The Silence (song)
Encyclopedia
"The Silence" is a the sixth single
from English recording artist Alexandra Burke
's debut studio album
Overcome
. It was written by RedOne, Bilal Hajji, and Savan Kotecha and produced by RedOne, who co-wrote and produced her previous singles "Broken Heels
" and "Start Without You
".
The song is a pop ballad, which lyrically speaks about being in a difficult relationship where one does not know what their partner is thinking, and wants them to admit their feelings. For the song's release as a single, the song was remixed and given new instruments and new adlibs. The single was released on 6 December 2010 as a digital download. Burke performed the song notably a number of times including on The Paul O'Grady Show
a year before its release in 2009 and The X Factor
and in December 2010.
", however the release was scrapped for unknown reasons and "All Night Long
" was released as the album's third single. Burke has already recorded the music video for "The Silence" but was put on hold as she said it 'would' be released at some point, and the singles art work cover, was put on hold, although it was leaked onto the Internet.
on The Paul O'Grady Show. According to the singer, the song was inspired by her auntie's relationship with her boyfriend. Burke said on the show, "My auntie was going through that situation and she came over to L.A. to spend some time with me and get away from her fella etc. And she was telling me about her situation and [...] why does he let the silence do the talking? Why doesn't he let you know how he feels? And then this song came about". "The Silence" is an midtempo ballad pop song, with a length of four minutes and one second, penned by Nadir Khayat, Bilal Hajji, Savan Kotecha.
on 31 October 2009 at #95, due to a performance on The Paul O'Grady Show
. The song remained on the UK Singles Chart for one week, before dropping out a week later. The song then re-entered the UK singles chart in December 2010 at number 16.
. Burke also performed the song for the first time as an official single at the Metro Radio Live 2010 Concert in Newcastle (30 November) & the Jingle Bell Ball
at the Manchester Evening News Arena
on December 1, 2010, as well as various other Jingle Bell Ball locations. Burke also appeared on The X Factor
on December 5, 2010, to perform the song, where she used wires to levitate at the end of the performance whilst having people suspended in mid-air for props, she also had three violinists playing upside-down whilst her singing and levitating. She also appeared on The Alan Titchmarsh Show
on December 14, 2010.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from English recording artist Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Burke
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is a British R&B and pop recording artist who rose to fame after winning the fifth series of British television series The X Factor in 2008...
's debut studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
Overcome
Overcome (Alexandra Burke album)
Overcome is the debut studio album by British pop/R&B singer Alexandra Burke, released October 19, 2009 on Syco Music. The release of the album came a year after Burke won the British talent show, The X Factor, with the recording process taking place between 2008 and 2009...
. It was written by RedOne, Bilal Hajji, and Savan Kotecha and produced by RedOne, who co-wrote and produced her previous singles "Broken Heels
Broken Heels
"Broken Heels" is a song performed by British R&B/pop singer Alexandra Burke, released as the second single from her debut album, Overcome...
" and "Start Without You
Start Without You
"Start Without You" is a song by British recording artist Alexandra Burke. Featuring vocals from Jamaican American reggae rapper Laza Morgan, it was written by Kristian Lundin, Savan Kotecha, Julian Bunetta, and RedOne. The song is a pop song, which incorporates reggae fusion and dancehall....
".
The song is a pop ballad, which lyrically speaks about being in a difficult relationship where one does not know what their partner is thinking, and wants them to admit their feelings. For the song's release as a single, the song was remixed and given new instruments and new adlibs. The single was released on 6 December 2010 as a digital download. Burke performed the song notably a number of times including on The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...
a year before its release in 2009 and The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
and in December 2010.
Background
"The Silence" was originally due to be released after the release of "Broken HeelsBroken Heels
"Broken Heels" is a song performed by British R&B/pop singer Alexandra Burke, released as the second single from her debut album, Overcome...
", however the release was scrapped for unknown reasons and "All Night Long
All Night Long (Alexandra Burke song)
"All Night Long" is an uptempo song performed by British pop/R&B singer Alexandra Burke taken from her debut studio album, Overcome . The song was written and produced by production team, The Runaways...
" was released as the album's third single. Burke has already recorded the music video for "The Silence" but was put on hold as she said it 'would' be released at some point, and the singles art work cover, was put on hold, although it was leaked onto the Internet.
Writing and composition
Burke herself described the song as "one of her favourite songs on Overcome" during an interview with Peter AndrePeter André
Peter James Andrea , better known by the stage name as Peter Andre, is an English-born Australian musician, singer-songwriter, television personality and businessman. As a recording artist, he has achieving four top 10 UK albums and ten top 10 singles.-Early life:Andre was born at Northwick Park...
on The Paul O'Grady Show. According to the singer, the song was inspired by her auntie's relationship with her boyfriend. Burke said on the show, "My auntie was going through that situation and she came over to L.A. to spend some time with me and get away from her fella etc. And she was telling me about her situation and [...] why does he let the silence do the talking? Why doesn't he let you know how he feels? And then this song came about". "The Silence" is an midtempo ballad pop song, with a length of four minutes and one second, penned by Nadir Khayat, Bilal Hajji, Savan Kotecha.
Chart performance
"The Silence" entered 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 31 October 2009 at #95, due to a performance on The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...
. The song remained on the UK Singles Chart for one week, before dropping out a week later. The song then re-entered the UK singles chart in December 2010 at number 16.
Music video
The music video was shot by Nzingha Stewart before Burke recorded her video for "All Night Long", but its release was put on hold due to "All Night Long" being released before hand. The music video premiered via Burke's official YouTube account on 21 October 2010. It shows Burke in many outfits with many different props. It is a notable change from her previous video, being shot in black and white (her only black and white video).Live performances and promotion
Burke has performed the song only on MTV Push and on The Paul O'Grady ShowThe Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...
. Burke also performed the song for the first time as an official single at the Metro Radio Live 2010 Concert in Newcastle (30 November) & the Jingle Bell Ball
Jingle Bell Ball
The Jingle Bell Ball is a concert held every year in December, by Global Radio at O2 Arena. Headline acts have included superstars like Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas and Kylie Minogue...
at the Manchester Evening News Arena
Manchester Evening News Arena
The Manchester Evening News Arena is an indoor arena situated in Manchester, England. It is adjacent to Manchester Victoria station near Corporation Street...
on December 1, 2010, as well as various other Jingle Bell Ball locations. Burke also appeared on The X Factor
The X Factor (TV series)
The X Factor is a television talent show franchise originating in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for Pop Idol. It is a singing competition, now held in various countries, which pits contestants against each other. These contestants are aspiring pop singers drawn from...
on December 5, 2010, to perform the song, where she used wires to levitate at the end of the performance whilst having people suspended in mid-air for props, she also had three violinists playing upside-down whilst her singing and levitating. She also appeared on The Alan Titchmarsh Show
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
The Alan Titchmarsh Show is a British daytime TV chat show broadcast between 3 and 4pm weekdays on the ITV Network.-Format:The programme made its debut on ITV in 2007. It focused on the theme of "The Best of British" focusing on food, entertainment and celebrities in a mid-afternoon slot...
on December 14, 2010.
Tracklisting
- Digital Download
- "The Silence" (Single Version) - 3:36
- "The Silence" (Music Video)
- German 2-Track Single
- "The Silence" (Single Version) - 3:36
- "It's Over" - 3:53
Charts
| Chart (2010/2011) | Peak position |
|---|