Invincible (Tinie Tempah song)
Encyclopedia
"Invincible" is a song by English rapper Tinie Tempah
. Written by Tempah, co-written and produced by iShi, the song features guest vocals from American recording artist, Kelly Rowland
. It was released on 26 December 2010, serving as the fourth official single from Tempah's debut album, Disc-Overy
. The song was conceived by Tempah as a tribute to the music which Rowland used to release when she was part of Destiny's Child
. Critics noted the song's production, which consists of brassy horns and a piano riff, is similar to Rowland's most successful UK single "When Love Takes Over
", a collaboration with David Guetta
. An accompanying music video sees Tempah travelling through London
reminiscing about his humble beginnings. Rowland appears as a projected image on the buildings.
, and produced by iSHi. It features American recording artist Kelly Rowland
. Jon O'Brien from Allmusic noted that the song's "huge piano riffs" were similar to those on "When Love Takes Over
", a collaboration between Rowland and David Guetta
. Robert Copsey of Digital Spy
describes the composition as "a suitably bump n' grind-able beat & brassy horns." Tempah revealed that the track was a tribute to Rowland's time in Destinys Child, "music he grew up listening to". Rowland commented on working with Tinie: "I just love Tinie. What I really like is that he’s himself and not trying to be anyone else – people respect that."
said "Invincible" was one of two low points on the album. Malone said "it only features Kelly Rowland warbling happily while Tinie takes care of the rest. The astonishing thing is that on any other record, this low point would have been a stand-out track. With Tinie, only the best will do." Josh Holliday from Virgin Media
was also not impressed with the song saying that "whilst the Kelly Rowland collab 'Invincible', comes across as a schmaltz-sodden 'Empire State of Mind
' take, were Jay-Z
and Alicia Keys
gazing longingly into one another's pupils, serenading spurned love between the two hip hop behemoths instead of an ode addressing the very city whose sky is diurnally pierced by the very skyscraper that embellishes the Disc-Overy
artwork." Robert Copsey from Digital Spy
gave the song a mixed review saying "in truth we're inclined to side with his label on this one. Lyrics about the 'highest mountains' and 'driest deserts' backed by a lighter-than-air trance riff might be reminiscent of the girls in album track mode back in 2001, but after his forward-looking recent d'n'b-cum-electropop efforts, we'll take the 2010 Tinie any day. owever Alex Petridis from The Guardian
said Rowland's vocal performance made it seem as if she was "busting a gut". Fraser McAlpine from BBC Chart Blog said "[Invincible] is song in which Tinie takes the time to consider where he has come from and what he has achieved, through the lens of a relationship, so that Kelly has something to sing about. It is this lens which separates this song from a LOT of other hip hop songs. And to be fair, he really has come a long way in a very short time, so it's probably fair comment. His aunt's house must be FULL of clothes by now".
debut at number fifty-seven on October 16, 2010, the same week that Tempah's album, Disc-Overy
hit debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart
. Rowland's own single "Forever and a Day
" also made its chart debut that same week, opening at number forty-nine. "Invincible" was one of five songs from Tempah to chart during his album's release week, the others being "Written in the Stars
" (number three), "Pass Out
" (number forty-three), "Wonderman" (number forty-five) and "Frisky
" (number fifty). The single also made its R&B Singles Chart
debut at number twenty. "Invincible" would only remain in the Singles chart for another week before dropping out. However upon confirmation of its release as a single, "Invincible" returned to the singles chart at number sixty-four. It has since peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart and number four on the UK R&B Chart. To date it is Tempah's lowest charting UK single, missing out on a top-three chart position as his previous three singles from Disc-Overy achieved. It also peaked at number eighteen in Ireland, making it Tempah's lowest charting single in Ireland. In contrast, it is Rowland's highest charting single since June 2010 when she reached number nine with "Commander
", and beat Rowland's previous single "Forever and a Day" which only managed to reach number forty-nine.
the same day, but the video date shows December 6. It shows Tinie Tempah
rapping in a sequined suit. Scenes of him performing at St. Paul's Academy where he studied, with Reggie Yates
on BBC Radio 1
when "Pass Out" went to number 1, clips from "Frisky
" and "Written in the Stars
" and other memories are all shown – which some are shown playing on the side of buildings. Kelly Rowland
is in a science lab coat and a pretty red glittery
dress and is also seen on the side of buildings too.
UK Promo CD Single
Tinie Tempah
Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu , better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He made his first mixtape in 2007 with 28 songs, freestyles and remixes, the album features Mz Bratt, Chipmunk and G-Unit...
. Written by Tempah, co-written and produced by iShi, the song features guest vocals from American recording artist, Kelly Rowland
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...
. It was released on 26 December 2010, serving as the fourth official single from Tempah's debut album, Disc-Overy
Disc-Overy
Upon its release, Disc-Overy received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 71, based on 16 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".-Track...
. The song was conceived by Tempah as a tribute to the music which Rowland used to release when she was part of 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...
. Critics noted the song's production, which consists of brassy horns and a piano riff, is similar to Rowland's most successful UK single "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...
", a collaboration with 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...
. An accompanying music video sees Tempah travelling through London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
reminiscing about his humble beginnings. Rowland appears as a projected image on the buildings.
Composition
"Invincible" was written by Eshraque "iSHi" Mughal and Patrick OkogwuTinie Tempah
Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu , better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He made his first mixtape in 2007 with 28 songs, freestyles and remixes, the album features Mz Bratt, Chipmunk and G-Unit...
, and produced by iSHi. It features American recording artist Kelly Rowland
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...
. Jon O'Brien from Allmusic noted that the song's "huge piano riffs" were similar to those on "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...
", a collaboration between Rowland and 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...
. Robert Copsey 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....
describes the composition as "a suitably bump n' grind-able beat & brassy horns." Tempah revealed that the track was a tribute to Rowland's time in Destinys Child, "music he grew up listening to". Rowland commented on working with Tinie: "I just love Tinie. What I really like is that he’s himself and not trying to be anyone else – people respect that."
Critical reception
"Invincible" received mixed reviews from critics. Ailbhe Malone from NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
said "Invincible" was one of two low points on the album. Malone said "it only features Kelly Rowland warbling happily while Tinie takes care of the rest. The astonishing thing is that on any other record, this low point would have been a stand-out track. With Tinie, only the best will do." Josh Holliday from 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...
was also not impressed with the song saying that "whilst the Kelly Rowland collab 'Invincible', comes across as a schmaltz-sodden 'Empire State of Mind
Empire State of Mind
"Empire State of Mind" is a song by American rapper and hip hop artist Jay-Z, featuring vocals and a chorus from R&B and soul singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the third single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 by his Roc Nation label in October 2009...
' take, were Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
gazing longingly into one another's pupils, serenading spurned love between the two hip hop behemoths instead of an ode addressing the very city whose sky is diurnally pierced by the very skyscraper that embellishes the Disc-Overy
Disc-Overy
Upon its release, Disc-Overy received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 71, based on 16 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".-Track...
artwork." Robert Copsey from 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....
gave the song a mixed review saying "in truth we're inclined to side with his label on this one. Lyrics about the 'highest mountains' and 'driest deserts' backed by a lighter-than-air trance riff might be reminiscent of the girls in album track mode back in 2001, but after his forward-looking recent d'n'b-cum-electropop efforts, we'll take the 2010 Tinie any day. owever Alex Petridis from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
said Rowland's vocal performance made it seem as if she was "busting a gut". Fraser McAlpine from BBC Chart Blog said "[Invincible] is song in which Tinie takes the time to consider where he has come from and what he has achieved, through the lens of a relationship, so that Kelly has something to sing about. It is this lens which separates this song from a LOT of other hip hop songs. And to be fair, he really has come a long way in a very short time, so it's probably fair comment. His aunt's house must be FULL of clothes by now".
Chart performance
"Invincible" made its 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 ...
debut at number fifty-seven on October 16, 2010, the same week that Tempah's album, Disc-Overy
Disc-Overy
Upon its release, Disc-Overy received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 71, based on 16 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".-Track...
hit debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. Rowland's own single "Forever and a Day
Forever and a Day (Kelly Rowland song)
"Forever and a Day" is a song by American recording artist Kelly Rowland. Written by Rowland, Andre Merritt, Samual Watters, and Jonas Jeberg, the uptempo Europop song is the second international single taken from her third studio album, Here I Am...
" also made its chart debut that same week, opening at number forty-nine. "Invincible" was one of five songs from Tempah to chart during his album's release week, the others being "Written in the Stars
Written in the Stars (Tinie Tempah song)
"Written in the Stars" is the third single by English rapper Tinie Tempah, featuring American singer Eric Turner. Unlike his two prior breakthrough singles which were produced by Labrinth, the track instead features production by iSHi. It was released in September 2010 through Parlophone records,...
" (number three), "Pass Out
Pass Out (Tinie Tempah song)
"Pass Out" is the debut single of English rapper Tinie Tempah. It is the first single from his debut album Disc-Overy and his debut single on Parlophone. The song was a digital-only release and was available to download in the United Kingdom on 28 February 2010. Producer and writer Labrinth...
" (number forty-three), "Wonderman" (number forty-five) and "Frisky
Frisky (song)
"Frisky" is the second single by English rapper, Tinie Tempah and features the English long-time collaborator, producer and writer Labrinth. It was released on June 7, 2010 via Parlophone records. It was released exclusively on iTunes...
" (number fifty). The single also made its R&B Singles Chart
UK R&B Chart
The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...
debut at number twenty. "Invincible" would only remain in the Singles chart for another week before dropping out. However upon confirmation of its release as a single, "Invincible" returned to the singles chart at number sixty-four. It has since peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart and number four on the UK R&B Chart. To date it is Tempah's lowest charting UK single, missing out on a top-three chart position as his previous three singles from Disc-Overy achieved. It also peaked at number eighteen in Ireland, making it Tempah's lowest charting single in Ireland. In contrast, it is Rowland's highest charting single since June 2010 when she reached number nine with "Commander
Commander (song)
"Commander" is a song performed by American recording artist Kelly Rowland from her third studio album, Here I Am . It serves as the project's international lead single and her debut release with Universal Motown...
", and beat Rowland's previous single "Forever and a Day" which only managed to reach number forty-nine.
Music video
The music video was directed by Colin Tilley and premiered on Kiss TV on 7 December 2010 at 1pm. It was then uploaded to YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
the same day, but the video date shows December 6. It shows Tinie Tempah
Tinie Tempah
Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu , better known by his stage name Tinie Tempah, is a British rapper. He made his first mixtape in 2007 with 28 songs, freestyles and remixes, the album features Mz Bratt, Chipmunk and G-Unit...
rapping in a sequined suit. Scenes of him performing at St. Paul's Academy where he studied, with Reggie Yates
Reggie Yates
Reginald "Reggie" Yates is a British actor, television presenter and radio DJ of Ghanaian descent. He went to Central Foundation Boys' School.-Early career:...
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...
when "Pass Out" went to number 1, clips from "Frisky
Frisky (song)
"Frisky" is the second single by English rapper, Tinie Tempah and features the English long-time collaborator, producer and writer Labrinth. It was released on June 7, 2010 via Parlophone records. It was released exclusively on iTunes...
" and "Written in the Stars
Written in the Stars (Tinie Tempah song)
"Written in the Stars" is the third single by English rapper Tinie Tempah, featuring American singer Eric Turner. Unlike his two prior breakthrough singles which were produced by Labrinth, the track instead features production by iSHi. It was released in September 2010 through Parlophone records,...
" and other memories are all shown – which some are shown playing on the side of buildings. Kelly Rowland
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...
is in a science lab coat and a pretty red glittery
Glitter
Glitter describes an assortment of very small pieces of copolymer plastics, aluminum foil, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, bismuth oxychloride or other materials painted in metallic, neon and iridescent colors to reflect light in a sparkling spectrum...
dress and is also seen on the side of buildings too.
Track listing
UK Digital Download / German CD Single- "Invincible" – 3:21
- "Invincible" (Acoustic) – 3:21
- "Invincible" (Instrumental) – 3:20
UK Promo CD Single
- "Invincible" – 3:21
- "Invincible" (Instrumental) – 3:20
Charts
| Chart (2010–11) | 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... ) |
38 |
| Australia (ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... Urban Singles) |
14 |
| Germany (Media Control AG Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... ) |
39 |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | RIANZ | Gold |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 27 December 2010 | 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... |
Parlophone Parlophone Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which... |
| United Kingdom | |||
| Germany | 11 February 2011 | 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... |