Spirit Indestructible

Last updated
"Spirit Indestructible"
Nelly Furtado - Spirit Indestructible.jpg
Single by Nelly Furtado
from the album The Spirit Indestructible
ReleasedJuly 20, 2012 (2012-07-20)
Recorded2012
Studio 2nd Floor Studios (California)
Length4:01(main version)
3:55 (radio edit)
Label Interscope, MMG
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
Nelly Furtado singles chronology
"Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)"
(2012)		"Spirit Indestructible"
(2012)		"Parking Lot"
(2012)
Music video
"Spirit Indestructible" on YouTube

"Spirit Indestructible" is a song by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado. The song was released on July 31, 2012, as the second single from her fifth studio album, The Spirit Indestructible . The song was written by Furtado and co-written and produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins.

Contents

Lyrically, it has a positive and upbeat message — about having a spirit that is indestructible and unbreakable, along with a heart that's pure and a body that's a miracle. The song received mixed reviews from music critics, some praised the "epic chorus" and the uplifting lyrics, but others felt that the song was a "mess" and a strange choice of single.

The music video was shot on Vancouver's scenic Grouse Mountain and captures the song's empowering and spiritual message, featuring snow-capped mountains and beach bonfires, as well as Furtado performing in a theater alongside a kid playing on a miniature piano. The song performed modestly on the charts, reaching the top forty in Germany, Slovakia and Switzerland.

Background and release

"Spirit Indestructible" is the first song Furtado and Darkchild recorded together at 2nd Floor Studio in California. [1] In an interview she has described the song as "a tribute to the humanity" and "how strong our spirits are." [2] Her trip to Kenya, as an ambassador for charity Free The Children, helped her to write the song. [3] She also recorded a Spanglish version of the song, titled "Espíritu Invencible". [4] The song was released via digital download in Europe on July 31, 2012, in Germany on August 3, [5] and on August 14, 2012, in the U.S. Digital Amazon store. [6]

Composition

"Spirit Indestructible" was written by Furtado and co-written and produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins. [7] The song features Freestyle influences, in the same style of lead single "Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)". [8] The song starts out with a piano introduction and then Nelly starts singing the first verse: "Through my one square foot window, I can see outside / I have chains on my feet, but not in my mind." [3] After the first chorus, a driving drum beat enters as the second verse is sung. [8] The post chorus features a military-drum breakdown, with Furtado singing 'AEIOU'. [8] Speaking about the song, Furtado says: "It's an ode to the spirit which resides in all of us and triumphs over anything". [7] "It is inspired by people I have met, and special moments in history that I have read about." [7]

Critical reception

The song received mostly mixed reviews from music critics. Katharine St. Asaph of Pop Dust gave the song 3 out of 5 stars, commenting, "You end up wishing the entire song was like the second half–the lyrics are the same, so it's no less inspirational, and it's more inspiring anyway to move than to wonder whether you're listening to a half-finished demo, where the producers fleshed out Nelly's voice but didn't get around to half the instruments yet. It's probably too disjointed for radio play, and it's a strange choice of single even with Darkchild producing again." [8] Nolan Feenay from Entertainment Weekly's Music Mix wrote that "the song has a chorus as epic and uplifting as you'd expect with a new-age title like that." [9] However, he called it "a Frankenstein of musical styles. The opening keyboard recalls the intro to Lady Gaga's 'Marry the Night,' and the Timbaland-esque beat that kicks in later sounds like a rhythmic repeat of their 2006 hit 'Promiscuous'. Now throw in a vowel-chanting breakdown, a cinematic war cry of a bridge, and some guitar for the heck of it? Woah, Nelly. That's a lot of song you've got there." [9]

Becky Bain of Idolator commented: "Oddly, there's something totally 80s about whatever's going on in this hot mess of a song. It needs a lot more work to make the whole thing mesh together. And we know Nelly has always been a bit nasal, but here she just sounds like she's whining." [10]

Commercial performance

"Spirit Indestructible" debuted at number 41 on the Ö3 Austria Top 75 chart. [11] Later, the song fell to number 44, but jumped to number 42, in its third week. [11] In Germany, the song peaked at number 23 on the Media Control AG chart. [12] In Switzerland, the song reached number 32 on the Schweizer Hitparade. [13]

Music video

A lyric video was released before the official video. The video is about Spencer West, a paraplegic who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro using only his hands.[ citation needed ] The official music video for "Spirit Indestructible" was filmed on June 15, 2012, at Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. [14] On July 13, 2012, Furtado uploaded via her YouTube account, a behind-the-scenes video. The video was directed by Aaron A, who worked on her video, "Bajo Otra Luz". The video premiered on July 18, 2012, on VEVO. [15] The video begins with Furtado singing in a stage accompanied by a young boy playing a piano and when the beat of music starts, Furtado suddenly is on a mountain, where she twirls around while conjuring up her own unbeatable inner strength. [16] Furtado then leads a crew of men to a beach for a spiritual drum circle session and a dance around a bonfire. [16] The second part of the video shows her walking with drummers on the beach and dancing on a mountain and behind the blue sky wearing a golden dress. In the final shot, the snow has melted, and Furtado turns to dust and is at one with nature. [16]

Track listing

  1. "Spirit Indestructible" – 4:01
  1. "Spirit Indestructible" (radio edit) – 3:35
  2. "Spirit Indestructible" (acoustic) – 3:55
  3. "Spirit Indestructible" (music video) – 4:18
  1. "Spirit Indestructible" – 4:01
  2. "Spirit Indestructible" (radio edit) – 3:35
  3. "Spirit Indestructible" (acoustic) – 3:55
  4. "Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" (Wideboys Remix)
  5. "Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" (Michael Woods Remix)
  1. "Spirit Indestructible" (radio edit) – 3:35
  2. "Spirit Indestructible" (acoustic) – 3:55

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from The Spirit Indestructible album liner notes. [22]

Technical
Personnel

Chart performance

Chart (2012)Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [11] 41
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [23] 75
CIS (TopHit) [24] 114
Germany (Official German Charts) [25] 23
Japan (Japan Hot 100) [26] 79
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) [27] 20
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100) [28] 10
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [13] 32

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Spirit Indestructible"
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
ItalyJuly 20, 2012Radio airplay Universal [29]
DACH August 3, 2012 CD single [30]
United KingdomSeptember 23, 2012 Digital download Polydor [31]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nelly Furtado</span> Canadian singer (born 1978)

Nelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has sold over 45 million records, including 35 million in album sales worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists. Critics have noted Furtado's musical versatility and experimentation with genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Força</span> 2004 single by Nelly Furtado

"Força" is a song by Canadian singer Nelly Furtado from her second studio album, Folklore (2003). Written by Furtado, Gerald Eaton, and Brian West, the track is sung mainly in English, with the chorus completely in Portuguese. The song was produced by Furtado and Track & Field and received a positive reception from music critics. Released in June 2004 as the album's third single, served as the official song of the 2004 European Football Championship held in Portugal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Give It to Me (Timbaland song)</span> 2007 song by Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake

"Give It to Me" is a song performed by American producer, songwriter and rapper Timbaland, released as the first single from his second studio album Shock Value (2007). The song features vocals by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado and American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. All three artists co-wrote the song together with American rapper Attitude and American producer Danja, who co-produced the song with Timbaland. Mosley Music Group, in association with Blackground Records and Interscope Records, serviced the song to contemporary hit and rhythmic radios in the United States on February 6, 2007, and later to urban radios on March 10, 2007. "Give It to Me" is an electro song that embodies the sensibilities of club music. The song features the protagonists addressing their critics about their successes in the music industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nelly Furtado discography</span> Discography of Canadian singer Nelly Furtado.

Canadian singer Nelly Furtado has released six studio albums, 32 singles, one video album, one live album, two compilation albums, three extended plays, and 23 music videos. She released her debut album Whoa, Nelly! in 2000 and it became a commercial success selling 6 million copies worldwide. It has been certified multi Platinum in countries such as Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand. The album spawned four singles including the successful top 10 hits "I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light". In 2003 she released her second album Folklore, while the album did not match the success of her previous album in such markets as the US and Australia, it did however become a success in several European countries. Folklore has sold 2 million copies worldwide. The album produced two European top 10 hits: "Powerless " and "Força", while "Try" peaked inside the top 10 in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In God's Hands (song)</span> 2007 single by Nelly Furtado

"In God's Hands" is a song by Canadian singer Nelly Furtado from her third studio album, Loose (2006). It was written and produced by Furtado and Rick Nowels. The song was first released on 30 July 2007 as the album's fifth and final single in the United Kingdom and was later released in various formats across Europe in the fall of 2007. Furtado recorded a new version of the song as a duet with Australian-American country singer Keith Urban the following year, which was released in North America in April 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Leave 'em Alone</span> 2007 single by Ciara and 50 Cent

"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.

<i>Mi Plan</i> 2009 studio album by Nelly Furtado

Mi Plan is the fourth studio album and the first Spanish-language album by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. It was released independently on September 11, 2009 by Furtado’s own record label Nelstar Entertainment with distribution by Universal Music Latino. This marks Furtado’s first independently released album. Recording sessions for the album took place from 2008 to 2009. The album was produced primarily by Furtado with other contributions made by James Bryan, Lester Mendez, Salaam Remi, The Demolition Crew, Julieta Venegas and Brian West. Furtado described the songs on the album to be "simple love songs".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manos al Aire</span> 2009 single by Nelly Furtado

"Manos al Aire" is a Spanish-language song by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. Written by Furtado, Alex Cuba and James Bryan, it was produced by Furtado and Bryan for the former's fourth studio album, Mi Plan (2009). The song, which translates to "Hands up" or "I surrender", is about "surrendering to love, and vulnerability", as Furtado put it. She felt that the song could only be sung in Spanish because it would be a "train-wreck" if it were sung in English because of the complexity of the lyrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morning After Dark</span> 2009 single by Nelly Furtado, Timbaland, SoShy

"Morning After Dark" is a song by American record producer and rapper, Timbaland taken from his third studio album, Shock Value II. The song features French singer SoShy and was released as the first single from the album on October 26, 2009. The international version of the song features an additional verse from Canadian singer Nelly Furtado and it is this version which features on the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kissin U</span> 2010 single by Miranda Cosgrove

"Kissin U" is a song by American recording artist Miranda Cosgrove, released as the sole single from her debut studio album, Sparks Fly. Cosgrove co-wrote the song with Claude Kelly and Dr. Luke; the latter also co-produced it with Ammo. It was released on digital download format on March 22, 2010, and to mainstream radio on May 11, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heartbeat (Enrique Iglesias song)</span> 2010 single by Enrique Iglesias

"Heartbeat" is a song by Spanish singer and songwriter Enrique Iglesias. The song was written by Iglesias, along with his long-term collaborators Jamie Scott and Mark Taylor, for his ninth studio album Euphoria (2010). The mid-tempo ballad, produced by Taylor, features guest vocals from American singer Nicole Scherzinger. The song has a melody based on futuristic piano sounds and incorporates elements of dance music. The Rudi Wells' Open Heart Remix of the song later appeared on Scherzinger's debut studio album Killer Love (2011).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just a Dream (Nelly song)</span> 2010 single by Nelly

"Just a Dream" is a song by American rapper and singer Nelly, released as the lead single from his sixth album 5.0 in 2010. The song was written by Mitch J, Nelly, Rico Love, Jim Jonsin and Frank Romano with Jonsin and Love producing the song. The song was released on August 16, 2010, to iTunes Stores around the world for digital download. It was released alongside the promotional single, "Tippin' In da Club". On October 6, 2010, the song was certified triple platinum by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Show Me (Jessica Sutta song)</span> 2011 single by Jessica Sutta

"Show Me" is the debut solo single by American recording artist Jessica Sutta. The song was featured in the movie Teen Spirit. It was written by Alex Geringas, Paddy Dalton and its producer songwriter Busbee, which lyrically talks about how actions talk louder than words. Musically, the song is a club-inspired song. "Show Me" premiered on Idolator on August 3, 2011, and was released on August 23, 2011, via Hollywood Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Is Anybody Out There? (song)</span> 2012 single by Knaan

"Is Anybody Out There?" is a song co-written and performed by Somalia-born rapper K'naan, featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado, from his first extended play More Beautiful Than Silence. The song was first released as a digital download in the United States on January 24, 2012, before being physically issued in Germany on March 30. The single made its chart debut on the Canadian Hot 100 at number 67 and peaked at number 14. It was most successful in New Zealand, where it reached the top of the RIANZ chart on the week of March 12, 2012; it was Furtado's fourth number-one single in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)</span> Single by music recording artist Nelly Furtado

"Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" is a song by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado, taken from her fifth studio album, The Spirit Indestructible. It was released on April 16, 2012, through Interscope Records, as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Furtado in a collaboration with its producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins. "Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" is an R&B song influenced by hip hop collective Odd Future and 1990s productions. The track's lyrics refer to the singer's life as a teenager, describing her passion for hip hop and R&B music at that time. "Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, who praised the song's breakdown but criticized Furtado's vocals.

<i>The Spirit Indestructible</i> 2012 studio album by Nelly Furtado

The Spirit Indestructible is the fifth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. The album was released on 14 September 2012. Furtado served as the executive producer for the album as well as a principal writer. Further production on The Spirit Indestructible comes from the likes of Darkchild, Salaam Remi, Mike Angelakos, Bob Rock, Fraser T Smith, Di Genius, The Demolition Crew, John Shanks and Tiësto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goin' In</span> 2012 single by Jennifer Lopez featuring Flo Rida

"Goin' In" is a song recorded by American singer Jennifer Lopez. The song features American rappers Flo Rida and Lil Jon, although the latter is uncredited for his part in the song. It was co-written by Joseph Angel, Tramar Dillard, David Quiñones, Sebastian Kole, Michael Warren and Jamahl "GoonRock" Listenbee, who also produced the song. It is featured on the soundtrack of the dance film Step Up: Revolution (2012) and on her first greatest hits album Dance Again... the Hits (2012). This is also the third song from the Step Up series to feature Flo Rida, after "Low" from Step Up 2: The Streets (2008) and "Club Can't Handle Me" from Step Up 3D (2010).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andre Lindal</span> Musical artist

Andre Lindal is a Norwegian songwriter, record producer and musician from Oslo, now based in Los Angeles. He has produced for many popular artists and groups, including Maroon 5, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson, Nelly Furtado and Chris Medina. After receiving a Grammy nomination for his work with Monica in 2011, he received a Grammy win when Kelly Clarkson's Stronger took home the Best Pop Vocal Album in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parking Lot (Nelly Furtado song)</span> 2012 single by Nelly Furtado

"Parking Lot" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado, from her fifth studio album, The Spirit Indestructible (2012). The song was written by Furtado and co-written and produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, who also produced her two previous singles "Big Hoops" and "Spirit Indestructible". The song was released as the third single from the album on October 12, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waiting for the Night</span> 2012 single by Nelly Furtado

"Waiting for the Night" is a song recorded by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado. It was written by Furtado and co-written and produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins for her fifth studio album, The Spirit Indestructible. Lyrically, the song is about Furtado having a crush on a boy and was inspired by a diary she kept as a sixteen-year-old on a summer vacation on São Miguel Island, Portugal.

References

  1. ↑ "Nelly Furtado releases new single 'Spirit Indestructible' - listen - Music News". Digital Spy. 2012-07-06. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  2. ↑ Azzopardi, Chris. "Nelly Furtado Talks Gay Clubbing, First Drag Experience & Coming Full Circle With New Album". Pride Source. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Savage, Mark (2012-05-07). "BBC News - Nelly Furtado: 'Swagger in spades'". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  4. ↑ "Spirit Indestructible [Spanglish Version]". Nelly Furtado Daily. August 7, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Spirit Indestructible (2-Track): Amazon.de: Musik". Amazon.de. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  6. ↑ "Spirit Indestructible: Nelly Furtado: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  7. 1 2 3 "NEW MUSIC: NELLY FURTADO – 'SPIRIT INDESTRUCTIBLE'". Rap-Up . July 3, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 4 St. Asaph, Katharine (July 6, 2012). "The Singles Bar: Nelly Furtado, "The Spirit Indestructible"". Pop Dust. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  9. 1 2 Feeney, Nolan (July 6, 2012). "Nelly Furtado debuts 'Spirit Indestructible' -- Hear it here". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  10. ↑ Bain, Becky (July 4, 2012). "Nelly Furtado's "The Spirit Indestructible": Listen". Idolator . Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 "Nelly Furtado – Spirit Indestructible" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  12. ↑ "Nelly Furtado - Longplay- Chartverfolgung". Media Control AG . Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  13. 1 2 "Nelly Furtado – Spirit Indestructible". Swiss Singles Chart.
  14. ↑ "Nelly Furtado's 'Spirit Indestructible' Video - Watch Now!". terra.com. 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  15. ↑ "News : Spirit Indestructible - official video!!". Nelly Furtado. 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2012-08-05.
  16. 1 2 3 Daw, Robbie (July 18, 2012). "Nelly Furtado's "Spirit Indestructible" Video: Watch Her Sing From The Mountaintops". Idolator . Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  17. ↑ "iTunes - Music – "Spirit Indestructible - Single" par Nelly Furtado". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  18. ↑ "iTunes - Music – "Spirit Indestructible - Single" by Nelly Furtado". Itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
  19. ↑ "iTunes - Musik – "Spirit Indestructible - Single" von Nelly Furtado". Itunes.apple.com. January 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  20. ↑ "Spirit Indestructible - EP by Nelly Furtado - Preorder Spirit Indestructible - EP on iTunes". iTunes (UK). 2012-09-23. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
  21. ↑ "Nelly Furtado - Spirit Indestructible (CD) at Discogs". discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  22. ↑ The Spirit Indestructible (liner notes). Nelly Furtado. 2012 Interscope Records / Mosley Music Group, LLC.
  23. ↑ "Nelly Furtado – Spirit Indestructible" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  24. ↑ Nelly Furtado — Spirit Indestructible. TopHit. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  25. ↑ "Nelly Furtado – Spirit Indestructible" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  26. ↑ "Chart Search Results - Japan Hot 100 Singles 2012-10-06". Billboard.biz . Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  27. ↑ "Tipparade-lijst van week 33, 2012" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  28. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 20123 into search.
  29. ↑ "Nelly Furtado - Spirit Indestructible (Radio Date: 20-07-2012)".
  30. ↑ "Spirit Indestructible". Amazon Germany.
  31. ↑ "This weeks single releases – 23 September | All-Noise". 23 September 2012.
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.