Utopia | ||||
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EP by | ||||
Released | 19 March 2013 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 24:21 | |||
Label | Island Def Jam | |||
Producer |
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Kerli chronology | ||||
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Singles from Utopia | ||||
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Utopia is the second extended play (EP) by Estonian recording artist and songwriter Kerli. It was released on 19 March 2013 by The Island Def Jam Music Group. The album was produced in the five years following the release of Kerli's debut album Love Is Dead (2008) and was originally intended as Kerli's second studio album. The songs from the EP feature an overall positive message and a heavily electronic dance-influenced sound (a stark contrast from Love Is Dead) and feature production by Swedish production duo SeventyEight as well as English producer and DJ Switch.
Two songs that were written for the album, "Army of Love" and "Zero Gravity", were released as promotional singles in 2011 and 2012 respectively prior to release of the EP's lead single in 2013 titled "The Lucky Ones". Two other songs intended for the album (which were written by Kerli, Toby Gad, and Lindy Robbins) titled "I Feel Immortal" and "Skyscraper" were recorded by artists Tarja Turunen and Demi Lovato for their albums What Lies Beneath (2010) and Unbroken (2011) respectively, the latter song peaking at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. [3] Although Kerli's version of "Skyscraper" was never officially released, her version of "I Feel Immortal" titled "Immortal" was released on Frankenweenie Unleashed! in 2012 and the demo version of "Skyscraper" sung by Kerli leaked online the same year. [4] "Zero Gravity", "Army of Love", and "The Lucky Ones" all charted in the top ten of Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart, the last two peaking at number one. [5] Utopia peaked at number 196 on the Billboard 200 for the week of 6 April. [5]
In describing Utopia, Kerli said it was "about [her] search for love and happiness" and that she underwent a "huge transformation personally" while writing it. [6] She also noted the contrast between Love Is Dead's darker, more rock-influenced sound and Utopia's more uplifting and electronic dance-influenced sound, which she analogized as "sweaty angels raving in the desert." [6]
According to Kerli, the first track of the album, "Can't Control the Kids", is about "the power that kids these days have because of technology and internet" and that "everyone with a laptop can make something amazing and share it with the rest of the world. Everyone can have a voice" and that it was that "kind of rebellious and badass energy [she] was trying to channel." [7] The following song, "The Lucky Ones", was written after a friend's cancer scare after which she said they had been "given a second chance". [8] Both of these tracks are electronic dance medleys produced by Svante Halldin and Jakob Hazell (SeventyEight), the following track, also produced by SeventyEight, is the piano-driven ballad "Love Me or Leave Me", which Kerli released as the iTunes Store's "countdown single" on March 5.[ citation needed ] The next track, "Sugar", is a simple electronic track with acoustic elements produced by English producer and DJ Switch [9] characterized by breathy vocals and repeated moaning from Kerli. "Here and Now", the following track, is another EDM song produced by SeventyEight, and features a more progressive house influence. The album's final track, "Chemical", is a softer piano ballad written solely by Kerli and produced by Brian Ziff. [10]
The artwork for the EP was designed by photographer Brian Ziff and artist Natalia Shau, who designed the artwork for Kerli's debut studio album Love Is Dead (2008). [11] The artwork displays Kerli wearing a white, short dress, with a blue background. The singer holds a bottle in her right hand. Behind her, there is a structure, decorated with dragons and curved lines, and surrounded by a white light.
Promotion for Utopia was limited; it began with a club tour where the album's lead single "The Lucky Ones" and the previous promotional singles "Zero Gravity" and "Army of Love" were performed. Kerli made her American television debut on 17 April 2013 on Dancing with the Stars ; Vibe called the performance a "major milestone in the [ electronic dance music ] world." [12]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [13] |
David Jeffries of AllMusic wrote that "perhaps the extra material would help explain the dance diva's evolution from gothic to grand dame, but she's just as persuasive here with this more positive material, especially during the you-only-live-once dance anthem 'The Lucky Ones'."
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Can't Control the Kids" | SeventyEight | 3:08 | |
2. | "The Lucky Ones" |
| SeventyEight | 3:54 |
3. | "Love Me or Leave Me" |
| SeventyEight | 4:10 |
4. | "Sugar" |
| Switch | 3:26 |
5. | "Here and Now" |
| SeventyEight | 3:49 |
6. | "Chemical" |
| Ziff | 2:47 |
7. | "The Lucky Ones" (Syn Cole Remix) |
|
| 3:07 |
Total length: | 24:21 |
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Utopia | Estonian Music Award for Best Female Album [14] | Nominated |
Estonian Music Award for Best Pop Album [14] | Nominated |
Credits adapted from the Utopia liner notes. [15]
Chart (2013) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 [16] | 196 |
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard) [17] | 9 |
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [18] | 7 |
Richard Morel is an American singer-songwriter, DJ, remixer and record producer from the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. He has worked extensively with Washington D.C.-based duo Deep Dish, co-writing, co-producing, performing and singing on many of their tracks, most notably on their albums Junk Science and George Is On. Richard Morel's songs are represented by Downtown Music Publishing.
Kerli Kõiv, better known mononymously as Kerli, is an Estonian singer and songwriter.
Love Is Dead is the debut studio album by Estonian recording artist Kerli. It was released in the United States on 8 July 2008 by Island Records.
Kerli is the debut self-titled EP by Estonian singer-songwriter Kerli. It was released on 16 October 2007, 17 through Island Records. After being signed to Island in 2006, Kerli began producing her debut album Love Is Dead and released the EP as a teaser for the album. The music from the EP is influenced by genres such as electropop, alternative rock, and pop rock while its lyrical topics include individuality and rebellion. From the three-song release, which contains the cover of Bauhaus' "She's in Parties", "Walking on Air" and "Love Is Dead" were later included in Love Is Dead (2008). Kerli received a positive review for its musical diversity.
TyDi is an Australian DJ and record producer specializing in electronic dance music. Originally from Queensland, TyDi was signed by Armin van Buuren's Armada label at 17 and was ranked at No. 1 of Junkee's Australian Top 50 DJs in 2008 and 2009.
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The discography of Estonian singer-songwriter Kerli consists of two studio albums, three extended plays (EPs), sixteen singles and fifteen music videos. Kerli signed a record deal with Island Records in 2006 and released in July 2008 her debut album Love Is Dead, which peaked at number 126 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. The album's lead single "Walking on Air" reached the top 40 of European territories such as Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, resulting in its summit at number seventy-five on the European Hot 100 Singles.
"I Feel Immortal" is a song by Finnish singer-songwriter Tarja, featuring Canadian guitarist Jason Hook. It was written by Tarja, Toby Gad, Kerli Kõiv, and Lindy Robbins, and was produced by Tarja and "Mic". It was released as the second single from her second album What Lies Beneath on 27 August 2010.
"Army of Love" is a single released by Estonian recording artist Kerli, from her shelved second studio album Utopia. The song was written by Kerli, Jean Baptiste, Mick McHenry and Ryan Buendia and was produced by Free School Music and Jean Baptiste. It was released on December 16, 2010, via free download on Kerli's official website. It was released for purchase as a single on April 12, 2011. A 9-track remix EP was released on May 3, 2011, and part 2 was released on June 21, 2011.
"Skyscraper" is a song recorded by American singer Demi Lovato for her third studio album, Unbroken (2011). It was released by Hollywood Records on July 12, 2011, as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Toby Gad, Lindy Robbins, and Kerli; the former handled its production. American singer Jordin Sparks provided background vocals for the track. It was inspired by a picture of the apocalypse, in which the world was in ruins and, among collapsed buildings, one skyscraper was standing.
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"Zero Gravity" is a single by the Estonian recording artist Kerli. Produced by Jakob Hazell and Svante Halldin, it was officially released on March 20, 2012 by The Island Def Jam Music Group on digital media stores. The song draws heavy inspiration from space tourism, air, and more prominently, sylphs, as reflected in the music video which premiered on March 22. The song is about "merging with the spirit, becoming all love."
"The Lucky Ones" is a song by Estonian singer-songwriter Kerli from her second extended play, Utopia. Following the release of two promotional singles from the album, it was announced by Universal Motown Records vice-president Chris Anokute that "The Lucky Ones" would serve as the first single from the extended play. It was written by Kerli, Svante Halldin and Jakob Hazell, while production was handled by the latter two as the production team SeventyEight and was released on October 29, 2012, through Island Records.
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