Somebody Else's

Last updated
"Somebody Else's"
Gwen Stefani "Somebody Else's".jpg
Single by Gwen Stefani
from the album Bouquet
ReleasedSeptember 20, 2024 (2024-09-20)
Genre
Length3:44
Label Interscope
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Scott Hendricks
Gwen Stefani singles chronology
"Hello World (Song of the Olympics)"
(2024)
"Somebody Else's"
(2024)
"Swallow My Tears"
(2024)

"Somebody Else's" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her fifth studio album Bouquet (2024). Interscope Records released the song on September 20, 2024, as the album's lead single alongside the album's announcement. It was produced by Scott Hendricks and written by Stefani, Fred Ball, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Nick Long, Madison Love, Jake Torrey, and Henry Walter. Love developed the song after a series of vulnerable writing sessions with Stefani where they discussed their lives.

Contents

The soft rock and new wave song was considered by critics to be influenced by the country music output of her husband, singer Blake Shelton. Its lyrics describe moving on from a previous relationship, and were considered by critics to be referencing Stefani's former marriage to British musician Gavin Rossdale. In the United States, the song reached number 11 on Billboard 's Adult Pop Airplay chart. To promote the song, Stefani performed "Somebody Else's" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! .

Background and release

In 2020, Gwen Stefani began work on her upcoming fifth studio album, influenced by her roots in reggae and ska music. She released the singles "Let Me Reintroduce Myself" (2020) and "Slow Clap" (2021), and collaborated with Jamaican musicians Sean Paul and Shenseea on "Light My Fire" in 2022. [1] Stefani took a short hiatus from music where she married American singer Blake Shelton and rejoined the cast of the American reality competition television series The Voice for its twenty-fourth season. [2] Her 2023 single "True Babe" was a musical departure from her early 2020s work where she felt motivated by various global events to "put [...] something out". [3] Stefani's fifth studio album, Bouquet , was eventually announced in September 2024, along with news of "Somebody Else's" on its track listing. Because of the album's cover artwork, Bouquet was predicted by critics to be Stefani's venture into country music. [4] [5]

American musician Madison Love began developing "Somebody Else's" following writing sessions where she and Stefani would engage in "a lot of confession and just talk about life and where we're at now, and where we were"; she eventually sent Stefani the start of the song via text, who was unsure of "giv[ing] that any energy" during creative sessions for the album, but ultimately changed her mind after writing more songs for the project and realizing "you needed to see a little bit of the dark to see the light". [6]

"Somebody Else's" was eventually announced as Stefani's upcoming single on September 18, 2024, one week after she had previewed the official audio on her social media accounts. [7] The song was later released on September 20, as the lead single from Bouquet, following the collaboration "Purple Irises" with husband Blake Shelton earlier in the year. [8] It was released digitally for download and streaming, and an accompanying audio video was uploaded to Stefani's YouTube channel the same day. [9] [10] In Italy, it received a release to contemporary hit radio stations beginning September 27. [11] The song was produced by Scott Hendricks and written by Stefani, Fred Ball, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Nick Long, Love, Jake Torrey, and Henry Walter. [12]

Composition and lyrics

Critics noted the influence of husband Blake Shelton's country music sound on "Somebody Else's". Blake Shelton 2017 Warrior Games opening ceremony 170701-Z-QJ832-332.jpg
Critics noted the influence of husband Blake Shelton's country music sound on "Somebody Else's".

Critics have classified "Somebody Else's" in several genres within the context of both Stefani's pop and Shelton's country sounds. [5] [7] [13] Joey Nolfi of Entertainment Weekly called the song a hybrid of soft rock and new wave music. [13] Describing it as a heartland rock song, Stereogum 's Abby Jones said Stefani was "quite susceptible to the country boom that's going around with pop stars now" given her marriage to Shelton. [5] Jo Vito, for Consequence of Sound , found the song to fit within the "country-influenced sound of Stefani's new era", and Emma Keates from The A.V. Club called it "country-adjacent", acknowledging that Stefani herself said Bouquet was not a country album. [14] [15] The song was recorded with a full live band, like many of the songs on Bouquet. [14] According to the Universal Music Publishing Group, "Somebody Else's" is in common time, with a tempo of 160 beats per minute. [16]

Its lyrics describe letting go of a former relationship ("I don't know what a woman like me / Was doing with a man like you" and "If I could go back in time I would erase you / But I could never go back there") and getting over the ex. [5] [17] [18] Critics believed it referenced Stefani's former relationship with singer Gavin Rossdale, whom she was married to for thirteen years and split from in 2015. [17] Stefani also references her new marriage to Shelton: "I found the real thing, you don't compare / And I don't care." [13] Nolfi considered that "though Stefani doesn't explicitly name anyone in the track's lyrics, fans will naturally connect the song to her highly publicized former relationships"; in the chorus, she sings: "Look at me blossom / You're somebody else's problem." [13] In an interview with Rolling Stone 's Daniel Kreps, Stefani admitted it was "interesting that this song rose [to become the new single], because the rest of the record has nothing to do with that subject." [6] Kreps called "Somebody Else's" the perfect segue from Stefani's last pop album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like (2016), to Bouquet, with Truth serving as her divorce record preceding her marriage to Shelton. [6] Forbes ' Chris Malone Mendez contrasted the song's lyrics to "Purple Irises", calling the latter a "celebration of love". [19]

Reception and promotion

"Somebody Else's" debuted at number 39 on Billboard 's Adult Pop Airplay chart for the issue dated October 5, 2024. Her fifteenth entry, it joins "Purple Irises" as the second song from Bouquet to debut on the chart. "Somebody Else's" reached its peak at number 11 during its twelfth week of charting. [20] It also made an appearance on the Japan Hot Overseas chart by Billboard Japan at number 9. [21] Stefani sang "Somebody Else's" on Jimmy Kimmel Live on October 1, 2024, in its first televised live performance. [14]

Charts

Chart performance for "Somebody Else's"
Chart (2024)Peak
position
Croatia International Airplay (HRT) [22] 39
Japan Hot Overseas ( Billboard Japan ) [21] 9
US Adult Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [20] 11

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Somebody Else's"
RegionDateFormat(s)LabelRef.
VariousSeptember 20, 2024 Interscope [9]
ItalySeptember 27, 2024 Contemporary hit radio EMI [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwen Stefani</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1969)

Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. She is a co-founder and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs", and "Don't Speak", from their 1995 breakthrough studio album Tragic Kingdom, as well as "Hey Baby" and "It's My Life" from later albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blake Shelton</span> American country singer-songwriter (born 1976)

Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country singer, songwriter and television personality. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin" from his first album, Blake Shelton. "Austin" spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The now Platinum-certified debut album also produced two more top 20 entries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwen Stefani discography</span>

American singer Gwen Stefani has released five studio albums, two extended plays, 37 singles, six promotional singles, one video album, and 28 music videos. She has sold more than 60 million records worldwide. Stefani is also the lead singer of the rock band No Doubt, with which she has released several albums.

"Sleigh Ride" is a light orchestra standard composed by Leroy Anderson. He formed the idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946, and finished it in February 1948. Its first performance was by the Boston Pops Orchestra, with Arthur Fiedler conducting, on May 4, 1948. Anderson also made arrangements for wind band and piano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Used to Love You</span> 2015 single by Gwen Stefani

"Used to Love You" is a song recorded by American singer Gwen Stefani for her third studio album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like (2016). It was written by Stefani, Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels, J.R. Rotem and Teal Douville, and produced by Rotem. After scrapping the album and its two singles, "Baby Don't Lie", and "Spark the Fire", in favor to start over, Interscope Records released "Used to Love You" as the album's first official single on October 20, 2015. It was then serviced to mainstream radio on October 27, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Misery (Gwen Stefani song)</span> 2016 single by Gwen Stefani

"Misery" is a song recorded by American singer Gwen Stefani for her third solo studio album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like (2016). Initially released as a promotional single, it became the record's third and final single on May 23, 2016, when it was sent to hot adult contemporary radio. Stefani co-wrote the song with Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels, Mattias Larsson, and Robin Frediksson, with the latter two serving as the producers. An electropop song, "Misery" uses digital hand clapping and an upbeat samba to produce a futuristic-sounding melody. The lyrics describe a lover who has recently started a relationship and is confused over what to think about it. Several critics drew comparisons between these lyrics to Stefani's personal and romantic life with her boyfriend, Blake Shelton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Make Me Like You</span> 2016 single by Gwen Stefani

"Make Me Like You" is a song by American singer Gwen Stefani for her third solo studio album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like (2016). The record's second single, it was released digitally on February 12, 2016, and distributed to contemporary hit radio on February 16 in the United States by Interscope. Mattias Larsson and Robin Frediksson produced the song, which was co-written by Stefani, Larsson, Frediksson, Justin Tranter, and Julia Michaels. A pop and disco recording, "Make Me Like You" incorporates light rock, with guitars and digital harps over an uptempo melody. The lyrics, which were inspired by Stefani's relationship with singer Blake Shelton, explore finding and renewing love after a fractured relationship.

<i>This Is What the Truth Feels Like</i> 2016 studio album by Gwen Stefani

This Is What the Truth Feels Like is the third studio album by American singer Gwen Stefani. It was released on March 18, 2016, by Interscope Records. Initially, the album was scheduled to be released in December 2014 with Stefani working with a handful of high-profile producers, and Benny Blanco serving as executive producer. However, after the underperformance of her 2014 singles and the writer's block Stefani suffered, she did not feel comfortable curating an album and scrapped the whole record in favor of starting again. The album's release was scheduled after Stefani hinted at it on her Twitter account.

"Rare" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her third studio album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like, which was released on March 18, 2016, by Interscope Records. The album's closing track, it was written by Stefani, Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels, and its producer Greg Kurstin.

<i>If Im Honest</i> 2016 studio album by Blake Shelton

If I'm Honest is the tenth studio album by American country music singer Blake Shelton. It was released on May 20, 2016 via Warner Bros. Nashville. The album was produced by Shelton's longtime producer Scott Hendricks and features collaborations with Gwen Stefani and The Oak Ridge Boys.

"Go Ahead and Break My Heart" is a song that was written and recorded by American singers Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani for the former's tenth studio album, If I'm Honest (2016). Shelton's longtime producer Scott Hendricks produced the track. It was released as its second promotional single for digital download on May 9, 2016. The song is Shelton and Stefani's first collaboration. The ideas behind the song began after the pair shared similar insecurities with each other, leaving Shelton to write the first verse, followed by Stefani analyzing it and writing her own.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Gift Is You</span> 2017 song by Gwen Stefani

"My Gift Is You" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her fourth studio album, You Make It Feel Like Christmas (2017). It was released digitally on October 6, 2017, along with the rest of the parent album, through Interscope Records. The track was written by Stefani, Justin Tranter, and Busbee while production was handled by Busbee and Eric Valentine. Musically, the track is a Christmas song that contains elements of pop-soul music.

<i>You Make It Feel Like Christmas</i> 2017 Gwen Stefani album

You Make It Feel Like Christmas is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Gwen Stefani. The album, which is Stefani's first full-length Christmas-themed album, was released on October 6, 2017, by Interscope Records. The record was executively produced by Stefani and Busbee, with additional production coming from Eric Valentine. The standard version of You Make It Feel Like Christmas contains twelve songs, featuring six original songs penned by Stefani, Busbee and Justin Tranter, and six cover versions of Christmas standards. While going on a nature walk near the Oklahoma ranch house belonging to boyfriend Blake Shelton, Stefani felt inspired to record a Christmas album and began writing what would later become "Christmas Eve". Recording sessions took place in the summer months of 2017; several of the tracks' titles leaked in August, leaving Stefani to confirm the project in September. The album's original songs make references to Stefani's newfound love and relationship with Shelton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Make It Feel Like Christmas (song)</span> 2017 single by Gwen Stefani featuring Blake Shelton

"You Make It Feel Like Christmas" is a song by American singer Gwen Stefani from her fourth studio album of the same name (2017). It features guest vocals from Blake Shelton. The song was written by Stefani, Justin Tranter, Shelton and busbee, while production was handled by busbee and Eric Valentine. It was recorded during the summer months, with the song title leaking in August 2017. The song was eventually released for digital download and streaming as the lead single from the album by Interscope on September 22, 2017. It was influenced by popular holiday music from Stefani's childhood and marks Stefani and Shelton's second collaboration following their duet "Go Ahead and Break My Heart" in 2016. A Christmas track, the song includes country and pop music elements, with lyrics describing a romantic holiday season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nobody but You (Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani song)</span> 2020 song by Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani

"Nobody but You" is a song recorded by American singers Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani for the former's fifth compilation album, Fully Loaded: God's Country (2019). It was produced by Scott Hendricks and written by Ross Copperman, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, and Tommy Lee James. Following "Go Ahead and Break My Heart" (2016) and "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" (2017), "Nobody but You" marks Shelton and Stefani's third collaboration. The song was first revealed in October 2019, although Stefani's contributions remained a secret until a week prior to its release in December of the same year. It was sent to United States country music radio outlets by Warner on January 21, 2020, becoming the third single from the parent album. Promotional acoustic and live versions of the song were released to the public in March and June 2020, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy Anywhere</span> 2020 single by Blake Shelton featuring Gwen Stefani

"Happy Anywhere" is a song recorded by American country music singer Blake Shelton that features guest vocals from his wife, American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani. It was released in July 2020 as the lead single from his twelfth studio album Body Language. It was produced by Scott Hendricks and was written by Ross Copperman, Josh Osborne, and Matt Jenkins. Their fourth collaboration and released directly after their duet "Nobody but You", "Happy Anywhere" was released as a single via digital download and streaming on July 24, 2020, by Warner Records. To promote the song, Shelton's official website launched a contest where fans could upload pictures of themselves with their loved ones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let Me Reintroduce Myself</span> 2020 single by Gwen Stefani

"Let Me Reintroduce Myself" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani. Stefani wrote the song with Ross Golan and the sole producer, Luke Niccoli. It was released on December 7, 2020, by Interscope Records as the intended lead single to her fifth studio album, which was ultimately unreleased. The song's development was unexpected, as Stefani doubted herself and questioned if her fans would seek new music. Fellow No Doubt member Gabrial McNair and Gwen's brother Eric Stefani, amongst other performers, provide instrumentation. A departure from Gwen Stefani's previous country and holiday music releases, "Let Me Reintroduce Myself" is an energetic Latin-sounding reggae, ska, and pop track inspired by her early work with No Doubt. The upbeat and playful song refers to Stefani's career in the music industry, per the suggestion of Golan. Most critics gave the song positive reviews, calling it catchy and making favorable comparisons to No Doubt's releases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple Irises</span> 2024 single by Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton

"Purple Irises" is a song by American singers Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton. It was produced by Scott Hendricks and written by Stefani, Svante Halldin, Jakob Hazell, and Niko Rubio. The song was released on February 9, 2024, through Warner Records and is included on Stefani's fifth studio album, Bouquet (2024). It is a country pop love song that finds the couple remembering their past heartbreaks that led to their eventual relationship. Some of the song's lyrics reference the artists' careers. Commercially, it reached the digital component charts in the United States and Canada, and several Billboard airplay charts in the former country.

<i>Bouquet</i> (Gwen Stefani album) 2024 studio album by Gwen Stefani

Bouquet is the fifth studio album by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani. It was released on November 15, 2024, through Interscope Records. The album serves as her first release since You Make It Feel Like Christmas (2017) and was preceded by two singles: "Somebody Else's" and "Swallow My Tears". It also includes the duet "Purple Irises" with husband Blake Shelton, which was released in February 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swallow My Tears</span> 2024 single by Gwen Stefani

"Swallow My Tears" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her fifth studio album Bouquet (2024). Interscope Records released the song on October 25, 2024, as the second single from the project. It was produced by Scott Hendricks and written by Stefani, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Nick Long, Madison Love, and Henry Walter.

References

  1. Mier, Tomás (July 13, 2022). "Gwen Stefani and Shenseea Join Sean Paul for a Retro Dayger in 'Light My Fire' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  2. Chiu, Melody (September 27, 2023). "Gwen Stefani Gets Candid on Rock Stardom, Motherhood and Blake Shelton: 'He's Changed My Life' (Exclusive)". People. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  3. Smith, Carl (June 22, 2023). "Gwen Stefani interview: 'Music is the fire behind everything I've ever done'". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on June 22, 2023. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  4. Gregory, Allie (September 18, 2024). "Gwen Stefani Details New Album 'Bouquet'". Exclaim! . Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Jones, Abby (September 20, 2024). "Gwen Stefani – 'Somebody Else's'". Stereogum . Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 Kreps, Daniel (September 20, 2024). "Gwen Stefani Talks New Song 'Somebody Else's,' Gardening, and the Journey to Her 'Bouquet'". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  7. 1 2 DeSantis, Rachel (September 18, 2024). "Gwen Stefani Announces Her Fifth Album Bouquet Will Be in 'Full Bloom' in November". People. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  8. Aniftos, Rania (September 18, 2024). "Gwen Stefani Announces Fifth Studio Album 'Bouquet'". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  9. 1 2 "Somebody Else's" (Spotify digital single). Gwen Stefani. Interscope Records. September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. "Gwen Stefani – Somebody Else's". YouTube (US). September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  11. 1 2 "Gwen Stefani – Somebody Else's (Radio Date: 27-09-2024)". Earone (in Italian). Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Nolfi, Joey (September 20, 2024). "Gwen Stefani takes aim at 'semi-psychotic' ex in blistering new song: 'You gaslit my world'". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 Vito, Jo (September 20, 2024). "Gwen Stefani Releases New Solo Single 'Somebody Else's': Stream". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  14. Keates, Emma (September 20, 2024). "Gwen Stefani insists she hasn't gone country, despite new country-adjacent single". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  15. "Song Details: Somebody Else's By Gwen Stefani". Universal Music Publishing Group . Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  16. 1 2 Avila, Daniela (September 20, 2024). "Gwen Stefani Details Finding 'the Real Thing' with Blake Shelton After Gavin Rossdale Divorce on New Song 'Somebody Else's'". People . Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  17. Kickham, Dylan (September 18, 2024). "Everything We Know About Gwen Stefani's New Album". Nylon . Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  18. Mendez, Chris Malone (September 20, 2024). "Gwen Stefani Previews 'Bouquet' Album With New Single 'Somebody Else's'". Forbes . Archived from the original on September 22, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  19. 1 2 "Gwen Stefani Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  20. 1 2 "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of October 2, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  21. "ARC 100 – date: 7. 10. 2024". HRT. October 7, 2024. Archived from the original on October 9, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.