Wild Things (song)

Last updated
"Wild Things"
Wild Things (Official Single Cover) by Alessia Cara.png
Single by Alessia Cara
from the album Know-It-All
ReleasedFebruary 2, 2016 (2016-02-02)
RecordedDecember 2014
Studio Los Angeles, California
Genre
Length3:08
Label Def Jam
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Malay
Alessia Cara singles chronology
"Here"
(2015)
"Wild Things"
(2016)
"Wild"
(2016)
Music video
"Wild Things" on YouTube

"Wild Things" is a song recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara for her debut studio album, Know-It-All (2015). It was released to digital retailers on October 27, 2015, as a promotional single before being sent to contemporary hit radio on February 2, 2016, as the album's second official single. [3] [4] The song was written by Alessia Caracciolo, Coleridge Tillman, Thabiso "Tab" Nkhereanye, and James Ho, and was produced by the latter. [5] Official remixes were commissioned in the spring of 2016 and were released on an extended play on May 13, 2016, [6] one of which features a guest verse from American rapper G-Eazy. [7]

Contents

Since its release, "Wild Things" has charted at number fifty on the US Billboard Hot 100 and has also attained top-forty peaks in multiple territories including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. In Cara's native Canada, the song peaked at number 14, five positions higher than her highly successful debut, "Here". The song has been certified Gold by ARIA, 2× Platinum by the RIAA, while being certified Platinum by RMNZ.

Production

"Wild Things" was recorded in Los Angeles in December 2014; the inspiration for the song came about after a conversation between Cara and her A&R Thabiso Nkhereanye, regarding some hats that bore a message that Cara disapproved of. [8]

Critical reception

Mike Wass of Idolator called it "Another fiery celebration of outsiders." [9] Rolling Stone 's Brittany Spanos labeled it "anthemic" and a "celebration of youth", saying "[Wild Things] follows in the vein of the anti-cool kid stance on 'Here.' Unlike her debut single, however, Cara goes for more straight-up pop on the more fast-paced, percussive tune." [1] Jessie Morris of Complex stated that the song is "another infectious and insightful coming-of-age track." [10]

Music video

An accompanying music video for "Wild Things" was directed by Aaron A and premiered on March 7, 2016. [11] Opening with a monologue in which Cara describes what "wild" means to her in the song, the video features Cara and her friends exploring Brampton and the suburbs of Toronto, engaging in carefree activities such as drawing fake tattoos on one another and setting off fireworks at Cherry Beach. [12] [11] [13] "To me," Cara says during the video's introductory sequence, "Where The Wild Things Are is a place that exists in our minds. It's a place of liberty and shamelessness. It can take a split second or a lifetime to find it, but once you do, you'll be free." [13] The video was nominated for Best Pop Video on the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards.

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [44] 2× Platinum140,000
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [45] Platinum60,000
Canada (Music Canada) [46] 3× Platinum240,000
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [47] Gold45,000
Italy (FIMI) [48] Gold25,000
New Zealand (RMNZ) [49] Platinum15,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway) [50] Gold30,000
Sweden (GLF) [51] Platinum40,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [52] Gold400,000
United States (RIAA) [53] 2× Platinum2,000,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Radio and release history

List of release dates, showing region, format(s), label(s) and reference(s)
CountryDateFormatVersionLabelRef.
VariousOctober 27, 2015 [a] Digital download Original [54]
United StatesFebruary 2, 2016 Contemporary hit radio Def Jam [3]
VariousApril 15, 2016Digital downloadNuKid Remix
  • Def Jam
  • UMG
[15]
May 13, 2016Remixes EP [6]
United StatesJuly 5, 2016 Hot / Modern / AC radioOriginalDef Jam [55]
ItalyJuly 8, 2016Digital downloadFedez remix
  • Def Jam
  • UMG
[16]

Notes

  1. Release as a promotional single.

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