Survive the Summer | ||||
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EP by | ||||
Released | 3 August 2018 | |||
Recorded | September 2017 | |||
Length | 15:53 | |||
Label | Island | |||
Producer | ||||
Iggy Azalea chronology | ||||
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Singles from Survive the Summer | ||||
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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.
She revealed the cover art via Instagram on 29 June 2018. Described by Rap-Up as "dark and provocative", it finds Azalea bathed under red lights while dressed in a netted bodysuit and lace mask, as two hands grab her breasts. A single white rose is placed between her hands. When asked about its symbolism, she answered saying: "Mourning, death. Like throwing a flower into a casket and saying goodbye to something."
The EP was supported by the lead single, "Kream", featuring American rapper Tyga and the promotional single, "Tokyo Snow Trip", both released on 6 July 2018.[ citation needed ] "Kream" has since been certified Platinum [1] by the RIAA and became Azalea's first track to enter the Billboard Hot 100 in over three years after switching labels. It was recognised as a commercial come back.
The EP as well as the lead single was also classed as a commercial come back for Azalea. In Australia, Survive the Summer debuted inside the top 20 on the ARIA Top 50 Digital Albums Chart (Azalea's home country). In the United States, the EP charted at the lower end of the chart on the Billboard 200 dated 18 August 2018 with 6,000 units, marking Azalea's third entry on the chart. It peaked at number 13 on Billboard's Digital Albums chart in the same week, her second highest position on the chart and also third entry overall.
In November 2014, a reissue of Azalea's first studio album The New Classic (2014), titled Reclassified , was released; it featured five new songs, including two singles — "Beg for It" and "Trouble". In December, she announced plans of a new tour through her Twitter account called the Great Escape Tour, stating that it went along with the title of her upcoming second studio album, which would also be promoted on it. [2] It was later announced the tour was being postponed to the fall, [3] before it was officially canceled in May 2015, as a new tour was planned around Azalea's new album to be released in the following year. [4]
In January 2015, Azalea announced that she had started working on her second studio album. [5] In October, she announced that it would be called Digital Distortion and that it was set for release in the following year. [6] On 8 January 2016, the buzz single "Azillion" was made available for free streaming on SoundCloud. [7] After leaving her main record label, UK-based Virgin EMI, Azalea decided to permanently switch to her US-based record label, Def Jam. [8] She then previewed the lenticular cover art for the album. [9]
On 18 March 2016, the intended lead single, "Team", was released for digital download. [10] In September, she explained she was delaying the album to 2017 after experiencing personal setbacks. [11] On 3 March 2017, the promotional single, "Can't Lose", was released. [12] On 24 March, the intended second single, "Mo Bounce", was released. [13] Following the release, Azalea confirmed the scrapping of the 2016 material and as well as recordings of 13 new songs which include collaborations with YG, Lil Uzi Vert, and Jeremih. She also said the album should still include the songs "Elephant" featuring YG, "Team", and "Mo Bounce". [14] On 19 May 2017, the third intended single, "Switch", featuring Brazilian singer Anitta, was released. [15]
After "Switch" failed to make a commercial impact in any worldwide music chart, as well as its music video being leaked, [16] Azalea stated Def Jam had abruptly stopped promotion for Digital Distortion. Later in 2017, Azalea announced Digital Distortion would be released on 30 July 2017, [17] until conflict between her and then-CEO of Def Jam, Steve Bartels, involving the promotion of further singles including the collaboration with Azealia Banks, [18] and the delay of the album, [19] [20] [21] which prompted Azalea to express her frustration and disappointment on social media. [19] [22] Azalea later announced on Twitter the album would have no official release date. It was reported many tracks from Digital Distortion were leaked online, which was after Azalea expressed her frustrations towards label executives for "ignoring" her on Snapchat. [23] After Digital Distortion being delayed and later cancelled, Azalea departed from Def Jam and signed with Island Records. [24]
On 2 February 2018 Azalea released her single "Savior". The single was promoted during the Super Bowl on 4 February 2018. The single "Savior" did not make it to the tracklist of Survive the Summer, because it did not fit the theme of the EP, but "may have a home in my album", according to Azalea. In an interview with iHeartRadio, she emphasized the song's lyrics being written at a time during her breakup with NBA basketball player Nick Young, and her career she "was used to [...] had abruptly stopped". [25] On 6 July 2018, "Kream" was released as the first single, along with the promotional single, "Tokyo Snow Trip". On 3 August 2018, Survive the Summer was released for digital download and streaming worldwide.[ citation needed ]
Azalea shared on 24 December 2017, that the album cover will feature only three letters, "S.T.S", which is the album title's abbreviation. [26] She revealed the cover art via Instagram on 29 June 2018. Described by Rap-Up as "dark and provocative", it finds Azalea bathed under red lights while dressed in a netted bodysuit and lace mask, as two hands grab her breasts. A single white rose is placed between her hands. [27] When asked about its symbolism, she answered saying: "Mourning, death. Like throwing a flower into a casket and saying goodbye to something." [28]
On 2 September 2017, Azalea posted a snippet of a new song on Twitter with the hashtag "#STS". [29] On 7 November, she officially cancelled Digital Distortion and announced she would release a new project titled Surviving the Summer, after severe creative differences. [30] She also revealed that the album would be released by a new label and new management, following her departure from Def Jam. [31] On 10 December, Azalea posted two new snippets of a song from the album. [32] [33] On 2 February 2018, "Savior" featuring American rapper Quavo was released as the lead single from the album, [34] but was later cut from the tracklist and turned into a buzz single. On 27 April, Azalea announced Surviving the Summer would be a visual extended play instead of an album, which means that every song of it will be accompanied by visuals. [35] Originally set to be released on 2 June before switching to 30 June and then to 6 July, Azalea announced on 8 June that the EP was pushed back again to 3 August. According to her, the release date was postponed because her "record label, Island Records, is changing presidents," and that she has "to allow time for everyone in the company to re-organise". [36] On 6 July, the album was made available for pre-order as Survive the Summer, along with the release of the lead single "Kream" featuring American rapper Tyga and the promotional single "Tokyo Snow Trip". [37]
In attempt to further promote the EP, Azalea planned a 21-city North American Bad Girls Tour at the end of 2018 with support from Cupcakke and Megan Thee Stallion. [38] Initially, CupcakKe announced in October 2018 via Twitter she would no longer be a part of the tour due to the management of the tour paying her $30,000 of the intended $330,000 she was originally promised. Cupcakke further explained the disorganization of the tour, and stated it did not have to do with Iggy Azalea, but her management. [39] Live Nation announced days after the tour was cancelled and Ticketmaster refunded tickets. [40]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pitchfork | 4.3/10 [42] |
Slant | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Survive The Summer received generally mixed reviews by the music critics, Neil Yeung of AllMusic said the EP "presents Azalea as a hardcore rapper with little desire to court the mainstream, which was once her bread and butter," continuing that, "her flow is effective and the production pops, but it's just not as enjoyable with the fun sucked out of it." The tracks "Tokyo Snow Trip" and "Kawasaki" were noted as the editor picks. [41] Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork described Survive the Summer's influence of hip hop music, "she knows what a good rap song should sound like in the abstract, but she is incapable of making one". [42] Vulture praises the EP's concept as "an interesting choice aesthetically", though "S.T.S. aims for sparseness but sometimes comes out feeling palpably empty". [44] Mike Nied from Idolator named the EP as one of the rapper's most consistent offerings, stating, "There is none of the shimmering pop aesthetic that helped her top the Billboard Hot 100 with 'Fancy' in 2014. However, she is just as alluring without the supersized hooks and singalong choruses that defined some of her biggest hits." [45] Writing for Stereogum , Chris DeVille remarked, "The dark trap beats are sufficiently booming; Azalea's rhymes are confident and charismatic despite also ranging from uninspired," and declared that "it’s hard to imagine her returning to full bloom, but for better or worse Azalea seems poised to endure into autumn and beyond." [46] In a review for Slant Magazine , Alexa Camp characterized Survive the Summer as "consistent to a fault, laser-focused both sonically and thematically, abandoning the groove centricity of singles like the slept-on banger 'Mo Bounce' and the recent 'Savior'", adding that "all six songs are uniformly dark, weird, and minimalist, with stark verses filled almost exclusively with assertions about Azalea's figurative and literal assets." [47] Writing for HotNewHipHop , Mitch Findlay considered the track "OMG" a highlight which "finds Azalea at her most confident, spitting at a level that may garner secret appreciation not unlike a guilty pleasure." [48]
In Australia, Survive the Summer debuted at number 17 on the ARIA Top 50 Digital Albums Chart for the week commencing on 13 August 2018. [49] In the United States, the EP charted at number 144 on the Billboard 200 dated 18 August 2018 with 6,000 units, marking Azalea's third entry on the chart, and first new arrival on that list since 2014. [50] It peaked at number 13 on Billboard's Digital Albums chart in the same week, her second highest position on the chart and also third entry overall. [51]
As of January 2022, the project has generated over 305M views on YouTube, 212M streams on Spotify, and 11M on SoundCloud through Azalea's official accounts.[ citation needed ]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Survive the Summer" |
| 2:44 | |
2. | "Tokyo Snow Trip" |
| Bedrock | 2:10 |
3. | "Kream" (featuring Tyga) |
| 2:46 | |
4. | "Hey Iggy" |
| Bedrock | 2:47 |
5. | "Kawasaki" |
|
| 2:57 |
6. | "OMG" (featuring Wiz Khalifa) |
| 2:29 | |
Total length: | 15:53 |
Notes
Sample credits
Credits adapted from Tidal. [52]
Chart (2018) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia Digital Albums (ARIA) [49] | 17 |
US Billboard 200 [53] | 144 |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
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Various | 3 August 2018 | Island | [52] |
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.
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.
"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.
"Bounce" is a song recorded by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea for her debut album, The New Classic (2014) appearing on the deluxe edition. "Bounce" was written by Azalea, its producers Reeva & Black, Speedy Jay, Talay Riley, Oladayo Olatunji and Natalie Sims. Developed as a festival anthem about celebration, Azalea wanted the track to showcase a fun side to her artistry and offset the seriousness of her previous single "Work". Distinctly more pop-indebted than her previous material, the EDM, hip hop and trap song contains a prominent build-drop production formula and elements of Eastern music with tabla and sarangi instruments.
The New Classic is the debut studio album by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It was released on 21 April 2014 by Def Jam Recordings in a joint venture with Grand Hustle Records. Primarily a hip hop album, The New Classic features elements of EDM, dance-pop and trap in its production.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"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."
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.
"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.
"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.
"Switch" is a song recorded by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea featuring Brazilian singer Anitta. It was released on 19 May 2017, by Def Jam. "Switch" was written by Azalea with Anton Hård af Segerstad, Akil King, Christopher Martin, Georgia Ku, Kyle Owens and Maurice "Verse" Simmonds. It was produced by The Family and Eric Weaver. "Switch" is a pop song with a tropical vibe and Latin flavor. Switch is certified platinum in Brazil.
"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.
"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.
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.
"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.
Wicked Lips is the fifth extended play by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, released on 2 December 2019 through Bad Dreams Records and Empire. Although it was initially announced to be a reissue of Azalea's second studio album In My Defense, it was revealed through the rapper's Twitter that her next musical project would be an extended play.
"Sip It" is a song by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea and American rapper Tyga, released on 2 April 2021, through Bad Dreams Records and Empire Distribution, with a music video released on the same day. It was intended as the lead single from Azalea's third studio album The End of an Era (2021). Ending up being replaced by "Brazil" as the lead single, "Sip It" appears on the deluxe version of the album. The song samples Azalea's own song, "Pussy", and is her second collaboration with Tyga, following Azalea's 2018 single "Kream".