Started

Last updated

"Started"
Iggy Azalea - Started.png
Single by Iggy Azalea
from the album In My Defense
Released3 May 2019 (2019-05-03)
Recorded2018
Genre
Length3:06
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) J. White Did It
Iggy Azalea singles chronology
"Sally Walker"
(2019)
"Started"
(2019)
"Boys Like You"
(2019)
Music video
"Started" on YouTube

"Started" is a song recorded by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea for her second studio album In My Defense . The song was written by Azalea alongside Ronny Wright and produced by American record producer J. White Did It. It was released by Bad Dreams and Empire on 3 May 2019 as the second single from the album.

Contents

It has had over 100 million streams on Spotify becoming the first track from the album to do so.

An accompanying music video for the track, directed by Colin Tilley, was shot the prior month in Los Angeles, California and also premiered that day.

Composition

"Started" is a hip hop song, with a length of three minutes and six seconds. It was written by Azalea and Ronny Wright and produced by J. White Did It, who had also produced Azalea's previous single "Sally Walker". [1] The track finds Azalea boasting, "I started from the bottom and now I'm rich... You started out hating, now you love my drip." [2] It is described as an unapologetic "brag-heavy cut [...] club banger about making your way to success after having nothing" and was noted to borrowing and twisting the Drake line "started from the bottom," by adding "and now I'm rich". [3] [4] [5]

Music video

Background and release

A music video for the track was shot in April 2019 in a Los Angeles mansion in California. [6] It was directed by Colin Tilley, who also directed the music videos for Azalea's previous singles, "Savior", "Kream" and "Sally Walker". Azalea said she considered it her best yet by tweeting, "Started is the best video I've ever made." [7] After changing her Twitter layout and unveiling the cover artwork, Azalea followed up her announcement tweet with: "Imagine NOT knowing an Anna Nicole Smith quote when you see one. Can’t relate," and implied the visuals would reference Smith. [8] She then regularly shared more stills from the video on social media, with the presence of a "sugar daddy" and flaunting a lavish lifestyle suggesting the main themes to be wealth and gold digging. [9] [10] [6] She also posted pictures on set of the visuals with drag queen Trixie Mattel and tweeted: "I wrote a scene just for her in sallywalker but she was on tour so I HAD to write her into the story for started when I found out she’d be in town." [11] [4] Azalea confirmed the video would be dropping on the same day. [12]

Synopsis

The video, which includes an appearance from Trixie Mattel in a skit, as well as Vanessa Vanjie Mateo (who previously made an appearance in the video for "Sally Walker"), features Azalea playing a sugar baby after it opens with her marriage to an older man in a wheelchair, who uses an oxygen mask. Azalea is seen in a short white gown and donning many different looks throughout, including a diamond wig during a pool scene and a suit made out of hundred-dollar bills. Halfway through the video, Azalea starts to grow tired of him until another version of herself and Mattel appear in an infomercial for Die Slow Cake Co., a poison cake mix to kill a sugar daddy, with the jingle: "If your name's in his will and you want your bread/ Call 1-833-DADDYS-DEAD." She then attempts to suffocate him with a cushion on their bed and he eventually dies during a feast. Azalea is left to enjoy her new life on her own by redecorating, with the help of Mateo, and hosting a lavish party afterwards to celebrate her wealth. In the context of the video, the song's lyrics reference how the sugar baby character's many naysayers believed she would not become rich, and has managed to prove them wrong. [5] [13]

Credits

Charts

Chart (2019)Peak
position
Australia Digital Tracks (ARIA) [15] 37
Canadian Hot Digital Songs ( Billboard ) [16] 30
France Downloads (SNEP) [17] 122
Greece Digital Songs ( Billboard ) [18] 10
Hungary (Single Top 40) [19] 12
Ireland (IRMA) [20] 73
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [21] 11
Scotland (OCC) [22] 43
UK Singles (OCC) [23] 76
UK Independent Singles (OCC) [24] 12
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles ( Billboard ) [25] 20
US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles ( Billboard ) [26] 3

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [27] Gold500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
Various3 May 2019
[6]
United States11 June 2019 Rhythmic contemporary [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iggy Azalea</span> Australian rapper (born 1990)

Amethyst Amelia Kelly, known professionally as Iggy Azalea, is an Australian rapper and model. Azalea's accolades include two American Music Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, a People's Choice Award, four Teen Choice Awards and four Grammy Award nominations. Azalea is popular on video sites, her Youtube channel has accumulated 3.4 billion views, and 15 of her music videos have received over 100 million views on Vevo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go Hard or Go Home (song)</span> 2015 promotional single by Wiz Khalifa and Iggy Azalea

"Go Hard or Go Home" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa and Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It appears on the Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2015) and was available as an instant track upon pre-ordering the album via iTunes stores on February 17, 2015. The song was produced by The Featherstones. A second version entitled "Go Hard or Go Home Part 2" featuring Khalifa, French Montana, Trey Songz and Ty Dolla Sign was included as a bonus track on the deluxe version of the soundtrack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iggy Azalea discography</span>

Australian rapper Iggy Azalea has released three studio albums, five extended plays (EPs), two mixtapes and seventeen singles. In September 2011, Azalea released her first mixtape, Ignorant Art. Following the release, Azalea signed a recording contract with T.I.'s record label Grand Hustle. In July 2012, she released a free EP entitled Glory, and in October of that year, Azalea released her second mixtape, TrapGold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Work (Iggy Azalea song)</span> 2013 single by Iggy Azalea

"Work" is the debut single recorded by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea for her debut studio album, The New Classic (2014). It was released as the album's lead single on 17 March 2013. The track was written by Azalea, Trocon Markous Roberts, Natalie Sims, and The Invisible Men who produced it with 1st Down of FKi. Hailed by Azalea as her most personal song, "Work" was developed with motivational and inspirational intentions to portray her life story; specifically dealing with her struggle as an up-and-coming rapper, and her relocation from Mullumbimby, New South Wales, to Miami, Florida, at age 16. In sequence with its lyrical story, the snap and trap track begins with a sad-stringed verse segment before significantly increasing in tempo at its drum and synth-heavy refrain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Change Your Life (Iggy Azalea song)</span> 2013 single by Iggy Azalea featuring T.I.

"Change Your Life" is a song recorded by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea for her debut studio album, The New Classic (2014). It features guest vocals by American rapper T.I. Initially a demo by Indian-American songwriter Raja Kumari, the song's final composition was co-written by Azalea, Natalie Sims, Kumari, the song's producers The Messengers, Lovy Longomba and T.I. It is a mid-tempo dub-step and synthpop song inspired by Azalea's personal dating experiences, and comprises bass-driven and synth-heavy production. Described by Azalea as "a kind of rap duet", it features her singing on a track for the first time which she took upon to showcase growth and versatility from her previous material.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fancy (Iggy Azalea song)</span> 2014 single by Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX

"Fancy" is a song by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea featuring British singer Charli XCX, taken from the former's debut studio album, The New Classic (2014). It was released on 17 February 2014 by Def Jam Recordings as the fourth single from the album. "Fancy" was described as an electro-hop, electropop, and pop rap song. It was written by Azalea and XCX, composed and produced by production team the Invisible Men, alongside additional producers the Arcade. It was leaked under the title "Leave It" in December 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Widow (Iggy Azalea song)</span> 2014 single Iggy Azalea song featuring Rita Ora

"Black Widow" is a song by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea featuring British singer Rita Ora. Released through Def Jam Recordings, the song impacted on mainstream radio stations in the US on 8 July 2014, as the fifth single from her debut studio album, The New Classic (2014). It was written by Azalea, Katy Perry, Sarah Hudson, Benny Blanco, and duo Stargate, while the latter also produced the song. Lyrically, it addressed revenge after a failed romantic relationship. An accompanying music video for the song was released on 13 August 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Problem (Ariana Grande song)</span> 2014 single by Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea

"Problem" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande, featuring Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It was released by Republic Records on April 28, 2014 as the lead single from Grande's second studio album, My Everything (2014). It was written by both alongside Savan Kotecha, Ilya and Max Martin, being produced by the latter two with Shellback, with Peter Carlsson serving as a vocal producer. "Problem" is an uptempo dance-pop and R&B song with influences of funk music, which comprises a melody based on drums, saxophone loops, and trumpets. The chorus features uncredited background vocals from American hip-hop artist Big Sean. Lyrically, Grande has stated that the song is about "the feeling of being absolutely terrified to re-approach a relationship that's gone sour – but you want to more than anything."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beg for It (song)</span> 2014 single by Iggy Azalea featuring MØ

"Beg for It" is a song by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, featuring Danish singer MØ. It was written by Azalea and Charli XCX. The song was released on 24 October 2014 as the lead single from the reissue of Azalea's debut studio album The New Classic (2014), titled Reclassified (2014). An initial live preview of the song in September 2014 resulted in widespread media speculation that it featured XCX as the sequel to "Fancy", XCX's previous collaboration with Azalea. However, it was later revealed that XCX wrote the track's hook for MØ, who Azalea discovered on YouTube. A hip hop and trap song, "Beg for It" contains a percolating, booming stark beat and solicits a sinuous, minimalist feel. Its lyrical content comprises themes of girl power and prominently figures the phrase "pussy power".

<i>Reclassified</i> Reissue of debut album by Iggy Azalea

Reclassified is the reissue of Australian rapper Iggy Azalea's debut studio album, The New Classic (2014). It was released internationally on 21 November 2014 by Virgin EMI Records, and in the United States on 24 November 2014 by Def Jam Recordings. Released seven months after its parent album, Reclassified featured five newly recorded songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trouble (Iggy Azalea song)</span> 2015 single by Iggy Azalea featuring Jennifer Hudson

"Trouble" is a song by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea featuring American recording artist Jennifer Hudson, taken from Reclassified, the former's 2014 reissue of her debut studio album The New Classic. The song was produced by The Invisible Men and Salt Wives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pretty Girls (Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea song)</span> 2015 single by Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea

"Pretty Girls" is a song recorded by American singer Britney Spears and Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. Azalea co-wrote the song with Maegan Cottone, British girl group Little Mix, and the song's producers, The Invisible Men. The single was released on May 4, 2015, by RCA Records.

"Heavy Crown" is a song recorded by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea featuring English singer Ellie Goulding, recorded for Reclassified (2014), the reissue of Azalea's debut studio album The New Classic (2014). Azalea and Goulding co-wrote the song with its producers, Salt Wives and The Invisible Men, with additional writing from Jon Turner. "Heavy Crown" received generally positive reviews from critics, who commended Azalea's delivery on the track, finding it to be superior to that of her earlier songs.

<i>Survive the Summer</i> 2018 EP by Iggy Azalea

Survive the Summer is the fourth extended play by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It was released on 3 August 2018 by Island Records. Work began in mid-2017. Survive the Summer contains production by Bedrock, Ronny J, GT and Wallis Lane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Team (Iggy Azalea song)</span> 2016 single by Iggy Azalea

"Team" is a song recorded by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It was released on 18 March 2016. The single was serviced to US contemporary hit and rhythmic contemporary radio on 5 April 2016. Azalea wrote "Team" with Bebe Rexha, Lauren Christy, among other credited composers, including the main producers, a part of the D.R.U.G.S. collective: Marlon "Chordz" Barrow, Alexander "Nezzo" Palmer and Michael "Omega" Fonseca, with additional contributors Ryan Anthony Avilez, Louis Harden and Brandon "Stix" Salaam-Bailey. The song contains an interpolation from the 1999 composition "Back That Azz Up", written and performed by Juvenile, Lil Wayne and Mannie Fresh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mo Bounce</span> 2017 single by Iggy Azalea

"Mo Bounce" is a song recorded by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It was released on 23 March 2017 and it debuted on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show. It was produced by The Stereotypes and Far East Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanessa Vanjie Mateo</span> American drag queen

Vanessa Vanjie, sometimes known as Miss Vanjie or simply Vanjie, is the stage name of José Luis Cancel, an American drag performer known for competing on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race and placing fifth on the eleventh season of the show. In addition to competing on Drag Race, she has also appeared in many of its spin-offs, including RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race, RuPaul's Drag Race: Vegas Revue, Canada's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, the latter of which she appeared as a contestant for its ninth season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kream (song)</span> 2018 single by Iggy Azalea featuring Tyga

"Kream" is a song recorded by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea featuring American rapper Tyga. The song was released on 6 July 2018 by Island Records and serves as the lead single for her extended play Survive the Summer. It was written by Azalea, Tyga, and Ronny J. Production was handled by Ronny J, GT, and Wallis Lane. The song samples Wu Tang Clan's "C.R.E.A.M." and Raw Beat Mafia's "Dead End". The song passed 100 million streams on Spotify in February 2020, becoming Azalea's most recent song to do that since 2014's "No Mediocre" with T.I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sally Walker (song)</span> 2019 song by Iggy Azalea

"Sally Walker" is a song by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. Written alongside producer J. White Did It, it was released on 15 March 2019 as the lead single from her second studio album In My Defense via Bad Dreams Records/Empire Distribution. The music video, directed by Colin Tilley, accompanied its release the same day. The song debuted and peaked at number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<i>In My Defense</i> 2019 studio album by Iggy Azalea

In My Defense is the second studio album by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It was released independently on 19 July 2019, by Azalea's label Bad Dreams Records and Empire Distribution serving as the follow-up to The New Classic (2014). The album contains features from Lil Yachty, Kash Doll, Juicy J, and Iggy's protégée Stini, with production including J. White Did It, who executive produced the album with handling production on majority of its tracks, as well as with Smash David, Go Grizzly and Rico Beats.

References

  1. Started on Spotify
  2. Roth, Madeline (15 March 2019). "Iggy Azalea and a bunch of Drag Race faves party at a funeral in 'Sally Walker' video". MTV . Archived from the original on 17 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  3. "New Music: Iggy Azalea - 'Started'". Rap-Up. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  4. 1 2 Nied, Mike (3 May 2019). "A Bop! Iggy Azalea Gets It Very Right With "Started"". Idolator. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  5. 1 2 Daw, Stephen (3 May 2019). "Iggy Azalea Recruits Trixie Mattel & Miss Vanjie to Help Kill Her Sugar Daddy in Wild 'Started' Video: Watch". Billboard . Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 Wass, Mike (29 April 2019). "Iggy Azalea's "Started" Video Is Shaping Up To Be Spectacular". Idolator. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  7. "Iggy Azalea Announces New Single 'Started'". Rap-Up . 19 April 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  8. @IGGYAZALEA (19 April 2019). "Imagine NOT knowing an Anna Nicole Smith quote when you see one. Can't relate" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 March 2019 via Twitter.
  9. Zidel, Alex (26 April 2019). "Iggy Azalea Posts Photos With Her "Sugar Daddy" To Hype Up New Single". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  10. Dare, Angie (28 April 2019). "Iggy Azalea Teases Started Video W/ Beautiful Women Looking Bossed Up". SOHH . Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  11. Harper, Rosario (30 April 2019). "Iggy Azalea Shares More Sneak Peeks From New Started Video". SOHH . Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  12. Libardi, Manuella (2 May 2019). "Iggy Azalea Sizzles In Leopard-Print Bodysuit In New Instagram Photo". Inquisitr . Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  13. Nied, Mike (3 May 2019). "Iggy Azalea Is The Ultimate Gold Digger In Her "Started" Video". Idolator. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
  14. "Started - Iggy Azalea | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  15. "ARIA Australian Top 40 Digital Tracks" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  16. "Iggy Azalea – Chart history (Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  17. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 19, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  18. "Iggy Azalea Chart History - Greece Digital Songs". Billboard . Archived from the original on 13 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  19. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  20. "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association . Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  21. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  23. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  24. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  25. "Iggy Azalea Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  26. "Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop : May 18, 2019". Billboard. Retrieved 13 May 2019.(subscription required)
  27. "American single certifications – Iggy Azalea – Started". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  28. "Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases". All Access Media Group. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2019.