Impossible Is Nothing (Iggy Azalea song)
"Impossible Is Nothing" | |
---|---|
Promotional single by Iggy Azalea | |
from the album The New Classic | |
Released | 9 March 2014 |
Recorded | 2013; Grove Studios (London); Conway Studios (Los Angeles) |
Genre | |
Length | 3:10 |
Label | |
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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"Impossible Is Nothing" is a song recorded by Australian rapper
The song was released as a
Background and release
"Impossible Is Nothing" was written by
The song's title was first revealed by Azalea on 8 August 2013 on
Composition
"Impossible Is Nothing" is a semi-subdued,[7] downtempo,[8] hip hop song.[5] Caitlyn Carter of the Music Times writes that the track has a "haunting-yet-upbeat" sound.[9] According to John Walker of MTV News, the song takes on a more "vulnerable" sound than Azalea's previous material.[8] The track's instrumentation includes keyboards, drums,[1] an electric guitar line backing,[10] and synthesizers.[9][11] It features a tinkering beat[12] produced by tuned percussion instruments including chimes and a glockenspiel which causes eerie loop sound effects in the song.[1][10][13] A string of siren sound effects are also heard throughout.[14] Azalea's delivery is rapped with a mantra technique.[8]
With aspirational lyrics,
Critical reception
Predictably, the songs where she expresses wonderment that 'Impossible Is Nothing' are more relatable than the ones where she flaunts her liquid assets. But the ones where she pledges to keep on striving are more relatable than that, because striving is built into her flow itself. That's what her complexity is about.
"Impossible Is Nothing" received mixed reviews from music critics. In a positive review, Saeed Saeed of The National wrote that it was among two tracks on The New Classic "that stand out, out of pure will", and complimented its "moody" sound.[24] Eric Diep of XXL also deemed it a highlight on the album, and commended its "heartfelt story".[25] A writer for Rap-Up described the track as an "empowering anthem".[12] Maria Therese Seefeldt Stæhr of Gaffa praised the track's production.[26] Stereogum's Chris DeVille called it "the best Eminem song in years".[21] Josiah Hughes of Exclaim! wrote positively of the song's "banging beat" and inspirational lyrics.[13] A writer for Oyster praised the sincerity of the lyrics and the "power of its uplifting and never-quitting #feels".[7] Digital Spy's Emily Mackay noted "a ballsy power to [Azalea's] self-made self-belief" in the song.[15] While Nick Aveling of Time Out felt the track played to Azalea's "substantive strengths".[17] Charlotte Richardson Andrews of NME opined that it showcased Azalea's "wit, personality and lyrical prowess".[18] Similarly, The Line of Best Fit's Laurence Day felt the track manifested the rapper as "an affable bundle of chum-ly charm with lessons (not patronising lectures) that are applicable for anyone with a lick of ambition".[27] Craig Mathieson of The Sydney Morning Herald praised the song's "unexpected complement" of inspirational lyrics with spectral melodies.[11]
"Impossible Is Nothing" was named as one of the two worst songs on The New Classic by Devone Jones of PopMatters who criticized Azalea for "literally preaching—to youths, rather than [relating] to them".[32] AbsolutePunk's Jake Jenkins called it "a muddled mess of a narrative", and added, "[The track] does nothing to give us a clear picture, or any picture at all really, of what [Azalea's] been through".[33] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times said that the song was "sort of blandly inspirational" and "as numbing" as material by T.I.[34] While Troy L. Smith of The Plain Dealer felt Azalea "[showed] promise" with the song; he dismissed the production as "leftovers from one of Eminem's recent albums".[22]
Credits and personnel
- Iggy Azalea – writer, vocals
- The Invisible Men – writers, producers, drums and programming, keyboards
- Jon Turner – writer
- The Arcade– writers, producers
- Gabriel Yared – writer
- Richard Adlam – sample recreation, keyboards, tuned percussion
- Hol Ritson – sample recreation, keyboards, tuned percussion
- Eric Weaver – vocal engineering
- Anthony Kilhoffer – mixing
- Kyle Ross – mixing assistant
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[1]
Charts
Chart (2014) | Peak position |
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168 | |
30 |
References
- ^ a b c d The New Classic (Media notes). Iggy Azalea. Mexico: Virgin EMI Records. 2014. p. 7. 3781892.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Gboyega, Adenike (8 August 2013). "Iggy Azalea Completes Debut Album 'The New Classic' And Reveals Tracklisting". MOBO Awards. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ Copsey, Robert (25 February 2014). "Iggy Azalea reveals The New Classic album artwork, free download". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ "Album Cover: Iggy Azalea – 'The New Classic'". Rap-Up. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ Idolator. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ "Impossible Is Nothing – Single by Iggy Azalea". iTunes Store (CA). Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
- ^ a b "Stream: Iggy Azalea 'Impossible Is Nothing'". Oyster. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ a b c d Walker, John (10 March 2014). "Iggy Azalea Gets Vulnerable on the Empowering New Track, 'Impossible Is Nothing'". MTV News. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ a b Carter, Caitlyn (10 March 2014). "Iggy Azalea drops new song 'Impossible Is Nothing,' reveals tracklist for 'The New Classic' (Listen)". Music Times. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ a b c Zevolli, Giuseppe (16 April 2014). "Album Review: Iggy Azalea – The New Classic". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ a b Mathieson, Craig (23 April 2014). "The New Classic review: Iggy Azalea skilfully upsets conventions". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ a b c d "New Music: Iggy Azalea – 'Impossible Is Nothing'". Rap-Up. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ a b Hughes, Josiah (10 March 2014). "Iggy Azalea 'Impossible Is Nothing'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ a b Soto, Alfred (16 April 2014). "Aussie Rapper Iggy Azalea's 'The New Classic' Is a Stone Cold Dud". Spin. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ a b Mackay, Emily (8 April 2014). "Iggy Azalea's The New Classic reviewed: 'A punchy, characterful debut'". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ Plugged In. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ a b Aveling, Nick (10 April 2014). "Iggy Azalea 'The New Classic' album review". Time Out. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ a b Richardson Andrews, Charlotte (17 April 2014). "Iggy Azalea – 'The New Classic'". NME. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ O'Brien, Lucy (29 April 2014). "Iggy Azalea". The Quietus. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ Lucas, John (23 April 2014). "Iggy Azalea's The New Classic doesn't live up to its lofty title". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ a b DeVille, Chris (13 March 2014). "The Week in Pop: It's Time We All Agreed That Coldplay Are Great". Stereogum. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ a b Smith, Troy L. (22 April 2014). "Iggy Azalea's 'The New Classic' fails to justify its title (album review)". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (16 September 2014). "Robert Christgau: Iggy Azalea's 'New Classic' Is Plenty Authentic -- and Damn Good to Boot". Billboard. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ Saeed, Saeed (28 April 2014). "Album review: Iggy Azalea – The New Classic". The National. Abu Dhabi. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ Diep, Eric (3 April 2014). "Iggy Azalea And T.I. Tear The Club Up At 'The New Classic' Listening". XXL. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ Seefeldt Stæhr, Maria Therese (26 April 2014). "Iggy Azalea: The New Classic". Gaffa (in Danish). Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ Day, Laurence (16 April 2014). "Album Review: Iggy Azalea – The New Classic". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ Lee, Christina (22 April 2014). "Iggy Azalea's 'The New Classic': Album Review". Idolator. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ Zoladz, Lindsay (6 February 2015). "Please, Don't Let Iggy Azalea Win Best Rap Album". New York. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
- ^ Lawler, Karen (21 April 2014). "Iggy Azalea: The New Classic (Virgin EMI Records)". Blues & Soul. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ Feeney, Nolan (22 April 2014). "Review: Iggy Azalea Falls Short of a New Classic". Time. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
- ^ Jones, Devone (14 May 2014). "Iggy Azalea: The New Classic". PopMatters. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ Jenkins, Jake (1 May 2014). "Iggy Azalea – The New Classic". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ Caramanica, Jon; Ratliff, Ben; Chinen, Nate (22 April 2014). "New Albums by Iggy Azalea, Kelis and Glen David Andrews". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- UK Singles Chart. Zobbel.de. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
External links