Now I'm That Bitch
Encyclopedia
"Now I'm That Bitch" is a song by Barbadian British
singer-songwriter Livvi Franc
, featuring guest vocals from rapper Pitbull
. The song was written and produced by Salaam Gibbs
, while additional writing was done by Olivia Waithe
and Armando Pérez
. It was released as Franc's debut single on June 13, 2009 by Jive Records
. "Now I'm That Bitch" received mixed reviews from contemporary critics, who considered it as an empowering anthem, despite criticizing its composition.
"Now I'm That Bitch" achieve moderate success, reaching number twenty-four in New Zealand
and forty in the United Kingdom
. In the United States, the song failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number forteen on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
; however, it reached number one on Billboard
s Hot Dance Club Songs. An accompanying music video was directed by Sarah Chatfield, and portrays Franc singing and dancing to the song along with female and male dancers. The music video was compared to the one of Rachel Stevens
' "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
" (2003).
, while additional writing was done by Olivia Waithe
and Armando Pérez
. Franc considered the song "very personal for me - because it really represents who I am." She also commented that "everyone has different meanings for the word 'bitch'. And for me I really wanted to reclaim it and make it something empowering - as in 'Babe In Total Control of Herself'! You know, it's all about being in control and knowing what you want. And the story behind the song relates to when I was younger, and I was a lot quieter and less confident." The song was released as Franc's debut single on June 19, 2009. A digital EP titled Now I'm That...Remixes was released on June 23, 2009, while a physical edition featuring different remixes was also released. Following its release as a single, "Now I'm That Bitch" was featured on the fifth season of MTV
's The Hills
, during a scene where Kristin Cavallari
tells Jayde off and leaves the restaurant.
review considered the song as "an empowering anthem in which the singer claims 'bitch' to be an acronym for 'being in total control of herself'", while commenting Franc sings the lines "You were too fly then, so fly away now" with "an agressive, feisty vocal". Pitbull's verses were also praised, being considered as "forceful and energetic rhymes". Nick Levine of Digital Spy
gave the song a mixed review, commenting that "calling your debut single 'Now I'm That Bitch' is a crass but effective way for a pop starlet to grab our attention - even if she proceeds to cushion the blow by claiming it's an acronym for 'Being In Total Control Of Herself', and even if 'Bitch' has to become 'Chick for the purposes of daytime radio." However, Levine noted "the track itself doesn't quite live up to its risqué title", describing its lyrics as "sassy enough" and its composition as "a fairly standard slab of electro-R&B complete with box-ticking cameo from Pitbull. Aside from the cuss word, the only intrigue comes from trying to work out whether Franc actually sings 'I'm not a bender' on the second verse." Pip Ellwood of Entertainment Focus said "Now I’m That Bitch" "isn’t a good single. Livvi Franc is not the next big thing", while describing the song basically as a "modern R&B/pop by numbers. Take Rihanna
’s vocal (with a less able singer), steal Rachel Stevens
' 'Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
' video and put in some awful lyrics and apparently you have a pop smash."
, the song debuted at number forty, and stayed on the UK Singles Chart
for three weeks. In the United States, "Now I'm That Bitch" reached number one on Billboard
s Hot Dance Club Songs on the dated week of July 11, 2009; it failed, however, to enter the Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at number fourteen on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
.
, on the week of July 16, 2009. It starts with Pitbull rapping the song's intro, followed by Franc being joined by two girls dancing. As the chorus starts, she is seen dancing in a revealing black catsuit reeling in two men with a red silk rope like scarf. The following scenes includes Franc lying on top of men placed together as a chair, singing in a metallic silver and black mini dress with sunglasses; dancing while reeling in and pushing their men away; with two long yellow cloths covering her nude body and is also seen moving around on red silk.
The music video was released on August 10, 2009 on MTV
, and has been compared to the one of Rachel Stevens
' "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
" (2003). A second version titled "Now I'm That Chick Part II" features a censored version of the song, replacing the word "bitch" with "chick", and also removing Pitbull's verses and scenes. This version was released on Franc's VEVO
on March 22, 2011.
Barbadian British
Barbadian British people, or Bajan-Brits are citizens or residents of the United Kingdom whose ethnic origins lie fully or partially in the Caribbean island of Barbados...
singer-songwriter Livvi Franc
Livvi Franc
Olivia Charlotte Waithe , better known by her stage name Livvi Franc, is an Barbadian British singer-songwriter.- Life and career :Franc was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England to an English mother and a Bajan father...
, featuring guest vocals from rapper Pitbull
Pitbull (rapper)
Armando Christian Pérez , better known by his stage name Pitbull, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. His first recorded performance was from the Lil Jon album Kings of Crunk in 2002, after which he released his debut album in 2004 titled M.I.A.M.I. under TVT Records...
. The song was written and produced by Salaam Gibbs
Salaam Remi
Salaam Remi Gibbs, better known as Salaam Remi, is a hip hop producer and keyboard player, known for his association with Nas, Amy Winehouse, and his reggae-tinged approach to production...
, while additional writing was done by Olivia Waithe
Livvi Franc
Olivia Charlotte Waithe , better known by her stage name Livvi Franc, is an Barbadian British singer-songwriter.- Life and career :Franc was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England to an English mother and a Bajan father...
and Armando Pérez
Pitbull (rapper)
Armando Christian Pérez , better known by his stage name Pitbull, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. His first recorded performance was from the Lil Jon album Kings of Crunk in 2002, after which he released his debut album in 2004 titled M.I.A.M.I. under TVT Records...
. It was released as Franc's debut single on June 13, 2009 by Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
. "Now I'm That Bitch" received mixed reviews from contemporary critics, who considered it as an empowering anthem, despite criticizing its composition.
"Now I'm That Bitch" achieve moderate success, reaching number twenty-four in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and forty in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In the United States, the song failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at number forteen on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
; however, it reached number one on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Hot Dance Club Songs. An accompanying music video was directed by Sarah Chatfield, and portrays Franc singing and dancing to the song along with female and male dancers. The music video was compared to the one of 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...
' "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
"Sweet Dreams My LA Ex" is the debut single by English singer-songwriter Rachel Stevens. It was released on 15 September 2003 as lead single from her debut solo album Funky Dory. Originally written for Britney Spears, the song was produced by Swedish Bloodshy & Avant, and received a mixed reception...
" (2003).
Background
"Now I'm That Bitch" was written and produced by Salaam GibbsSalaam Remi
Salaam Remi Gibbs, better known as Salaam Remi, is a hip hop producer and keyboard player, known for his association with Nas, Amy Winehouse, and his reggae-tinged approach to production...
, while additional writing was done by Olivia Waithe
Livvi Franc
Olivia Charlotte Waithe , better known by her stage name Livvi Franc, is an Barbadian British singer-songwriter.- Life and career :Franc was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England to an English mother and a Bajan father...
and Armando Pérez
Pitbull (rapper)
Armando Christian Pérez , better known by his stage name Pitbull, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer. His first recorded performance was from the Lil Jon album Kings of Crunk in 2002, after which he released his debut album in 2004 titled M.I.A.M.I. under TVT Records...
. Franc considered the song "very personal for me - because it really represents who I am." She also commented that "everyone has different meanings for the word 'bitch'. And for me I really wanted to reclaim it and make it something empowering - as in 'Babe In Total Control of Herself'! You know, it's all about being in control and knowing what you want. And the story behind the song relates to when I was younger, and I was a lot quieter and less confident." The song was released as Franc's debut single on June 19, 2009. A digital EP titled Now I'm That...Remixes was released on June 23, 2009, while a physical edition featuring different remixes was also released. Following its release as a single, "Now I'm That Bitch" was featured on the fifth season of MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's The Hills
The Hills
The Hills is a reality television series which originally aired on MTV from May 31, 2006 until July 13, 2010. The show uses a reality television format, following the personal lives of several young adults living in Los Angeles, California, but tends towards a narrative format more commonly found...
, during a scene where Kristin Cavallari
Kristin Cavallari
Kristin Elizabeth Cavallari is an American television personality and actress. She is best known for her starring roles on the former MTV reality television programs Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and its spin-off, The Hills.-Early life:Cavallari was born in Denver, Colorado, the second of...
tells Jayde off and leaves the restaurant.
Critical response
"Now I'm That Bitch" received mixed reviews from contemporary critics. A BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
review considered the song as "an empowering anthem in which the singer claims 'bitch' to be an acronym for 'being in total control of herself'", while commenting Franc sings the lines "You were too fly then, so fly away now" with "an agressive, feisty vocal". Pitbull's verses were also praised, being considered as "forceful and energetic rhymes". 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....
gave the song a mixed review, commenting that "calling your debut single 'Now I'm That Bitch' is a crass but effective way for a pop starlet to grab our attention - even if she proceeds to cushion the blow by claiming it's an acronym for 'Being In Total Control Of Herself', and even if 'Bitch' has to become 'Chick for the purposes of daytime radio." However, Levine noted "the track itself doesn't quite live up to its risqué title", describing its lyrics as "sassy enough" and its composition as "a fairly standard slab of electro-R&B complete with box-ticking cameo from Pitbull. Aside from the cuss word, the only intrigue comes from trying to work out whether Franc actually sings 'I'm not a bender' on the second verse." Pip Ellwood of Entertainment Focus said "Now I’m That Bitch" "isn’t a good single. Livvi Franc is not the next big thing", while describing the song basically as a "modern R&B/pop by numbers. Take Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
’s vocal (with a less able singer), steal 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...
' 'Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
"Sweet Dreams My LA Ex" is the debut single by English singer-songwriter Rachel Stevens. It was released on 15 September 2003 as lead single from her debut solo album Funky Dory. Originally written for Britney Spears, the song was produced by Swedish Bloodshy & Avant, and received a mixed reception...
' video and put in some awful lyrics and apparently you have a pop smash."
Chart performance
On the dated week of September 14, 2009, "Now I'm That Bitch" debuted at number thirty on the New Zealand Singles Chart. After six weeks, the song reached number twenty-four, its highest peak on the chart. In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the song debuted at number forty, and stayed 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 ...
for three weeks. In the United States, "Now I'm That Bitch" reached number one on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Hot Dance Club Songs on the dated week of July 11, 2009; it failed, however, to enter the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at number fourteen on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
.
Music video
The music video for "Now I'm That Bitch" was directed by Sarah Chatfield in Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, on the week of July 16, 2009. It starts with Pitbull rapping the song's intro, followed by Franc being joined by two girls dancing. As the chorus starts, she is seen dancing in a revealing black catsuit reeling in two men with a red silk rope like scarf. The following scenes includes Franc lying on top of men placed together as a chair, singing in a metallic silver and black mini dress with sunglasses; dancing while reeling in and pushing their men away; with two long yellow cloths covering her nude body and is also seen moving around on red silk.
The music video was released on August 10, 2009 on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, and has been compared to the one of 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...
' "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
"Sweet Dreams My LA Ex" is the debut single by English singer-songwriter Rachel Stevens. It was released on 15 September 2003 as lead single from her debut solo album Funky Dory. Originally written for Britney Spears, the song was produced by Swedish Bloodshy & Avant, and received a mixed reception...
" (2003). A second version titled "Now I'm That Chick Part II" features a censored version of the song, replacing the word "bitch" with "chick", and also removing Pitbull's verses and scenes. This version was released on Franc's VEVO
Vevo
Vevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...
on March 22, 2011.
Track listings
- Digital download
- "Now I'm That Bitch" – 3:44
- Digital EP
- "Now I'm That Bitch Part II" [Jason Nevins Club] – 6:35
- "Now I'm That Chick Part II" [Kaskade Radio] – 3:34
- "Now I'm That Bitch Part II" [DiscoTech Remix] – 4:17
- "Now I'm That Chick Part II" [Sam Sparro Remix] – 4:25
- CD single
- "Now I'm That Bitch" [Kaskade Mix Extended] – 6:06
- "Now I'm That Bitch" [Jason Nevins Club] – 6:35
- "Now I'm That Bitch" [Sam Sparro Remix] – 4:24
- "Now I'm That Bitch" [DiscoTech Remix] – 4:17
- "Now I'm That Bitch" [Mike Rizzo Funk Generation Club Mix] – 7:30
- "Now I'm That Bitch" [Serafin Remix] – 3:30
Credits and personnel
Credits for "Now I'm That Bitch" are adapted from the single's liner notes.- Livvi FrancLivvi FrancOlivia Charlotte Waithe , better known by her stage name Livvi Franc, is an Barbadian British singer-songwriter.- Life and career :Franc was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England to an English mother and a Bajan father...
– songwriting, lead vocals, background vocals - Salaam RemiSalaam RemiSalaam Remi Gibbs, better known as Salaam Remi, is a hip hop producer and keyboard player, known for his association with Nas, Amy Winehouse, and his reggae-tinged approach to production...
– producerRecord 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...
, keyboards, drums, vocal arrangement - Staybent Krunk-A-Delic – keyboards
- John Hanes – audio engineering
- Tim Roberts – audio engineering
- Tom Coyne – audio mastering
- Serban GheneaSerban GheneaSerban Ghenea is a four-time Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy Award-winning mixer. He has mixed songs for such artists as Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Jewel, Santana, Ozomatli, Shakira, Jill Scott, R. Kelly, Rod Stewart, and Dave Matthews Band...
– audio mixing - Franklin "Emmanuel" Socorro – vocal recording
- Gleyder "Gee" Disla – vocal recording
Weekly charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
24 |
| 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 ... |
40 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
14 |
| US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
1 |