Baby (Charli XCX song)

Last updated
"Baby"
Charli XCX - Baby.jpg
Single by Charli XCX
from the album Crash
Released1 March 2022 (2022-03-01)
RecordedJanuary 2020
Genre
Length2:39
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Justin Raisen
  • SadPony
Charli XCX singles chronology
"Beg for You"
(2022)		"Baby"
(2022)		"Used to Know Me"
(2022)
Music video
"Baby" on YouTube

"Baby" is a song by English singer Charli XCX, released on 1 March 2022. [1] It was released as the fourth single from her fifth studio album Crash (2022). [2] The track is an '80s-inspired post-disco, dance-pop, and funk-pop track with new jack swing and electro-funk elements. It has received positive reviews for its catchiness and sultry production. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Background and release

In an interview with Apple Music, Charli revealed that this track was one of the first ones to be conceptualized for the album. She further stated "I was working on it with Justin Raisen, and we'd done a lot together for my first ever album, True Romance . So it kind of felt cyclical to go back and with him again on what is my final record in my deal with Atlantic." [6]

Charli revealed that this track will be included on her fifth studio album Crash on November 4, 2021, by playing a snippet of the song on a TikTok live. [7] On December 19, 2021, following the cancellation of her Saturday Night Live appearance due to the rise of Omicron variant cases in New York, Charli shared another snippet of the song, showing herself dancing to the song with choreographers. [8] The single was registered on SongFile on December 25, 2021, with Justin Raisen and SadPony credited as the producers. [9] She uploaded a snippet of the track with the caption "i'm thinking this next..." on February 1, 2022, following the release of Crash's third single "Beg for You". [10]

Following the release of "Baby", Charli responded to fan criticism on Twitter by calling one of her fans a "cunt". The tweet was swiftly deleted and she expressed regret for it; it, however, became a part of gay Twitter canon. In a 2024 interview with The Face , she attributed it to stress caused by SNL rehearsals. [11]

Music and concept

"Baby", much like "Good Ones" and "New Shapes", showcases a more mainstream sound than the singer's previous releases. It "leans further into the record's overall '80s disco vibes with sparkling synths and funky guitar riffs". [12] The disco-fied tune, inspired by the new jack swing elements of Janet Jackson's seminal album Control as well as the electro-funk of Cameo, [13] [3] was created in partnership with Justin and Jeremiah Raisen (a.k.a. Sad Pony), the latter of who have done a lot of work with Yves Tumor, Angel Olsen, Kim Gordon, and many others.

She explained in an interview with Apple Music that "obviously so much has changed, and this song, it was kind of the foundation of the vibe of the album. It's probably the most sexy song I've ever made. It's about sex and sexuality and having good sex and just feeling yourself essentially. I know that that's the tone. I knew that that was the tone I wanted to carry across for the entire record. This kind of hyper-sexualized, feminine power zone was where I was feeling myself going, and 'Baby' was the genesis of this." [6]

Rankings

Year-end rankings for Baby
PublicationListRankRef.
Vulture The Best Songs of 2022—

Music video

Along with the song, a music video directed by Imogene Strauss and Luke Orlando was released on March 2, 2022. Nathan Kim devised a dance routine for the video. [2] In the video, Charli runs through sensual choreography while flanked by a pair of look-alike backup dancers. [15] She explained that she "wanted to challenge myself on the choreo for this song, which was really, really tough and I have so much respect for dancers, professional dancers, anyone who communicates emotion through dance. It is so hard and challenging, but so rewarding." [16]

Release history

Release history for "Baby"
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
Various1 March 2022 [1]

Related Research Articles

Dance-pop is a subgenre of pop music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a combination of dance and pop with influences of disco, post-disco and synth-pop, it is generally characterised by strong beats with easy, uncomplicated song structures which are generally more similar to pop music than the more free-form dance genre, with an emphasis on melody as well as catchy tunes. The genre, on the whole, tends to be producer-driven, despite some notable exceptions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charli XCX</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1992)

Charlotte Emma Aitchison, known professionally as Charli XCX, is a British singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery by a promoter who invited her to perform at warehouse raves. In 2010, she signed a recording contract with Asylum Records, releasing a series of singles and mixtapes throughout 2011 and 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuclear Seasons</span> 2011 single by Charli XCX

"Nuclear Seasons" is a song by British singer Charli XCX taken from her debut extended play (EP), You're the One (2012), and was later included on her debut studio album, True Romance (2013). It was released as the EP's second single on 21 October 2011 through This Is Music, Atlantic, and Warner Music UK. "Nuclear Seasons" was written by Charli, Justin Raisen, and Ariel Rechtshaid, while the latter produced the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SuperLove</span> 2013 single by Charli XCX

"SuperLove" is a song by English singer Charli XCX, released as a single on 2 December 2013. Although the song was originally announced as the lead single from Charli's then-untitled second major-label studio album, it ultimately was not included on 2014's Sucker. The single reached number 62 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Charli's first solo entry on the chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Break the Rules (Charli XCX song)</span> 2014 single by Charli XCX

"Break the Rules" is a song by English singer Charli XCX from her second studio album, Sucker (2014). It was released on 19 August 2014 as the album's second single. In a 2020 interview with Red Bull, XCX stated that she regrets recording the track.

<i>Sucker</i> (Charli XCX album) 2014 studio album by Charli XCX

Sucker is the second studio album by English singer Charli XCX, released on 15 December 2014 by Asylum and Atlantic Records. The album was met with positive reviews from critics, praising its throwback style, and ended up being included on many year-end lists for best albums of 2014. Sucker spawned the singles "Boom Clap", "Break the Rules", "Doing It" and "Famous".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doing It (Charli XCX song)</span> 2015 single by Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora

"Doing It" is a song by English singer Charli XCX from her second studio album, Sucker (2014). An alternative version of the song featuring English singer Rita Ora was released on 3 February 2015 as the album's third single. The single peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. "Doing It" was named "Best New Track" the week of its release by Pitchfork.

<i>Vroom Vroom</i> (EP) 2016 EP by Charli XCX

Vroom Vroom is the second extended play (EP) by English singer Charli XCX, released on 26 February 2016 by Vroom Vroom Recordings. It features production work from Scottish producer Sophie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1999 (Charli XCX and Troye Sivan song)</span> 2018 single by Charli XCX and Troye Sivan

"1999" is a song by English singer Charli XCX and Australian singer Troye Sivan, released as the lead single from the former's third studio album Charli on 5 October 2018. The single cover was inspired by the 1999 film The Matrix. It follows several singles released earlier in 2018 by Charli XCX and Sivan's 2018 album Bloom. The track reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart dated 22 November 2018, becoming Charli XCX's tenth top 40 single and first top 15 single since 2015, as well as Sivan's fourth top 40 single and his first top 20 single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gone (Charli XCX and Christine and the Queens song)</span> 2019 single by Charli XCX and Christine and the Queens

"Gone" is a song by British singer Charli XCX and French singer Christine and the Queens. It was released on 17 July 2019 as the third single from Charli XCX's third studio album Charli. The music video was released alongside the track.

Masochism is the upcoming second studio album by American singer-songwriter Sky Ferreira. Following the release of her long-delayed debut album, Night Time, My Time (2013), Ferreira announced its follow-up, titled Masochism, shortly thereafter. The album's release has been frequently delayed, with intended releases in 2015, 2016 and 2018, with the most recent comments from Ferreira and her mother stating it would be released in 2022. To promote the record, Ferreira released the first single "Downhill Lullaby" in March 2019, and the second single "Don't Forget" in 2022. Masochism is expected to be released in 2024, after the announcement of a tour, likely in support of the album.

<i>How Im Feeling Now</i> 2020 studio album by Charli XCX

How I'm Feeling Now is the fourth studio album by English singer Charli XCX, released on 15 May 2020. Released eight months after her previous LP, Charli (2019), the album was conceived in the span of six weeks during the COVID-19 lockdown in a "do it yourself" collaborative process with her fans. Charli XCX, A. G. Cook and BJ Burton served as the album's executive producers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forever (Charli XCX song)</span> 2020 single by Charli XCX

"Forever" is a song written and recorded by British singer Charli XCX from her fourth album, How I'm Feeling Now (2020). Charli XCX produced the song with A. G. Cook and BJ Burton, and it was released on 9 April 2020, by Atlantic as the lead single from the album. "Forever" is a pop, synth-pop, and psychedelic song that features dark wave and electronic influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claws (song)</span> 2020 single by Charli XCX

"Claws" is a song by English singer-songwriter Charli XCX. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, How I'm Feeling Now, on 23 April 2020. Like the previous single, "Forever", the song has three official cover artworks, designed by Timothy Luke, Naked Cherry and Sara Cwynar. "Claws" was named one of the best songs of 2020 by NME and Rolling Stone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">911 (Lady Gaga song)</span> 2020 single by Lady Gaga

"911" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga recorded for her sixth studio album, Chromatica (2020). It appears as the album's eighth track, preceded by a string arrangement titled "Chromatica II". It was written by Gaga together with Justin Tranter, BloodPop, and Madeon, with the latter two also producing along with Benjamin Rice. It is a Eurodisco, synth-pop, and electropop song with influences from techno and funk. Gaga sings in monotonous, robotic vocal effects for most part of the track. Lyrically, "911" talks about mental health and the antipsychotic medication Gaga takes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spinning (song)</span> 2021 single by No Rome, Charli XCX and The 1975

"Spinning" is a song by Filipino recording artist No Rome, English musician Charli XCX and band the 1975. The song was written by Andrew Wyatt, Charli XCX, No Rome and the 1975 members Matty Healy and George Daniel, while the production was handled by the latter three. It was released as a standalone single by Dirty Hit on 4 March 2021. Creation of the song began in 2018 when the producers developed its chorus, beat and production. Charli XCX received the song the following year, writing and recording her portion in one night. The singer later recorded vocals with Healy and Daniel in Sydney, while the song was completed remotely in early 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Ones</span> 2021 single by Charli XCX

"Good Ones" is a song by English singer Charli XCX, released as the lead single from her fifth studio album, Crash (2022). The song was released on 2 September 2021. It is a synthwave, electropop, dance, and synth-pop song that discusses the singer's incapacity to maintain healthy relationships, instead being drawn inexorably back to the dysfunctional and destructive. It received critical acclaim from critics who praised its production and Charli's vocal performance, while also lamenting its short run-time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Shapes</span> 2021 single by Charli XCX featuring Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek

"New Shapes" is a song by English singer Charli XCX, featuring French singer Christine and the Queens and American singer Caroline Polachek. It was released on 4 November 2021 as the second single from XCX's fifth studio album, Crash (2022). The song has been described as an '80s-inspired synth-pop, indie pop, and electro-funk track.

<i>Crash</i> (Charli XCX album) 2022 studio album by Charli XCX

Crash is the fifth studio album by English singer Charli XCX, released on 18 March 2022. It was her last album to be released under her record contract with Asylum Records. Charli announced the album title, release date, and artwork on 4 November 2021. Her website was also updated with information about the album's 2022 tour. The album was preceded by the four singles "Good Ones", "New Shapes" featuring Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek, "Beg for You" featuring Rina Sawayama, "Baby" and two promotional singles, "Every Rule" and "Used to Know Me", the latter released as the fifth single in April 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beg for You</span> 2022 single by Charli XCX featuring Rina Sawayama

"Beg for You" is a song by English singer Charli XCX featuring Japanese-British singer Rina Sawayama. It was released on 27 January 2022 as the third single from XCX's fifth studio album, Crash (2022). The song interpolates Swedish singer September's 2006 single "Cry for You". The song received widepsread acclaim from music critics. It peaked at number 3 in Malta and number 24 in the UK.

References

  1. 1 2 "Baby". Tidal. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Charli XCX releases new track 'Baby' ahead of album Crash". The Independent. 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  3. 1 2 "Charli XCX Aims For The Carnal With 'Baby'". Clash Magazine. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  4. ↑ Atkinson, Jessie (2022-03-16). "Album Review: Charli XCX – Crash". Gigwise . Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  5. ↑ Bell, Kaelen (17 March 2022). "Charli XCX Makes a Messy, Exciting 'CRASH' into Her Own Legacy". Exclaim!. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Charli XCX Releases New Song "Baby": Listen". Stereogum. 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  7. ↑ "Snippet 1 - Baby ?". Twitter. November 5, 2021. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  8. ↑ "BABY! 🥵 - 2022 sneak peak[sic]…. - Charli's post on instagram". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  9. ↑ "A new song called "Baby" has been registered on the SongFile database. Charli, Justin Raisen (Take My Hand, Black Roses, Lock You Up, Sucker, London Queen) and Sad Pony are credited as composers". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  10. ↑ "i'm thinking this next…". Twitter. February 2, 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  11. ↑ D'Souza, Shaad (2024-02-19). "Charli XCX knows you're obsessed with her". The Face . Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  12. ↑ Moen, Matt (2 March 2022). "Charli XCX Has All the Right Moves, 'Baby'". Paper . Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  13. ↑ "Watch Charli XCX take control in Baby music video". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  14. ↑ "The Best Songs of 2022: Staff List". Vulture . December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  15. ↑ Rowley, Glenn (2022-03-01). "Charli XCX Slinks Through Sensual Choreography for 'Baby' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  16. ↑ "Watch Charli XCX's Video for New Song "Baby"". Pitchfork. 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.