Glassheart (song)

Last updated

"Glassheart"
Song by Leona Lewis
from the album Glassheart
Studio
Genre
Length3:56
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • DJ Frank E
  • Brent Kutzle
  • Fis Shkreli
  • Ryan Tedder
  • Noel Zancanella
Audio video
"Glassheart" on YouTube

"Glassheart" is a song recorded by British singer-songwriter Leona Lewis for her third studio album of the same name (2012). The song was conceptualised by Lewis and frequent collaborator Ryan Tedder at his family home in Denver, Colorado. As she was experiencing a stressful time in her life, Lewis wanted to create an uptempo dance track with Tedder as she felt a ballad would make her more upset. It was co-written by Lewis and Tedder alongside Brent Kutzle, Noel Zancanella, Justin Franks, Fis Shkreli and Peter Svensson. Production of the song was handled by Tedder and Franks, with the latter credited under his production alias DJ Frank E. It was co-produced by Zancanella, Kutzle and Shkreli.

Contents

"Glassheart" is an up-tempo dance song that incorporates elements of dubstep, grime and house music. Lyrically, it is about a woman's fear that her boyfriend will leave her and thus she protects her emotions and her heart from breaking. The song received positive reviews from music critics, many of whom praised the musical direction and its grimy, dubstep breakdown. Upon the release of Glassheart, the song debuted at number 27 on the UK Dance Chart due to strong digital download sales during the first week of Glassheart's release. It debuted at number 167 on the UK Singles Chart. Lewis has performed the song at London nightclub G-A-Y and an acoustic version for UK newspaper The Sun 's Biz Sessions.

Inspiration and development

Lewis and Ryan Tedder (pictured) conceptualised the idea for "Glassheart" while she visited him at his home in Denver, Colorado. Ryan Tedder OneRepublic Austria 3.jpg
Lewis and Ryan Tedder (pictured) conceptualised the idea for "Glassheart" while she visited him at his home in Denver, Colorado.

According to Lewis, the song was conceptualised when the singer was experiencing a stressful time in her personal life when she visited her friend and co-writer of the song, Ryan Tedder in Denver, Colorado. [1] The aim of the trip was to visit Tedder and his family, as well as conceive ideas and themes for material to be included on Glassheart. [1] Lewis stated that she did not want to sing a ballad which would make her "more sad", therefore they decided to work on an upbeat dance song instead. [1] She asked Tedder: "Can you give me a song where I can just dance and jump around?", to which he replied "What about this?" as he played a beat which Lewis found "hypnotic". [1] Despite being in a raw form, Lewis was impressed with the song's beat, and said "Yes! We have to do this." [1] The collaboration with Tedder marks the third album of Lewis' on which the pair have worked together. They first collaborated on Lewis' debut studio album, Spirit (2007), on the songs "Bleeding Love" and "Take a Bow". [2] Tedder also co-wrote songs on Lewis' second studio album, Echo (2009), "Happy", "You Don't Care" and "Lost then Found", a collaboration with the group Tedder is a member of, OneRepublic. [3] In addition to the title track on Glassheart, Lewis and Tedder collaborated on the song "Favourite Scar". [4]

Recording and composition

"Glassheart" was co-written by Lewis with Tedder, Brent Kutzle, Noel Zancanella, Justin Franks, Fis Shkreli and Peter Svensson. [4] It was produced by Tedder and Franks, who is credited under his production name DJ Frank E; the song was co-produced by Zancanella, Kutzle and Shkreli. [4] The song was engineered by Smith Carlson, Mike Freesh and Sam Wheat; they were in assisted in the process by Tom Hough, while Daniela Rivera provided additional engineering. [4] "Glassheart" was mixed by Phil Tan at the Ninja Beat Club in Atlanta, Georgia; it was mastered by Colin Leonard at SING Mastering, also in Atlanta, using SING Technology. [4] Instrumentation of the song was provided for by multiple musicians: Shkreli was appointed head of sound design, and was also a drum programmer along with Freesh and Trent Mazour. [4] The guitarist enlisted for the song was Mazour, while Freesh served as the bassist. [4] The pair also provided the synths. [4] All other forms of instrumentation were performed by Tedder. [4] "Glassheart" was recorded at several recording locations around the world, including Patriot Studios, Denver, Colorado; Westlake Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California; Side 3 Studios, Hollywood, California and Metropolis Studios, London, England. [4]

"Glassheart" has been described as a dubstep, [5] dance, [6] house and grime [7] song that runs for 3:56 (three minutes, 56 seconds). [8] According to Jenna Hally Rubenstein for MTV Buzzworthy, the song consists of a "grimy, hazy beat", which she compared to "Too Close" ( The Lateness of the Hour , 2011), a song performed by Alex Clare. [5] Lyrically, the song is about Lewis' fear that her lover will break her heart. [9] According to Lewis, the song is about protecting yourself, your heart, as well as your emotions. [10] She continued to describe the song as "poignant". [10] The singer went on to reveal that she decided to name the album after the song. [10] Lewis' "crisp" vocals can be heard above the instrumentation as she "croons about the fragility of her heart" as she performs the chorus lines "So baby if you love me/ Let me know/ 'Cause everything hurts just like before/ You're about to tear this heart apart/ I love you like a glass heart." [5] The chorus is built on a "transcendent house beat" as Lewis delicately sings the lines "Promise that we'll never fall apart/ And I'll love you with my Glassheart". [6] The chorus is then followed by a "euphoric instrumentation [that] collapses into a grimy dubstep break." [6] Rubenstein likened the lyrics to those performed by Blondie on her song "Heart of Glass" ( Parallel Lines , 1978). [5]

Reception and live performances

Lewis performing "Glassheart" at the Royal Albert Hall on 9 May 2013 on the Glassheart Tour. Leona Lewis performing Glassheart, Glassheart Tour.JPG
Lewis performing "Glassheart" at the Royal Albert Hall on 9 May 2013 on the Glassheart Tour.

Jenna Hally Rubenstein for MTV Buzzworthy was complimentary of the song, writing that Lewis had "[upped] the musical ante big time". [5] Rubenstein continued to highly praise the inclusion of the dubstep transition due to the fact that she thought she would never "use the words 'dubstep' and 'Leona Lewis' in the same sentence." [5] Caroline Sullivan for The Guardian described the song as "mood elevating with an abrasive grime beat." [7] Matthew Horton for Virgin Media described the song as "unexpectedly ravey". [11] Chris Smith for Yahoo! described the song as a curveball and wrote that he felt it is Lewis' "first truly club friendly track". [12] Sam Lansky for Idolator thought that although the song is radio-friendly, it is not "derivative". [6]

Lewis debuted the song at London nightclub G-A-Y on 5 September 2011; she performed the song as part of a mini set-list along with "Collide" and "Bleeding Love". [13] Lewis wore a black knee length dress, with a red heart emblem across her chest. The singer performed "Glassheart" at the Art on Ice concert in Zurich, Switzerland, on 31 January 2013. [14] "Glassheart" was performed as the sixteenth song on the set list of Lewis' 2013 tour called the Glassheart Tour. [15]

Track listing

Standard edition [8]
  1. "Glassheart" – 3:56
Deluxe edition (disc 2) [16]
  1. "Glassheart" (Acoustic) – 3:46
Deluxe edition – iTunes bonus video [16]
  1. "Glassheart" (Live acoustic) – 3:49

Credits and personnel

Recording
Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Glassheart. [4]

Chart performance

Upon the release of the album, "Glassheart" debut at number 27 on the UK Dance Chart on 21 October 2012. [17] It also debuted at number 167 on the UK Singles Chart. [18]

Chart (2012)Peak
position
CIS (TopHit) [19] 38
Russia Airplay (TopHit) [20] 37
UK Dance (OCC) [17] 27
UK Singles (OCC) [18] 167

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leona Lewis</span> British singer (born 1985)

Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer, songwriter, actress, model, and activist. Born and raised in Islington, Inner London, she later attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved national recognition when she won the third series of the television talent show The X Factor in 2006, winning a £1 million recording contract with Syco Music. Her winner's single, a cover of Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This", peaked at number one for four weeks on the UK Singles Chart and broke a world record by reaching 50,000 digital downloads within 30 minutes. In February 2007, Lewis signed a five-album contract in the United States with Clive Davis's record label, J Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Tedder</span> American singer-songwriter

Ryan Benjamin Tedder is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder, frontman and lead vocalist for the pop rock band OneRepublic, while also serving as a prolific contributor—by songwriting and production—to material for other artists since the mid-2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bleeding Love</span> 2007 single by Leona Lewis

"Bleeding Love" is a song recorded by British singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album, Spirit (2007). It was originally written and recorded by American singer Jesse McCartney, and was co-written and produced by American singer Ryan Tedder. "Bleeding Love" was released worldwide during the last quarter of 2007, and the first of 2008, as the album's lead single internationally, and as the second single in Ireland and the United Kingdom. McCartney later included his version of the song as a bonus track on the international edition of his third studio album, Departure (2008). It is Lewis' biggest hit, to date, and remains her signature song. As of 2021, "Bleeding Love" has been streamed over two billion times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Footprints in the Sand (Leona Lewis song)</span> 2008 single by Leona Lewis

"Footprints in the Sand" is a song recorded by British singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album Spirit (2007). It was written by Simon Cowell, David Kreuger, Per Magnusson, Richard Page, and produced by Steve Mac. The song was digitally released as Lewis's third single on 9 March 2008 in the United Kingdom. Sony BMG and Syco Music launched it as a double A-side with "Better in Time", and "You Bring Me Down" as the B-side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forgive Me (Leona Lewis song)</span> 2008 single by Leona Lewis

"Forgive Me" is a song by British singer Leona Lewis featured on the North American and Australian versions, as well as the deluxe edition, of her debut album Spirit (2008). Musically, "Forgive Me" is a pop track with dance influences, written in A minor. The lyrics tell the story of a girl who has found a new love and asks her old one for forgiveness. The song was written by Aliaune "Akon" Thiam, Claude Kelly and Giorgio Tuinfort, and produced by the former. "Forgive Me" was released as the fourth single of the album in the United Kingdom on 3 November 2008. The single includes the B-side "Myself", written by and featuring vocals of American musician Novel.

<i>Echo</i> (Leona Lewis album) 2009 studio album by Leona Lewis

Echo is the second studio album by English singer Leona Lewis. It was released on 9 November 2009 including 16 November in the United Kingdom, and 17 November 2009 in the United States. Its worldwide release was through Sony Music. The album charted across the globe, including the US, UK, Canada, across Europe, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand, with commercial success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy (Leona Lewis song)</span> 2009 single by Leona Lewis

"Happy" is a song performed by British singer Leona Lewis for her second studio album Echo (2009). It was written by Lewis, Ryan Tedder, Evan Bogart, and produced by Tedder, and it premiered on UK radio on 6 September 2009, and was officially released on 15 September 2009, by digital download in the U.S., serving as the album's lead single. Lyrically, it talks about a protagonist, that wants to be happy and seize the day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Got You (Leona Lewis song)</span> 2009 single by Leona Lewis

"I Got You" is a song recorded by English singer Leona Lewis for her second studio album Echo (2009). It was written by Arnthor Birgisson, Max Martin and Savan Kotecha, with production helmed by Birgisson. The song is a pop and R&B ballad, whose instrumentation consists of guitars and synthesizers. It was released as the second and final single from Echo on 1 November 2009, by Syco Music and J Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Collide (Leona Lewis and Avicii song)</span> 2011 single by Leona Lewis and Avicii

"Collide" is a song performed by British recording artist Leona Lewis and Swedish DJ and record producer Avicii. It was written by Tim Bergling, Simon Jeffes, Arash Pournouri, Autumn Rowe, Sandy Wilhelm, with production helmed by Wilhelm under his production name Sandy Vee and Youngboyz. "Collide" is a house-inspired love song with instrumentation consisting of piano riffs and a guitar. The song was recorded for Lewis' third studio album Glassheart, but was not included on the album's final track listing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wet (Nicole Scherzinger song)</span> 2011 single by Nicole Scherzinger

"Wet" is a song by American singer Nicole Scherzinger, taken from her debut solo studio album Killer Love (2011). The song was written by Ester Dean and Traci Hale, co-written and produced by Norwegian duo StarGate and Sandy Vee. The song was serviced as the fourth single from the album to British radio stations on August 28, 2011, by Polydor Records, while in Australia it was released in the following month.

<i>Glassheart</i> 2012 studio album by Leona Lewis

Glassheart is the third studio album by English singer Leona Lewis, released on 12 October 2012 by Syco Music. Glassheart was conceived in 2010 shortly after the completion of Lewis' first headline tour, The Labyrinth. Recording and production took place in Denver, Los Angeles and London; originally the album was due for release in November 2011 but was pushed back several times to accommodate new recording sessions and allow more creative time. The album was the first – and so far only – of Lewis' albums not released in North America.

<i>Hurt: The EP</i> Extended play by Leona Lewis

Hurt: The EP is the first EP by English singer Leona Lewis. It was released on 9 December 2011 by Syco Music and RCA Records. The EP served as something to bridge the gap for her fans whilst she finished recording her third studio album Glassheart (2012). The album was supposed to be released in November 2011, but was delayed to March 2012, and again to November 2012. Lewis's reason for delaying the album was because after she met producer Fraser T. Smith, the singer wanted to collaborate on new material for possible inclusion on Glassheart. As a result, Smith also produced Hurt: The EP. The EP consists of three cover versions: "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails; "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls and "Colorblind" by Counting Crows. Musically, the songs are influenced by rock music, whilst the lyrics revolve around feeling pain.

"Take a Bow" is a song recorded by British singer Leona Lewis for her debut studio album Spirit (2007). It was written by Jordon Omley, Michael Mani, Wayne Wilkins, Louis Biancaniello and Ryan Tedder. Tedder explained that he wanted to create an edgy song for Lewis so that it would not be boring or predictable. A Contemporary R&B and urban song, the lyrics focus the failure of a relationship. Its composition features an Ebb and Flo groove and received several comparisons to "Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trouble (Leona Lewis song)</span> 2012 single by Leona Lewis featuring Childish Gambino

"Trouble" is a song recorded by British recording artist Leona Lewis and American entertainer Childish Gambino for Lewis' third studio album, Glassheart (2012). Inspired by Lewis' break-up with childhood sweetheart Lou Al-Chamaa, "Trouble" is a mid-tempo R&B and trip hop ballad, with a piano and strings-driven melody. It was written by a British writing collective consisting of Lewis, Donald Glover, Hugo Chegwin, Harry Craze, Shahid Khan, James Murray, Mustafa Omer, Emeli Sandé and Fraser T Smith. Production came courtesy of Khan under his production name of Naughty Boy and Smith, along with co-producer Chris Loco and additional producer Jahlil Beats. Music critics noted that the urban production marked a new direction for Lewis, particularly by featuring Gambino during the song's middle eight breakdown with a poetic rap verse. A version excluding Gambino is also included on Glassheart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lovebird (song)</span> 2012 single by Leona Lewis

"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 "Ammo" Coleman and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, and produced by Josh Abrahams, Ammo and Oligee. "Lovebird" was recorded at Pulse Recording in Los Angeles and is a power ballad, incorporating a piano and synth-driven melody. The lyrics consist of Lewis informing her past lover that enough time has passed since their relationship for her to have moved on and to have developed as a person. Critics praised Lewis' vocal performance, likening her technical abilities to those of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The musical structure of the song was heavily compared to one of her previous singles, "Bleeding Love", along with songs performed by Adele. The accompanying music video shows Lewis trying to escape from a giant bird cage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glassheart Tour</span> 2013 concert tour by Leona Lewis

The Glassheart Tour was the second headlining concert tour by English singer Leona Lewis. It was launched in support of her third studio album, Glassheart (2012). Announced on 8 October 2012, with an initial run of sixteen dates in the United Kingdom, the Glassheart Tour was extended to include five dates in Germany and one in Switzerland. English singer-songwriter Ryan Keen served as the support act. It marks the first time that Lewis has performed material in Europe as part of a headline tour; her previous tour The Labyrinth (2010), only visited the UK.

<i>Christmas, with Love</i> 2013 studio album by Leona Lewis

Christmas, with Love is a Christmas album and the fourth studio album by English singer Leona Lewis. It was released on 29 November 2013, by Syco Music and RCA Records. Work on the album began in February 2013, during which Lewis began writing "immediately" after the release of her less-commercially successful album Glassheart (2012). In June 2013, it was revealed that Lewis' fourth studio album would be a Christmas album, based on the recommendation of Syco boss Simon Cowell. Lewis enlisted two producers for the album: Richard "Biff" Stannard and Ash Howes, with Lewis herself contributing to the album's production. This is Lewis' first album to be released in North America since 2009's Echo, as her 2012 album, Glassheart, was not released there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghost (Ella Henderson song)</span> 2014 single by Ella Henderson

"Ghost" is the debut single by British singer and songwriter Ella Henderson. It was released on 8 June 2014 as the lead single from her debut studio album, Chapter One (2014). Henderson co-wrote the song with Kenan Williams and its producers, Ryan Tedder and Noel Zancanella.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Am (Leona Lewis song)</span> 2015 single by Leona Lewis

"I Am" is a song by British singer and songwriter Leona Lewis from her fifth studio album of the same name. The song was written by Lewis, Toby Gad and Eg White, with Gad and White producing it. Lyrically, "I Am" is about the feelings and emotions experienced by Lewis following her departure from her former record label Syco and its boss, Simon Cowell. It is a dance-influenced track which makes use of strings, piano and drums as part of its instrumentation. Its composition garnered comparisons to singers Avril Lavigne and Massive Attack. Island released "I Am" on 17 July 2015 as the lead single for the United Kingdom, but it is the second single to be released from the album overall. Remixes by Fastlane and DEVolution were also released. The track garnered a positive response from music critics, many of whom praised Lewis' strong and emotive vocal performance and described it as a standout on the album. Lewis has performed the song live on The National Lottery: In It to Win It and at the BBC's Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park festival.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Love, Ryan (6 September 2011). "Leona Lewis interview: 'I want to give people the best of me' – Music Interview". Digital Spy (Hearst Magazines UK). Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  2. ↑ Lewis, Leona (2007). Spirit (Liner Notes) (Compact Disc). Leona Lewis. London, England: Syco, J, Sony.
  3. ↑ Lewis, Leona (2009). Echo (Liner Notes) (Compact Disc). Leona Lewis. London, England: Syco, J, Sony.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Lewis, Leona (2012). Glassheart (Liner Notes) (Compact Disc). Leona Lewis. Syco.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rubenstein, Jenna Hally (21 September 2012). "New Song: Leona Lewis, 'Glassheart'". MTV Buzzworthy . Viacom. Archived from the original on 27 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Lansky, Sam (20 September 2012). "Leona Lewis Glassheart Listen". Idolator; Buzz Media . Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  7. 1 2 Sullivan, Caroline (11 October 2012). "Leona Lewis: Glassheart – review". The Guardian . Guardian News and Media . Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  8. 1 2 "'Glassheart' – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Great Britain). Apple. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  9. ↑ Corner, Lewis (11 October 2012). "Leona Lewis: 'Glassheart' – Album Review". Digital Spy. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 Leona Lewis Interview. Clyde 1 Radio. (Global Radio Group). [Radio Interviewer]. Aired 17 September 2012.
  11. ↑ Horton, Matthew (12 October 2012). "Leona Lewis – Glassheart – Review". Virgin Media . Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  12. ↑ Smith, Chris (21 October 2012). "Album Review: Leona Lewis- Glassheart". Yahoo! Music. Archived from the original on 6 January 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  13. ↑ Love, Ryan (5 September 2011). "Exclusive: Leona Lewis debuts 'hypnotic' third album 'Glassheart' title track: Video". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  14. ↑ "Leona Lewis "Glassheart" live at Art on Ice 2013 video" (video). NME . Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  15. ↑ Corner, Lewis (17 April 2013). "Leona Lewis begins 'Glassheart' tour in Germany – pictures". Digital Spy. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  16. 1 2 "'Glassheart' (Deluxe edition) – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Great Britain). Apple. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  17. 1 2 "2012 Top 40 Dance Singles Archive 27th October 2012". Official Charts Company. 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
  18. 1 2 "Chart: CL UK Update". zobbel.de. Official Charts Company. 27 October 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  19. ↑ Leona Lewis — Glassheart. TopHit. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Russia Airplay Chart for 2012-12-10." TopHit. Retrieved June 18, 2022.

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.