Poison (Nicole Scherzinger song)
Encyclopedia
"Poison" is a song by American recording artist Nicole Scherzinger
, taken from her debut studio album, Killer Love
(2011). Released from October 25, 2010, it is the first single from the album. It was produced by RedOne
, BeatGeek and Jimmy Joker, and is distinctively different to Scherzinger's previous attempts at releasing solo material. "Poison" is backed with powerful synthesizers and a pulsing dance-pop
beat. It is one of several records produced by RedOne that will appear on Killer Love
. The single was released as a two-track digital download
and as a seven-track remixes extended play (EP)
.
"Poison" has received mostly positive reviews from most music critics who praised her new sound and the energy on the record but some criticized the song for being too generic. Scherzinger performed "Poison" live for the first time on seventh series
of The X Factor on November 28, 2010, to coincide with the song's UK release. Both the show's judges and studio audiences gave her a standing ovation, with the media later praising her energy, choreography and live vocals.
An accompanying music video, directed by Joseph Kahn
, sees Scherzinger take on the role of a female superhero and switches between a good-girl and bad-girl persona. It was noted for its similarities to another Kahn-directed video, "Toxic
" by Britney Spears
. "Poison" peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart
becoming Scherzinger's second most successful single as a solo artist, in addition to peaking at number seven in Ireland, where it also became one of her highest charting releases.
" (featuring T.I.
), "Baby Love
" (featuring will.i.am
), "Puakenikeni" (featuring Brick & Lace) and "Supervillain", but all failed to significantly impact on US charts. "Baby Love" was moderately successful reaching top-twenty in Europe. After a number of pushbacks the entire project was scrapped at the request of Scherzinger. She told X magazine: In May 2010, Rap-Up
reported that Scherzinger was relaunching her solo career with an "empowering" ballad called "Nobody Can Change Me". The song was recorded in a nighttime studio session while she was competing on season 10 of the U.S. reality competition, Dancing with the Stars
, and was mastered on May 23, 2010, ready for its premiere on Ryan Seacrest
's KIIS FM
radio show the following day. Idolator was unimpressed with the "treacly pop tune" saying that the lack of sexiness, "uninspiring message" and "squeaky vocals" did Scherzinger no favors. However Amos Barshad of New York magazine actually liked the song, stating that "there’s none of the Pussycat Doll’s forced sexiness here; instead, it sounds like something that could have just missed the final cut on a Kelly Clarkson
album (that is sort of supposed to be a compliment, yeah)."
Then in August 2010, Moroccan producer RedOne
was interviewed by the BBC
. In the interview he revealed he had been working on Scherzinger's album. "I just finished her album. Her last one never came out because it was collecting hamburgers, like fast food. One from McDonalds, one from Burger King, and so on. It tasted good, but it wasn't consistent. Her new record – people are really going to go crazy about it because it's the real her." Scherzinger's boyfriend Lewis Hamilton
selected "Poison" as the album's first single. It debuted on her official YouTube account on October 14, 2010, before being released in the UK on November 28, 2010.
song produced by RedOne
, BeatGeek and Jimmy Joker. It was written by Bilal Hajji, Kinda Hamid, Novel Jannusi, Achraf Jannusi, RedOne and Nicole Scherzinger in the musical key of A-minor. With a guitar
-driven melody, "Poison" uses a pulsating and toxic beat throughout, which is similar to that used in the Britney Spears
's song, "Toxic
". The lyrics were also compared to "Toxic" and said to have similar themes, according to BBC Music blogger, Fraser McAlpine. A reviewer from Rap-Up
spoke of the song's overall theme. "The lead Pussycat Doll has thoughts of using a deadly elixir on the dance floor, singing through a fuzzy filter over bombastic synthesizers." They described the song as a "toxic pop
gem". According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
, the song has a time signature
set in common time
, with a tempo
of 124 beats per minute. The melody is mainly composed with piano
and guitar
instruments.
song" was underwhelming. "We have to admit, we’re not bowled over by this one, which pretty much follows a standard, predictable dance-pop formula from the double shout-out at the start to the 'woosh'ing fade-out finish". However Bain also pointed out that current trends on the US Billboard Hot 100
were unpredictable, "then again, since when has the Hot 100 shyed away from generic pop tunes we’ve heard over and over again? This one could go either way, folks."
Fraser McAlpine of BBC Music stated that he thought the song was not as good as "Toxic" by Britney Spears, but was incredibly similar. After dubbing it a weaker version of "Toxic", he said, "And that just leaves us here with a song ['Poison'] which is all stomp and huff, a dramatic bang of a thing, which seeks to drag all the bad girls to the dancefloor so they can holler their evil intentions to into the faces of nervous men. It's a song which makes the most of Nicole's unwholesome sexiness – as opposed to wholesome, you understand, I'm not saying there's anything gross about her – and has drama and fury on its side." Nick Levine of Digital Spy
agreed saying that "Scherzinger has managed to bag herself a banger of an (ahem) debut single". He described the song's busy production as "having a whiff of the Berline "teknoklub" that is a "racket in the best possible way". Levine also praised Scherzinger for her conviction on the song, awarding it five out of five stars. He gave "Poison" a better reception than he awarded Scherzinger's previous attempt, "Baby Love
" (2007), which he only awarded three out of five stars, stating that it was the wrong single to launch the career of a world-class superstar.
of The X Factor, The Official Charts Company tipped "Poison" as a contender for number one on the UK Singles Chart
. Then on December 11, 2010, the single debuted at number one on the Scottish Singles Chart. Additionally "Poison" made its UK chart debut at number three with first-week sales of 67,425, thus becoming one of her most successful single in the UK, as a solo or featured artist. It also peaked at number two on the UK Digital Singles chart. In Ireland, the single debuted at number seven becoming her best charting single as a lead artist, but third best charting single if including singles as a featured artist or as part of the Pussycat Dolls
. "Poison" also charted at number nineteen on the Slovakian Airplay Chart.
for "Posion" was filmed over one day in an empty warehouse in Los Angeles
, with Joseph Khan serving as the director and Rich & Tone as the choreographers. the music video for "Poison" features Scherzinger "sporting a skintight ninja outfit as she dance-fights with baddies." The video's superhero theme has been compared to Kahn's "Toxic" video for Britney Spears.
motorcycle, with a streaking white and black background. Several shots of her bad-girl persona alone in a room with two prisoners are then shown. As the bridge begins, she is shown in her good-girl ego standing by a podium, talking to a group of reporters while waving her hands in the air. As the bridge ends, she brings her hands down, blowing back all of the reporters, who then begin dancing and pumping their arms to the song. The video moves to Scherzinger dancing with the police and prisoners before ending with her blowing away the two men who were in the room with her and walking away.
's Gil Kaufman called the video "slinky". Robbie Daw from Idolator, said that "[we were] unsure about [...] 'Poison' when it first surfaced. But now that it’s been fitted with a somewhat stylish Joseph Kahn video, it’s all sort of starting to fall into place. 'Poison' video is super hot trash on a budget. .. But giving people with this much guilty pleasure in four minutes is just plain priceless."
French magazine Musique Mag, said that "[...] varying scenes, and fighting against thugs become [a] frenzied choreography."
of The X Factor (UK). She wore a red catsuit
and long black trenchcoat for the performance. The Sun said "Scherzinger stole the show last night" with her display of "live vocals". The judges gave the performance a standing ovation. On the Xtra Factor following the live performances, Louis Walsh
and Simon Cowell
praised Scherzinger's performance, respectively calling it "one of the best live guest performances we've ever had" and "if you want an example of how you do it right... its Nicole. It was focus, performance, vocals...". The Daily Mail
followed suit, saying "Scherzinger put on a spectacle for her first live performance, complete with pyrotechnic lighting, full size cage and a stage full of scantily-clad dancers... The former guest judge brought the house down with her energetic routine". Elena Gorgan of Softpedia
agreed saying that Scherzinger wowed the "explosive" performance, earning her a standing ovation from the judges and audience. The following day, she reprised the performance on ITV
's breakfast show, Daybreak
before heading to London
's Westfield Shopping Centre
where she appeared on live screens to promote sports brand Reebok
. She stayed in the UK until December 5, 2010, promoting the single.
Credits adapted from Killer Love booklet liner notes.
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente Scherzinger is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, model, and actress. Scherzinger is perhaps best known for being the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls....
, taken from her debut studio album, Killer Love
Killer Love
Killer Love is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Nicole Scherzinger, former lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls. It was released from March 18, 2011 in international markets by Interscope Records, in association with its affiliated record labels...
(2011). Released from October 25, 2010, it is the first single from the album. It was produced by RedOne
RedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
, BeatGeek and Jimmy Joker, and is distinctively different to Scherzinger's previous attempts at releasing solo material. "Poison" is backed with powerful synthesizers and a pulsing 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...
beat. It is one of several records produced by RedOne that will appear on Killer Love
Killer Love
Killer Love is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Nicole Scherzinger, former lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls. It was released from March 18, 2011 in international markets by Interscope Records, in association with its affiliated record labels...
. The single was released as a two-track 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...
and as a seven-track remixes extended play (EP)
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
.
"Poison" has received mostly positive reviews from most music critics who praised her new sound and the energy on the record but some criticized the song for being too generic. Scherzinger performed "Poison" live for the first time on seventh series
The X Factor (UK series 7)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent; the winner of which receives a £1 million recording contract with the Syco Music record label. The seventh series started on ITV on 21 August 2010 and ended on 12 December 2010. The winner was Matt Cardle and...
of The X Factor on November 28, 2010, to coincide with the song's UK release. Both the show's judges and studio audiences gave her a standing ovation, with the media later praising her energy, choreography and live vocals.
An accompanying music video, directed by Joseph Kahn
Joseph Kahn
Joseph Kahn is an American music video, advertising, and feature film director.-Early life:Kahn was born in Jersey Village, Texas, a suburb of Houston. He is of Korean ancestry. He spent part of his childhood growing up in Livorno, Italy until his family moved to Texas...
, sees Scherzinger take on the role of a female superhero and switches between a good-girl and bad-girl persona. It was noted for its similarities to another Kahn-directed video, "Toxic
Toxic (song)
"Toxic" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, co-written and produced by Bloodshy & Avant, from her fourth album, In the Zone. It was released on January 12, 2004, by Jive Records as the second single from the album. After trying to choose between " Boom Boom" and "Outrageous" to...
" by Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
. "Poison" peaked at number three 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 ...
becoming Scherzinger's second most successful single as a solo artist, in addition to peaking at number seven in Ireland, where it also became one of her highest charting releases.
Background
In 2007 Scherzinger was planning to launch her debut album under the title Her Name is Nicole. It was preceded by the release of four singles: "Whatever U LikeWhatever U Like
"Whatever U Like" is a song by American recording artist Nicole Scherzinger. The song was written by Sean Garrett, Clifford Harris, Scherzinger, Jamal Jones, and was produced by Polow da Don with co-production by Garrett...
" (featuring T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
), "Baby Love
Baby Love (Nicole Scherzinger song)
"Baby Love" is a song by American recording artist Nicole Scherzinger. The song was written by Scherzinger, William Adams, Kara DioGuardi and Keith Harris, for Scherzinger's unreleased debut album, Her Name is Nicole. "Baby Love" was produced by will.i.am, who also provided guest vocals on the song...
" (featuring will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
), "Puakenikeni" (featuring Brick & Lace) and "Supervillain", but all failed to significantly impact on US charts. "Baby Love" was moderately successful reaching top-twenty in Europe. After a number of pushbacks the entire project was scrapped at the request of Scherzinger. She told X magazine: In May 2010, Rap-Up
Rap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
reported that Scherzinger was relaunching her solo career with an "empowering" ballad called "Nobody Can Change Me". The song was recorded in a nighttime studio session while she was competing on season 10 of the U.S. reality competition, Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 10)
Dancing with the Stars returned for a tenth season on March 22, 2010. There was not an elimination the first week of competition. The first elimination took place on March 30....
, and was mastered on May 23, 2010, ready for its premiere on Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
's KIIS FM
KIIS-FM
KIIS-FM is a Los Angeles, California, USA-based radio station with a partial Top 40 musical format. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications. KIIS is also simulcasted on KVVS in Rosamond, at 105.5 MHz...
radio show the following day. Idolator was unimpressed with the "treacly pop tune" saying that the lack of sexiness, "uninspiring message" and "squeaky vocals" did Scherzinger no favors. However Amos Barshad of New York magazine actually liked the song, stating that "there’s none of the Pussycat Doll’s forced sexiness here; instead, it sounds like something that could have just missed the final cut on a Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
album (that is sort of supposed to be a compliment, yeah)."
Then in August 2010, Moroccan producer RedOne
RedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
was interviewed by 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...
. In the interview he revealed he had been working on Scherzinger's album. "I just finished her album. Her last one never came out because it was collecting hamburgers, like fast food. One from McDonalds, one from Burger King, and so on. It tasted good, but it wasn't consistent. Her new record – people are really going to go crazy about it because it's the real her." Scherzinger's boyfriend Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire...
selected "Poison" as the album's first single. It debuted on her official YouTube account on October 14, 2010, before being released in the UK on November 28, 2010.
Composition
"Poison" is an up-tempo dance-popDance-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...
song produced by RedOne
RedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
, BeatGeek and Jimmy Joker. It was written by Bilal Hajji, Kinda Hamid, Novel Jannusi, Achraf Jannusi, RedOne and Nicole Scherzinger in the musical key of A-minor. With a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
-driven melody, "Poison" uses a pulsating and toxic beat throughout, which is similar to that used in the Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
's song, "Toxic
Toxic (song)
"Toxic" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, co-written and produced by Bloodshy & Avant, from her fourth album, In the Zone. It was released on January 12, 2004, by Jive Records as the second single from the album. After trying to choose between " Boom Boom" and "Outrageous" to...
". The lyrics were also compared to "Toxic" and said to have similar themes, according to BBC Music blogger, Fraser McAlpine. A reviewer from Rap-Up
Rap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
spoke of the song's overall theme. "The lead Pussycat Doll has thoughts of using a deadly elixir on the dance floor, singing through a fuzzy filter over bombastic synthesizers." They described the song as a "toxic pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
gem". According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing is a music publishing company co-owned by The Michael Jackson Family Trust and Sony. The organisation was originally founded as Associated TeleVision in 1955 by Lew Grade. In 1957, ATV acquired Pye Records as a wholly owned subsidiary...
, the song has a time signature
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....
set in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
, with a 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:...
of 124 beats per minute. The melody is mainly composed with piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
instruments.
Critical reception
Bridget Daley of Hollyscoop was impressed with the song saying, "It’s super beat, and now we understand what RedOne meant when he told Hollyscoop how much we were going to love Nicole’s 'new' sound!" However, Becky Bain of Idolator thought the "pulsating danceDance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
song" was underwhelming. "We have to admit, we’re not bowled over by this one, which pretty much follows a standard, predictable dance-pop formula from the double shout-out at the start to the 'woosh'ing fade-out finish". However Bain also pointed out that current trends on the US 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...
were unpredictable, "then again, since when has the Hot 100 shyed away from generic pop tunes we’ve heard over and over again? This one could go either way, folks."
Fraser McAlpine of BBC Music stated that he thought the song was not as good as "Toxic" by Britney Spears, but was incredibly similar. After dubbing it a weaker version of "Toxic", he said, "And that just leaves us here with a song ['Poison'] which is all stomp and huff, a dramatic bang of a thing, which seeks to drag all the bad girls to the dancefloor so they can holler their evil intentions to into the faces of nervous men. It's a song which makes the most of Nicole's unwholesome sexiness – as opposed to wholesome, you understand, I'm not saying there's anything gross about her – and has drama and fury on its side." 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....
agreed saying that "Scherzinger has managed to bag herself a banger of an (ahem) debut single". He described the song's busy production as "having a whiff of the Berline "teknoklub" that is a "racket in the best possible way". Levine also praised Scherzinger for her conviction on the song, awarding it five out of five stars. He gave "Poison" a better reception than he awarded Scherzinger's previous attempt, "Baby Love
Baby Love (Nicole Scherzinger song)
"Baby Love" is a song by American recording artist Nicole Scherzinger. The song was written by Scherzinger, William Adams, Kara DioGuardi and Keith Harris, for Scherzinger's unreleased debut album, Her Name is Nicole. "Baby Love" was produced by will.i.am, who also provided guest vocals on the song...
" (2007), which he only awarded three out of five stars, stating that it was the wrong single to launch the career of a world-class superstar.
Chart performance
Following Scherzinger's performance on series sevenThe X Factor (UK series 7)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent; the winner of which receives a £1 million recording contract with the Syco Music record label. The seventh series started on ITV on 21 August 2010 and ended on 12 December 2010. The winner was Matt Cardle and...
of The X Factor, The Official Charts Company tipped "Poison" as a contender for number one 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 ...
. Then on December 11, 2010, the single debuted at number one on the Scottish Singles Chart. Additionally "Poison" made its UK chart debut at number three with first-week sales of 67,425, thus becoming one of her most successful single in the UK, as a solo or featured artist. It also peaked at number two on the UK Digital Singles chart. In Ireland, the single debuted at number seven becoming her best charting single as a lead artist, but third best charting single if including singles as a featured artist or as part of the 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...
. "Poison" also charted at number nineteen on the Slovakian Airplay 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 "Posion" was filmed over one day in an empty warehouse in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, with Joseph Khan serving as the director and Rich & Tone as the choreographers. the music video for "Poison" features Scherzinger "sporting a skintight ninja outfit as she dance-fights with baddies." The video's superhero theme has been compared to Kahn's "Toxic" video for Britney Spears.
Synopsis
The video begins on a city sidewalk where Scherzinger walks into a telephone booth as several men in black suits pass by the booth. As Scherzinger begins to undress, the men stop to stare as she begins taking of her glasses and shaking her hair back. The video then moves to Scherzinger in a dress walking past four men mopping a floor to a supply closet where she enters and reappears moments later dressed in a black body suit with a cape. As the chorus begins, Scherzinger is shown fighting back-and-forth between jail prisoners dressed in striped suits and the police, changing from her bad-girl to good-girl egos. As the song progresses, Scherzinger is shown in a classic looking automobile and riding a BMWBMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
motorcycle, with a streaking white and black background. Several shots of her bad-girl persona alone in a room with two prisoners are then shown. As the bridge begins, she is shown in her good-girl ego standing by a podium, talking to a group of reporters while waving her hands in the air. As the bridge ends, she brings her hands down, blowing back all of the reporters, who then begin dancing and pumping their arms to the song. The video moves to Scherzinger dancing with the police and prisoners before ending with her blowing away the two men who were in the room with her and walking away.
Reception
MTVMTV
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 Gil Kaufman called the video "slinky". Robbie Daw from Idolator, said that "[we were] unsure about [...] 'Poison' when it first surfaced. But now that it’s been fitted with a somewhat stylish Joseph Kahn video, it’s all sort of starting to fall into place. 'Poison' video is super hot trash on a budget. .. But giving people with this much guilty pleasure in four minutes is just plain priceless."
French magazine Musique Mag, said that "[...] varying scenes, and fighting against thugs become [a] frenzied choreography."
Live performances
Scherzinger performed "Poison", live for the first time, on November 28, 2010, during the week eight results show on series sevenThe X Factor (UK series 7)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent; the winner of which receives a £1 million recording contract with the Syco Music record label. The seventh series started on ITV on 21 August 2010 and ended on 12 December 2010. The winner was Matt Cardle and...
of The X Factor (UK). She wore a red catsuit
Catsuit
A catsuit is a close-fitting one-piece garment that covers the torso and the legs, and frequently the arms. They are usually made from stretchable material, such as lycra, chiffon, spandex , leather, latex, PVC, or velour, and frequently close using a zipper at the front or back.Catsuits, which...
and long black trenchcoat for the performance. The Sun said "Scherzinger stole the show last night" with her display of "live vocals". The judges gave the performance a standing ovation. On the Xtra Factor following the live performances, Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
and Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
praised Scherzinger's performance, respectively calling it "one of the best live guest performances we've ever had" and "if you want an example of how you do it right... its Nicole. It was focus, performance, vocals...". The Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
followed suit, saying "Scherzinger put on a spectacle for her first live performance, complete with pyrotechnic lighting, full size cage and a stage full of scantily-clad dancers... The former guest judge brought the house down with her energetic routine". Elena Gorgan of Softpedia
Softpedia
Softpedia is an Internet web site that indexes information and provides software downloads. The site also covers major technology, science, health, and entertainment news from both external and in-house sources and provides software and game reviews. , it is one of the top 500 websites according to...
agreed saying that Scherzinger wowed the "explosive" performance, earning her a standing ovation from the judges and audience. The following day, she reprised the performance on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's breakfast show, Daybreak
Daybreak (ITV)
Daybreak is the weekday breakfast television programme on the British commercial ITV network that broadcasts on weekday mornings from 06:00 to 08:30 and is currently presented by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley from Monday to Thursday with Dan Lobb and Kate Garraway on Fridays...
before heading to 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...
's Westfield Shopping Centre
Westfield London
Westfield London is a shopping centre in White City in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The centre was developed by the Westfield Group at a cost of £1.6bn,...
where she appeared on live screens to promote sports brand Reebok
Reebok
Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
. She stayed in the UK until December 5, 2010, promoting the single.
Track listing
-
- Digital Download
- "Poison" (New Main Version) – 3:47
- "Poison" (Instrumental) – 3:47
-
- Poison – Remixes EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
(version 1)
- Poison – Remixes EP
- "Poison" (Alternate Radio Version) – 3:48
- "Poison" (CahillCahill (band)Cahill are a dance group, based in Liverpool, UK consisting of producers Anton Powers, Tim Condran and Scott Rosser. They are best known for their 2008 single, Trippin' On You, which features vocals from Nikki Belle.-Background:...
Club Mix) – 6:31 - "Poison" (Cahill Rockstar Dub Mix) – 6:32
- "Poison" (Dave AudéDave AudéDave Audé is a Grammy nominated producer, house DJ, and remixer. He has done production for musicians such as KoЯn, t.A.T.u., DJ Keoki, Barenaked Ladies, Faith No More, Cause and Effect, Hilary Duff, Wanessa, Ashley Tisdale, The Pussycat Dolls, Lady Gaga, Lunascape, Madonna, Britney Spears, CeCe...
Radio) – 3:51 - "Poison" (Dave Audé Venomous Club) – 7:51
- "Poison" (Guy Furious Monster Uptempo Remix) – 3:32
- "Poison" (Manufactured Superstars Vocal Remix) – 5:30
-
- Poison – Remixes EP (version 2)
- "Poison" (New Main Version) – 3:48
- "Poison" (Dave Audé Radio) – 3:51
- "Poison" (Glam As You Radio Mix) – 3:41
- "Poison" (Cahill Club / Main Edit) – 3:32
- "Poison" (Guy Furious Monster Uptempo Remix) – 3:32
- "Poison" (Manufactured Superstars Vocal Remix) – 5:30
- "Poison" (Dave Audé Venomous Club) – 7:51
- "Poison" (Glam As You Club Mix) – 6:44
- "Poison" (Cahill Club Mix) – 6:30
Credits and personnel
- Nicole Scherzinger – songwriterSongwriterA 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...
and vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - RedOneRedOneNadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
– songwriter, 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...
, 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...
, engineerAudio 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...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, instrumentsMusical 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...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
and vocal arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents... - Bilal Hajji – songwriter
- BeatGeek – songwriter, producer, instruments and programming
- AJ Junior – songwriter and vocal editing
- Kinda "Kee" Hamid – songwriter
- Jimmy Joker – co-producer and vocal editing
- Trevor Muzzy – recording, engineer, guitar and vocal editing
- Robert Orton – audio 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...
- Chris Gehringer – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
Credits adapted from Killer Love booklet liner notes.
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | October 25, 2010 | Digital single 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... |
Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
| Brazil | November 11, 2010 | ||
| Ireland | November 25, 2010 | Digital Remixes EP Extended play An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact... (version 1) |
|
| November 26, 2010 | Digital single | ||
| United Kingdom | November 28, 2010 | Digital single, Digital Remixes EP (version 1) | 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... |
| Norway | November 29, 2010 | Digital single | Universal Music |
| France | December 10, 2010 | ||
| December 13, 2010 | Digital Remixes EP (version 1) | ||
| Netherlands | December 17, 2010 | Digital single | |
| France | January 3, 2011 | Digital Remixes EP (version 2) | |
| Germany | January 28, 2011 | Digital single | |
| March 4, 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... |