Unusual You
Encyclopedia
"Unusual You" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears
, from her sixth studio album Circus
. It was released on September 15, 2009, as the fifth and final single from the album in Australia and New Zealand. The song was written and produced by Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg from Bloodshy & Avant
, with additional writing by Kasia Livingston and Henrik Jonback
. "Unusual You" is an electropop love song reminiscent of the music of Janet Jackson
and Gwen Stefani
, with sung lyrics that address an experienced woman finding unexpected love. "Unusual You" received mostly positive reviews from critics, who commended it for being a departure of the rest of the album. Following the release of Circus, the song charted at number eighty on the U.S. Billboard Pop 100 due to strong digital sales.
, with additional writing by Kasia Livingston and Henrik Jonback
. Main instrumentation was recorded by Bloodshy & Avant at Robotberget in Stockholm, Sweden. Spears recorded her vocals at Conway Studios
in Los Angeles, California
, while audio mixing was done by Anders Hvenare and Bloodshy & Avant at Robotberget. Background vocals were provided by Livingston. "Unusual You" appeared on a six-song mix of Circus that was released on November 13, 2008. In August 2009, it was reported by NRJ Radio
that "Unusual You" was going to be released as the fifth single from the album in France and the United States. "Unusual You" was released as the fifth single from Circus on September 15, 2009 in Australia and New Zealand.
as "synth
-centric". The song has been noted by John Murphy of musicOMH
to be reminiscent of "Gwen Stefani
's quieter moments." Ann Powers
of the Los Angeles Times
commented that "Unusual You" "goes for that shimmering waterfall mood first popularized by Janet Jackson
rather than strict Madonna
-style workouts." According to Chris Richards of The Washington Post
, Spears's vocals in the song are transformed into "a spectral coo." Lyrically, "Unusual You" talks about an experienced woman finding unexpected love, with Spears voicing the lines, "Didn't anyone tell you you're supposed to break my heart? / I expect you to / So why haven't you?."
deemed it as "melodic [and] glowing". Chris Willman of Entertainment Weekly
named "Unusual You" as a standout track from Circus and added, "Spears still presents herself as fantasy object, but here might be her own fantasy — of real acceptance. Next time, Britney, flash us more of that." Chris Richards of The Washington Post selected it as one of the "gems" of the album, along with "Womanizer
". John Murphy of musicOMH said that the lyrics make Spears "sound extraordinarily world-weary for a 27 year old" and added that it "gives a pointer to an interesting new direction." Jim Farber of the Daily News called the song "perhaps the first truly pretty melody Spears has ever sung." Brad Wheeler of The Globe and Mail
said "Unusual You" was entertaining, but not as remarkable as other tracks on Circus and dismissed the song as merely a "strobe-lit
, heart-shaped testimonial." Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that "Unusual You" and the two other ballads in the album, were Circuss "only attempts at warmth."
Poppy Cosyns of The Sun criticized the backing track of "Unusual You" as leaving "it sounding like the discovered dregs of a would-be late Nineties
hit." Cameron Adams of the Herald Sun
called "Unusual You" "a surprisingly subtle and effective moment" and speculated that it was "surely a future single." Steve Jones of USA Today
described "Unusual You" as "saccharin", adding that "she sounds much better in the dance tracks." Ben Rayner of the Toronto Star called it the album's one "moment of pathos". Jim DeRogatis
of the Chicago Sun-Times
criticized "Unusual You" as "shamelessly Madonna-aping." Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the Associated Press commented that Spears's most personal and emotional moments of Circus are in the slower tracks, most notably in "Unusual You". Moody continued, "Though she didn't write the song, it's hard not to wince in empathy when you think about the string of users who have filtered in and out of her life." Pete Paphides
of The Times
said "Unusual You" would "find a home with anyone whose love of melancholy Europop
is fatal enough to take in Limahl
's 'Never Ending Story.'" In August 2011, David Robert of MTV Canada listed "Unusual You" as Spears's second best song that was not released as a single. Following the release of Circus in December 2008, "Unusual You" managed to peak at number eighty on the US Billboard Pop 100 due to strong digital sales.
Credits adapted from Circus liner notes.
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...
, from her sixth studio album Circus
Circus (Britney Spears album)
Circus is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Britney Spears. The album was first released on November 28, 2008 by Jive Records. Spears started work on the album in early 2008 with a range of producers including long-time producers Bloodshy & Avant and Danja...
. It was released on September 15, 2009, as the fifth and final single from the album in Australia and New Zealand. The song was written and produced by Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg from Bloodshy & Avant
Bloodshy & Avant
Bloodshy and Avant are a music production and songwriting team from Sweden made up of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg...
, with additional writing by Kasia Livingston and Henrik Jonback
Henrik Jonback
Henrik Jonback is a Swedish musician, producer and songwriter.Writing credits include Britney Spears, Madonna, Kelis, Kylie Minogue, Ms Dynamite, Sugababes, Christina Milian. He has worked in close collaboration with producers Bloodshy & Avant over the years. Henrik co-wrote "Toxic" with Britney...
. "Unusual You" is an electropop love song reminiscent of the music of Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
and Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
, with sung lyrics that address an experienced woman finding unexpected love. "Unusual You" received mostly positive reviews from critics, who commended it for being a departure of the rest of the album. Following the release of Circus, the song charted at number eighty on the U.S. Billboard Pop 100 due to strong digital sales.
Background
"Unusual You" was written and produced by Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg from Bloodshy & AvantBloodshy & Avant
Bloodshy and Avant are a music production and songwriting team from Sweden made up of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg...
, with additional writing by Kasia Livingston and Henrik Jonback
Henrik Jonback
Henrik Jonback is a Swedish musician, producer and songwriter.Writing credits include Britney Spears, Madonna, Kelis, Kylie Minogue, Ms Dynamite, Sugababes, Christina Milian. He has worked in close collaboration with producers Bloodshy & Avant over the years. Henrik co-wrote "Toxic" with Britney...
. Main instrumentation was recorded by Bloodshy & Avant at Robotberget in Stockholm, Sweden. Spears recorded her vocals at Conway Studios
Conway Recording Studios
Conway Recording Studios is a recording and post production facility in Hollywood, California.Conway has hosted a variety of producers, mixers and artists, such as Alicia Keys, Barbra Streisand, The Black Eyed Peas, Blink-182, Britney Spears, Carlos Santana, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews Band,...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, while audio mixing was done by Anders Hvenare and Bloodshy & Avant at Robotberget. Background vocals were provided by Livingston. "Unusual You" appeared on a six-song mix of Circus that was released on November 13, 2008. In August 2009, it was reported by NRJ Radio
NRJ Radio
NRJ French multimedia group based in Paris. Since its foundation in 1981 as a French pop music radio station it has grown and evolved to become the NRJ Group...
that "Unusual You" was going to be released as the fifth single from the album in France and the United States. "Unusual You" was released as the fifth single from Circus on September 15, 2009 in Australia and New Zealand.
Composition
"Unusual You" is a midtempo electropop song, that has been described by Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
as "synth
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
-centric". The song has been noted by John Murphy of musicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
to be reminiscent of "Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
's quieter moments." Ann Powers
Ann Powers
Ann Powers is an American writer and pop music critic.Powers has been writing about popular music and society since the early 1980s...
of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
commented that "Unusual You" "goes for that shimmering waterfall mood first popularized by Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
rather than strict Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
-style workouts." According to Chris Richards of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, Spears's vocals in the song are transformed into "a spectral coo." Lyrically, "Unusual You" talks about an experienced woman finding unexpected love, with Spears voicing the lines, "Didn't anyone tell you you're supposed to break my heart? / I expect you to / So why haven't you?."
Reception
"Unusual You" received fairly positive reviews from critics. Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times noted that the song stood out on Circus because it did not paint "Britney as mannequin, sex object, paparazzi victim and leather-clad mistress" like the other tracks on the album. Caryn Ganz of Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
deemed it as "melodic [and] glowing". Chris Willman of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
named "Unusual You" as a standout track from Circus and added, "Spears still presents herself as fantasy object, but here might be her own fantasy — of real acceptance. Next time, Britney, flash us more of that." Chris Richards of The Washington Post selected it as one of the "gems" of the album, along with "Womanizer
Womanizer (song)
"Womanizer" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears from her sixth studio album, Circus. It was released on September 26, 2008 by Jive Records as the lead single of the album. Produced and co-written by Nikesha Briscoe and Rafael Akinyemi of The Outsyders, the song had to be...
". John Murphy of musicOMH said that the lyrics make Spears "sound extraordinarily world-weary for a 27 year old" and added that it "gives a pointer to an interesting new direction." Jim Farber of the Daily News called the song "perhaps the first truly pretty melody Spears has ever sung." Brad Wheeler of The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
said "Unusual You" was entertaining, but not as remarkable as other tracks on Circus and dismissed the song as merely a "strobe-lit
Strobe light
A strobe light or stroboscopic lamp, commonly called a strobe, is a device used to produce regular flashes of light. It is one of a number of devices that can be used as a stroboscope...
, heart-shaped testimonial." Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that "Unusual You" and the two other ballads in the album, were Circuss "only attempts at warmth."
Poppy Cosyns of The Sun criticized the backing track of "Unusual You" as leaving "it sounding like the discovered dregs of a would-be late Nineties
1990s in music
For music from a year in the 1990s, go to 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99This article includes trends in popular music in the 1990s....
hit." Cameron Adams of the Herald Sun
Herald Sun
The Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...
called "Unusual You" "a surprisingly subtle and effective moment" and speculated that it was "surely a future single." Steve Jones of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
described "Unusual You" as "saccharin", adding that "she sounds much better in the dance tracks." Ben Rayner of the Toronto Star called it the album's one "moment of pathos". Jim DeRogatis
Jim DeRogatis
James "Jim" DeRogatis is an American music critic and co-host of Sound Opinions. DeRogatis has written articles for magazines such as Spin, Guitar World and Modern Drummer, and for fifteen years was the pop music critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.He joined Columbia College Chicago as a full-time...
of the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
criticized "Unusual You" as "shamelessly Madonna-aping." Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the Associated Press commented that Spears's most personal and emotional moments of Circus are in the slower tracks, most notably in "Unusual You". Moody continued, "Though she didn't write the song, it's hard not to wince in empathy when you think about the string of users who have filtered in and out of her life." Pete Paphides
Peter Paphides
Peter Paphides is a British journalist and broadcaster.Between 2005 and 2010 he was employed as the chief rock critic of The Times and presented The Times weekly music podcast for Sounds Music supplement...
of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
said "Unusual You" would "find a home with anyone whose love of melancholy Europop
Europop
Europop refers to a style of pop music that first developed in today's form in Europe, throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and ’90s...
is fatal enough to take in Limahl
Limahl
Christopher Hamill better known by his stage name Limahl is an English pop singer. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the 1980s pop group Kajagoogoo, before embarking on a briefly successful solo career, which reached its peak with the 1984 hit "The NeverEnding Story", taken from the film of...
's 'Never Ending Story.'" In August 2011, David Robert of MTV Canada listed "Unusual You" as Spears's second best song that was not released as a single. Following the release of Circus in December 2008, "Unusual You" managed to peak at number eighty on the US Billboard Pop 100 due to strong digital sales.
Track listing
- Australian CD single
- "Unusual You" – 4:21
- "Shattered GlassShattered Glass (Britney Spears song)"Shattered Glass" is a song recorded by American recording artist Britney Spears. The song was written by Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, Claude Kelly, Benjamin "Benny Blanco" Levin, and produced by Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco for Spears' sixth studio album, Circus...
" – 2:53
Credits and personnel
- Britney Spears – lead vocals
- Bloodshy & Avant – songwriting, mixing, programming, keyboards, bass and guitar
- Henrik Jonback – songwriting and guitar
- Kasia Livingston – songwriting and background vocals
Credits adapted from Circus liner notes.