War Paint (Fletcher song)

Last updated
"War Paint"
War Paint (Fletcher song).jpg
Single by Fletcher
from the EP Finding Fletcher
ReleasedJune 17, 2015 (2015-06-17)
Genre Pop rock
Length3:45
Label
  • Snapback Entertainment LLC
Songwriter(s)
  • Cari Fletcher
  • Jamie Kenney
Fletcher singles chronology
"War Paint"
(2015)		"Live Young Die Free"
(2015)
Music video
"War Paint" on YouTube

"War Paint" is the debut single by American recording artist Fletcher. The song was released to digital outlets June 17, 2015. The song is the lead single from her debut EP titled Finding Fletcher. The song is written by Cari Fletcher and Jamie Kenney. The artist had envisioned the concept for the song before she began working with Kenney. They wrote and recorded "War Paint" in Nashville, Tennessee. [1]

Contents

The song was released digitally only, but was also made available via music streaming service Spotify. It became a viral success and was listed as the most shared song on the application for two weeks. This attracted the attentions of mainstream media and "War Paint" surpassed 20 million streams in the months that followed. [1] The artist has credited the song's coverage in Nylon magazine as being part of its success. The accompanying music video of "War Paint" was directed by Garen Barsegian. The song has received generally favourable reviews from music critics.

Background and composition

"War Paint" is the first commercial work from the singer following her stint on reality television show and music competition The X Factor ; where she competed as part of the girl group "Lakoda Rayne". [2] It was the first single to be released commercially from her planned "Finding Fletcher" EP. [3]

Fletcher took a break from education to concentrate on her music career. She went to Nashville, Tennessee where she secured a writing session with Jamie Kenney. They co-wrote "War Paint" in their first session together, but Fletcher already had the concept of the song in mind. She believed it was a "killer concept" and had previously been undecided about keeping the song for herself or selling it to another artist. [4] Fletcher has explained that her concept enabled the creation of a strong chorus. They then spent three days working on aspects of the hooks featured on "War Paint. [5] Fletcher described the song as having "a beautiful meaning. It's so symbolic and colorful." [4] Fletcher and Kenney loved the concept because it showcased who she is artistically. [5] It was recorded in Marathon Village, Nashville. [5] The song has a "fresh" production with the intention to create a new sound that also fits into the popular music genre. [6] A banjo is one of the instruments used in the recording of "War Paint". [7]

Fletcher has revealed that her song is about fighting for love and being unafraid to stand up for your beliefs without worrying about the consequences. [6] She later told Mike Wass from Idolator that "it's about opening people's eyes to love and acceptance. Be who you are and love who love. Put your war paint on and don't ever stop fighting for what you believe in." [4]

After the release she returned to NYU to complete her degree while she continued to release a number of singles. [1]

Music video

The video for "War Paint" was released via the singer's YouTube account on July 8, 2015. [8] The video was produced in a studio in Brooklyn, New York. It was filmed in one large room and took twelve hours to film. [9] Garen Barsegian directed the video and Oleksii Babenko edited the video in post-production. Fletcher was directly involved with the creative process. Fletcher's friend Stephanie Troyak choreographed the video and other friends of the artist joined her on-set to perform dance routines. The choreography incorporated wild and in other parts, gentle dances. The video has a juxtaposition of both dark and colorful themes and Fletcher has described it as having a "cool vibe". [9] The video includes neon tube lights as props and features multiple costume changes. [7] Babenko impressed Fletcher with his editing of her backing dancers and managing to recreate her initial ideas for the visual. [9]

Wass writing for Idolator said that the video's choreography was presented in a "fresh and original manner". But the critic criticized the lighting used in the visual, because they found it difficult to know what was happening in certain scenes. [7]

Critical reception

The song was included in an essential summer playlist article hosted via Billboard . Writer Jason Lipshutz opined that "War Paint" features "playful instrumentation and some whip-smart lyrical passages." [10] Lauren Kruczyk writing for The Huffington Post branded it an "empowered song". [9] Maxwell Losgar of Teen Vogue said that the song was a "home run" and "one of the summer's most unlikely pop hits." [11] Bobby Olivier of NJ.com agreed with the Platten comparison, adding that the song is similar to Sara Bareilles' music. They added "it's hard to argue with the millions of Spotify listeners who chose to give her a try." [12] Ilana Kaplan Vice magazine said branded "War Paint" an "anthemic, liberating hit" which remained true to Fletcher's ethos. [13] Glamour magazine's Alexandra Schwartz called it a "contagious, punky pop song" which went viral fast. [14]

Nylon's Hayden Manders gave the track a favourable review. He said that as soon as "War Paint" begins you know you will "experience something special". [15] Praising Fletcher's vocal, Manders opined the song should be heard on high volume, noting it has "spitfire verses". They branded it a "summer jam", "percussion-heavy track" and "anthemic pop with introspection and soul." [15] In 2016, Manders reflected on the song stating it was a "summer anthem". [16] Adam Salandra of NewNowNext branded it a "catchy" and "upbeat single". He believed it would have been a perfect anthem for the campaign for gay marriage. [17] Idolator's Wass said the song's "sing-a-long chorus" drew comparisons to the style of the band OneRepublic. He added it is a "rousing pop anthem" and praised the use of a banjo in the production. [7] In another article the critic labelled it a "hype machine-conquering debut single" and "hook-filled anthem". [18] Wass later concluded that Fletcher had made a "huge impression" with "the country-tinged pop track." [19]

Chart performance

The song was released to digital outlets June 17, 2015. [20] The song went viral following the song's release to music streaming service Spotify. Associated Press reported it was the "most viral track" in the United States and third globally, for the week commencing June 29, 2015. [21] With other 5 million streams the song stayed at the top of the list for two weeks and later amassed 20 million streams. [9] [11] The song was supported via Nylon magazine and Fletcher believed that the publications coverage of the single helped to make it successful. [9] A remix titled "War Paint (Young Bombs Remix)" was later released to Spotify. [22]

Track listing

  1. "War Paint" – 3:45 [20]

Release history

CountryDateFormat
United States [20] June 17, 2015 Digital download
United Kingdom [23]
Japan [24]
Canada [25]
Australia [26]
France [27]
Germany [28]

Related Research Articles

Brooke Candy American rapper and singer

Brooke Dyan Candy is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, tattoo artist, director, model, and fashion stylist. Raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, daughter of Tom Candy, former CFO of Hustler Magazine, Brooke rose to prominence after starring in Grimes' music video for "Genesis" (2012), which went viral. Following its success, Candy's status in the underground scene rose as she began to release her own material: "Das Me" (2012), "Everybody Does" (2013), and "I Wanna Fuck Right Now" (2013). In 2014, she signed with RCA and released her debut major label single, "Opulence", with an accompanying EP of the same name on May 6, 2014. Later, she joined Columbia's UK roster. Both are divisions of Sony Music.

High Off My Love 2015 single by Paris Hilton featuring Birdman

"High Off My Love" is a song recorded by American recording artist Paris Hilton featuring rapper Birdman. It was written by Hilton, Corte "The Author" Ellis, Charles D. Anderson and Frederick "Diji D" Allen IV, Rondell "Mr. Beatz" Cobbs II and Bryan "Birdman" Williams, with production completed by Mr. Beatz. After several delays, the song first surfaced onto the internet on May 4, 2015 when it was mistakenly released in the United States by several online music stores. It was officially released worldwide on May 15, 2015, along with a music video, by Cash Money Records.

The Other Boys 2015 single by Nervo featuring Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears and Nile Rodgers

"The Other Boys" is a song performed by Australian twin sisters Nervo featuring Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears and Nile Rodgers. It's included on their debut studio album, Collateral. The remix single was released on 23 October 2015.

Maggie Lindemann American singer and songwriter

Margaret Elizabeth Lindemann is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her 2016 breakout single "Pretty Girl", which peaked at number 4 in Sweden, number 6 in Ireland, and number 8 the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

Battle Cry (Havana Brown song) 2015 single by Havana Brown featuring Bebe Rexha and Savi

"Battle Cry" is a song by Australian DJ and recording artist Havana Brown featuring Bebe Rexha and Savi. The song was released as a single on 24 July 2015 and debuted on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart at number 59 for the week commencing 17 August 2015.

Colors (Halsey song) 2016 single by Halsey

"Colors" is a song by American singer and songwriter Halsey from her debut studio album, Badlands (2015). It was released on February 9, 2016, through Astralwerks as the album's third single. The song was made available as a 7-inch single and a five-track remix EP titled "Complementary Colors". As of March 2021, the song has reached over 292 million streams on Spotify.

Happy Days (Brooke Candy song) 2016 single by Brooke Candy

"Happy Days" is a song recorded by American singer Brooke Candy. It was written by Cassie Davis, Sean Mullins, Ali Tamposi, Olivia Waithe, Talay Riley, and produced by More Mega for Candy's unreleased album Daddy Issues. It was released as a single from the record. In 2017, Candy left RCA to focus on releasing a second extended play (EP), and the release of Daddy Issues was canceled.

Living Out Loud (song) 2017 single by Brooke Candy featuring Sia

"Living Out Loud" is a song by American recording artist Brooke Candy featuring Australian singer Sia, released on February 3, 2017. The song was set to be the lead single from Candy's unreleased studio album, Daddy Issues. The KDA remix version of the track was released on December 16, 2016, while the original and proper single version of the track was made available for download and streaming on February 3, 2017.

Im a Lady 2017 single by Meghan Trainor

"I'm a Lady" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, for promotion of the film Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017). Trainor and Martin Renea co-wrote the song, and co-produced it alongside the Monsters and the Strangerz. Epic Records released the song for digital download and streaming as a single on February 24, 2017. Backed by percussion-heavy instrumentation, it is a retro-pop song, with the lyrics discussing loving oneself and empowerment. The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics, who noted its anthemic nature and praised the message.

Paper or Plastic (song) 2016 promotional single by Brooke Candy

"Paper or Plastic" is a song recorded by American singer Brooke Candy. It was written by Josh Cumbee, Shari Short, and Afshin Salmani, and produced by NONFICTION for Candy's unreleased album Daddy Issues. It was released as the fourth promotional single from the record. In 2017, Candy left RCA to focus on releasing a second extended play (EP), and the release of Daddy Issues was canceled.

"Painted" is a song by American pop duo MS MR, from their album How Does It Feel, first released as a single in April 2015. The music video was directed by Tabitha Denholm, and is inspired by the 1979 Walon Green documentary The Secret Life of Plants, as well as by the works of Stanley Kubrick.

Disconnect (Clean Bandit and Marina and the Diamonds song) 2017 single by Clean Bandit and Marina and the Diamonds

"Disconnect" is a song by English electronic music group Clean Bandit and Welsh singer and songwriter Marina Diamandis, under the stage name Marina and the Diamonds. It was composed by Diamandis and Jack Patterson, with the song's production handled by Luke Patterson, Jack Patterson, and Mark Ralph. It was released to digital retailers on 23 June 2017. The song became Diamandis' first single since her 2015 album Froot, and her last as Marina and the Diamonds; she currently uses the mononym Marina on further releases.

Arizona (American band) American rock band

Arizona is an American rock and electropop band from New Jersey currently signed to Atlantic Records. The band's debut studio album GALLERY was released on May 19, 2017, peaking at No. 4 on Top Heatseekers, No. 24 on U.S. Alternative, and No. 143 on the Billboard 200.

Let You Be Right 2018 single by Meghan Trainor

"Let You Be Right" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was written by Trainor, Andrew Wells and Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and produced by Wells. "Let You Be Right" was announced on May 8, 2018, along with its official single artwork the day after. Epic Records released it on May 10, 2018, along with "Can't Dance". Both songs were intended to be part of Trainor's third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020), but didn't make it to the final cut. Lyrically, the midtempo throwback disco and pop song sees Trainor trying to reach a compromise with a feuding lover.

Ugly (Jaira Burns song) 2017 single by Jaira Burns

"Ugly" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Jaira Burns. It was released on June 16, 2017 by Interscope Records as a single. "Ugly" was featured in a commercial for Beats Electronics and Balmain headphone collaboration starring Kylie Jenner. It was written by Henry Walter, Alexandra Hughes, Brett McLaughlin, Mathieu Jomphe-Lepine and produced by Cirkut and Billboard. Lyrically, the song talks about a hookup gone wrong. To promote the song, an accompanying music video for the track was released on June 28, 2017. It peaked at number 13 on the Spotify U.S. Viral 50 chart.

Bahari (band) American alt pop duo

Bahari is an American alt pop, electronic and dark pop musical duo, previously a trio, composed of Ruby Carr and Natalia Panzarella. Sidney Sartini left the band in 2018.

Time Is Up (song) 2018 single by Poppy featuring Diplo

"Time Is Up" is a song by American singer Poppy featuring American DJ and producer Diplo, released on August 22, 2018, as the second single from Poppy's second studio album Am I a Girl?.

Fletcher (singer) American singer

Cari Elise Fletcher, known mononymously by her last name, is an American singer and songwriter. Fletcher's breakthrough single "Undrunk" was released in January 2019 and became her first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached number one on Spotify's Viral Chart in the United States. "Undrunk" was released on her extended play You Ruined New York City for Me, and according to Mediabase, the song was the fastest-rising song at pop radio for a new artist since 2014. Spotify ranked the song as one of the "Best Pop Songs of 2019".

<i>Sexorcism</i> (Brooke Candy album) 2019 studio album by Brooke Candy

Sexorcism is the debut studio album by American rapper Brooke Candy. It was released on October 25, 2019 by NUXXE. The album features guest appearances from Charli XCX, Iggy Azalea, Violet Chachki, Aquaria, Erika Jayne, Rico Nasty, Ashnikko and others.

Flames (Mod Sun song) 2021 single by Mod Sun featuring Avril Lavigne

"Flames" is a song by American singer Mod Sun featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. The song was released by Big Noise on January 8, 2021, as the third single from Mod Sun's fourth studio album Internet Killed the Rockstar. The song was written by Mod Sun, Lavigne and John Feldmann, and produced by the latter.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Payne, Chris (March 16, 2017). "Pop Shop Podcast: Meet Fletcher, the Fast-Rising Pop Artist Who's Owning the Streaming Game Without a Major Label". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  2. ↑ ""War Paint": Assista ao vídeo do primeiro single de Fletcher". X Factor Brazil (in Portuguese). (Syco Entertainment). July 10, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  3. ↑ Weiner, Natalie (July 8, 2015). "Watch Fletcher Put Her 'War Paint' On in New Video: Exclusive Premiere". Billboard . (Prometheus Global Media). Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Wass, Mike (September 15, 2015). "Popping Up: Fletcher". Idolator . (SpinMedia). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 "Fletcher – collapsing studio War Paint – exclusive interview". Artwick Magazine. (Bloor Media, LLC). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Meet Fletcher – War Paint, Archaeology & Paradise – exclusive interview". Toronto Paradise. (Bloor Media, LLC). December 3, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Wass, Mike (July 8, 2015). "Fletcher Makes A Great First Impression With Her "War Paint" Video: Watch". Idolator . (SpinMedia). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Watch Fletcher Put Her 'War Paint' On in New Video: Exclusive Premiere". Yahoo.com . (Yahoo!). July 8, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kruczyk, Lauren (August 24, 2015). "Spotify Sensation Fletcher Talks War Paint, Caitlyn Jenner, and the Importance of Being Real". The Huffington Post . (AOL). Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  10. ↑ Lipshutz, Jason (August 15, 2015). "15 Awesome Pop Songs You Might Have Missed This Summer". Billboard . (Prometheus Global Media). Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  11. 1 2 Losgar, Maxwell (November 19, 2015). "Hear Breakout Artist Fletcher's New Song, "Live Young Die Free"". Teen Vogue . (Advance Publications). Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  12. ↑ Olivier, Bobby (November 3, 2015). "Why Fletcher could be N.J.'s next pop obsession". NJ.com . (New Jersey On-Line LLC). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  13. ↑ Kaplan, Ilana. "Style rider: Fletcher loves her Kylie lip kit and signature hat". Vice . (Vice Media). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  14. ↑ Schwartz, Alexandra (December 9, 2015). "Rising Music Star Fletcher Talks Going Viral, Her Love for Lorde, and What's Next in 2016". Glamour . (Condé Nast). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  15. 1 2 Manders, Hayden (June 17, 2015). "song premiere: fletcher's "war paint"". Nylon . (Nylon Media, Inc.). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  16. ↑ Manders, Hayden (June 21, 2016). "Fletcher Will Make You Embrace Youthful Abandon In "Avalanche"". Nylon . (Nylon Media, Inc.). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  17. ↑ Salandra, Adam (July 25, 2015). "Fletcher's "War Paint" Is The Song You Didn't Know You Needed On Your Summer Playlist". NewNowNext . (Logo TV). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  18. ↑ Wass, Mike (June 24, 2015). "Shura, Fletcher and Phoebe Ryan Need To Be On Your Pop Radar". Idolator . (SpinMedia). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  19. ↑ Wass, Mike (November 19, 2015). "Fletcher Returns With Uplifting Pop Anthem "Live Young Die Free"". Idolator . (SpinMedia). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  20. 1 2 3 "War Paint: Fletcher". Amazon.com . Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  21. ↑ "Spotify's Top 10 most viral tracks". Associated Press via Highbeam Research . July 9, 2015. Archived from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  22. ↑ "War Paint (Young Bombs Remix)". Spotify . Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  23. ↑ "War Paint: Fletcher". Amazon.co.uk . Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  24. ↑ "War Paint: Fletcher". Amazon.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  25. ↑ "War Paint – Single". iTunes . Apple Inc. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  26. ↑ "War Paint – Single". iTunes . Apple Inc. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  27. ↑ "War Paint: Fletcher". Amazon.fr (in French). Retrieved July 23, 2016.
  28. ↑ "War Paint: Fletcher". Amazon.de (in German). Retrieved July 23, 2016.
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.