"Promise" | ||||
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Single by Ciara | ||||
from the album Ciara: The Evolution | ||||
Released | October 16, 2006 (U.S.) | |||
Recorded | Soapbox Studios, Atlanta, Georgia | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:29 | |||
Label | LaFace | |||
Songwriter(s) | Ciara Harris, Jasper Cameron, Ren B Jamal Jones, Elvis Williams | |||
Producer(s) | Polow da Don, Nealante, Black Elvis | |||
Ciara singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Promise" on YouTube |
"Promise" is a song performed by American recording artist Ciara from her second studio album, Ciara: The Evolution (2006). It was written by Ciara, Jasper Cameron, Polow da Don and Elvis Williams and produced by Polow da Don and Nealante. The song was released as the album's official lead single on October 16, 2006, through LaFace Records. The song was selected as the first single as Ciara wanted to put out a single with a slower pace, noting that her previous releases had been up-tempo. According to Ciara, the song represents the album's theme of evolving and symbolizes her growth as a songwriter and artist.
"Promise" is a mid-tempo R&B ballad with lyrics that describe what the protagonist wants out of love. The song received generally positive reviews from critics, who made comparisons with songs by musician Prince. Critics also observed that it was different and refreshing from Ciara's previous singles. "Promise" topped the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the United States and peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Ciara's best-performing single sans a featured artist on both charts. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipping over one million copies.
Diane Martel directed the song's accompanying music video, which features scenes of Ciara singing into a gravity-defying microphone. Ciara stated that it is just about performance as she wanted to make a distinct R&B video. The video received a BET Award nomination for Viewer's Choice in 2007.
"Promise" was one of the first songs to be recorded for Ciara's sophomore effort, Ciara: The Evolution . [1] The song was conceived as a "feel-good" record; Ciara explained that the goal was to create a song that "truly is a sing-along". [2] She elaborated, "I want you to be able to go back to the old days, and put your hands up and rock from side to side and just feel good." [2] The singer wrote it in collaboration with Noah Ojomo, Jasper Cameron, Elvis Williams and its producer, Jamal "Polow da Don" Jones. The recording session took place at Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, and co-writer Williams provided backing vocals. [3] Ciara and Cameron produced the vocals and Phil Tan later mixed the song at Soapbox Studios in Los Angeles, California. [4] On the album, "Promise" is preceded by the spoken-word interlude "The Evolution of Music", in which Ciara shares that music on the radio inspired her to "do something different this time around". [4] [5]
In an interview with Corey Moss for MTV News, Ciara stated that "Promise" is about being single as she had ended her one-year relationship with rapper Bow Wow several months prior in April 2006. [6] [7] She named her album The Evolution as she felt evolved, both as a woman and an artist and stated that the song symbolizes her growth. She said that it was "perfect" as the first single because it makes a statement. "The record was something different from what people were used to hearing me do. So this record does have a more mature sounding, sexier vibe", she said. [1] Ciara declared "Promise" as "different" from her other work, and considered it one of the album's most unusual and strongest songs, citing the production as an example of this. [1] Polow da Don told Billboard that the song is "young but sexy" and noted that "nobody's really heard [Ciara] do a ballad". [8] In an interview with Mark Edward Nero for About.com, Ciara explained why she selected "Promise" as the album's first official single, noting that it has a different tempo from her previous singles:
When I did a recap of all the records I released prior to my first single for this album, I noticed that all of them were up-tempo. ... and I wanted to change it up and still make sure the elements, ... that people know me and my fans know me for were still in there such as the dancing so, ... I wanted to try something different, ... change the pace a little bit and that's what I did with this record. I felt it was perfect for that. [1]
"Promise" is a mid-tempo R&B and pop song. [9] [10] [11] The ballad does not have a real instrumental intro; instead, Ciara opens the song with seductive lines: "Come enjoy the night/Baby take a bite". [12] She sings in a falsetto. [5] According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing, "Promise" is written in the time signature of common time, with a moderate beat rate of 72 beats per minute. The song is written in the key of A major; Ciara's vocal range spans from the low-note of C♯3 to the high-note of F♯5. [13] It has a basic sequence of D9–E–C♯m7 as its chord progression. [13] Critics have compared the song to works by American musician Prince, particularly the song "Adore" from his 1987 album Sign o' the Times . [5] Although the song lacks crunk elements, Steve Knopper of Newsday noted that its "booming, house-party sound effects" befits Ciara's honorific title of "The First Lady of Crunk&B". [14] Lyrically, the song speaks of the female protagonist's needs and what she wants out of love. [15] Ciara explained: "I'm someone that goes hard for a guy that I like, and this record is saying there's nothing I want to do but spend my life with you, whoever that guy is that I envision." [6]
"Promise" was selected as the official lead single for Ciara: The Evolution; it was preceded by "Get Up" featuring Chamillionaire, which was released as a single from the soundtrack for the film Step Up (2006) on July 25, 2006, and later appeared on The Evolution. [16] [17] "Promise" was serviced for rhythmic contemporary and urban contemporary airplay on October 16, 2006, through LaFace Records. [18] [19] It was only released in North America; the next single, "Like a Boy" (2007) served as the album's international lead single. [20] "Promise" was first made available for purchase as a 12" vinyl single on October 31, 2006. [21] The single cover was photographed by Mark Mann. [3] The single was later released through digital distribution on November 7, 2006, [22] and sent for contemporary hit radio playlists on January 15, 2007. [23] An official remix featuring R. Kelly, titled "Go and Get Your Tickets Mix", debuted on radio in late-January 2007, [24] and was digitally released on February 6. [25] As of January 2019, following allegations of sexual violence against Kelly on the Lifetime docu-series, Surviving R. Kelly , Ciara removed the "Go and Get Your Tickets" remix of "Promise" from streaming services. [26]
Clover Hope of Billboard wrote a positive review regarding "Promise" and noted that it is "unlike any other Ciara single released thus far", calling it "sultry and deliberate, the kind of song that grows on you". [12] Hope remarked: "While the carefully measured tempo sounds incompatible with her whispery cadence, it is also strangely appealing—particularly the changes in melody. Despite some juvenile lyrics, 'Promise' finds Ciara on a refreshing new plateau: No 1, 2 steps here." [12] The Washington Post 's Chris Richards commented that Ciara "gets it right" with "Promise", saying that it "thread[s] a more distinctive melody through the Prince-inspired grooves", and named it one of the album's best tracks. [27] Andy Kellman of AllMusic called it "tremendous, one of the sexiest, slow-tempo, non-breakup songs of the past ten years". [28] He selected it as one of The Evolution's standouts and deemed it the only "clear-cut" highlight. [28]
USA Today critic Elysa Gardner commented that Ciara plays a "demure temptress" on the single, showcasing a "slight but sweetly tangy voice and budding emotional presence". [29] While reviewing the album, St. Louis Post-Dispatch 's Kevin Johnson commented that Ciara is best at taking "a whisper of a voice, lay it on top of a muscular beat, and come out smelling rosy" on "big-bottom ballads", referring to "Promise". [30] Dan Duke of The Virginian-Pilot recommended the track for digital download. [31] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine wrote that the song is "decidedly different" from Ciara's previous singles, which he believed indicated that the singer "is, in fact, evolving—at least in terms of marketing". [32] Cinquemani deemed "Promise" an example of a producer making better Prince songs than Prince himself. [32] While noting that the album's theme is evolution, Jim Abbott of Orlando Sentinel stated that "Unfortunately, it's nostalgia, not evolution, that makes a sexy ballad such as 'Promise' so appealing." [33]
Mark Edward Nero of About.com remarked that "Promise" is among the album's better tracks, but wrote that her vocals "lack emotion". [9] PopMatters critic Matt Cibula said that the song is "slow, it is weird, it is massive", but criticized Ciara's vocals for sounding "tiny" and "clipped next to Polow Da Don's track". [34] However, he ended on a more positive note, writing: "But even though her vocal track is more or less another instrument here, she still sounds heartbroken and kind of sincere, and it works. It ain't genius, quite, but it's close enough for me." [34] Makkada Selah of The Village Voice was more critical regarding The Evolution's ballads, calling them "pretty, but perfunctory and bland". [5] Selah wrote, "Just try to ignore the fact that Ciara's 'Promise' is just Prince's 'Adore' except her coy falsetto can't begin to match the Purple One's vocal gymnastics." [5]
"Promise" debuted on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles at number 24. [35] Two weeks later, the song debuted at 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making the single Ciara's highest debut and the top debut of the week. [36] On the issue dated December 30, 2006, the single peaked at 11 for one week on the chart. [36] The song then descended, staying on the chart for a total of twenty weeks. [36] The single also peaked at number one for two weeks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming Ciara's third number one of the chart. The song peaked in the top five of the Rhythmic Top 40 and 36 on the Top 40 Mainstream and 25 on the Hot Digital Tracks. [37] "Promise." ranked number 71 on the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2007. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over a million digital copies in the United States. [38]
The music video for "Promise" was directed by Diane Martel and shot on October 2, 2006. In an interview with Corey Moss of MTV News, Ciara said of the video: "It's really just about the performance in this video more than anything, and the way [Martel] is lighting it. We didn't really want to do the typical R&B video." [2] The singer screened the video on her 21st birthday party at Club Marquee in New York City on October 25, 2006. [39] It premiered the same day on BET's Access Granted . [40]
The video begins with Ciara, wearing a brown hooded sweater and sweat pants, dancing by herself in a secluded area. The scene shows her singing the first verse into a gravity-defying microphone. During the chorus and second verse, Ciara is seen finessing seductively in a chair, which is mixed with footage of Ciara and her dancers (Lindsay Armond, Rebecca Sanchez, Jessica Bunninger, Jazmine Williams, Misunique Gillard, Candace Harring) dancing in hooded attire. Further on in the video we are introduced to a different setting in which Ciara and the dancers are seen sitting on the ground against a brick wall, exhibiting shoulder and hand movements. During the second chorus, a cabaret scene shows the silhouette of Ciara in front of a white screen, while the dancers move around on scaffolding. The shot changes once more to a visualization of Ciara on the floor sporting a petite, brown wig, reciting the spoken part of the bridge. Afterwards, Ciara dances in front of a different brick wall, in a dark area, only lit by a red spotlight. The video fades out to a scene in which we see Ciara and the dancers in somewhat of a conga line, dancing out of view.
40th best video of the 2000s. [41]
Ciara performed the song as part of the set list for the Ciara: Live in Concert club tour, from October to December 2006. [42] According to Vincent Jackson of The Press of Atlantic City , Ciara "recreated some of the moves from the music video on stage with black pants, jacket and hoodie". [43]
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Credits are adapted from the Ciara: The Evolution liner notes. [4]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA) [52] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Country | Release date | Format(s) |
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United States | October 16, 2006 [18] [19] | Rhythmic contemporary and urban contemporary |
October 31, 2006 [21] | 12" vinyl single | |
November 7, 2006 [22] | Digital download | |
January 15, 2007 [23] | Contemporary hit radio | |
February 6, 2007 [25] | Remix download |
Ciara Princess Wilson is an American singer and songwriter. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, Goodies (2004). Its namesake lead single peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, while the follow-ups, "1, 2 Step" and "Oh", both peaked at number two on the chart. The album received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and received two nominations at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards. Ciara also guest appeared on the 2005 singles "Lose Control" by Missy Elliott and "Like You" by Bow Wow, both of which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
"1, 2 Step" is a song by American singer Ciara featuring American rapper Missy Elliott. Written alongside producer Jazze Pha, it was released on November 1, 2004, as the second single of the former's debut studio album, Goodies. It peaked within the top 10 of the charts in several countries worldwide, including Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for seven weeks. The song is heavily inspired by 1980s electro music production. Throughout the song, Ciara gives a description of how the song's beat feels as she exhorts party-goers to dance to the music. "1, 2 Step" was ranked 59th on Billboard's Top 100 Songs of the 2000s.
"Oh" is a song by American singer, Ciara who wrote the song with Ludacris, Andre Harris, and Vidal Davis. "Oh" was produced by Harris and Davis, who work as Dre & Vidal. The song was released on March 1, 2005, as the third single from her debut album, Goodies. The downtempo R&B song features hip-hop elements and a heavy bassline, and can be seen as an anthem to her hometown, Atlanta, Georgia. Ciara sings about the many things the city has to offer, while Ludacris raps the third verse.
"Lose Control" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott featuring American singer Ciara and American hip hop artist Fatman Scoop. It was released as the lead single from Elliott's sixth studio album, The Cookbook, on May 23, 2005. It contains samples from Hot Streak's "Body Work" and Cybotron's "Clear". The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, number two in New Zealand, and in the top thirty in various countries.
"Get Up" is a song by American recording artist Ciara. Released on July 25, 2006, the song serves as the first single from the original soundtrack to the film Step Up (2006), as well as the lead single for her second album, Ciara: The Evolution. It features American rapper Chamillionaire. The song was written by the singer and rapper with her mentor Jazze Pha, who produced the song. The song is a hip-hop number, accompanied by dance music sounds, while integrating a crunk beat. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who compared it to her previous work, namely "1, 2 Step."
Ciara: The Evolution is the second studio album by American singer Ciara, released on December 5, 2006, by LaFace Records. The album is separated into five sections, with each showcasing a different side of Ciara's artistry. The first features crunk&B and uptempo records, which mainly deal with feminine independence, while its successor, entitled The Evolution of Music features ballads dealing with the positives and struggles of love. The Evolution of Dance features dance tracks, The Evolution of Fashion deals with self-expression, while the last, entitled The Evolution of C, features tracks that discuss how Ciara has evolved as a person since the start of her career.
American singer Ciara has released seven studio albums, one extended play, one DVD, one promotional single, 55 singles and 28 music videos, including seven as a featured artist. She made her debut in 2004 with her debut album Goodies which debuted at three in the US and charted within the top 40 in several international markets. The album's title track peaked at number-one in the United States for seven weeks and gave the singer the title of "The First Lady of Crunk&B", while singles "1, 2 Step" and "Oh" reached the top three in the US. All three singles reached the top 10 in many international markets, with "Goodies" topping charts in the UK. Goodies was certified triple-Platinum in the United States, Platinum in Canada, and sold over five million copies worldwide. Ciara also participated in a number of successful collaborations, including US top five hits "Lose Control" with Missy Elliott, and "Like You" with rapper Bow Wow, as well as the US top 10 "So What" with group Field Mob.
"Like a Boy" is a song performed by American singer Ciara for her second album Ciara: The Evolution (2006). Written by Ciara, Justin Henderson, Christopher Whitacre, Candice Nelson, Balewa Muhammad, J. Que, Keri Hilson, Sean Garrett, Rico Love, Ezekiel Lewis, and Calvin Kenon, it is the third release in the U.S. and second single in Europe.
"Like This" is a song by American singer Kelly Rowland, featuring vocals by rapper Eve. Recorded late into the production of Rowland's second solo album Ms. Kelly (2007), the song was released on March 13, 2007, as the lead single from the album. The artists co-wrote the song with its producers Sean Garrett, Polow da Don, Blac Elvis, and Jason Perry, with additional production from S-Dot. "Like This" is a R&B song, with its lyrics referring to a woman growing out of a past relationship.
"Can't Leave 'em Alone" is a R&B song recorded by American singer Ciara featuring rapper 50 Cent for Ciara's second album, Ciara: The Evolution (2006). Written by Ciara, LaShawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins, and 50 Cent, it is the fourth release and official third single from the album. It was solicited to Mainstream Urban radio stations on June 12, 2007 and Rhythmic stations on July 10, 2007.
"Whatever U Like" is the debut solo single by American singer Nicole Scherzinger, featuring rapper T.I. and Sean Garrett. The trio, along with Polow da Don, composed the song for Scherzinger's planned debut studio album Her Name Is Nicole. "Whatever U Like" was released on July 28, 2007 on Interscope Records.
"Go Girl" is a song co-written and performed by American R&B singer Ciara. The song was released as the lead single, for her third studio album Fantasy Ride, however it was only included on the Japan version of the album. The track is a female empowerment anthem that preaches control, featuring semi-auto-tune vocals and a mid-tempo beat.
"Turnin Me On" is a song by American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson, from her debut album, In a Perfect World... The song features American rapper Lil Wayne who co-wrote the song alongside Hilson and Zachary Anson Wallace. Production credits are shared between Danja and Polow da Don, who also co-wrote the song. Following the minimal chart success of Hilson's worldwide lead single "Energy" in the United States, international markets received "Return the Favor", while "Turnin Me On" was released as the third single in the US.
"Never Ever" is a song performed by R&B singer Ciara. It is the first single released from her third studio album, Fantasy Ride. The song features rapper Young Jeezy, was produced by Polow da Don, and was co-written by Ciara and Elvis "BlacElvis" Williams, who both produced and co-wrote Ciara's single, "Promise", from her second album, Ciara: The Evolution.
"Drop It Low" is the debut single by American singer and songwriter Ester Dean. The official version features vocals from R&B singer Chris Brown. This was also released as the second single from the soundtrack for the film More than a Game (2009). The original version of the song did not feature Chris Brown, and maintained the same lyrics on the second verse but coming from a man's perspective. The official remix features Lil Wayne, Trey Songz and Diddy.
"Ride" is a song by American recording artist Ciara. The song features American rapper Ludacris. It was co-written by Ciara, Ludacris, Tricky Stewart, and The-Dream, and produced by the latter two. The song served as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Basic Instinct. The song was first released for digital download on April 23, 2010. "Ride" is a down-tempo R&B song, featuring a heavy bass line and seductive tone.
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"Hot Tottie" is a song by recording artist Usher. It was written by Usher, Ester Dean, Jay-Z and Polow da Don, with the latter producing it. The song features guest vocals from rapper Jay-Z and background vocals by Ester Dean. It is the second single in the United States and Canada from his EP, Versus EP, which is an extension of his sixth studio album, Raymond v. Raymond. The song was sent to rhythmic and urban airplay on August 9, 2010. "Hot Tottie" samples Big Tymers's "Big Ballin'" off their 1998 album How You Luv That Vol. 2.
"Sorry" is a song recorded by American singer Ciara. It was written by Ciara, Elvis "Blac" Williams, and Jasper Cameron, and produced by Harris and Cameron. The song premiered alongside its music video on September 13, 2012, and was released as a digital download two weeks later on September 25, 2012. Epic Records serviced the single to urban contemporary and rhythmic radio in the United States on October 9, 2012. "Sorry" is a midtemp R&B ballad with production akin to Ciara's previous single, "Promise" (2006). Lyrically, the song speaks on a relationship gone bad, and has been described as an autobiography.
"Body Party" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Ciara for her self-titled fifth studio album, Ciara (2013). It was written by Ciara, Jasper Cameron, Nayvadius "Future" Wilburn, Michael Williams, Pierre Ramon Slaughter, Carlton Mahone, Rodney Terry, and was produced by Mike Will Made It. The song premiered on March 4, 2013, via Billboard.com and was released as a digital download on March 8, 2013, as the lead single of her fifth album. Epic Records serviced the single to Rhythmic contemporary radio in the United States on April 9, 2013. Musically, "Body Party" is a down-tempo R&B song that samples "My Boo" by Ghost Town DJ's.
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