Desperado (Rihanna song)

Last updated
"Desperado"
Promotional single by Rihanna
from the album Anti
ReleasedJune 9, 2017 (2017-06-09) (Remix EP)
Studio
Genre
Length3:06
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Mick Schultz
Audio video
"Desperado" on YouTube

"Desperado" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her eighth studio album, Anti (2016). It was written and produced by Mick Schultz with additional writing by Krystin "Rook Monroe" Watkins, Rihanna, Iman Jordan, James Fauntleroy and Derrus Rachel. During the recording process of Anti, Rihanna rented a house in Malibu over several months and started extensively writing and composing music with her team consisting of various musicians. One of the songwriters in the house was Krystin "Rook Monroe" Watkins. He together with American producer Mick Schultz worked on the song. Their efforts resulted in mid-tempo song feature deep synths and vocal samples.

Contents

Following the album's release "Desperado" was met with positive reviews who praised the song for its Western themes. On June 9, 2017, a dance remixes extended play was released via the iTunes Store for digital download and streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. It topped the US Dance Club Songs chart, becoming her fifth to do so in 2017; Rihanna became the only act to score as many number ones within a year. "Desperado" also became her seventh from Anti, the second only album to have produced as many, and her thirty-second single in total.

Writing and recording

During the writing and recording process for Rihanna's eighth studio album, Anti , the singer was staying in a rented house in Malibu, California where she was accompanied by various musicians. [1] One of the songwriters in the house was Krystin "Rook Monroe" Watkins. He together with American producer Mick Schultz had previously worked on a track, so he invited him over to the house, as he thought that Rihanna might be interested in the song. When featured on the "Thats My Jam" podcast, Watkins admitted that the song was originally about Gummy Bears but it was soon changed to better appeal to Rihanna's audience. In an interview for Billboard , Schultz recalled, "I hadn’t even heard anything she was doing, so it was like completely a blind thing. But my friend Rook, who wrote the song, he was over there and he invited me to come over, so that was like a random chain of events that turned out to work but that’s not always the case. I don’t usually just bring in something like that randomly." [2]

"Desperado" was recorded at the Westlake Beverly Recording Studios in Los Angeles Westlake Recording Studios.jpg
"Desperado" was recorded at the Westlake Beverly Recording Studios in Los Angeles

Work on "Desperado" continued during Schultz and Monroe's stay in the house, where they were joined by Rihanna, James Fauntleroy and Derrus Rachel for the final result. For the developing process of the song, Schultz, who also produced it, commented, "One thing led to another and she cut it but I actually never really presented the record to her. Hey but if I did, I would’ve probably been like, "Hey, this is Rihanna. This is crazy." He intended to create a song that puts the listener in a mood, remarking how it has an "alternative vibe but still has urban undertones but it’s guitar and dirty live bass." [2]

"Desperado" was recorded at the Westlake Beverly Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Rihanna's vocals were recorded by Marcos Tovar and Kuk Harrell; the latter also did the vocal production of the song. The recording process was assisted by Thomas Warren. In addition to co-writing it, Watkins and Fauntleroy also provided additional vocal arrangement to "Desperado"; the latter also sang additional background vocals. The guitar in the track was played by Mick Schultz, while the bass guitar was provided by Brian Schultz. The mixing of Desperado was done by Manny Marroquin at the Larabee Studios in Universal City with Chris Galland and Ike Schultz serving as the mixing assistants. Chris Gehringer did the mastering at the Sterling Sound Studios in New York City. [3] On June 9, 2017, a dance remixes extended play was released via the iTunes Store for digital download and streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. The EP features four remixes of "Desperado" done by MK, 3LAU, Andrelli and Fairlane. [4] [5]

Composition and lyrical interpretation

"Desperado" is a song with a length of three minutes and six seconds. It features a "mid-tempo groove, bell ringing and shuddering drums, along with deep synths and vocal samples." [6] Jordan Bassett of NME described the track as "brooding" and "tense" and according to him, it has "buzzy" bassline and "ghostly" background vocals. [7] Lyrically, it sees Rihanna running towards her love interest who although doesn't seem impressing, she still sings, "There ain’t nothing for me here any more / But I don’t wanna be alone." [7] Bianca Gracie of Idolator described the song as one of the more chilling tracks on the album and suggested that on it, Rihanna channels "her inner sinister Western anti-hero". [8] In his review of Anti, Billy Johnson Jr. of Yahoo! stated that the title of the song, "Desperado", has multiple meanings; firstly, it references American West movies with phrases like "saddle up" and second "Rihanna is obviously desperate to skip town". [9] Pitchfork's Amanda Petrusich analyzed the line "I can be a lone wolf" during which her vocals crack deeply. According to her, the song is about "self-isolation, and how being good at being on your own can become its own kind of albatross, a cage that bars from the inside." [10] Jason Lipshutz of Fuse wrote that in the song Rihanna is "swaying between the decision to stay and the impulse to leave". [11]

Chart performance

"Desperado" debuted inside the top 50 of the United States Billboard Dance Club Songs chart at number 42 on August 12, 2017, with a 'gains in performance' tag. [12] It continued to make chart gains week on week before breaking into the top 10 at number nine on September 16, 2017. [13] [14] It reached number-one for the chart issue dated October 14, 2017, in its eleventh week. [15] The track became Rihanna's thirty-second number-one song on the chart, distancing herself from Beyoncé in third position with 22 and narrowing the gap with record holder Madonna who has 46. [16] Billboard writer Gordon Murray commented that Rihanna is becoming ever closer to Madonna's record "at an astounding rate," and noted that she had attained nine number-ones since Madonna last topped the chart with "Bitch I'm Madonna" featuring Nicki Minaj in August 2015. [16]

It is also her fifth number-one of 2017, following "Love on the Brain", "Sex with Me", "Pose" and "Wild Thoughts" (by DJ Khaled featuring herself and Bryson Tiller), the most by an act in a calendar year in the 41-year history of the chart; Rihanna had previously topped the chart four times in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2016, as had Beyoncé in 2009, Lady Gaga in 2009 and 2010 and Katy Perry in 2014. [16] "Desperado" is additionally the seventh song from her eighth studio album Anti (2016) to reach number-one, following "Work" (featuring Drake), "Kiss It Better", "Needed Me", "Love on the Brain", "Sex with Me" and "Pose", tying it with Teenage Dream (2010) by Perry (who first scored seven between 2010 and 2012) for the album with the most number-one songs. [16]

Cover versions

In celebration of their fifteen year old EP "Black Rooster", American indie rock band The Kills released an EP that featured acoustic versions of new and old songs. Included was an acoustic version of their original cover of Rihanna's "Desperado", which they originally unveiled in 2016. Accompanying the announcement, the band shared their latest rendition of "Desperado" on YouTube. The cover was released with a video featuring footage from the EP recording sessions. [17]

Formats and track listing

  1. "Desperado" (MK Remix) – 3:35
  2. "Desperado" (3LAU Remix) – 3:24
  3. "Desperado" (Andrelli Remix) – 3:03
  4. "Desperado" (Fairlane Remix) – 3:29

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Rihanna's official website. [3]

Locations

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [27] Gold45,000
France (SNEP) [28] Gold100,000
Poland (ZPAV) [29] Gold25,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [30] Gold400,000
United States (RIAA) [31] 2× Platinum2,000,000
Summaries
Worldwide4,500,000 [32]

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabel
Worldwide (Remixes) [4] June 9, 2017 Digital download

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Music of the Sun</i> 2005 studio album by Rihanna

Music of the Sun is the debut studio album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on August 29, 2005, by Def Jam Recordings. Prior to signing with Def Jam, Rihanna was discovered by record producer Evan Rogers in Barbados, who helped Rihanna record demo tapes to send out to several record labels. Jay-Z, the former chief executive officer (CEO) and president of Def Jam, was given Rihanna's demo by Jay Brown, his A&R at Def Jam, and invited her to audition for the label after hearing the song that would become her first single, "Pon de Replay". She auditioned for Jay-Z and L.A. Reid, the former CEO and president of record label group The Island Def Jam Music Group, and was signed on the spot to prevent her from signing with another record label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SOS (Rihanna song)</span> 2006 single by Rihanna

"SOS" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna, and included in her second studio album, A Girl like Me (2006). It was released on February 14, 2006 through Def Jam Recordings as the lead single of the album. "SOS" was written by J. R. Rotem and E. Kidd Bogart, with additional credit assigned to Ed Cobb for inspiration built around a sample of Soft Cell's 1981 recording of "Tainted Love". This song was written by Cobb in 1965, later influencing the creation of "SOS". Production of the dance, dance-pop and R&B song was handled by Rotem. Critical reception of "SOS" was generally positive, with the majority of music critics praising the inclusion of the "Tainted Love" sample. Some critics compared "SOS" to Rihanna's debut single, "Pon de Replay".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We Ride</span> 2006 single by Rihanna

"We Ride" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her second studio album A Girl like Me (2006). It was written by Makeba Riddick, Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen, with production helmed by Stargate. The song was released on August 21, 2006, as the album's third single. "We Ride" is a hip hop and soul ballad. Critical reception of the song was generally positive, as the majority of reviewers praised its relaxing and carefree qualities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockstar 101</span> 2010 single by Rihanna featuring Slash

"Rockstar 101" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). The song features the British-American guitarist Slash of the rock group Guns N' Roses. It was released on May 18, 2010, as the fifth single from the album. Rihanna wrote the song in collaboration with the producers The-Dream and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart; vocal production was carried out by Makeba Riddick. The album version is a grunge-crunk and hip hop song, while the remix EP's consist of dance, dubstep and electronic music adaptations, some of which were remixed by Dave Audé and Mark Picchiotti.

Michael Abram Schultz is an American music producer and songwriter. His most notable accomplishments to date include the production of Jeremih’s debut and second albums, including the multi-platinum hits "Birthday Sex", "Down on Me", and "Don't Tell 'Em", as well as "Desperado" from Rihanna's album Anti, and the platinum hit "Replay" by Zendaya. Schultz has also produced for artists such as Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, SoMo, Jenna Andrews, and Jessie James.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where Have You Been</span> 2012 single by Rihanna

"Where Have You Been" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna, from her sixth studio album, Talk That Talk (2011) serving as the fifth single. The song was written by Ester Dean, Geoff Mack, Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, Henry "Cirkut" Walter, and Calvin Harris, with production handled by the latter three. "Where Have You Been" was released as the third international single on April 17, 2012. The track is a dance-pop and techno house song that draws influence from trance, R&B and hip hop. It is backed by "hard, chilly synths" and contains an electro-inspired breakdown sequence. The song's lyrics interpolate Geoff Mack's 1959 song "I've Been Everywhere" and speak of a woman who is searching for a partner who will sexually please her.

<i>Rated R: Remixed</i> 2010 remix album by Rihanna

Rated R: Remixed is the second remix album by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was released on May 8, 2010, in Brazil and Europe and on May 24, 2010, in the United States by Def Jam Recordings. It contains remixes from her fourth studio album, Rated R (2009). The songs were solely remixed by Chew Fu. The majority of the remixes were remastered to incorporate influences from the genre of house music, and incorporate heavy usage of synthesizers as part of their instrumentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Right Now (Rihanna song)</span> 2013 single by Rihanna featuring David Guetta

"Right Now" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her seventh studio album, Unapologetic (2012). The song features French disc jockey David Guetta. Rihanna co-wrote the song with R&B singers Ne-Yo and The-Dream, while their longtime collaborators, Norwegian production duo Stargate, co-produced the track alongside Guetta and his own longtime collaborators Nicky Romero and Giorgio Tuinfort. It was sent to contemporary hit and rhythmic contemporary radios in the United States as the fourth single from the album on May 28, 2013. Musically, "Right Now" is an EDM and pop song. The lyrical content features Rihanna chanting to live life in the moment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What Now (song)</span> 2013 single by Rihanna

"What Now" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her seventh studio album, Unapologetic (2012). It was written by Olivia Waithe, Parker Ighile, Maestro The Baker and Nathan Cassells alongside Rihanna, with production handled by Maestro The Baker, Ighile and Cassells. A remix collection was released exclusively to Beatport on August 29, 2013 and later via iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play on September 17, 2013. The single was serviced to US rhythmic radio on September 24, 2013, before impacting mainstream radio on October 1, 2013 as the fifth single from Unapologetic. Another remix collection was released to Beatport on October 29, 2013. The song is a mid-tempo piano ballad which incorporates sounds which resemble "sonic bombs" during the chorus and "crashing" drums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Replay (Zendaya song)</span> 2013 single by Zendaya

"Replay" is an electropop song by American singer Zendaya from her self-titled debut studio album, Zendaya (2013). The song was released on July 16, 2013, as the lead single from the album through Hollywood Records after being premiered on July 12, 2013. The song was written by Zendaya in collaboration with Mick Schultz, Tiffany Fred and Paul Phamous while the song's production was handled by Mick Schultz.

James Edward Fauntleroy II is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Inglewood, California. He is best known for numerous songwriting credits and guest performances on songs by high-profile artists including Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Drake, J. Cole, Vince Staples, Big Sean, Jay-Z, John Mayer, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Justin Timberlake. In 2014 and 2018, Fauntleroy won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.

<i>Anti</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Rihanna

Anti is the eighth studio album by the Barbadian singer Rihanna, released on 28 January 2016 by Roc Nation and Westbury Road. It is her first body of work after departing from Def Jam Recordings, who had released all of her albums since her 2005 debut. Rihanna conceived Anti when she was undergoing creative blocks and emotional turmoil. As executive producer, she recorded the album with Jeff Bhasker, Boi-1da, DJ Mustard, Hit-Boy, Brian Kennedy, Timbaland, and No I.D., at studios in Canada, the United States, and France. SZA and Drake each contribute guest vocals to one track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love on the Brain</span> 2016 song by Rihanna

"Love on the Brain" is a song by the Barbadian singer Rihanna and the fourth single from her eighth studio album, Anti (2016). Roc Nation released "Love on the Brain" to US rhythmic contemporary and urban contemporary radio on 27 September 2016. Written by Joseph Angel, Rihanna, and its producer Fred Ball, "Love on the Brain" is a 1950s-and-1960s-inspired doo-wop and soul ballad. The production incorporates an orchestra consisting of guitar arpeggio, organ, and syncopated strings. The lyrics are about swinging back and forth between the highs and lows of a toxic love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Work (Rihanna song)</span> 2016 single by Rihanna featuring Drake

"Work" is a song by the Barbadian singer Rihanna and the lead single from her eighth studio album, Anti (2016). Featuring the Canadian rapper Drake, the song was released on January 27, 2016, by Westbury Road and Roc Nation. The song was written by Rihanna, Drake, Jahron Brathwaite, Monte Moir, Rupert Thomas, Allen Ritter, and Matthew "Boi-1da" Samuels; the lattermost produced the track and Kuk Harrell and Noah "40" Shebib were additional producers. An incorporation of dancehall, reggae, pop, and R&B, "Work" contains an interpolation of Alexander O'Neal's "If You Were Here Tonight" (1985). Written in the English-based creole languages of Jamaica and Barbados, the lyrics are about fragile relationships and yearning for intimacy.

"Consideration" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her eighth studio album Anti (2016). It was co-written by featured artist SZA, with Rihanna and the song's producer, Tyran Donaldson. "Consideration" is a dub-inspired hip-hop and R&B song, with a "stuttering, distorted beat", "pounding percussion", "a crunchy groove", and a "throbbing bass line" in its instrumentation. Lyrically, the song is a declaration of independence, and a desire to seek peace of mind.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Needed Me</span> 2016 single by Rihanna

"Needed Me" is a song by the Barbadian singer Rihanna from her eighth studio album, Anti (2016). It was written by Rihanna, Brittany Hazard, Charles Hinshaw, Derrus Rachel, the producer DJ Mustard, and the co-producers Twice as Nice and Frank Dukes. Roc Nation and Westbury Road released "Needed Me" to US urban contemporary radio on March 30, 2016, together with "Kiss It Better". Afterwards, Def Jam released "Needed Me" to contemporary hit radio. "Needed Me" is a "mellow" dubstep-influenced electro-R&B song, that contains a downtempo and loose production with synthetic sounds and hard heavy trap beats. The song's lyrics discuss romantic rejection.

"Pose" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her eighth studio album, Anti (2016); it is one of three bonus tracks included on the deluxe edition. She wrote the song in collaboration with Bibi Bourelly, Hit-Boy and Travis Scott, and it was produced by the latter two. Kuk Harrell was also enlisted as Rihanna's vocal producer. On April 14, 2017, Rihanna released a four-track EP which included remixes of "Pose" by the Far East Movement, Salva, Deadly Zoo and Eva Shaw.

"Sex with Me" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her eighth studio album, Anti (2016); it is one of three bonus tracks included on the deluxe edition. She wrote the song in collaboration with PartyNextDoor, Chester Hansen, Boi-1da, Frank Dukes and Vinylz, and it was produced by the latter three. Kuk Harrell was also enlisted as Rihanna's vocal producer. On February 3, 2017, Rihanna released a five-track EP which included remixes of "Sex with Me" by MK, Salva, John Blake, Addal and DEVAULT.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss It Better</span> 2016 single by Rihanna

"Kiss It Better" is a song by the Barbadian singer Rihanna from her eighth studio album, Anti (2016). It was written and produced by Jeff Bhasker and Glass John, with additional writing by Teddy Sinclair and Rihanna. The song was serviced to radio stations in the United States on March 30, 2016, together with "Needed Me". "Kiss It Better" is a pop, synth-rock and electro-R&B ballad, which features influences from the 1980s and 1990s-music ballads. The song's lyrics focus on a destructive relationship that the singer finds irresistible. It also deals with themes of mending broken fences and getting back together with a lover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heat (Kelly Clarkson song)</span> 2018 single by Kelly Clarkson

"Heat" is a song by American singer Kelly Clarkson, from her eighth studio album, Meaning of Life (2017). Originally written and produced by the production duo The Monarch, the final version of the track is co-written and co-produced by Mick Schultz with additional writing by Michael Pollack and production by American singer Harlœ and vocal production by Jesse Shatkin. Atlantic Records released the song as the album's third single on July 27, 2018, with a remix version by British DJ Luke Solomon. It reached number one on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in March 2019. The song was featured in the Netflix show Soundtrack.

References

  1. Rabideau, Camryn (January 29, 2017). "Rihanna Gets Real About Her Struggles Recording ANTI". InStyle . Archived from the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Platon, Adelle (February 1, 2016). "Mick Schultz Talks Producing Dark, Edgy Number 'Desperado' for Rihanna's 'Anti'". Billboard . Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Anti (Deluxe Edition) | Rihanna | Credits". Rihannanow.com. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Desperado (Dance Remixes) – EP by Rihanna". Apple Music. 9 June 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  5. "Desperado (Dance Remixes)". Spotify. 9 June 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  6. McCormick, Neil (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna, Anti, track by track". The Telegraph . Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  7. 1 2 Bassett, Jordan (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna's Anti Is Here – Read Our Track-By-Track Review". NME . Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  8. Gracie, Bianca (January 29, 2016). "Rihanna's 'ANTI': A Track-By-Track Album Review". Idolator . Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  9. Johnson Jr., Billy (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna's 'Anti': Track-by-Track Album Review". Yahoo! . Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  10. Petrusich, Amanda (February 1, 2016). "Rihanna: ANTI | Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  11. Various (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna's Anti Album: Track-by-Track Review". Fuse . Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  12. "Dance Club Songs – August 12, 2017". Billboard. August 1, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  13. "Desperado" made weekly gains in performance for four weeks prior to breaking into the top 10:
  14. "Dance Club Songs – September 16, 2017". Billboard. September 5, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  15. "Dance Club Songs – October 14, 2017". Billboard. October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Murray, Gordon (October 5, 2017). "Rihanna First to Five No. 1s in One Year on Dance Club Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  17. "The Kills announce new acoustic EP, share in-studio cover of Rihanna's "Desperado" -- watch". 24 May 2017.
  18. "Rihanna – Desperado" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  19. "Rihanna – Desperado". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  20. "Rihanna – Desperado". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  21. Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK - New Entries - 06.02.2016". Zobbel.de.
  22. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  23. "Rihanna Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  24. "Rihanna Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  25. "Rihanna Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  26. "Hot R&B Singles: Year-End 2016". Billboard. Billboard.com. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  27. "Danish single certifications – Rihanna – Desperado". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  28. "French single certifications – Rihanna – Desperado" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  29. "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved September 6, 2023. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Desperado in the search box.
  30. "British single certifications – Rihanna – Desperado". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  31. "American single certifications – Rihanna – Desperado". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  32. "Rihanna Wishes Herself a 'Happy #ANTIversary' With Throwback Pics". Billboard. Gil Kaufman. January 29, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.