Commander (song)
Encyclopedia
"Commander" is a song performed by American recording artist Kelly Rowland
from her third studio album, Here I Am (2011). It serves as the project's international lead single
and her debut release with Universal Motown. It was co-written by American songwriter Rico Love
, who described the song as a "fun and aggressive club record" with themes of female empowerment and lyrics with deliberate grammatical errors. French disc jockeys and producers David Guetta
and Sandy Vee
produced "Commander" with synthesized
dance
beats that blend R&B
with electronica
and house music
. Rowland and Guetta had previously topped charts around the world with a similar dance production, "When Love Takes Over
", in 2009. The song was premiered at the 2010 Winter Music Conference
and subsequently garnered acclaim from contemporary critics for Rowland's vocal performance as well as Guetta's musical production.
Just over a month after release, it topped the U.S. Hot Dance Club Chart and later peaked top ten in the UK and top twenty in Ireland and New Zealand. Entertainment Weekly
named "Commander" the number-one summer jam of 2010 and named by Fitness Magazine
as one of The Top 100 Workout Songs of 2010. The song has been also nonimated at the International Dance Music Awards for Best R&B/Urban Dance Track. An accompanying music video was directed by Masashi Muto, and portrays Rowland facing herself in various dance-off scenes. Promotion for the release included performing the song live on BBC Radio 1
's Live Lounge
and The Graham Norton Show
. The Extended Dance Mix, also produced by Guetta, was released alongside the main single worldwide, whereas the urban remix with American rapper Nelly was released in the United Kingdom and United States.
and Rowland were to part ways by mutual agreement. However in a 2010 interview with Entertainment Weekly
, Rowland stated that the decision to leave was not hers: the label ended their contract because singles from the previous record Ms. Kelly
did not sell sufficiently well. After the release of "When Love Takes Over" she would go on to fire Matthew Knowles. It has since been suggested that Rowland had fallen out with former fellow Destiny's Child
singer Beyoncé Knowles
. The media reported that Knowles' decision to release one more video ("Why Don't You Love Me
") from her album I Am... Sasha Fierce just before Rowland released "Commander" was unfair on Rowland. These claims would be denied by the singer who said that despite the clip for "Why Don't You Love Me" airing several days before "Commander", the media was "making too much of a big deal of release schedules and trying to create a feud where it doesn't exist." She also said that "we all came out at the same time and it really doesn't matter ... I think there's room for everybody ... There's B[eyoncé], there's Ciara putting something out and [Lady] GaGa putting something out, but, because we started out together, people are going to say things like that. But I really don't care, I love her 'til our dying days and that's all that counts."
-house
-R&B
song, set in a common time
signature of 125 beats per minute. It was written by Kelly Rowland, Rico Love
, David Guetta
and Sandy Vee
with deliberate grammar errors such as "there's no other who do it like I do it" and "you won't find no lady who does it like I does it". The lyrics have themes around hair, fashion and competing with other women. Guetta also produced the synthesized
dance
beats, which are similar to his other productions "Sexy Bitch
" and "Boom Boom Pow
". The end portions of the song were compared to some of the works by hip-hop
producer Timbaland
. Rowland explained that the hook
of the song, "Commander", should be associated with dance instead of the military. "When I command you to dance ... I want you moving, you know? It felt good to have a song that I could express that in."
magazine his view of the song, "It's just such an aggressive record, it's a club record, it's a worldwide international record. She's stretching her legs out and she's showing her true vocal ability, she's like the queen of the night on this record." Then during the video shoot of the song Rowland said "I feel like I've finally come into my own," a reference to the exploration of a new musical sound. "With the sound of dance music getting embraced more, I'm very excited, seeing how fans have been responding to the music. Dance music is more of a European thing, but I've been looking on Twitter and seeing fans (in different parts of the country) talking about playing 'Commander'." She said working with Guetta was "amazing" because it is "effortless" and she feels a great sense of "chemistry" when working with him. Rowland also felt she was trying something different: "In this generation and this day and time, no one is putting soul in dance music ... no pop artist. I thought maybe that was something I could try. And then it works." In an interview for MSN Xin
Rowland admitted that the song was "darker" than her previous material but still fun. "I just thought it'd be so much fun to be a commander of course. It's just a statement for me definitely, coming out on my own, filling my space. I'm happy being a commander".
executives "I know in my gut that it felt good. Nobody could take my thoughts away from that. I doesn't need anyone else to tell me it's good". The song was released on May 17 and May 18, to the iTunes Store
, in France and the U.S. respectively. The official Extended Dance Remix was also released alongside the main single on May 18, 2010. In the UK, "Commander" was planned for a June 28, 2010 release. Love and Rowland would later unveil plans for an urban mix of the song with a slower, smoother sound. American rapper Nelly heard the new version in its early stages and asked if he could be featured on the remix. It was released as part of the UK Remixes EP
. as well as the second U.S. remixes EP. The official press from Universal Motown Records
on May 19, 2010 confirmed that "Commander" would serve only as the "international lead single", leading to speculation that another song would be released domestically. This speculation was confirmed when the Ne-Yo
-penned, "Shake Them Haters Off" was set to impact on radio stations in the United States. However those plans were changed and on June 29, 2010 two singles were serviced to impact in the United States. "Grown Woman" was sent to urban/rhythmic radio and "Rose Colored Glasses" for pop radio.
said "It looks as though they're going to be ruling the airwaves all over again ... After she lulls us into a false sense of security ("I feel like the DJ is bodyguard / You see the way he keeps me safe? / With the treble and the bass?"), the track plunges into a pounding electro-house chorus that quite literally orders us to the dance floor ... The result isn't quite as fresh and inventive as some of Guetta's recent output – Kelis' 'Acapella
', for example – but it goes a long way towards recapturing some of last summer's magic." The site's other reviewer, Nick Levine, agreed saying that the song "thumps as persuasively as Muhammad Ali circa 1967." Robert Daw of Idolator said "if you think Ms. Kelly is taking the go-go boots off anytime soon, then you'd best go lean against the wall, flower. Rowland's Guetta-produced new single 'Commander' is pure strobe-light adrenaline rush ... [it] will appear on Kelly's as-yet-untitled third solo album ... we're predicting a full on Rowland Renaissance!". With Alex Catarinella of Paper
saying "she belts out soaring vocals, is further proof that she's no longer the cute teenage girl sharing a chorus."
Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian
said that before Guetta's collaborations with Kelis
("Acapella") and Rowland, she felt that "[David Guetta] was ruining R&B by turning all of my favorite ladies into Euro cheesemongers". However "Acapella" changed Nicholson's mind and she said that "'Commander' is further evidence of this". Whilst Fraser McAlpine awarded the song four stars, his review was neither positive nor negative. He said "Singers always like to sing about how brilliantly attractive and astonishing (and bossy) they are. Even if the words have a double meaning, which hints that they are merely mouthing the self-regard of a rampant egomaniac, who is laughing and rubbing his hands every time they start to sing, they don't mind. Why would they? The song mentions hair, and being better than the other ladies. That's what singers live for. [I awarded it] one extra star for the stoopid grammar switcheroo ... because of the chorus, which rules." Gavin Martin of The Mirror made similar comments neither praising nor criticizing the song, instead saying it will put her "firmly in control of the dance floor". Entertainment Weekly
named it "the number one summer jam of the year" whilst music station KISS 100 called it fabulous and made it their song of the week for the week beginning May 24, 2010. A reviewer from the network said, "Commander is another smash [where] ... Kelly’s taking command! With glamour set to max and drama cranked up to full power 'Commander' is proof that Kelly means business!" In Fitness magazine's 100 best workout songs, "Commander" was named one of the ten best dance workout songs for its bouncy 125 beats per minute composition.
chart, in the issue dated June 26, 2010. Jeremy Helligar of 'True/Slant' offered an explanation of why the commercial prospects for "Commander" were limited in the United States. He said that "the dance music Rowland favors is a bit edgier than the danceable pop that Lady Gaga consistently takes to the top of the charts".
In the United Kingdom, single and dance mixes were released as standalone downloads on May 17, 2010, whilst the song was added to urban music radio and UK's biggest mainstream station, BBC Radio 1
's C-playlist, that same week. Consequently "Commander" debuted on the UK Dance Singles
chart at number thirty-four. The following week the song debuted on the UK Singles Chart
at number 167 supported by the song's ascension to the B-playlists on the UK's urban music radio station BBC 1Xtra as well as on mainstream radio. Then a week ahead of the remixes EP
, "Commander" reached its peak at number two on the UK dance chart and number nine on the official singles chart as well as reaching the A-playlist on urban radio. It has also peaked at number nine on the UK Download Chart and number nineteen on the 'UK Subscription Plays' chart, the single was one of Rowland's longest runs on the UK Top 40 with 16 weeks.
It made its Irish debut at number twenty-four before peaking at number thirteen. It debuted in Australia on the Singles Chart at number sixty-four and has since peaked at number sixty-one. It fared better on the Australia Dance Chart, where it peaked at number eleven. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number thirty-nine before falling out of the top-forty the following week, only to return and peak at number sixteen. In Europe the song reached number two on both the Belgium Wallonia and Flanders Ultratip Charts as well as on the Slovakian Airplay Charts. It also reached top-twenty in Norway in addition to top-thirty in Denmark and Sweden.
" for Dutch disc jockey Tiësto
, as well as promo clips for Pepsi
and Honda
. His work is known for its scale, impact and colorful imagery. Love and Guetta make cameos in the video whilst Fatima Robinson
handled the video's choreography. The Los Angeles Times
was one of several media outlets present during the video shoot and were able to release exclusive "behind the scenes" footage on May 10, 2010. On June 1, 2010 an unfinished version of the video was leaked online; this was addressed on Rowland's official Twitter
account, where she made clear that leaked video was the wrong edit. UK music channels MTV
and MTV Base
began to play the early version of the video on June 8, 2010 though, it was not until June 21, 2010 when the official final version premiered on Rowland's website.
said that in the clip "[Rowland] sports a new femme fetale
image a la the bodysuits and masculine imaging".
views. When Robbie Daw of 'Idolator' saw the unfinished version of the video compared it to earlier works by Janet Jackson
saying that it had "old-school Janet
vibe". Later after seeing the fully finished version he said it was "a colorful, militant dance-off". E! Online's Natalie Finn also had praise for the video. She said it "takes the themes of the song: taking charge, owning the floor and staying sexy and feminine throughout..." and "dresses 'em in tight little outfits and turns 'em loose to break hearts and dominate the opposite sex at will." "The music video is great and it might be a must-spin" according to Martin from Above&Beyond
magazine who also praised Rowland's attractiveness, "I didn’t know Kelly was that well-equipped from the back but I always found Kelly more attractive than Beyoncé…I’m just saying".
The video was criticized for the absence of story line by critics such as Laura Brooks of 'TeenToday', who described the video as "[an opportunity] to show off her lovely hair and her thighs" which "also features David Guetta who appears to have remembered at several points throughout the video that he’s left his iron on dashes off to remedy the situation." Alyssa Rosenberg of The Atlantic agreed, calling the clip "dopey ... with guys who forgot to wash the home dye out of their hair" (sic) and the dancing was on-par with sci-fi film Matrix Reloaded. However she did say that "It's a high-concept understanding of the dance floor, even if it's not my preferred interpretation of that space. If love and shaking it are war, Kelly seems like she'd be a pretty decent person to have boss you around in both." Meanwhile Sound Savvy said "There’s some nice moves and Kelly sports some sexy looks for the clip. 'Commander' has received CRAZY airplay and the reception has been overwhelmingly positive for this track. I kinda dig the video, but I would’ve liked more choreography."
on March 27, 2010. Immediately after the performance she said, "I was nervous and anxious, but when I hit the stage I felt the inner 'Commander' come to life!" Then on May 4, whilst playing a DJ set at a club in Frankfurt (Germany), Guetta premiered his extended remix. Rowland performed "Commander" at KIIS FM
's Wango Tango 2010
Staples Centre (Los Angeles) on May 15, 2010. International promotion for the song began a week later with live UK debut of "Commander" at BBC Radio 1
's Big Weekend. This was followed up on June 15 with a live performance and interview on The Graham Norton Show
and a medley performance on June 25 in Singapore. Rowland has subsequently appeared three more times in the UK on GMTV
, an acoustic performance
on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge; as well as The 5 O'Clock Show
. "Commander" was performed in acoustic for a second time on Radio 2
's Saturday Sessions with Dermot O'Leary
. In August 2010 the Canadian dance show, So You Think You Can Dance Canada
used the song for their season three promotion TV clips. The music was also used in the presentation of delegates and opening number of the live telecast of Miss Universe 2010 in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.
Personnel
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
from her third studio album, Here I Am (2011). It serves as the project's international lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
and her debut release with Universal Motown. It was co-written by American songwriter Rico Love
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
, who described the song as a "fun and aggressive club record" with themes of female empowerment and lyrics with deliberate grammatical errors. French disc jockeys and producers David Guetta
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
and Sandy Vee
Sandy Vee
Sandy Julien Wilhelm, known professionally as Sandy Vee, is a French songwriter, disc jockey and music producer. Originally a disk jockey and producer within the house genre, he began working with pop artists in 2009...
produced "Commander" with synthesized
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
beats that blend R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
with electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
and house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
. Rowland and Guetta had previously topped charts around the world with a similar dance production, "When Love Takes Over
When Love Takes Over
"When Love Takes Over" is a song by French disc jockey -music producer David Guetta from his fourth studio album, One Love. It was released as the lead single from the album on 21 April 2009 by Virgin Records...
", in 2009. The song was premiered at the 2010 Winter Music Conference
Winter Music Conference
The Winter Music Conference is a weeklong electronic music conference, held every March since the mid-1980s in Miami, Florida, United States. Venues are hosted primarily in Downtown Miami and Miami's South Beach...
and subsequently garnered acclaim from contemporary critics for Rowland's vocal performance as well as Guetta's musical production.
Just over a month after release, it topped the U.S. Hot Dance Club Chart and later peaked top ten in the UK and top twenty in Ireland and New Zealand. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
named "Commander" the number-one summer jam of 2010 and named by Fitness Magazine
Fitness Magazine
Fitness is a United States-based monthly women's magazine, focusing on health, exercise, and nutrition. It is owned and published by the Meredith Corporation. The editor-in-chief of Fitness is Betty Wong.- History :...
as one of The Top 100 Workout Songs of 2010. The song has been also nonimated at the International Dance Music Awards for Best R&B/Urban Dance Track. An accompanying music video was directed by Masashi Muto, and portrays Rowland facing herself in various dance-off scenes. Promotion for the release included performing the song live on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
and The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show is a British comedy chat show that is broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom. It was originally shown on BBC Two from February 2007 to May 2009 until it moved to BBC One from October 2009...
. The Extended Dance Mix, also produced by Guetta, was released alongside the main single worldwide, whereas the urban remix with American rapper Nelly was released in the United Kingdom and United States.
Background and context
In 2009, before Rowland and Guetta collaborated for "When Love Takes Over", the media reported that Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and Rowland were to part ways by mutual agreement. However in a 2010 interview with Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, Rowland stated that the decision to leave was not hers: the label ended their contract because singles from the previous record Ms. Kelly
Ms. Kelly
Ms. Kelly is the second solo studio album by American R&B singer Kelly Rowland. It was released by Columbia Records in collaboration with Music World Entertainment and Sony Music during the third quarter of 2007, beginning with most European territories on June 22...
did not sell sufficiently well. After the release of "When Love Takes Over" she would go on to fire Matthew Knowles. It has since been suggested that Rowland had fallen out with former fellow Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
singer Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
. The media reported that Knowles' decision to release one more video ("Why Don't You Love Me
Why Don't You Love Me (Beyoncé Knowles song)
"Why Don't You Love Me" is a song by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles taken from her third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce. It later released as a bonus track on a digital EP titled I Am... Sasha Fierce - The Bonus Tracks. Composed by Knowles, Angela Beyince, Solange Knowles and The Bama Boyz,...
") from her album I Am... Sasha Fierce just before Rowland released "Commander" was unfair on Rowland. These claims would be denied by the singer who said that despite the clip for "Why Don't You Love Me" airing several days before "Commander", the media was "making too much of a big deal of release schedules and trying to create a feud where it doesn't exist." She also said that "we all came out at the same time and it really doesn't matter ... I think there's room for everybody ... There's B[eyoncé], there's Ciara putting something out and [Lady] GaGa putting something out, but, because we started out together, people are going to say things like that. But I really don't care, I love her 'til our dying days and that's all that counts."
Music and lyrics
"Commander" is an electroElectronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
-house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
-R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
song, set in a common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
signature of 125 beats per minute. It was written by Kelly Rowland, Rico Love
Rico Love
Richard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
, David Guetta
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
and Sandy Vee
Sandy Vee
Sandy Julien Wilhelm, known professionally as Sandy Vee, is a French songwriter, disc jockey and music producer. Originally a disk jockey and producer within the house genre, he began working with pop artists in 2009...
with deliberate grammar errors such as "there's no other who do it like I do it" and "you won't find no lady who does it like I does it". The lyrics have themes around hair, fashion and competing with other women. Guetta also produced the synthesized
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
beats, which are similar to his other productions "Sexy Bitch
Sexy Bitch
"Sexy Bitch" is a song recorded by French producer David Guetta. It features Senegalese-American R&B singer Akon and was released digitally on July 24, 2009, worldwide and later on July 28 in the United States. It is the second single from Guetta's fourth studio album One Love...
" and "Boom Boom Pow
Boom Boom Pow
"Boom Boom Pow" is a song by The Black Eyed Peas released as the lead single from their fifth studio album, The E.N.D. The song uses the auto-tune vocal effect, and blends the genres of Electro-rap, dance-pop, electro hop and hip hop....
". The end portions of the song were compared to some of the works by hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
producer Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
. Rowland explained that the hook
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
of the song, "Commander", should be associated with dance instead of the military. "When I command you to dance ... I want you moving, you know? It felt good to have a song that I could express that in."
Themes
The Daily Star quoted Rowland on the theme of the song. She said "I hope to see women singing the song like they're in charge. It's important to know that we are commanders who have the power to shape our own destiny." Love explained to Rap-UpRap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
magazine his view of the song, "It's just such an aggressive record, it's a club record, it's a worldwide international record. She's stretching her legs out and she's showing her true vocal ability, she's like the queen of the night on this record." Then during the video shoot of the song Rowland said "I feel like I've finally come into my own," a reference to the exploration of a new musical sound. "With the sound of dance music getting embraced more, I'm very excited, seeing how fans have been responding to the music. Dance music is more of a European thing, but I've been looking on Twitter and seeing fans (in different parts of the country) talking about playing 'Commander'." She said working with Guetta was "amazing" because it is "effortless" and she feels a great sense of "chemistry" when working with him. Rowland also felt she was trying something different: "In this generation and this day and time, no one is putting soul in dance music ... no pop artist. I thought maybe that was something I could try. And then it works." In an interview for MSN Xin
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
Rowland admitted that the song was "darker" than her previous material but still fun. "I just thought it'd be so much fun to be a commander of course. It's just a statement for me definitely, coming out on my own, filling my space. I'm happy being a commander".
Release
"Commander" was selected as the album's first single. Rowland said there were initially two songs which were in the running for the lead single but "without a doubt we had to go with this one ['Commander'], I just fell in love with it ... It’s definitely a club banger. You know the first time I heard it, I went bananas." At Pat Field's Disco Party in New York, she told Universal Music GroupUniversal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
executives "I know in my gut that it felt good. Nobody could take my thoughts away from that. I doesn't need anyone else to tell me it's good". The song was released on May 17 and May 18, to the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
, in France and the U.S. respectively. The official Extended Dance Remix was also released alongside the main single on May 18, 2010. In the UK, "Commander" was planned for a June 28, 2010 release. Love and Rowland would later unveil plans for an urban mix of the song with a slower, smoother sound. American rapper Nelly heard the new version in its early stages and asked if he could be featured on the remix. It was released as part of the UK Remixes EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. as well as the second U.S. remixes EP. The official press from Universal Motown Records
Universal Motown Records
Universal Motown Records was a record label that operated as a division of Universal Motown Republic Group. It was the contemporary incarnation of the legendary Motown Records label, and the "urban" half of UMRG, although there was some rock artists on the label as well.Changes were made at...
on May 19, 2010 confirmed that "Commander" would serve only as the "international lead single", leading to speculation that another song would be released domestically. This speculation was confirmed when the Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
-penned, "Shake Them Haters Off" was set to impact on radio stations in the United States. However those plans were changed and on June 29, 2010 two singles were serviced to impact in the United States. "Grown Woman" was sent to urban/rhythmic radio and "Rose Colored Glasses" for pop radio.
Critical reception
The song was well received by critics who praised the collaboration between Rowland and Guetta. Robert Copsey of Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
said "It looks as though they're going to be ruling the airwaves all over again ... After she lulls us into a false sense of security ("I feel like the DJ is bodyguard / You see the way he keeps me safe? / With the treble and the bass?"), the track plunges into a pounding electro-house chorus that quite literally orders us to the dance floor ... The result isn't quite as fresh and inventive as some of Guetta's recent output – Kelis' 'Acapella
Acapella (song)
"Acapella" is a song performed by American alternative artist Kelis, taken from her fifth studio album Flesh Tone. The song is a departure from her past singles in that it is a dance/electronica track rather than hip hop/R&B influenced...
', for example – but it goes a long way towards recapturing some of last summer's magic." The site's other reviewer, Nick Levine, agreed saying that the song "thumps as persuasively as Muhammad Ali circa 1967." Robert Daw of Idolator said "if you think Ms. Kelly is taking the go-go boots off anytime soon, then you'd best go lean against the wall, flower. Rowland's Guetta-produced new single 'Commander' is pure strobe-light adrenaline rush ... [it] will appear on Kelly's as-yet-untitled third solo album ... we're predicting a full on Rowland Renaissance!". With Alex Catarinella of Paper
Paper (magazine)
Paper magazine is a New York City–based independent magazine covering and discovering cultural movements with a focus on fashion, design, pop-culture, nightlife, music, art and film. The magazine covers trends, new creative talent, urban American lifestyle as well as international lifestyles and...
saying "she belts out soaring vocals, is further proof that she's no longer the cute teenage girl sharing a chorus."
Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
said that before Guetta's collaborations with Kelis
Kelis
Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1971 is an American musical artist. She is a BRIT Award, Q Award and NME Award winner and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She has had nine top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart...
("Acapella") and Rowland, she felt that "[David Guetta] was ruining R&B by turning all of my favorite ladies into Euro cheesemongers". However "Acapella" changed Nicholson's mind and she said that "'Commander' is further evidence of this". Whilst Fraser McAlpine awarded the song four stars, his review was neither positive nor negative. He said "Singers always like to sing about how brilliantly attractive and astonishing (and bossy) they are. Even if the words have a double meaning, which hints that they are merely mouthing the self-regard of a rampant egomaniac, who is laughing and rubbing his hands every time they start to sing, they don't mind. Why would they? The song mentions hair, and being better than the other ladies. That's what singers live for. [I awarded it] one extra star for the stoopid grammar switcheroo ... because of the chorus, which rules." Gavin Martin of The Mirror made similar comments neither praising nor criticizing the song, instead saying it will put her "firmly in control of the dance floor". Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
named it "the number one summer jam of the year" whilst music station KISS 100 called it fabulous and made it their song of the week for the week beginning May 24, 2010. A reviewer from the network said, "Commander is another smash [where] ... Kelly’s taking command! With glamour set to max and drama cranked up to full power 'Commander' is proof that Kelly means business!" In Fitness magazine's 100 best workout songs, "Commander" was named one of the ten best dance workout songs for its bouncy 125 beats per minute composition.
Chart performance
"Commander" made its U.S. chart debut on May 18, 2010 (the day of release) at number thirty-six on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart at number 36; it climbed the chart in subsequent weeks and peaked at the top position for one week in July. It also reached the top ten on the U.S. Hot Dance/Electronic Digital SongsHot Dance/Electronic Digital Songs
Hot Dance/Electronic Digital Songs is a weekly chart that ranks the best-selling digital dance and electronic singles in the United States, according to Billboard...
chart, in the issue dated June 26, 2010. Jeremy Helligar of 'True/Slant' offered an explanation of why the commercial prospects for "Commander" were limited in the United States. He said that "the dance music Rowland favors is a bit edgier than the danceable pop that Lady Gaga consistently takes to the top of the charts".
In the United Kingdom, single and dance mixes were released as standalone downloads on May 17, 2010, whilst the song was added to urban music radio and UK's biggest mainstream station, BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's C-playlist, that same week. Consequently "Commander" debuted on the UK Dance Singles
UK Dance Chart
The UK Dance Chart is a chart compiled by The Official Charts Company from sales in record stores and digital downloads. Although the chart does not currently receive any airplay on the radio or television, the chart can be viewed on the BBC Radio 1 and The Official Charts Company website.Digital...
chart at number thirty-four. The following week the song debuted on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number 167 supported by the song's ascension to the B-playlists on the UK's urban music radio station BBC 1Xtra as well as on mainstream radio. Then a week ahead of the remixes EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, "Commander" reached its peak at number two on the UK dance chart and number nine on the official singles chart as well as reaching the A-playlist on urban radio. It has also peaked at number nine on the UK Download Chart and number nineteen on the 'UK Subscription Plays' chart, the single was one of Rowland's longest runs on the UK Top 40 with 16 weeks.
It made its Irish debut at number twenty-four before peaking at number thirteen. It debuted in Australia on the Singles Chart at number sixty-four and has since peaked at number sixty-one. It fared better on the Australia Dance Chart, where it peaked at number eleven. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number thirty-nine before falling out of the top-forty the following week, only to return and peak at number sixteen. In Europe the song reached number two on both the Belgium Wallonia and Flanders Ultratip Charts as well as on the Slovakian Airplay Charts. It also reached top-twenty in Norway in addition to top-thirty in Denmark and Sweden.
Music video
The video was filmed on May 5, 2010 with Japanese music producer and promo director, Masashi Muto. Muto's previous work includes "I Will Be HereI Will Be Here
"I Will Be Here" is a song recorded by Tiësto and Sneaky Sound System with vocals from Sneaky Sound System's Connie Mitchell. Released on July 28, 2009, the song is the first single off the album Kaleidoscope.-Chart performance:...
" for Dutch disc jockey Tiësto
Tiësto
Tijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
, as well as promo clips for Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
and Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
. His work is known for its scale, impact and colorful imagery. Love and Guetta make cameos in the video whilst Fatima Robinson
Fatima Robinson
Fatima Robinson is a noted music video director and choreographer. Robinson's choreography résumé includes many Aaliyah's Videos, and Mary J. Blige's "Family Affair"...
handled the video's choreography. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
was one of several media outlets present during the video shoot and were able to release exclusive "behind the scenes" footage on May 10, 2010. On June 1, 2010 an unfinished version of the video was leaked online; this was addressed on Rowland's official Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account, where she made clear that leaked video was the wrong edit. UK music channels MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and MTV Base
MTV Base
MTV Base is a 24-hour music and general entertainment channel from MTV Networks International. The channel focuses primarily on music from the world of R'n'B, hiphop, reggae, soul and urban. The MTV Base brand first launched in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland on July 1, 1999,...
began to play the early version of the video on June 8, 2010 though, it was not until June 21, 2010 when the official final version premiered on Rowland's website.
Concept and synopsis
Rowland stated to Rap Up TV that "the concept of the video is very futuristic and great. The red line in the story is that I am above all the lead but in the club atmosphere with cool people. I fight against myself with my haircut, makeup, and dance moves." According to Love, in the clip Rowland is transformed into a fashionista, "Kelly's look in this video is just utterly sexy. It's like a jungle feel. I feel like we're in Avatar somewhere, running through the woods, minus the blue paint." Later one of her outfits was described as an "Avatar-esque bodysuit". Rowland said "she had to pull out her dancing shoes (sic)." The video features "Kelly Rowland facing off against herself. The two Kellys start what appears to be a voguing competition on the dancefloor, then are flanked by respective dance teams." Guetta makes an appearance at the end of the clip he "undergoes a 'Transformers'-like metamorphosis, turning into a mixer." Paper magazine described Rowland's look in the video as "superhero-esque". Joanna Goh from MSN ChinaMSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
said that in the clip "[Rowland] sports a new femme fetale
Femme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
image a la the bodysuits and masculine imaging".
Reception
and according to a press release from Universal Motown, the video has received critical acclaim with over two million VevoVevo
Vevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...
views. When Robbie Daw of 'Idolator' saw the unfinished version of the video compared it to earlier works by Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
saying that it had "old-school Janet
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
vibe". Later after seeing the fully finished version he said it was "a colorful, militant dance-off". E! Online's Natalie Finn also had praise for the video. She said it "takes the themes of the song: taking charge, owning the floor and staying sexy and feminine throughout..." and "dresses 'em in tight little outfits and turns 'em loose to break hearts and dominate the opposite sex at will." "The music video is great and it might be a must-spin" according to Martin from Above&Beyond
Above&Beyond
above&beyond, which runs under the byline "Canada's Arctic Journal", is a Canadian magazine that features northern-related lifestyle and news features...
magazine who also praised Rowland's attractiveness, "I didn’t know Kelly was that well-equipped from the back but I always found Kelly more attractive than Beyoncé…I’m just saying".
The video was criticized for the absence of story line by critics such as Laura Brooks of 'TeenToday', who described the video as "[an opportunity] to show off her lovely hair and her thighs" which "also features David Guetta who appears to have remembered at several points throughout the video that he’s left his iron on dashes off to remedy the situation." Alyssa Rosenberg of The Atlantic agreed, calling the clip "dopey ... with guys who forgot to wash the home dye out of their hair" (sic) and the dancing was on-par with sci-fi film Matrix Reloaded. However she did say that "It's a high-concept understanding of the dance floor, even if it's not my preferred interpretation of that space. If love and shaking it are war, Kelly seems like she'd be a pretty decent person to have boss you around in both." Meanwhile Sound Savvy said "There’s some nice moves and Kelly sports some sexy looks for the clip. 'Commander' has received CRAZY airplay and the reception has been overwhelmingly positive for this track. I kinda dig the video, but I would’ve liked more choreography."
Promotion
Rowland debuted "Commander" live at at Cathy Guetta's Fuck Me I'm Famous party in Miami, as part of Winter Music ConferenceWinter Music Conference
The Winter Music Conference is a weeklong electronic music conference, held every March since the mid-1980s in Miami, Florida, United States. Venues are hosted primarily in Downtown Miami and Miami's South Beach...
on March 27, 2010. Immediately after the performance she said, "I was nervous and anxious, but when I hit the stage I felt the inner 'Commander' come to life!" Then on May 4, whilst playing a DJ set at a club in Frankfurt (Germany), Guetta premiered his extended remix. Rowland performed "Commander" at KIIS FM
KIIS-FM
KIIS-FM is a Los Angeles, California, USA-based radio station with a partial Top 40 musical format. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications. KIIS is also simulcasted on KVVS in Rosamond, at 105.5 MHz...
's Wango Tango 2010
Wango Tango
Wango Tango is an annual day-long concert produced on by local Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM. The concert series has been staged at various venues around southern California including Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Verizon Wireless...
Staples Centre (Los Angeles) on May 15, 2010. International promotion for the song began a week later with live UK debut of "Commander" at BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Big Weekend. This was followed up on June 15 with a live performance and interview on The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show
The Graham Norton Show is a British comedy chat show that is broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom. It was originally shown on BBC Two from February 2007 to May 2009 until it moved to BBC One from October 2009...
and a medley performance on June 25 in Singapore. Rowland has subsequently appeared three more times in the UK on GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
, an acoustic performance
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge; as well as The 5 O'Clock Show
The 5 O'Clock Show
The 5 O'Clock Show was a daytime television chat show, which replaced The Paul O'Grady Show and is shown on Channel 4. It is presented by guest hosts every week. The format is along the same lines as O'Grady's show and consists of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts and musical performances...
. "Commander" was performed in acoustic for a second time on Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
's Saturday Sessions with Dermot O'Leary
Dermot O'Leary
Dermot O'Leary is an English television and radio presenter. He established himself as a presenter of Big Brother's Little Brother on Channel 4 before moving on to The X Factor on ITV. O'Leary has also presented on the BBC and has his own radio show on BBC Radio 2...
. In August 2010 the Canadian dance show, So You Think You Can Dance Canada
So You Think You Can Dance Canada
So You Think You Can Dance Canada was a dance competition and reality show that aired on CTV.Based on the original American TV show So You Think You Can Dance, the Canadian series showcased the best in Canadian dancing talent. Each season, the show held auditions in major cities across the...
used the song for their season three promotion TV clips. The music was also used in the presentation of delegates and opening number of the live telecast of Miss Universe 2010 in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas.
Track listings
-
- Digital Download Main Version
- "Commander" featuring David GuettaDavid GuettaPierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
– 3:39
- US Digital Mix – Universal Motown Store
- "Commander" featuring David Guetta – 3:39
- "Commander" featuring David Guetta (Extended Dance Mix) – 5:55
-
- Digital EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
- Digital EP
- "Commander" featuring David Guetta – 3:38
- "Commander" (David Guetta Remix) – 5:47
- "Commander" (Extended Dance Mix) – 5:55
- "Commander" (Extended Instrumental) – 5:54
-
- Commander EP - UK Remixes
- "Commander" (Rico LoveRico LoveRichard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
Urban Remix) feat. NellyNellyCornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
– 4:09 - "Commander" (Pitron & Sanna Remix) – 8:20
- "Commander" (Redlight Remix) – 3:51
- CD Single
- "Commander" (Radio Edit) – 3:38
- "Commander" (David Guetta Remix) – 5:47
-
- Digital Download Extended Dance Mix
- "Commander" featuring David Guetta (Extended Dance Mix) – 5:55
-
- Commander US EP – The Remixes Part 1
(Masterbeat.com only)
- Commander US EP – The Remixes Part 1
- "Commander" (David Guetta Extended Original Mix) – 5:55
- "Commander" (David Guetta Extended Instrumental) – 5:54
- "Commander" (David Guetta Radio Edit) – 3:38
- "Commander" (Ralphi Rosario Club Mix) – 8:09
- "Commander" (Ralphi Rosario Bass & Treble Dub) – 8:07
- "Commander" (Ralphi Rosario Radio Edit) – 4:02
-
- Commander US EP – The Remixes Part 2
(Masterbeat.com only)
- Commander US EP – The Remixes Part 2
- "Commander" (Rico LoveRico LoveRichard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
Remix) – 4:09 - "Commander" (Ralphi Rosario Remix) – 8:07
- "Commander" (Chuckie & Neve Remix) – 5:23
- "Commander" (Sidney Samson Remix) – 6:26
- "Commander" (Pitron & Sanna Remix) – 8:20
- "Commander" (Redlight Remix) – 3:51
Credits
Recording- Recorded at Gum Prod Studios, ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Midnight Blue Studios, Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
.
Personnel
- Kelly RowlandKelly RowlandKelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
– songwriter - Rico LoveRico LoveRichard Preston Butler, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Love wrote and produced hit records such as Usher’s "There Goes My Baby" and "Hey Daddy ”, Nelly's "Just a Dream" and "Gone", Beyoncé Knowles' "Sweet Dreams"...
– songwriter and additional vocals - David GuettaDavid GuettaPierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
– songwriter, producer, recording, mixing, keyboards and programming - Sandy VeeSandy VeeSandy Julien Wilhelm, known professionally as Sandy Vee, is a French songwriter, disc jockey and music producer. Originally a disk jockey and producer within the house genre, he began working with pop artists in 2009...
– songwriter, producer, vocal producer, recording, mixing, keyboards and programming - Seth Foster – mastering
- Thurston McCrea – assistant recording engineer
Weekly charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... ) |
61 |
| Australia Dance (ARIA) | 11 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... ) |
55 |
| Polish Dance Chart | 10 |
| US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| Romanian Top 100 Romanian Top 100 The Romanian Top 100 is the national airplay-based singles chart of Romania. It is weekly and it started running in 1996. It is recognized as an official chart by the European division of Billboard, Music & Media.... |
63 |
| US Dance/Electronic Digital Songs | 36 |
| US Hot Dance Club Songs | 6 |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | RIANZ | Gold |
Radio adds
| Country | Date | Format | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | May 21, 2010 | Urban music BBC Radio 1Xtra BBC Radio 1Xtra is a digital radio station in the United Kingdom from the BBC specialising in new black music, sometimes referred to as urban music. Launched at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been codenamed Network X during the consulation period and is the sister station to BBC Radio 1... |
|
| Australia | May 24, 2010 | Mainstream | |
| Austria | |||
| Belgium | |||
| Denmark | |||
| France | |||
| Italy | |||
| Switzerland | |||
| United Kingdom | May 27, 2010 | ||
| Canada | June 7, 2010 | Adult contemporary, mainstream | |
| Germany | June 18, 2010 | Mainstream |
Release history
| Country | Date | Format † | Label | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | May 17, 2010 | Extended dance mix | Barclay Records Barclay Records Barclay Records is a French record label founded in the mid-1950s by Eddie Barclay under the alias, Edouard Ruault. Eddie Barclay also founded the Riviera label in the early-1950s.... |
|
| Ireland | Extended dance mix, Main version | Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
||
| Norway | ||||
| United Kingdom | Main version | Universal Island Island Records Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group... |
||
| Canada | May 18, 2010 | Extended dance mix, Main version | Universal Music | |
| France | Main version | Barclay Records | ||
| United Kingdom | Universal Island | |||
| United States | Extended dance mix, Main version | Universal Motown | ||
| May 21, 2010 | The remixes part 1 | |||
| Switzerland | May 28, 2010 | Extended play Extended play An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact... |
Universal Music | |
| Australia | June 4, 2010 | |||
| Belgium | ||||
| Denmark | ||||
| France | Barclay Records | |||
| Italy | Universal Music | |||
| Netherlands | ||||
| Japan | June 23, 2010 | Main version | ||
| Finland | June 30, 2010 | |||
| United Kingdom | July 5, 2010 | Remixes | Universal Island | |
| United States | July 16, 2010 | The remixes part 2 | Universal Motown | |
| Germany | July 23, 2010 | Extended play | Universal Music | |
| Austria | ||||
| Germany | August 6, 2010 | CD single CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s... |
- † All releases are via digital downloadMusic downloadA music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
unless otherwise stated.