrodisiac" | ||||
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Single by Brandy | ||||
from the album Afrodisiac | ||||
B-side | "Sirens" | |||
Released | September 22, 2004 | |||
Recorded | 2003 | |||
Studio | Hit Factory Criteria (Miami) | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 3:47 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Timbaland | |||
Brandy singles chronology | ||||
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"Afrodisiac" is a song by American recording artist Brandy. It was written by Isaac Phillips, Kenisha Pratt, Kenneth Pratt and Timbaland for her same-titled fourth studio album (2004), with production was handled by the latter. One of the first songs Norwood and Timbaland collaborated on, the record is an uptempo–offbeat R&B song with pop and dance-pop elements, built along on a flute, Afro-Caribbean music influences and 1980s electro sounds. Considered by Norwood as one of her favorites on the album, the track expresses a female's addictive passion for a special person, whom she declares her very own aphrodisiac.
The song was met with the acclaim of contemporary critics. Many praised Norwood's versatility and considered it as one of the stand-out tracks on Afrodisiac for having an innovative and different production when compared to the others. Released as the album's second international single in Europe and Oceania during the third and fourth quarter of 2004, "Afrodisiac" reached number eleven on the UK Singles Chart, its highest peak, as well as the top 30 in France and Ireland, and the top 40 in Australia and Switzerland, where it surpassed the success of its predecessor.
The single's music video was directed by Matthew Rolston and marked his second collaboration with Norwood following their 1995 video for "Best Friend". Choreographed by Laurieann Gibson, it was filmed in Los Angeles, California and features Norwood dancing in a water-flooded outtrack world, influenced by white, gold and black color. "Afrodisiac" was performed on a few television shows, such as CD:UK , Top of the Pops , and Billboard Live, but has since been performed frequently on Norwood's concerts and tours, including the 2009 Human World Tour and the 2016 Slayana World Tour.
"Afrodisiac" was written by frequent Brandy collaborators Isaac Phillips, Kenisha Pratt, and Kenneth Pratt along with rapper Timbaland, while production was handled by the latter. [1] Norwood's vocals were recorded at Hit Factory Criteria in Miami, Florida, with production overseen by herself; Kenisha Pratt, Kenneth Pratt, and Blake English all served as background vocalists. [1] Jimmy Douglass mixed the track, while English, Douglass, Demacio Castellon, Jeremal Hicks, and Halsey Quemere all assisted in the audio engineering of the track. [1]
The track was one of the first songs on the same-titled album that Norwood and her team worked on while recording at the Hit Factory Criteria studios in Miami, Florida. [1] An uptempo–offbeat R&B song with heavy pop and dance-pop influences, [2] "Afrodisiac" was built along on a flute and a synthesised old-school drum machine groove. [3] Critics also noted an "orchestra band feel with a definite Caribbean influence and some 1980s electro sound", [4] which incorporates a baby-cry sample, that bears resemblance to fellow Timbaland production "Are You That Somebody?," a recorded by Aaliyah in 1998. [5] Backing vocals were inspired by Irish singer Enya. [6] Lyrically, Norwood, as the female protagonist, expresses her addictive passion for a special person, whom she declares her very own aphrodisiac, a substance that increases her sexual desire. [7] Speaking of what motivated her to record the song, Norwood stated, "when I first heard that track I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ It was different. I'm not trying to do what I did before. I'm trying to do something different, but still have the same elements that people know me for. And that's what 'Afrodisiac' was." [8] She further added, that "it was great to do a record like that with Timbaland. He was one of my favorite producers, so to work with him was a dream come true [...] you can hear the yearning for love. I never had an aphrodisiac in my life until now." [7] She declared the song her favorite track on the album. [7] [8]
Upon its release, "Afrodisiac" was praised by music critics for its unconventional production, progressive structure, and Norwood's vocal performance. Rachel Kipp from Associated Press wrote that "Afrodisiac" is a "carnival ride", [9] while Nicholas Paul Godkin, writer for Designer magazine, commented that the song "has the feel of a superior Destiny's Child R&B single. Brandy raps a little bit, but it's her unmistakable voice that impresses the most." [10] Describing the song as "innovative and quirky", Tareck Ghoneim from Contactmusic wrote that "Afrodisiac" was "very hard to describe as it is so different so those looking for something fresh may like it. The arrangement is complex that makes the feel of this track engrossing and original. This is progressive R&B and deserves praise." [4] Music Week said the song is "typically polished, shiny R&B". [11] Yahoo! Voices declared the song "bouncy and sexy, a perfect marriage of a sterling vocal performance and cutting-edge production. A standout." [12]
The A.V. Club 's Andy Battaglia compared the song to Aaliyah's song "Are You That Somebody?", noting that it "dusts off the baby-cry sample Timbaland made famous with Aaliyah, but the hook is all Brandy – her dry voice circles around itself in a swooping chorus, which sounds open and sexy on her own terms." [5] Azeem Ahmad of MusicOMH showed high favoritism for "Afrodisiac". He stated that "the strong racial connotations in the title shouldn't be mistaken as anything other than a cry for acceptance as a sex symbol in the Beyoncé mould", and added: "gracefully there's a lot more substance to this through the beautifully sung and equally brilliantly produced song. Thankfully there's no hint of 'Independent Women' in the song as Brandy takes a rare honest stance: 'I admit that I'm a prisoner of your sex appeal'." [13] Allmusic writer Andy Kellman ranked the song among his four favorite tracks on the album along with "Talk About Our Love", "Who Is She 2 U" and "Sadiddy". [14]
In late October 2003, an unmastered version of "Afrodisiac" was presented along with two other Timbaland productions, "Who Is She 2 U" and album cut "Finally", onto the Brandy Special Music Project on ratethemusic.com, a website that asks people's opinions on new tracks from various artists, [7] Its internet leak made it an early candidate to become the album's lead single. [15] When Kanye West-produced "Talk About Our Love" was picked as Afrodisiac's first single, Timbaland protested the decision in several magazine interviews. Norwood herself later proclaimed that the album's single choice was finalized by Atlantic Records bosses, while the singer herself had favoured a Timbaland-produced track such as "Afrodisiac" to lead the album: "We had already pretty much recorded the bulk of the album before Kanye West got involved. The label wanted to come out with ‘Talk About Love’ as a single, but I didn't want it to be released [...] It just didn't match the energy of what Timbaland and I had done. I wanted a single that represented the sound and the movie feel of my album." [16]
While "Who Is She 2 U" was selected as the album's second singles in Canada and the United States, "Afrodisiac" was first released as Afrodisiac's second international single in France on September 22, 2004. [17] Both the CD single and maxi single spawned two previously unreleased tracks, including Timbaland-produced "Sirens" and a solo version of "Talk About Our Love". [18] In the United Kingdom, a DVD single was released, which additionally featured music videos of the latter and "Afrodisiac", as well as a making of and a digital photo gallery. [19] Commercially, "Afrodisiac" was as somewhat equally successful as "Talk About Our Love" on the charts. It reached its highest peak on the UK Singles Chart, where it debuted at number eleven. [20] "Afrodisiac" reached the top thirty in France and Ireland, where it reached number twenty-five and twenty-two respectively and became Norwood's highest-charting single since "Full Moon" (2002). [20] In addition, it charted within the top forty on the ARIA Charts in Australia and the Swiss Singles Chart. [20] While the song failed to chart in Germany, it reached number one on the component Black Music Chart. [21]
The music video for "Afrodisiac" was directed by American photographer Matthew Rolston. It marked his second collaboration with Norwood following their 1995 video for "Best Friend". [22] Entirely shot in a filming studio in Los Angeles, California in the summer of 2004, it was filmed over thirteen hours. [23] Canadian creative director Laurieann Gibson, then best known for her work on MTV's Making the Band series, served as its choreographer. [24] Gibson noted that Norwood was "performing groundbreaking moves" in the clip, which involved the design of a personal dance routine. [24] Norwood declared Rolston's visuals as a "crazy performance-entertaining video." [24]
The plotless video concept was developed during a single video conference with all involved parties. [24] Inspired by the song itself, Rolston decided to visualize the sung-about afrodisiac as a liquid, eventually arranging the construction of a water-flooded "outtrack world" that depicts Norwood and her dancers performing in an ankle-deep basin and in front of water-reflecting walls respectively. [24] With a view to create a "very simple video", styles and clothes are mainly influenced by white, gold and black color. [17] [24] Actor Columbus Short appeared as one of the background dancers in the video. [24]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Afrodisiac" (Album Version) |
|
| 3:47 |
2. | "Sirens" |
|
| 3:59 |
3. | "Talk About Our Love" (TKC Club Mix) |
| 7:59 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Afrodisiac" (Album Version) |
|
| 3:47 |
2. | "Sirens" |
|
| 3:59 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Afrodisiac" (Album Version) |
|
| 3:47 |
2. | "Talk About Our Love" (E-Smoove Classic Club Mix) |
| 7:14 |
Notes
Credits lifted from the liner notes of Afrodisiac. [25]
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Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
France | September 22, 2004 | CD | Warner Music | |
Germany | September 24, 2004 | Maxi | ||
United Kingdom | October 4, 2004 | CD | Atlantic | |
Australia | October 25, 2004 | Warner Music |
Timothy Zachery Mosley, known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, and singer. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinctive "stuttering" rhythmic style. In 2007, Entertainment Weekly stated that "just about every current pop trend can be traced back to him—from sultry, urban-edged R&B songstresses [...] to the art of incorporating avant-garde sounds into No. 1 hits."
Brandy is the debut studio album by American singer Brandy. It was released on September 27, 1994, by Atlantic Records. Chiefly produced by Keith Crouch, the album contains a range of contemporary genres, including hip-hop, pop-soul, and R&B. Aside from Crouch, Norwood worked with a range of other writers and producers, including R&B group Somethin' for the People, Arvel McClinton, and Damon Thomas.
Afrodisiac is the fourth studio album by American singer Brandy. It was first released on June 25, 2004, by Atlantic Records. The album was recorded primarily in Los Angeles between spring 2003 and early 2004, following several major changes in Brandy's personal and professional life. After giving birth to her daughter and the demise of her relationship with Big Bert, Brandy's team was given an overhaul, including changes in production, management, and A&R. The album marked a departure from her previous work, with Brandy collaborating with producer Timbaland and songwriter Candice Nelson on the majority of the album's composition.
Full Moon is the third studio album by American singer Brandy. It was released by Atlantic Records on March 5, 2002 in the United States. The album was recorded primarily during the summer and fall of 2001 at the Hit Factory Criteria in Miami, amid a three-year musical hiatus following the success of her multi-platinum previous studio album Never Say Never (1998) and the finale of her highly successful television sitcom Moesha in May 2001. As with Never Say Never, Brandy collaborated with producer Rodney Jerkins and his Darkchild production and songwriting team on the majority of the album's composition, while Mike City, Warryn Campbell, and Keith Crouch contributed additional production.
The Best of Brandy is the first greatest hits album by American singer Brandy. It was released on March 28, 2005 by Atlantic Records, completing her contract with the label after being signed since 1994. The album comprises nearly all of Norwood's 1994–2004 singles, compiling her first four studio albums Brandy (1994), Never Say Never (1998), Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), as well as songs she contributed to film soundtracks such as Waiting to Exhale (1995) and Set It Off (1996).
"Talk About Our Love" is a song recorded by American singer Brandy for her fourth studio album Afrodisiac (2004). It was written by Kanye West, who also appears as a featured artist on it, and Harold Lilly, while production was handled by the former. Due to the song's use of a sample of Mandrill's 1978 song "Gilly Hines", band members Claude Cave II, and Carlos, Louis, and Ricardo Wilson are also credited as writers. Lyrically, "Talk About Our Love" is about a relationship lacking support from family and friends.
"Who Is She 2 U" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood from her fourth studio album, Afrodisiac (2004). It was written by Candice Nelson, Walter Millsap III and Timbaland, and produced by the latter. The song is built around a sample of "Instant Love" (1977) by American singer Leon Ware. Due to the inclusion of the sample, he and Jacqueline Hilliard are also credited as songwriters. Based on true events, the song describes a woman who is suspicious about her mate's awkward behavior around a seemingly unfamiliar woman. The dramatic up-tempo incorporates piano keys, flutes, chamber pop string melodies and go-go drum programming.
"Make Me a Song" is a song by American singer Kiley Dean. It was written by Candice Nelson, Walter "Lil Walt" Millsap and Timbaland for her unreleased debut album Simple Girl, while production was helmed by the latter, with additional production by Scott Storch. A rhythmic and lyrical push and pull in which Dean describes her journey to the studio to find the perfect melody and beat, the song references "Rock the Boat" (2001) by American R&B singer Aaliyah. Released as Dean's debut single, "Make Me a Song" peaked at number 99 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"What About Us?" is a song by American singer Brandy from her third studio album, Full Moon (2002). It was written by LaShawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, Kenisha Pratt, Nora Payne and Norwood, featuring main production by Jerkins. An offbeat, aggressive high-tech track, the song's development was motivated by the fact that the singer wanted something different–an aggressive, sexier and edgier sound with a message which would empower women while also reflecting her own growth and maturity.
"Angel in Disguise" is a song recorded by American singer Brandy for her second studio album Never Say Never (1998). It was written by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Fred Jerkins III, LaShawn Daniels, Traci Hale, and Tye-V Turman, and was produced by Jerkins along with Brandy. The song was recorded and mixed by audio engineer Dave Way at the Pacifique Recording Studios in North Hollywood, California and features prominent backing vocals by singer Joe.
American singer Brandy Norwood entered the music business as a backing vocalist for R&B boy bands such as Immature, prior to launching her own career in 1994. Her discography, as a solo artist, includes eight studio albums, one compilation album, one extended play, 42 singles, 46 album appearances and 28 soundtrack appearances. Norwood has sold over 8.6 million albums in the United States, and more than 40 million records worldwide. Additionally, she has won over 100 awards as a recording artist. In 1999, Billboard ranked Norwood among the top 20 of the Top Pop Artists of the 1990s.
"Sittin' Up in My Room" is a song by American recording artist Brandy. It was written and produced by Babyface and recorded by Norwood for the soundtrack of the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale, starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett. The song was among five of the album's singles and peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, seeing Norwood's furthest commercial success on the chart at that time. The bass intro is similar to that of the riff performed by bassist Larry Graham, of Sly and the Family Stone, on their hit "Thank You ", and its remix featuring LL Cool J contains a sample of "Haven't You Heard" by Patrice Rushen.
"I Wanna Be Down" is the debut single of American recording artist Brandy from her self-titled debut album (1994). It was written by musicians Keith Crouch and Kipper Jones, with production helmed by the former, it was released on September 5, 1994, by the Atlantic Recording Corporation. The song is a mid-tempo track that features a thunderous beat and light synth riffs. Lyrically, "I Wanna Be Down" describes a flirt with a boy, who Norwood tries to convince of her loveliness.
"Turn It Up" is a song by American singer Brandy Norwood from her fourth studio album, Afrodisiac (2004). It was written by Timbaland along with protégé Walter Millsap III and Candice Nelson, while production was helmed by the former. The song was recorded at the Hit Factory Criteria and mixed by Jimmy Douglass in Miami, Florida. An uptempo R&B song, which also contains elements of rap, bounce music, and old school hip hop, the track serves as musical tribute to the early 1990s. Built on a pounding drum pattern and Timbaland's beatboxing, in "Turn It Up", Norwood expresses her desire to collaborate with the producer on a nostalgic club banger to assume her position atop the game.
"Should I Go" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood from her fourth studio album, Afrodisiac (2004). It was written by Walter Millsap III, his collaborative partner Candice Nelson, and mentor Timbaland, while production was helmed by the latter. "Should I Go" is built on percussive beats, syncopated handclaps and a piano riff that samples British alternative rock band Coldplay's song "Clocks", written by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, and Chris Martin for their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002). Lyrically, Norwood as the protagonist openly talks about contemplating stepping away from the music business, admitting that she is trying to figure out where she fits in today.
"Right Here (Departed)" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood. It was written by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and The Writing Camp members Evan "Kidd" Bogart, Victoria Horn, Erika Nuri, and David "DQ" Quiñones and produced by Jerkins for her fifth studio album, Human (2008). Not recorded until late into the production of the album, it set much of the tone for the final Human track listing as it was the first out of several new songs Norwood and Jerkins recorded together following his absence on her previous album Afrodisiac (2004). Its lyrics chronicle a woman's talks about mutual support with loved ones.
Human is the fifth studio album by American singer Brandy. It was released on December 5, 2008 by Epic Records, Knockout Entertainment and Koch Records. The album was Norwood's debut Epic Records release, following her split with Atlantic Records in 2005, and her reunion with longtime collaborator and mentor Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, who executively produced and wrote most of the album with his songwriting collective.
Two Eleven is the sixth studio album by American singer Brandy. Released on October 16, 2012, it served as the singer's debut release with Chameleon Entertainment and RCA Records after departing from Epic Records soon after releasing her previous album, Human (2008). The album's title is taken from Norwood's birthday; it is also the day on which her idol and friend, entertainer Whitney Houston died eight months before Two Eleven's release.
"Wildest Dreams" is a song recorded by American recording artist Brandy for her sixth studio album, Two Eleven (2012). It was written by Sean Garrett, Justin Henderson and Christopher Whitacre, with production helmed by Henderson and Whitacre under their production moniker Tha Bizness. "Wildest Dreams" is a mid-tempo R&B ballad which was inspired by R&B music from the 1990s and has lyrics which speak about the disbelief for finding love again. It was inspired by Norwood finding love with music executive Ryan Press. Garrett, who wrote nine songs for Two Eleven, noticed the Norwood and Press's connection and adapted the lyrics for "Wildest Dreams".
Kenisha LaCarol Pratt was an American songwriter and vocal producer, known for her songwriting credits on songs by artists such as Brandy, Toni Braxton, TLC, Yahzarah, Burhan G and Hadise, and her brother K-Young.
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