If This Is Love
Encyclopedia
"If This Is Love" is a song performed by British-Irish recording girl group
The Saturdays
from their debut studio album, Chasing Lights
(2008). It was co-written by Joe Belmaati, Michaela Breen, Vince Clarke
, Mich Hansen, Alison Moyet
, John Reid, Remee
and Ina Wroldsen. The song was produced by Belmaati in collaboration with Cutfather
. The track samples a heavily-sythesised
backing rhythm
from Yazoo
's 1982
song "Situation
".
"If This Is Love" was first released by Fascination
and Polydor Records
on 27 July 2008 as the lead single
from Chasing Lights. It was accompanied by a b-side entitled "What Am I Gonna Do?", written and produced by Duck Blackwell and Paddy Dalton. The Saturdays collaborated with Ina Wroldsen on a number of songs; eight were chosen for the album. "If This Is Love" was then released as the first single from it. The song has prominent electropop and dance-pop
genre characteristics. It contains lyrical influences from love-hate relationship
s, the definition of love
and its complications that can result in situations of stalking
.
"If This Is Love" received mainly positive reviews from contemporary music critics. On 3 August 2008, the single debuted and peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart
with a total of just under 15,000 copies sold in its first week of release. It has since sold a total of 107,000 copies in the United Kingdom to-date. The single also garnered charting success for the group in Europe, where it reached number thirty-three on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.
The music video
accompanying "If This Love" was directed by Harvey B. Brown and premiered on MSN Video
on 16 June 2008. The video features The Saturdays in colourful dresses performing and meeting the paparazzi. "If This Is Love" was performed by The Saturdays as part of their setlist on The Work Tour
and as supporting acts on Girls Aloud
's Tangled Up Tour
and Take That
's Take That Present: The Circus Live Tour
. The group also performed the single on various television shows, namely: Loose Women
, GMTV
and on Nickelodeon
.
Popjustice
included the song in its list of the top hundred and four singles of 2008, ranking it at number forty-five. About.com
ranked "If This Is Love" in their list of the best dance songs of 2008 at number twenty-eight.
by Joe Belmaati, Mich Hansen, Vince Clarke
, Alison Moyet
, John Reid, Remee
and Ina Wroldsen for the group’s debut album Chasing Lights
.
The track sample
s Yazoo
's 1982
single "Situation
" (written by Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet) as its heavily-synthesised backing rhythm
, the difference between the rhythm of "If This Is Love" is that it is in A♭-tune, in comparison to the original's C♭-tune
. The song was produced
by Danish producers Joe Belmaati and Cutfather
. The song features additional backing vocals
from Danish singer Nabiha
. Belmaati has also been credited for the keyboard
and percussion instrumentation in the song, as well as for doing its engineering
, mixing
and programming
. The song was mastered
by Dick Beetham, and Graham Archer assisted in its engineering and recording.
"If This Is Love" is an upbeat dance-pop
, electropop and synthpop
song. Its style has also been described by music critics as "obligatory fluffy summery pop", "pure uplifting pop", "an 80's throwback" and "an electro-soul number". The song has a feisty and danceable feel to it that would appeal as anthemic to the gay community
. It is 3 minutes and 23 seconds in length. Written in the key
of A♭ minor
, the beat
is set in common time
and moves at a mid-tempo
117 beats per minute. The song was constructed around a keyboard and percussion arrangement that follows an Am–Em-F chord progression
which forms the song's hook
.
The vocals in the track are auto-tuned
. Mollie King
sings the response in the first and second verses, a backing vocal during the song's middle 8, and she opens and closes the song with a "Yeah!". Una Healy
sings the call in the first verse as well as the bridge
to the first and second chorus
es with Rochelle Wiseman
, and some vocals after every chorus. Wiseman sings the bridges to the first and second choruses with Healy, as well as the song's middle 8. Frankie Sandford
sings the solo
parts in every chorus. Vanessa White
sings the call in the second verse as well as backing vocals after the middle 8 and during the final chorus.
The song lyrics
refer to love-hate relationship
s, the definition of love
and its complications that can lead to situations of stalking
. Healy elaborates:
Healy also elaborated on how excited the group were about releasing "If This Is Love":
, Depeche Mode
, Sugababes
, Robyn
and Rachel Stevens
, and was praised for its Yazoo
sample and catchy chorus.
Catrin Pascoe of the Western Mail said that "If This Is Love" was her least favourite song on Chasing Lights
. Nick Levine of Digital Spy
reviewed the song: "This debut single is nothing that Rachel Stevens couldn't have given us three or four years ago: a midtempo electropop tune with a memorable chorus and a crafty Yazoo sample slipped in for bonus street cred. It's a solid, promising effort, but not really in the same league as the best debuts by British girl groups: 'Sound of the Underground', 'Overload', 'Wannabe' [...]". Evening Standard
said: "'If This Is Love' is a slick electro-soul number. [...] The vocals are a little shrill in places, but the overall feel is upbeat and feisty."
Mike Barnes of musicOMH
positively reviewed the single: "The track itself is the obligatory fluffy summery pop we can't seem to manage without at this time of the year, replete with auto-tuned vocals that sound as though they've simply been parachuted in over a dance track to make it radio friendly. The chorus is pleasing enough, but what really lifts this is the pervasive Yazoo sample." Jacqui Swift from The Sun
reviewed the song as follows: "Debut single 'If This Is Love' is pure uplifting pop backed by keyboard hooks which rival the best of 1980s bands such as Yazoo and Depeche Mode." Elle J. Small of the BBC
highlighted the song's "Synth-heavy sound" and further described its sound as "An '80s throwback". Johnny Dee of Virgin Media
likened "If This Is Love" to Sugababes' 2002
song "Freak Like Me", saying: "The opening bars of 'If This Is Love' sample 80s legends Yazoo, much as Sugababes did with 'Freak' and Gary Numan." Popjustice
boasted that the song is: "An object lesson in how to write a pop song with a chorus so unexpectedly brilliant that it makes you think your head is going to explode." Phillip Thomas from The London Paper described the track as "disco-candy". American blogger, Perez Hilton
called the song a "gay anthem". PopSugar
said the track is "danceable". DJ Ron Slomowicz from About.com
labelled the single as "pop-perfection" and noted an influence of Spiller
's 2000
song "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)
" in the intonation of the chorus. Mickey McMonagle of the Sunday Mail
gave the single a five-star rating, calling it "catchy", a "brash pop song" and that "added impact comes from Yazoo's sample".
Peter Hayward of musicOMH described the song as follows: "'If This Is Love' is a jolly blend of techno, disco and dance similar to the likes of Girls Aloud and Robyn. The track is uncomplicated and upbeat, and just begging for dance routines to be formulated in teenagers' bedrooms across the nation." Gary Ryan from City Life
said that the song surpassed the recent efforts of The Saturdays' girl group
contemporaries; Sugababes
and Pussycat Dolls
. Daily Star called the song a "sassy slab of electro tunesmithery".
Fraser McAlpine of the BBC gave the single a four out of five star rating, saying:
on 3 August 2008. It sold 14,990 copies in its first week of release. The single was also the second highest new entry of the week behind Katy Perry
's "I Kissed a Girl" which debuted at number four. The following week the single dropped out the top ten after one week, falling five places to number thirteen on 10 August. In its third week on the chart the single dropped six places to number nineteen and then a further six places to number twenty-five in fourth week on the chart. "If This Is Love" spent its fifth and final week in the top forty at number thirty-six on 31 August before dropping eleven places to number forty-seven on 7 September. On 14 September it fell fourteen places to number sixty-one in its seventh week on the chart before dropping out of the top seventy-five. Following the release of Chasing Lights
and the popularity of follow-up single "Up
", "If This Is Love" re-entered the chart after an absence of six weeks, at number seventy-one on 26 October 2008. It then climbed five places to number sixty-six the following week before exiting the chart again on 9 November 2008. Altogether, "If This Is Love" spent a total of nine weeks within the chart and has sold a total of over 107,000 copies in the United Kingdom alone.
The group was pleased with the chart position "If This Is Love" achieved, Mollie King
explained in an interview with Digital Spy
:
The single also garnered charting success for the group in Europe, where it reached number thirty-three on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.
for "If This Is Love" was directed
by Harvey B Brown and premiere
d on MSN Video
on 16 June 2008.
Upon the filming of the music video, Wiseman commented on the experience:
Sandford elaborated on the styling experience during the video, saying: "We were all excited to see what the stylist had in store for us. It was so fun [...] It's like shopping but better, because all the best stuff has been picked out for you!"
In the video the group wears vintage
inspired cup fitted cinched dresses. The dresses are inspired by the simple, modern satin dresses that are usually seen on the stars on the red carpet. Sandford wears a 'passionate purple' silver ribbon banded strappy dress. Healy has a yellow layered satin dress with flowing detail at the skirt. King wore a berry print waist banded slim fitting satin dress with a pair of little black heels and a little silver diamante Playboy
necklace. White and Wiseman had layered Bust Jersey dresses, with a cinched-in waist and flared skirt.
. This aimed to give imagery to the viewer that they can dress like The Saturdays and be part of their group and fanbase. A boy, described as "inoffensively handsome" gives Sandford his number. This imagery is aimed to get the group's fans to think the same might happen to them if they become part of the group or fanbase. The band sign autographs after the photo shoot, this is to show that they are not so famous that they refuse to sign autograph
s and to create the imagery that the band will be friendly to you if they see you as a fan in public.
The video begins with the group's logo
flashing onscreen before moving into the setting
of a backstage dressing room
which enables passers-by to have a view of the activity within, similar to a display window
. The group's members are sitting down singing during the first verse and bridge
as they are getting their hair and make-up done whilst looking in the mirror. Viewers also get introduced to the tradition of each member's signature colour in dress code which is apparent in most of the music videos the band has released likewise in this video - each girl is wearing a different coloured dress to the other girls. The colours being: red, blue, green, yellow and pink.
The setting then moves in what seems to be an evening scene where the girls are getting escorted
by the music video's production crew to performing live onstage in front of a cheering audience. Whilst on stage, each girl's stiletto heel
can also be seen to be a different colour to other girls' and at the same time not matching the colour of their dress. The girls are prominently seen singing seated on colourful chairs during this scene. The background to the stage is in a washed out colour that contrasts with the group's outfits. Nearing the end of this scene, a man in the crowd can be seen handing out his phone number on a piece of paper to one of the group members, Sandford, who in the end ignores the offer.
The crowd can be heard cheering ecstatically as the group is escorted by the production crew off the stage before moving onto the final setting. This setting comprises the girls walking side by side, surrounded by a large number of fans and the paparazzi
cheering for them. The girls sign autographs for their fans amongst the flashing lights of the paparazzi cameras. The music video then ends with the lights on the stage where they were performing - flashing out. The music video uses the single's album version and not the shorter radio edit.
PopSugar
positively reviewed the video, saying they loved the group's logo and walk in unison
. Following the release of the music video, Nadia Mendoza of The Sun
said that Girls Aloud
better watch out because The Saturdays could steal their crown as sexiest girl group
, further mentioning: "The fivesome are injecting some glamour back into the charts." Popjustice positively reviewed the music video, saying: "As well as being a nice video featuring some pretty ladies in colourful frocks, it's a brilliant piece of suggestive film making which clearly signposts several important factors for the viewer.
on 3 May 2008 as a supporting act for their Tangled Up Tour
.
Prior to the tour, White mentioned: "We can't wait to get out and sing it in front of loads of people, it's going to be brilliant".
On 22 June 2008, The Saturdays performed on live television for the first time, on Channel 4
music television show The Nokia Green Room
. The group then performed "If This Love" on GMTV
s The Richard Arnold Show on 18 July 2008. 24 July 2008 saw the group perform "If This Is Love" on British lunchtime television programme Loose Women
as part of the single's pre-release promotion. The band then performed the single on a children's television channel, Nickelodeon
on 30 July 2008. In October 2008, the single was performed by the girls on BBC
television series, Sound
.
On 3 January 2009, the group performed the song along with "Up
" and "Issues" at G-A-Y
. The girls wore sequin
ed miniskirt
s and big hair
during the performance. The dance routine was described as "hot" by Larry Meyler of The Sun
, Meyler went on to say: "[...] if this live show and the crowd's raucous reaction was anything to go by, the feisty fivesome are taking a first class ride on the pop train to super stardom with no looking back."
"If This Is Love" featured as the opening performance in the group's first solo tour, The Work Tour
. They performed it at twenty-six different venues in the United Kingdom and The Philippines between June and August 2009. During their performance, the group wears matching black raincoat
s. Catrin Pascoe of the Western Mail positively reviewed a performance of the song on the tour, mentioning: "[...] they got me up on my feet dancing and singing along. [...] for their biggest performance yet, the five girls did themselves proud, leaving me wishing they needed a sixth member." At another date of the tour, the performance of the song received a negative review from Rick Pearson of the Evening Standard
: "'If This Is Love' was a nervy set-opener with the band looking and sounding unsure and exposed."
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
The Saturdays
The Saturdays
The Saturdays are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London, United Kingdom. The group consists of five members Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman. In 2007 the band were formed through Fascination Records which gave them an instant record deal with...
from their debut studio album, Chasing Lights
Chasing Lights
Chasing Lights is the debut album by British-Irish girl group The Saturdays, released on 27 October 2008 by Fascination Records. The album was re-issued on 16 March 2009 to include their cover of Depeche Mode's 1981 song "Just Can't Get Enough"....
(2008). It was co-written by Joe Belmaati, Michaela Breen, Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke is an English synthpop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been involved with a number of successful groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure....
, Mich Hansen, Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet , is an English singer, songwriter and performer noted for her bluesy voice.Her UK album sales have reached a certified 2.3 million, with 800,000 singles sold, all in the UK, where all seven of her studio albums and three compilation albums have charted in the Top 40 UK Album Chart,...
, John Reid, Remee
Remee
Remee is a Danish producer, composer and song writer.-Career:Throughout his career Remee has written more than 60 hits around the world and has sold over 25 million records...
and Ina Wroldsen. The song was produced by Belmaati in collaboration with Cutfather
Cutfather
Mich Hedin Hansen better known by his stage name Cutfather is a Danish music producer and songwriter.-Career:He is perhaps best known for his remix of "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison , and the song "Superstar" released internationally by Jamelia in 2003.He has worked with Danish producer...
. The track samples a heavily-sythesised
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...
backing rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
from Yazoo
Yazoo (band)
Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s...
's 1982
1982 in music
This is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....
song "Situation
Situation (song)
"Situation" is the title of a 1982 single by the British synthpop band Yazoo. The song was originally released in the UK as the B-side to Yazoo's debut single, "Only You", which went to number two on the UK Singles Chart. Released as a single in its own right in the U.S., the song peaked at number...
".
"If This Is Love" was first released by Fascination
Fascination Records
Fascination Records is a UK-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine...
and Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
on 27 July 2008 as the 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...
from Chasing Lights. It was accompanied by a b-side entitled "What Am I Gonna Do?", written and produced by Duck Blackwell and Paddy Dalton. The Saturdays collaborated with Ina Wroldsen on a number of songs; eight were chosen for the album. "If This Is Love" was then released as the first single from it. The song has prominent electropop and dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
genre characteristics. It contains lyrical influences from love-hate relationship
Love-hate relationship
A love–hate relationship is an interpersonal relationship involving simultaneous or alternating emotions of love and hate. This relationship does not have to be of a romantic nature, and may be instead of a sibling one...
s, the definition of love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
and its complications that can result in situations of stalking
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
.
"If This Is Love" received mainly positive reviews from contemporary music critics. On 3 August 2008, the single debuted and peaked at number eight 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 ...
with a total of just under 15,000 copies sold in its first week of release. It has since sold a total of 107,000 copies in the United Kingdom to-date. The single also garnered charting success for the group in Europe, where it reached number thirty-three on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.
The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
accompanying "If This Love" was directed by Harvey B. Brown and premiered on MSN Video
MSN Video
MSN Video is an Australian video streaming service from ninemsn as well as a United Kingdom internet television service from MSN. It was rebranded on March 11, 2010....
on 16 June 2008. The video features The Saturdays in colourful dresses performing and meeting the paparazzi. "If This Is Love" was performed by The Saturdays as part of their setlist on The Work Tour
The Work Tour
The Work Tour is the debut headlining theatre tour by British girl group The Saturdays. The tour became the bands first headlining tour, but their second time actually touring, after they spent part of 2008 as support act for Girls Aloud on their Tangled Up Tour. The tour opened on 2 June 2009, and...
and as supporting acts on Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
's Tangled Up Tour
Tangled Up Tour
The Tangled Up Tour was the fourth concert tour third arena tour, by British pop group Girls Aloud, in support of the group's fourth studio album Tangled Up. The tour was initially announced to reach arenas across the United Kingdom in November 2007. The shows commenced in Belfast on 3 May 2008 and...
and Take That
Take That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
's Take That Present: The Circus Live Tour
Take That Present: The Circus Live
Take That Presents: The Circus Live is a concert tour by reunited British boyband, Take That. The tour promoted their fifth studio album, The Circus. The tour began on 5 June 2009 in Sunderland and finished on 5 July 2009 at London's Wembley Stadium. The Circus Live is Take That's biggest tour to...
. The group also performed the single on various television shows, namely: Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
, 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...
and on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (UK & Ireland)
Nickelodeon is a children's television channel available on Sky, Virgin Media, Smallworld Cable, TalkTalk TV and UPC Ireland in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including on demand on BT Vision. The channel was launched on 1 September 1993...
.
Popjustice
Popjustice
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 and is the work of UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others....
included the song in its list of the top hundred and four singles of 2008, ranking it at number forty-five. About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
ranked "If This Is Love" in their list of the best dance songs of 2008 at number twenty-eight.
Background
"If This Is Love" was writtenSongwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
by Joe Belmaati, Mich Hansen, Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke
Vince Clarke is an English synthpop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been involved with a number of successful groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure....
, Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet
Alison Moyet , is an English singer, songwriter and performer noted for her bluesy voice.Her UK album sales have reached a certified 2.3 million, with 800,000 singles sold, all in the UK, where all seven of her studio albums and three compilation albums have charted in the Top 40 UK Album Chart,...
, John Reid, Remee
Remee
Remee is a Danish producer, composer and song writer.-Career:Throughout his career Remee has written more than 60 hits around the world and has sold over 25 million records...
and Ina Wroldsen for the group’s debut album Chasing Lights
Chasing Lights
Chasing Lights is the debut album by British-Irish girl group The Saturdays, released on 27 October 2008 by Fascination Records. The album was re-issued on 16 March 2009 to include their cover of Depeche Mode's 1981 song "Just Can't Get Enough"....
.
The track sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
s Yazoo
Yazoo (band)
Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s...
's 1982
1982 in music
This is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....
single "Situation
Situation (song)
"Situation" is the title of a 1982 single by the British synthpop band Yazoo. The song was originally released in the UK as the B-side to Yazoo's debut single, "Only You", which went to number two on the UK Singles Chart. Released as a single in its own right in the U.S., the song peaked at number...
" (written by Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet) as its heavily-synthesised backing rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
, the difference between the rhythm of "If This Is Love" is that it is in A♭-tune, in comparison to the original's C♭-tune
C Tuning
C tuning is a type of guitar tuning. The strings of the guitar are tuned two whole steps lower than standard tuning. The resulting notes can be described as either C-F-A♯-D♯-G-C or more often C-F-B♭-E♭-G-C....
. The song was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Danish producers Joe Belmaati and Cutfather
Cutfather
Mich Hedin Hansen better known by his stage name Cutfather is a Danish music producer and songwriter.-Career:He is perhaps best known for his remix of "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison , and the song "Superstar" released internationally by Jamelia in 2003.He has worked with Danish producer...
. The song features additional backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
from Danish singer Nabiha
Nabiha
Nabiha Bensouda is a Danish singer, songwriter and actress who has garnered international attention for her new single, “Deep Sleep”, a largely English-language song with a retro pop sound and a strong hook about just wanting to sleep.- Early life :...
. Belmaati has also been credited for the keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and percussion instrumentation in the song, as well as for doing its engineering
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
and programming
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
. The song was mastered
Master recording
A multitrack recording master tape, disk or computer files on which productions are developed for later mixing, is known as the multi-track master, while the tape, disk or computer files holding a mix is called a mixed master.It is standard practice to make a copy of a master recording, known as...
by Dick Beetham, and Graham Archer assisted in its engineering and recording.
"If This Is Love" is an upbeat dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
, electropop and synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
song. Its style has also been described by music critics as "obligatory fluffy summery pop", "pure uplifting pop", "an 80's throwback" and "an electro-soul number". The song has a feisty and danceable feel to it that would appeal as anthemic to the gay community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
. It is 3 minutes and 23 seconds in length. Written in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of A♭ minor
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
, the beat
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
is set in common time
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
and moves at a mid-tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
117 beats per minute. The song was constructed around a keyboard and percussion arrangement that follows an Am–Em-F chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
which forms the song's 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...
.
The vocals in the track are auto-tuned
Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune is a proprietary audio processor created by Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise off-key inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed singers to perform apparently perfectly tuned vocal...
. Mollie King
Mollie King
Mollie Elizabeth King is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known for being a member of girl group, The Saturdays. In the band, King has successfully enjoyed ten top-ten and five top-five singles on the UK Singles Chart and three top-ten albums on the UK Albums Chart...
sings the response in the first and second verses, a backing vocal during the song's middle 8, and she opens and closes the song with a "Yeah!". Una Healy
Una Healy
Una Theresa Imogene Healy is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician, best known for being one fifth of girl group The Saturdays...
sings the call in the first verse as well as the bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
to the first and second chorus
Chorus effect
In music, a chorus effect occurs when individual sounds with roughly the same timbre and nearly the same pitch converge and are perceived as one...
es with Rochelle Wiseman
Rochelle Wiseman
Rochelle Eulah Eileen Wiseman is an English singer, actress and television presenter. She is best known for her work in pop groups S Club 8 and The Saturdays...
, and some vocals after every chorus. Wiseman sings the bridges to the first and second choruses with Healy, as well as the song's middle 8. Frankie Sandford
Frankie Sandford
Francesca "Frankie" Sandford is an English pop and R&B singer-songwriter and currently a member of girl group The Saturdays; under the record label of Fascination Records and Polydor Records. The band have had huge success, releasing eleven singles of which ten have charted inside the top 10 on...
sings the solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
parts in every chorus. Vanessa White
Vanessa White
Vanessa Karen White is an English pop singer and songwriter. White was born to a Nigerian father and Spanish-Filipino mother. She rose to fame in 2008 as a member of English/Irish girl-group The Saturdays. She is the youngest member of the band. White is noted for her extensive vocal range.-Early...
sings the call in the second verse as well as backing vocals after the middle 8 and during the final chorus.
The song lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
refer to love-hate relationship
Love-hate relationship
A love–hate relationship is an interpersonal relationship involving simultaneous or alternating emotions of love and hate. This relationship does not have to be of a romantic nature, and may be instead of a sibling one...
s, the definition of love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
and its complications that can lead to situations of stalking
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
. Healy elaborates:
Healy also elaborated on how excited the group were about releasing "If This Is Love":
[...] Getting our first single out there is going to be amazing. We've been working hard for a long time now and we want to show everyone what we're all about and what we can do. We're ready for it!
Critical reception
"If This Is Love" received mainly positive reviews from contemporary music critics. It garnered comparisons with the music produced by the likes of Girls AloudGirls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
, Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
, Robyn
Robyn
Robin Miriam Carlsson , better known by her stage name Robyn, is a Swedish recording artist, singer, and songwriter. Robyn became known in the late nineties for her worldwide dance-pop hit "Do You Know " from her debut album Robyn Is Here . She co-wrote the song "Du gör mig hel igen" for...
and Rachel Stevens
Rachel Stevens
Rachel Lauren Stevens is an English singer-songwriter, actress, presenter, dancer, television personality and model. She is a former member of the successful pop group S Club, and launched a solo recording career in 2003, releasing seven singles and two albums in the UK between 2003 and 2005...
, and was praised for its Yazoo
Yazoo (band)
Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s...
sample and catchy chorus.
Catrin Pascoe of the Western Mail said that "If This Is Love" was her least favourite song on Chasing Lights
Chasing Lights
Chasing Lights is the debut album by British-Irish girl group The Saturdays, released on 27 October 2008 by Fascination Records. The album was re-issued on 16 March 2009 to include their cover of Depeche Mode's 1981 song "Just Can't Get Enough"....
. Nick Levine of Digital Spy
Digital 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....
reviewed the song: "This debut single is nothing that Rachel Stevens couldn't have given us three or four years ago: a midtempo electropop tune with a memorable chorus and a crafty Yazoo sample slipped in for bonus street cred. It's a solid, promising effort, but not really in the same league as the best debuts by British girl groups: 'Sound of the Underground', 'Overload', 'Wannabe' [...]". Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
said: "'If This Is Love' is a slick electro-soul number. [...] The vocals are a little shrill in places, but the overall feel is upbeat and feisty."
Mike Barnes of musicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
positively reviewed the single: "The track itself is the obligatory fluffy summery pop we can't seem to manage without at this time of the year, replete with auto-tuned vocals that sound as though they've simply been parachuted in over a dance track to make it radio friendly. The chorus is pleasing enough, but what really lifts this is the pervasive Yazoo sample." Jacqui Swift from The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
reviewed the song as follows: "Debut single 'If This Is Love' is pure uplifting pop backed by keyboard hooks which rival the best of 1980s bands such as Yazoo and Depeche Mode." Elle J. Small of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
highlighted the song's "Synth-heavy sound" and further described its sound as "An '80s throwback". Johnny Dee of Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
likened "If This Is Love" to Sugababes' 2002
2002 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
song "Freak Like Me", saying: "The opening bars of 'If This Is Love' sample 80s legends Yazoo, much as Sugababes did with 'Freak' and Gary Numan." Popjustice
Popjustice
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 and is the work of UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others....
boasted that the song is: "An object lesson in how to write a pop song with a chorus so unexpectedly brilliant that it makes you think your head is going to explode." Phillip Thomas from The London Paper described the track as "disco-candy". American blogger, Perez Hilton
Perez Hilton
Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. , better known as Perez Hilton , is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com , is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities...
called the song a "gay anthem". PopSugar
Popsugar
PopSugar.com is Sugar Publishing's celebrity news and gossip site. Founded in March 2005, the site is based in San Francisco, California.PopSugar is the flagship site for the Sugar Network, which now includes nine additional sites.-Editors:...
said the track is "danceable". DJ Ron Slomowicz from About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
labelled the single as "pop-perfection" and noted an influence of Spiller
Spiller
Cristiano Spiller is an Italian DJ.He had a #1 hit in the UK, Italy, Australia and other countries with the hit single, "Groovejet ", featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor, released in 2000...
's 2000
2000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
song "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)
Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)
"Groovejet " is a single by Spiller, featuring vocals by British singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor. The single was released in August 2000 by Positiva Records. It peaked at #1 in the UK, New Zealand, Ireland and Australia, as well as charting at number three on the American Hot Dance Chart...
" in the intonation of the chorus. Mickey McMonagle of the Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail (Scotland)
The Sunday Mail is a Scottish tabloid newspaper published every Sunday. It is the sister paper of the Daily Record and is owned by Trinity Mirror and as such has a left-wing outlook which in turn tends to guide Scottish political debate in that direction.The Sunday Mail is read by over one million...
gave the single a five-star rating, calling it "catchy", a "brash pop song" and that "added impact comes from Yazoo's sample".
Peter Hayward of musicOMH described the song as follows: "'If This Is Love' is a jolly blend of techno, disco and dance similar to the likes of Girls Aloud and Robyn. The track is uncomplicated and upbeat, and just begging for dance routines to be formulated in teenagers' bedrooms across the nation." Gary Ryan from City Life
City Life (Magazine)
City Life was a Manchester-based listings magazine that was published between December 1983 and December 2005. It was a distinctive blend of radical politics and coverage of the increasingly exciting Manchester youth culture scene of the early 1980s, coinciding with the rise of Factory Records and...
said that the song surpassed the recent efforts of The Saturdays' girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
contemporaries; Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
and Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
. Daily Star called the song a "sassy slab of electro tunesmithery".
Fraser McAlpine of the BBC gave the single a four out of five star rating, saying:
Essentially there are two very good elements in play here: the Yazoo sample, and the chorus. Conveniently these two do not overlap, but one or the other is in play at pretty much any time. However, the sample is probably relied upon too heavily and once you realise that, the verses sound rather flimsy. The chorus, however, bears repeated listens. It's infectious and melodically strong, and mature [...] this is an impressive debut - The Saturdays have gone with the trick of releasing a song that doesn't sound like a first single, but sounds like they have in fact been doing this sort of thing for years and aren't even considering that this might not be a hit.
Chart performance
"If This Is Love" became The Saturdays' first top ten hit in the United Kingdom after it debuted and peaked at number eight on the UK Singles ChartUK 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 ...
on 3 August 2008. It sold 14,990 copies in its first week of release. The single was also the second highest new entry of the week behind Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
's "I Kissed a Girl" which debuted at number four. The following week the single dropped out the top ten after one week, falling five places to number thirteen on 10 August. In its third week on the chart the single dropped six places to number nineteen and then a further six places to number twenty-five in fourth week on the chart. "If This Is Love" spent its fifth and final week in the top forty at number thirty-six on 31 August before dropping eleven places to number forty-seven on 7 September. On 14 September it fell fourteen places to number sixty-one in its seventh week on the chart before dropping out of the top seventy-five. Following the release of Chasing Lights
Chasing Lights
Chasing Lights is the debut album by British-Irish girl group The Saturdays, released on 27 October 2008 by Fascination Records. The album was re-issued on 16 March 2009 to include their cover of Depeche Mode's 1981 song "Just Can't Get Enough"....
and the popularity of follow-up single "Up
Up (The Saturdays song)
"Up" is a song performed by British-Irish recording girl group The Saturdays from their debut studio album, Chasing Lights . It was co-written by the track's producers, Josef Larossi and Andreas Romdhane of Quiz & Larossi, in collaboration with Ina Wroldsen...
", "If This Is Love" re-entered the chart after an absence of six weeks, at number seventy-one on 26 October 2008. It then climbed five places to number sixty-six the following week before exiting the chart again on 9 November 2008. Altogether, "If This Is Love" spent a total of nine weeks within the chart and has sold a total of over 107,000 copies in the United Kingdom alone.
The group was pleased with the chart position "If This Is Love" achieved, Mollie King
Mollie King
Mollie Elizabeth King is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known for being a member of girl group, The Saturdays. In the band, King has successfully enjoyed ten top-ten and five top-five singles on the UK Singles Chart and three top-ten albums on the UK Albums Chart...
explained in an interview with Digital Spy
Digital 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....
:
We were thrilled! Nobody really knew The Saturdays at that point and for a new girl group to go straight into the top ten is fantastic.
The single also garnered charting success for the group in Europe, where it reached number thirty-three on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "If This Is Love" was directed
Music video director
A music video director is driven by a given music track. These are called music videos and are then used as promotional tools for popular music singles...
by Harvey B Brown and premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
d on MSN Video
MSN Video
MSN Video is an Australian video streaming service from ninemsn as well as a United Kingdom internet television service from MSN. It was rebranded on March 11, 2010....
on 16 June 2008.
Upon the filming of the music video, Wiseman commented on the experience:
We had so much fun, it was a very long day but we enjoyed every second of it! I had to get up at 5.30 in the morning so I didn't look too pretty, but thankfully we had an amazing 'glam squad' on hand! We all felt like superstars for the day! It's really starting to feel like our hard work is paying off. We all just kept saying 'I can't believe we are finally making a video'.
Sandford elaborated on the styling experience during the video, saying: "We were all excited to see what the stylist had in store for us. It was so fun [...] It's like shopping but better, because all the best stuff has been picked out for you!"
In the video the group wears vintage
Vintage
Vintage, in wine-making, is the process of picking grapes and creating the finished product . A vintage wine is one made from grapes that were all, or primarily, grown and harvested in a single specified year. In certain wines, it can denote quality, as in Port wine, where Port houses make and...
inspired cup fitted cinched dresses. The dresses are inspired by the simple, modern satin dresses that are usually seen on the stars on the red carpet. Sandford wears a 'passionate purple' silver ribbon banded strappy dress. Healy has a yellow layered satin dress with flowing detail at the skirt. King wore a berry print waist banded slim fitting satin dress with a pair of little black heels and a little silver diamante Playboy
Playboy Enterprises
Playboy Enterprises, Inc. is a privately held global media and lifestyle company founded by Hugh Marston Hefner to manage the Playboy magazine empire. Its programming and content are available worldwide on television networks, Websites, mobile platforms and radio...
necklace. White and Wiseman had layered Bust Jersey dresses, with a cinched-in waist and flared skirt.
Concept
The concept of the music video is that The Saturdays are shooting a pop video and, people and video crew are fussing over them. They play the role of famous popstars. There are teenage girl fans outside the shop and performance implying that the band is established and already has fans. The band are appearing in the window of a high street, Top Shop-style store. "Despite looking great the band are accessible and so is their style" describes PopjusticePopjustice
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 and is the work of UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others....
. This aimed to give imagery to the viewer that they can dress like The Saturdays and be part of their group and fanbase. A boy, described as "inoffensively handsome" gives Sandford his number. This imagery is aimed to get the group's fans to think the same might happen to them if they become part of the group or fanbase. The band sign autographs after the photo shoot, this is to show that they are not so famous that they refuse to sign autograph
Autograph
An autograph is a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist; the meaning overlaps with that of the word holograph.Autograph also refers to a person's artistic signature...
s and to create the imagery that the band will be friendly to you if they see you as a fan in public.
The video begins with the group's logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
flashing onscreen before moving into the setting
Location (geography)
The terms location and place in geography are used to identify a point or an area on the Earth's surface or elsewhere. The term 'location' generally implies a higher degree of can certainty than "place" which often has an ambiguous boundary relying more on human/social attributes of place identity...
of a backstage dressing room
Parts of a theatre
-Types of theatres:*Arena/Stadium: The playing area is in the center of a large open space which usually seats thousands of people.*Proscenium: The audience directly faces the playing area which is separated by a portal called the proscenium arch. The stage is often raised a few feet higher than...
which enables passers-by to have a view of the activity within, similar to a display window
Display window
A display window is a window in a shop displaying items for sale or otherwise designed to attract customers to the store. Usually, the term refers to larger windows in the front façade of the shop...
. The group's members are sitting down singing during the first verse and bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
as they are getting their hair and make-up done whilst looking in the mirror. Viewers also get introduced to the tradition of each member's signature colour in dress code which is apparent in most of the music videos the band has released likewise in this video - each girl is wearing a different coloured dress to the other girls. The colours being: red, blue, green, yellow and pink.
The setting then moves in what seems to be an evening scene where the girls are getting escorted
Safety escort service
A safety escort service, security escort service, or simply escort service is a service provided on and around many college and university campuses to help ensure the safety of students and staff. The escort may be provided by campus police staff or student volunteers and may be provided on foot or...
by the music video's production crew to performing live onstage in front of a cheering audience. Whilst on stage, each girl's stiletto heel
Stiletto heel
A stiletto heel is a long, thin, high heel found on some boots and shoes, usually for women. It is named after the stiletto dagger, the phrase being first recorded in the early 1930s...
can also be seen to be a different colour to other girls' and at the same time not matching the colour of their dress. The girls are prominently seen singing seated on colourful chairs during this scene. The background to the stage is in a washed out colour that contrasts with the group's outfits. Nearing the end of this scene, a man in the crowd can be seen handing out his phone number on a piece of paper to one of the group members, Sandford, who in the end ignores the offer.
The crowd can be heard cheering ecstatically as the group is escorted by the production crew off the stage before moving onto the final setting. This setting comprises the girls walking side by side, surrounded by a large number of fans and the paparazzi
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
cheering for them. The girls sign autographs for their fans amongst the flashing lights of the paparazzi cameras. The music video then ends with the lights on the stage where they were performing - flashing out. The music video uses the single's album version and not the shorter radio edit.
Reception
King blogged about her reaction to when she first saw the video:[...] suddenly we got a call from our management telling us to come into the office to watch our video for 'If This Is Love' for the first time ever! Ahhh we were so nervous and so excited! We all shot up there as fast as we could and all I can say is... 'Oh my God, it is amazing!' We were so happy, Ness (Vanessa White) and I even started crying! We all ran out of the office after and had a group hug (yes, my idea, you know I like to cheese things up, haha). I wanted to run out onto the street and shout 'Hey everyone our music video rocks!'
PopSugar
Popsugar
PopSugar.com is Sugar Publishing's celebrity news and gossip site. Founded in March 2005, the site is based in San Francisco, California.PopSugar is the flagship site for the Sugar Network, which now includes nine additional sites.-Editors:...
positively reviewed the video, saying they loved the group's logo and walk in unison
Unison
In music, the word unison can be applied in more than one way. In general terms, it may refer to two notes sounding the same pitch, often but not always at the same time; or to the same musical voice being sounded by several voices or instruments together, either at the same pitch or at a distance...
. Following the release of the music video, Nadia Mendoza of The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
said that Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
better watch out because The Saturdays could steal their crown as sexiest girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
, further mentioning: "The fivesome are injecting some glamour back into the charts." Popjustice positively reviewed the music video, saying: "As well as being a nice video featuring some pretty ladies in colourful frocks, it's a brilliant piece of suggestive film making which clearly signposts several important factors for the viewer.
Live performances
To coincide with the release of "If This Is Love" the group begun touring the United Kingdom with girl group Girls AloudGirls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
on 3 May 2008 as a supporting act for their Tangled Up Tour
Tangled Up Tour
The Tangled Up Tour was the fourth concert tour third arena tour, by British pop group Girls Aloud, in support of the group's fourth studio album Tangled Up. The tour was initially announced to reach arenas across the United Kingdom in November 2007. The shows commenced in Belfast on 3 May 2008 and...
.
Prior to the tour, White mentioned: "We can't wait to get out and sing it in front of loads of people, it's going to be brilliant".
On 22 June 2008, The Saturdays performed on live television for the first time, on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
music television show The Nokia Green Room
The Nokia Green Room
The Nokia Green Room is a music TV show for Channel 4 in the UK.The show is sponsored by Nokia and their new music service Comes with Music...
. The group then performed "If This Love" 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...
s The Richard Arnold Show on 18 July 2008. 24 July 2008 saw the group perform "If This Is Love" on British lunchtime television programme Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
as part of the single's pre-release promotion. The band then performed the single on a children's television channel, Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (UK & Ireland)
Nickelodeon is a children's television channel available on Sky, Virgin Media, Smallworld Cable, TalkTalk TV and UPC Ireland in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including on demand on BT Vision. The channel was launched on 1 September 1993...
on 30 July 2008. In October 2008, the single was performed by the girls on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series, Sound
Sound (BBC TV series)
Sound was a weekly music, entertainment and chat show that broadcasted on BBC2 as part of the BBC Switch teen strand. It was presented by BBC Radio 1 DJs Annie Mac and Nick Grimshaw....
.
On 3 January 2009, the group performed the song along with "Up
Up (The Saturdays song)
"Up" is a song performed by British-Irish recording girl group The Saturdays from their debut studio album, Chasing Lights . It was co-written by the track's producers, Josef Larossi and Andreas Romdhane of Quiz & Larossi, in collaboration with Ina Wroldsen...
" and "Issues" at G-A-Y
G-A-Y
G-A-Y is a gay nightclub in London. It operated from the London Astoria music venue for 15 years until July 2008. The Boston Globe described it as "London's largest gay-themed club night", NME reported that it "attracts 6,000 clubbers each week", and The Independent described it as "the one London...
. The girls wore sequin
Sequin
Sequins are disk-shaped beads used for decorative purposes. They are available in a wide variety of colors and geometrical shapes. Sequins are commonly used on clothing, jewelry, bags, shoes and lots of other accessories. Large sequins, fastened only at the top, have been used on billboards and...
ed miniskirt
Miniskirt
A miniskirt, sometimes hyphenated as mini-skirt, is a skirt with a hemline well above the knees – generally no longer than below the buttocks; and a minidress is a dress with a similar meaning...
s and big hair
Big hair
thumb|[[Dolly Parton]] in 1983.Big hair is a term that can refer to hairstyles that emphasize large volume or largely styled hair, especially when those styles make the hair occupy a large amount of space above and around the head...
during the performance. The dance routine was described as "hot" by Larry Meyler of The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
, Meyler went on to say: "[...] if this live show and the crowd's raucous reaction was anything to go by, the feisty fivesome are taking a first class ride on the pop train to super stardom with no looking back."
"If This Is Love" featured as the opening performance in the group's first solo tour, The Work Tour
The Work Tour
The Work Tour is the debut headlining theatre tour by British girl group The Saturdays. The tour became the bands first headlining tour, but their second time actually touring, after they spent part of 2008 as support act for Girls Aloud on their Tangled Up Tour. The tour opened on 2 June 2009, and...
. They performed it at twenty-six different venues in the United Kingdom and The Philippines between June and August 2009. During their performance, the group wears matching black raincoat
Raincoat
A raincoat is a waterproof or water-resistant coat worn to protect the body from rain. The term rain jacket is sometimes used to refer to raincoats that are waist length. A rain jacket may be combined with a pair of rain pants to make a rain suit.Modern raincoats are often constructed of...
s. Catrin Pascoe of the Western Mail positively reviewed a performance of the song on the tour, mentioning: "[...] they got me up on my feet dancing and singing along. [...] for their biggest performance yet, the five girls did themselves proud, leaving me wishing they needed a sixth member." At another date of the tour, the performance of the song received a negative review from Rick Pearson of the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
: "'If This Is Love' was a nervy set-opener with the band looking and sounding unsure and exposed."
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of the major single releases of "If This Is Love":- CD Single
(1771961, Released: 28 July 2008)
- "If This Is Love" (Radio Edit) — 2:59
- "What Am I Gonna Do?" — 3:18
- Digital Single
(Released: 27 July 2008)
- "If This Is Love" — 3:24
- "What Am I Gonna Do?" — 3:18
- iTunes Single
(Released: 27 July 2008)
- "If This Is Love" — 3:24
- "If This Is Love" (Moto BlancoMoto BlancoMoto Blanco is an English DJ and electronic music duo consisting of Danny Harrison and Arthur Smith.They are also regularly joined by british record producer Jon Cohen.-History:...
Club Mix) — 7:45
Official versions
- "If This Is Love" (Radio Edit) — 2:59
- "If This Is Love" (Album Version) — 3:23
- "If This Is Love" (Moto BlancoMoto BlancoMoto Blanco is an English DJ and electronic music duo consisting of Danny Harrison and Arthur Smith.They are also regularly joined by british record producer Jon Cohen.-History:...
Radio Edit) — 3:38 - "If This Is Love (Coin Operated Boy Remix) — 5:18
- "If This Is Love" (Moto Blanco Dub) — 7:42
- "If This Is Love" (Moto Blanco Club Remix) — 7:45
Credits and personnel
- SongwritingSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
– Joe Belmaati, Vince ClarkeVince ClarkeVince Clarke is an English synthpop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been involved with a number of successful groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly and Erasure....
, Alison MoyetAlison MoyetAlison Moyet , is an English singer, songwriter and performer noted for her bluesy voice.Her UK album sales have reached a certified 2.3 million, with 800,000 singles sold, all in the UK, where all seven of her studio albums and three compilation albums have charted in the Top 40 UK Album Chart,...
, John Reid, RemeeRemeeRemee is a Danish producer, composer and song writer.-Career:Throughout his career Remee has written more than 60 hits around the world and has sold over 25 million records...
, Ina Wroldsen - ProductionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
– Joe Belmaati, CutfatherCutfatherMich Hedin Hansen better known by his stage name Cutfather is a Danish music producer and songwriter.-Career:He is perhaps best known for his remix of "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison , and the song "Superstar" released internationally by Jamelia in 2003.He has worked with Danish producer... - Instruments and programmingMusical instrumentA musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
– Joe Belmaati - RecordingSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
– Graham Archer - EngineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
– Joe Belmaati, Graham Archer - Main vocals – Una HealyUna HealyUna Theresa Imogene Healy is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician, best known for being one fifth of girl group The Saturdays...
, Mollie KingMollie KingMollie Elizabeth King is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known for being a member of girl group, The Saturdays. In the band, King has successfully enjoyed ten top-ten and five top-five singles on the UK Singles Chart and three top-ten albums on the UK Albums Chart...
, Frankie SandfordFrankie SandfordFrancesca "Frankie" Sandford is an English pop and R&B singer-songwriter and currently a member of girl group The Saturdays; under the record label of Fascination Records and Polydor Records. The band have had huge success, releasing eleven singles of which ten have charted inside the top 10 on...
, Vanessa WhiteVanessa WhiteVanessa Karen White is an English pop singer and songwriter. White was born to a Nigerian father and Spanish-Filipino mother. She rose to fame in 2008 as a member of English/Irish girl-group The Saturdays. She is the youngest member of the band. White is noted for her extensive vocal range.-Early...
, Rochelle WisemanRochelle WisemanRochelle Eulah Eileen Wiseman is an English singer, actress and television presenter. She is best known for her work in pop groups S Club 8 and The Saturdays... - Background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
– Mollie King, NabihaNabihaNabiha Bensouda is a Danish singer, songwriter and actress who has garnered international attention for her new single, “Deep Sleep”, a largely English-language song with a retro pop sound and a strong hook about just wanting to sleep.- Early life :...
, Vanessa White - MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
– Joe Belmaati - MasteringMaster recordingA multitrack recording master tape, disk or computer files on which productions are developed for later mixing, is known as the multi-track master, while the tape, disk or computer files holding a mix is called a mixed master.It is standard practice to make a copy of a master recording, known as...
– Dick Beetham
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|
Release history
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom Ireland |
27 July 2008 | Digital download Music download A 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... |
Fascination Records Fascination Records Fascination Records is a UK-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine... Polydor Records Polydor Records Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone... |
| 28 July 2008 | CD single |
External links
- "If This Is Love" - Music Video at The-Saturdays.Co.Uk.
- "If This Is Love" - Music Video - Behind the Scenes at TheSun.Co.UkThe Sun (newspaper)The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
. - "If This Is Love" - Song Lyrics at SongLyrics.Com.