Invisible (Jaded Era song)

Last updated
"Invisible"
Single by Jaded Era
from the album Invisible
Released2003 (2003) (U.S.)
Label Catch 'em
Songwriter(s)
  • Kira Leyden
  • Jeff Andrea
  • Marco Hilj
  • Eric Ortopan
Producer(s) Tim Patalan

"Invisible" is a song written by Kira Leyden and Jeff Andrea, members of the Ohio-based unsigned band Jaded Era, and recorded for the band's second album, Invisible (2003). It was covered by American singer Ashlee Simpson for the re-release of her second album, I Am Me , and was released as the album's third single in 2006.

Contents

Andrea wrote the song's riff when he was seventeen years old and recorded it on a cassette tape, while Leyden said she wrote its lyrics on her hands during a lonely day at college; after completing the song together, they commented "There was always something special about it". Leyden has frequently said "everyone has felt completely invisible once in their lifetime, and sometimes it's just you against the world", and that the song's lyrics paralleled the band's status as independent and unsigned. Leyden and Andrea have also called it "the cornerstone for this band and where we come from", and it was produced by Tim Patalan.

The music video for Jaded Era's version of "Invisible" was directed by Dave Greene and members of the band, and produced on a US$300 budget. [1] It comprises footage of the band performing the song intercut with black-and-white clips of a homeless man, a bullied school student, a hitch-hiker and a drug addict.

Personnel

Ashlee Simpson version

"Invisible"
Ashleeinvisible.png
Single by Ashlee Simpson
ReleasedJune 6, 2006 (2006-06-06)
RecordedMarch 2006 [2]
Studio Record Plant, Hollywood, California
Genre Rock
Length3:45
Label Geffen
Songwriter(s)
  • Kira Leyden
  • Jeff Andrea
  • Marco Hilj
  • Eric Ortopan
Producer(s) Ron Fair
Ashlee Simpson singles chronology
"L.O.V.E."
(2005)
"Invisible"
(2006)
"Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)"
(2007)
Audio sample

"Invisible" was covered by Ashlee Simpson, released as a single in the summer of 2006; to date, it is the first single by Simpson that she did not co-write. Although it was said that the song would be included on a re-released version of Simpson's 2005 platinum album I Am Me , this did not occur. It appears as a bonus track on some editions of her third album, Bittersweet World .

Background

In an interview Simpson stated that the song was mainly about having emotional strength and how she has learned from previous experiences (the Saturday Night Live and Orange Bowl incidents) to pick her pieces up from the floor and keep her head held up; according to her, "Invisible" reflects those moments, where she has had to pick herself up completely in order to succeed. "It's basically about life, about finding the courage to get back up and keep fighting, which I think everybody deals with every day", Simpson has said of the song. [3] In a video of part of the process of recording the song, in which she is seen working with Ron Fair, Fair described how he approached Simpson with the song, which he thought would be a "perfect fit" for her; he had, Simpson said, had the song for about two years and chose her to record it. Fair said that although Simpson is a songwriter herself, even many great artists have performed songs written by others. [4]

"Invisible" first appeared in April 2006 as a sample on Simpson's official website, and the June/July 2006 issue of Teen People mentioned in an article on Simpson that "Invisible" would be included on a re-released version of her album I Am Me. [5] Simpson's version of "Invisible" has a few lyrical differences from the Jaded Era version: the line "but maybe you're not lost at all" was changed to "when maybe", and "they will see you" was used instead of "they won't see you".

Release

"Invisible" was released for digital download in July 2006, weeks after the official radio release. It entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart at number twenty-eight, the week's highest debut [6] and the highest debut of Simpson's career. [7] A week later it rose to number 21. [8]

"Invisible" was included as the fifth track on the compilation album Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice, Vol. 3, released in February 2007. [9] It was also featured as the sixteenth track on the Bratz Motion Picture Soundtrack , which was released on July 31, 2007. [10] It was released physically and officially for the first time as a bonus track on most editions (not US) on her new album "Bittersweet World".

Music video

Simpson in a scene from the "Invisible" music video Ashlee120.jpg
Simpson in a scene from the "Invisible" music video

The music video for "Invisible" features Simpson boxing, with scenes that were inspired by the 2004 film Million Dollar Baby and were shot in the same set as the film. The video was directed by Marc Webb, who also directed Simpson's video for "Boyfriend" (2005), and was filmed on May 23 and May 24, 2006, in Los Angeles, California. Simpson had to train for the video's boxing. The video is in black-and-white, which Simpson said was because it gave the video a "gritty, raw feel"; Webb referred to black-and-white as giving the video a "mythical quality". In the video, Simpson is initially knocked down by her opponent, but she sees a little girl in the crowd (who is colorized, unlike anything else in the video) who inspires her to get up again and win the fight; Simpson said that she can relate to this because her fans have stood by her in the same way. [11]

The video showcased a new look for Simpson, with longer hair than in her previous music videos from I Am Me, as well as featuring what was said to be a slimmer nose due to the nose job she was reported to have had done in the month before the video was filmed.[ citation needed ]

The video was given a "Sneak Peek" on MTV's Total Request Live on June 2, [12] and premiered on June 19; an episode of Making the Video about its filming also aired on that day. The video debuted on the TRL countdown on June 20 at number eight (her highest debut to date); [12] it reached number one on its fifteenth day on the countdown, July 20, [13] making it Simpson's fourth video to reach the top on TRL. During this period it was nominated for a 2006 MTV Video Music Award for "Best Cinematography". [14] The video was on the countdown for the last time on August 23, subsequently falling off after 33 days. [15]

Charts

Chart (2006)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [16] 21

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Invisible"
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
United StatesJune 6, 2006 Contemporary hit radio Geffen [17]
July 18, 2006 Digital download [18]

Related Research Articles

<i>Total Request Live</i> American music video television program

Total Request Live is an American television program broadcast on MTV that premiered on September 14, 1998. TRL featured popular music videos played during its countdown, and was also used as a promotion tool by musicians, actors, and other celebrities to promote their newest works to the show's target teen demographic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashlee Simpson</span> American singer and actress (born 1984)

Ashlee Ross-Naess(née Simpson) known professionally as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer and actress. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as a back-up dancer for her sister and appeared in television commercials at the age of 15. She later pursued a career as an actress and had a main role on the family drama 7th Heaven. She appeared on the reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, broadcast on MTV between 2003 and 2005, which focused on Ashlee's older sister Jessica and Jessica's then-husband Nick Lachey. While working on her debut studio album, Simpson became the star of a spin-off reality series, The Ashlee Simpson Show, which was broadcast on MTV between 2004 and 2005. Like her sister before her, Simpson became the center of considerable media attention.

<i>The Ashlee Simpson Show</i> American TV series or program

The Ashlee Simpson Show is a television reality show about the life of Ashlee Simpson. The first season, taped from late 2003 to mid-2004, focused on the beginnings of her career as a singer and the recording of her debut album, Autobiography. A second season, taped from late 2004 to early 2005, focused on her career after the album's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pieces of Me (song)</span> 2004 single by Ashlee Simpson

"Pieces of Me" is the debut single of American pop/rock singer Ashlee Simpson and the first single from her debut album, Autobiography (2004). The song, which was jointly written and composed by Simpson, Kara DioGuardi and John Shanks and produced by Shanks, is a blend of pop and rock with lyrics about finding comfort and happiness in a relationship with a new boyfriend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadow (Ashlee Simpson song)</span> 2004 single by Ashlee Simpson

"Shadow" is the second single by American singer and songwriter Ashlee Simpson, taken from her debut album, Autobiography (2004). The single peaked at number 57 in the United States, becoming Simpson's second Billboard Hot 100 entry; it also peaked at number 31 in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La La (Ashlee Simpson song)</span> 2004 single by Ashlee Simpson

"La La" is a song by American singer Ashlee Simpson from her 2004 album, Autobiography. Two weeks after it became available as a digital download in mid-August 2004, it rose to No. 37 on Billboard's Hot Digital Tracks. In the U.S., it began its run as the album's third and final single on radio and television in November 2004; in the United Kingdom, a CD single was released in January 2005. The song's video was in heavy rotation on MTV by December 2004. In March 2005 the single was certified Gold, and in August the video was nominated for Best Pop Video on the MTV Video Music Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Wentz</span> American musician

Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III is an American musician best known as the bassist and lyricist for the rock band Fall Out Boy since its formation in 2001. Before Fall Out Boy, Wentz was a fixture of the Chicago hardcore scene and was the lead singer and songwriter for Arma Angelus, a metalcore band. During Fall Out Boy's hiatus from 2009 to 2012, Wentz formed the experimental, electropop and dubstep group Black Cards. He owns a record label, DCD2 Records, which has signed bands including Panic! at the Disco and Gym Class Heroes.

<i>I Am Me</i> 2005 studio album by Ashlee Simpson

I Am Me is the second studio album by American recording artist Ashlee Simpson. It was released in the United States on October 18, 2005 and debuted at number one in sales. The album produced two top 25 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, "Boyfriend" and "L.O.V.E." Simpson worked with John Shanks and Kara DioGuardi on this album, as she did on her first album, 2004's Autobiography. Shanks produced the album, and Simpson co-wrote all the songs with Shanks and DioGuardi. On December 15, I Am Me was certified Platinum by the RIAA for its shipments of over one million copies in the U.S.. A new single from Simpson, "Invisible", was reportedly going to be included on a re-release of I Am Me in mid-2006, but was canceled. The song was later included as an international bonus track on Simpson's next album, Bittersweet World.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boyfriend (Ashlee Simpson song)</span> 2005 single by Ashlee Simpson

"Boyfriend" is a song recorded by American singer Ashlee Simpson for her second studio album, I Am Me (2005). It was written by Simpson, Kara DioGuardi and John Shanks, who also produced the song. The song was released as the lead single from the album on September 6, 2005, by Geffen Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">L.O.V.E. (Ashlee Simpson song)</span> 2005 single by Ashlee Simpson

"L.O.V.E." is a song recorded by American singer Ashlee Simpson for her second studio album, I Am Me (2005). It was written by Simpson, Kara DioGuardi and John Shanks, who also produced the song. Originally planned to be released as the lead single from the album, it was later sent to contemporary hit radio in the United States as the second and final single on December 6, 2005. A remix of "L.O.V.E." featuring American rapper Missy Elliott was released as a digital download a week later on December 13, 2005. The song peaked at number 22 in the United States, number five in Australia, number six in Hungary, and number 12 in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fly (Hilary Duff song)</span> 2004 single by Hilary Duff

"Fly" is a song by American actress and singer Hilary Duff for her 2004 self-titled third studio album. The song was written by Kara DioGuardi and John Shanks, who also produced the song. The song was first released in the United States on August 10, 2004, by Hollywood Records as the lead single from Hilary Duff. It was released again by Angel Records on March 13, 2006, in the United Kingdom as the fourth and final single from Duff's first compilation album, Most Wanted (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walk Away (Kelly Clarkson song)</span> 2006 single by Kelly Clarkson

"Walk Away" is a song by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson for her second studio album, Breakaway (2004). The song was written and produced by Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine Maida, and Kara DioGuardi, with additional writing from Clarkson. The song focuses on a relationship that is not working out; Clarkson wants a lover who will support her, not disappear when she needs him the most.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Public Affair (song)</span> 2006 single by Jessica Simpson

"A Public Affair" is a song by American singer Jessica Simpson. It was co-written by Simpson and produced by Lester Mendez, for Simpson's fourth studio album of the same title. It was released as the album's first single on June 29, 2006, by Epic Records. The synth-pop track samples the composition of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Diana Ross and interpolates the Madonna classic "Holiday". It was also compared to Janet Jackson. Lyrically, the song speaks about having fun with friends.

Jaded Era is an American alternative rock/pop band from Cuyahoga Falls and Akron, Ohio that formed around 1996 and later had their music released through Cage'em Records. They released their debut album Laugh at the World in 2001, and the albums Invisible and Study of the Human Race followed in 2003 and 2005, respectively. They first received significant attention in 2006 when pop rock singer-songwriter Ashlee Simpson covered "Invisible", the title track from Invisible. On the band's MySpace page, they cite The Kinks, No Doubt, Pearl Jam, The Pretenders, Queen and U2 as their influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Play with Fire (Hilary Duff song)</span> 2006 single by Hilary Duff

"Play with Fire" is a song recorded by American singer Hilary Duff for her fourth studio album, Dignity (2007) and is the fourteenth and final track on the album. It was written by Duff, Kara DioGuardi, Rhett Lawrence and will.i.am and produced by Lawrence. The song was sent to mainstream radio in the United States on August 21, 2006, as the lead single from Dignity.

<i>Bittersweet World</i> 2008 studio album by Ashlee Simpson

Bittersweet World is the third studio album by American recording artist Ashlee Simpson. It was released in the United States on April 22, 2008. The project is Simpson's final release through Geffen Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)</span> 2007 single by Ashlee Simpson

"Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)" is a song recorded by American singer Ashlee Simpson for her third studio album, Bittersweet World (2008). The song premiered on AOL Music on November 30, 2007 and was released for digital download on December 11.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashlee Simpson discography</span>

American singer Ashlee Simpson has released three studio albums, nine singles, and nine music videos. Simpson debuted as an actress in 2001, appearing on the television series 7th Heaven. In 2003, she began composing solo material and signed a recording contract with Geffen Records in the United States.

The Strange Familiar is an American pop rock band from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The group was originally formed in 2006 by the husband and wife singer-songwriter team Jeff Andrea and Kira Leyden, former members of the popular Akron, OH band Jaded Era. Their first single, "Courage Is...", gained them significant attention after it was heavily promoted on ABC Family to launch a brand new series. In 2012, the band was featured on mtvU, Season 3 of the hit series The Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars. Other members include fellow Ohio natives Frank Freeman (bass) and Nicholas Sainato (drums).

References

  1. MySpace.com - Jaded Era - Cuyahoga Falls / Akron, Ohio - Rock / Alternative / Classic Rock - www.myspace.com/jadedera
  2. http://popdirt.com/ashlee-simpson-to-become-gwen-stefani-ii/46764/ [ bare URL ]
  3. Jennifer Vineyard, "Ashlee Simpson Is 'One Sore Beyotch' On Violent Video's Set", MTV News, June 2, 2006.
  4. "The Making of "Invisible" Episode 1" Archived 2007-11-23 at the Wayback Machine , AshleeSimpsonMusic.com, June 30, 2006.
  5. Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna, "Teen People's 25 Hottest Stars Under Twenty-Five: Hot Survivor", Teen People, June/July 2006, page 143.
  6. Clover Hope, "Furtado's 'Promiscuous' Still Sizzling On Charts", Billboard , July 27, 2006. Retrieved July 31, 2006.
  7. Fred Bronson, Chart Beat - "Visibility", Billboard, July 27, 2006. Retrieved August 3, 2006.
  8. Fred Bronson, Chart Beat Chat - "Will Paris Match?", Billboard.com, August 4, 2006.
  9. Sony BMG press release, "Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, Vol 3 CD Taps Into Kids Favorite Musical Artists as Kids' Choice Awards Celebrates 20th Star-Studded Anniversary", PRNewswire, March 21, 2007.
  10. "Brace Yourselves For The Bratz Soundtrack" Archived 2011-06-22 at the Wayback Machine , IGN.com, July 18, 2007.
  11. Making the Video episode for "Invisible".
  12. 1 2 TRL Archive - June 2006 Archived 2007-03-13 at the Wayback Machine , Popfusion.net.
  13. TRL Archive - July 2006, Popfusion.net.
  14. "Red Hot Chili Peppers and Shakira Top '2006 MTV Music Awards' Nominations With Seven Each", MTV, PRNewswire, July 31, 2006.
  15. TRL Archive - August 2006 Archived 2008-05-26 at the Wayback Machine , Popfusion.net.
  16. "Ashlee Simpson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  17. "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". fmqb.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2006. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  18. "Ashlee Simpson : News : Get Invisible on iTunes!". www.ashleesimpsonmusic.com. Archived from the original on 20 July 2006. Retrieved 6 June 2022.