Let There Be Love (Christina Aguilera song)

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"Let There Be Love"
Shellback

"Let There Be Love" is a song recorded by American singer

synths
, drums and electronics.

"Let There Be Love" garnered positive reviews from

international singles chart following the release of the album, number five on the Ultratip (Bubbling Under) chart in Wallonia (Belgium),[1] and at number one on the US Dance Club Songs
chart. It was the second-most played song of 2013 in clubs in the US.

On August 29, 2013, an accompanying music video for the song was released on Aguilera's official channel. It features cameo appearances from

The Voice
in the United States.

Background and recording

Following the release of her sixth studio album,

Moves Like Jagger" (2011), which spent four weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.[4] Following these events, Aguilera announced that had plans to begin production of her seventh album, stating that she wanted high quality and "personal" songs for the record.[4] Regarding the creative direction, she revealed that the album would be a "culmination of everything I've experienced up until this point ... I've been through a lot since the release of my last album, being on (The Voice), having had a divorce ... This is all sort of a free rebirth for me."[5] She further said "I'm embracing many different things, but it's all feel-good, super-expressive [and] super-vulnerable."[5] Aguilera continued to say that the album would be about "self–expression and freedom" because of the personal struggles she had overcome during the last couple of years.[6]

Speaking about her new material during an interview on

Shellback in Stockholm, Sweden, "Let There Be Love" was written by Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Bonnie McKee, Oliver Goldstein, Oscar Holter and Jakke Erixson.[8] It was produced by Martin and Shellback.[8] Aguilera's vocals were recorded by Oscar Ramirez at The Red Lips Room in Beverly Hills in California; the background vocals engineer was Sam Holland.[8] Programming and keyboards were carried out by Shellback and additional keyboards were performed by Holter, Erixson and Martin.[8]

Development

Aguilera explained how she and Max Martin had met early on in her career, but it was a creative and mutual decision not to collaborate with each other at that stage in her career as she wanted to explore different avenues.[9] However, she felt at this point in her career with Lotus, it was the right time to work together, stating:

I definitely don't go the straight and narrow path, and you know, I definitely kinda like to experiment and collaborate. And so, I think it's taken me and Max this long to work together because of that, because what he does is genius and he is a classic hitmaker. But when I was coming out it was at a time when we had the huge pop explosion, and he was all over radio and I just wanted to work with others like Linda Perry and do that route and do "Beautiful" and songs like that. We built a level of respect for each other. So at this point, coming together, especially embracing my true pop-starness, at this point in my career having come full circle, I was able to really truly embrace it, and embrace him. He gave me the freedom to really sing on these songs, and have a little more creative freedom because I heard he is a stickler for melody and a melody king and I was scared, I was like 'Oh my God! I won't be able to collaborate here.' But he couldn't have been more great, and this is a really fun song, super up-tempo. It's probably the most dancey-ish song on my record, but it's called 'Let There Be Love' but it's free and representative of what this album is about.[9]

Composition and lyrics

"Let There Be Love" combines a multitude of genres. It is a

Usher, "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" and "Scream", both of which were produced by Martin.[17] He also noted that Aguilera was probably aware that the "Let There Be Love"'s melody bared strong resemblances to the songs, which most likely prompted her to spend "the last minute wailing all over the place."[17] Aguilera "roars" the lyrics "Let there be let there be love/ Here in the here in the dark" over trance beats and projects a "saucy" tone as she sings ""Hit the right spot, making my eyes roll back."[14][15]

Critical reception

Usher, "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" and "Scream", both of which were produced by Max Martin.[17]

"Let There Be Love" garnered positive reviews from music critics.

The Huffington Post writer Mesfin Fekadu thought that Martin's production of "Let There Be Love" was superior to "Your Body", citing it as "typical" but potentially successful on radio.[20] Jim Farber for New York Daily News praised the song, writing that it is "a prime disco diva anthem".[21]

Idolator reviewed "Let There Be Love": Lanksy predicted that the song had the potential to be a "monster hit", and complimented Aguilera for not over singing the song, which he described as "epic."[10] Wass shared Lanksy's sentiments and elaborated that the production serves as the "perfect destination" for her "powerhouse pipes".[12] Michael Gallucci for PopCrush thought that the song was not quite as good as "Your Body" and described it as "typical pop."[24] However, he criticized Aguilera's vocal performance, stating that her "big voice" should be able to be heard above the instrumental.[24]

Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani thought that "Let There Be Love" would have been a better lead single choice than "Your Body", as she felt it would have ensured Aguilera a greater comeback.[25] Cinquemani described the song as "a virtual hybrid of recent club bangers by Rihanna, Britney, Katy, and Ke$ha."[25] Robert Copsey for Digital Spy thought that the song's weakness is also its strength, describing it as "a massive clubby raveathon that is ultimately throwaway, but in the best possible way."[15] Annie Zaleski for The A.V. Club criticized the song as "faceless Top 40 EDM."[11] Melissa Maerz of Entertainment Weekly found the "bouncy peace-flag-waver" lyrics of the song contradictory and difficult to comprehend because of "a bonus track called 'Shut Up' that invites the haters to 'suck my [dick].'"[26] In 2020, Idolator ranked "Let There Be Love" at number fifteen on its list of Aguilera's forty best songs, calling it an "electro-pop masterpiece".[27]

Music video

Conception

The music video for "Let There Be Love" was premiered on Aguilera's official channel on YouTube on August 29, 2013.[28] The clip was official released few hours after she posted a 2000-word thank you message to fans on her official website on August 28, 2013.[28] A part of the letter reads,

I may get quiet at times, but when I do have something to say, I mean every word. I decided to share my thoughts with you at length and tell you openly how I feel. Thank you for filling my soul with melody and song … lyrics and love … and giving me a safe place I feel comforted in being brave enough to always bare my soul and come from an honest and genuine place. Be fearless enough to be a conversation piece … Speak your own truth… As always, thank you for accepting me for who I am. Being human – flaws and all.[29]

Nicole Richie appears in the music video.

The music video for "Let There Be Love" was filmed in a DIY style.[30] In the music video, Aguilera is seen in her one-piece swimsuit with the world "love" written all over it.[29] It also featured guest appearances from Nicole Richie,[28] Christina Milian,[28] Chris Mann,[30] Shannon Holtzapffel,[31] Aguilera's son, Max Bratman,[28] and her current boyfriend Matthew Rutler.[32] The video begins with Aguilera' message, "Hey everybody, Chrisitina here just thanking you guys so much for filling my life and my heart with so much love continued throughout the years... Standing by me, I appreciate all your support, this one is just for you".[28] Everybody is seen joking around with another friend as they make the "L" sign for "love" with their hands,[28] as well as holding up signs with positive messages such as "Don't judge", "Equality",[33] "Racism sucks",[28] "Just be",[28] and "Amo a mi hijo gay" ("I love my gay son"),[30] while Aguilera's son Bratman "shows off his dancing chops".[29] At the end, Aguilera blows a kiss to the camera.[32]

Reception

Upon its release, the music video for "Let There Be Love" garnered acclaim from media outlets. Lily Harrison from

US Weekly commented that Aguilera's look in the video is "slim and gorgeous".[32] According to Sam Lansky for Idolator, the video's message is a "soulful, and completely inexplicable, letter to her fans thanking them for their undying love".[36] Malene Arpe for the Toronto Star was positive toward the clip, calling it a "perfect antidote to a week of thinking about the Miley Cyrus/Robin Thicke porn circus".[37] She continued, "Aguilera's new video is so sweet and innocent and full of goodwill towards humanity, it will make you forget all about twerking and foam fingers and the inherent greasiness of Robin Thicke".[37] Nina Terrero for NBC Latino compared the video for "Let There Be Love" to Aguilera's previous video for "Beautiful" (2002) for the same positive portrayal of the LGBT community.[38]

Live performances

Aguilera performed "Let There Be Love" for the first time at the

Lotus Intro" and "Army of Me".[citation needed] During an interview with MTV News
, Aguilera said:

It's very exciting. It's definitely going to be a reflection of what Lotus means to me. If you take that album cover and give it a little performance twist, I'll bring that album cover to life, so it's going to be really fun. I can't give too much away about the songs, but it's definitely going to represent the album because the album is very multilayered. It doesn't represent 'Your Body' as a single tone. It has its ballads; and everything comes from a very sincere, deep–rooted place whether it's having fun or being vulnerable.[39]

Bruna Nessif for E! Online described the performance as "interesting," and noted that the theme "to celebrate everyone for who they are" was similar to the moral content presented on Gaga's album

The Voice, a singing competition on which she is a coach.[41][42]

Credits and personnel

Recording
  • Recorded at MXM Studios, Stockholm, Sweden.
  • Vocals recorded at The Red Lips Room, Beverly Hills, CA.
Personnel
  • Songwriting – Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Bonnie McKee, Oliver Goldstein, Oscar Holter, Jakke Erixson
  • Production – Max Martin, Shellback
  • Recording – Shellback
  • Vocal recording – Oscar Ramirez
  • Background vocals engineer – Sam Holland
  • Programming and keyboards – Shellback
  • Additional keyboards – Oscar Holter, Jakke Erixson, Max Martin

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Lotus, RCA Records.[8]

Chart performance

Upon the release of Lotus, "Let There Be Love" debuted on the South Korea

Gaon Single Chart at number 132 during the week of November 11 to 17, 2012.[43] In the United States, the song debuted at number 44 on the Dance Club Songs chart on February 18, 2013.[44] It reached number one with the issue dated June 1, 2013.[45] With "Let There Be Love" attaining the number one position on the chart, it upped her total tally to seven number-one songs, and the second from Lotus to reach the peak, after "Your Body" in December 2012.[45]

Chart (2012) Peak
position
South Korea (International Singles) (
Gaon)[43]
132
Chart (2013) Peak
position
Belgium (Dance Top 50)[46] 22
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[47] 5
Global Dance Tracks (
Billboard)[48]
24
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[45] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2013) Position
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[49] 2

See also

  • List of number-one dance singles of 2013 (U.S.)

References

  1. ^ "Christina Aguilera - Let There Be Love - ultratop.be". ultratop.be/nl/.
  2. Buzz Media
    . Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Hampp, Andrew (September 21, 2012). "Christina Aguilera: Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Schneider, Marc (April 11, 2012). "Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Hit the Studio". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  5. ^ a b Elber, Lynn (August 28, 2012). "Christina Aguilera: New album is a 'rebirth'". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  6. ^ Kennedy, Gerrick D. (September 13, 2012). "Christina Aguilera readies new album 'Lotus'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  7. ^ "Christina Aguilera: 'New album is quality over quantity'". Digital Spy. May 27, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  8. ^ a b c d e Lotus (inlay cover). Christina Aguilera. RCA Records. 2012. p. iTunes Digital Booklet.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^
    VEVO
    . November 6, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  10. ^ a b Lansky, Sam (November 5, 2012). "Christina Aguilera's 'Lotus' Leak: Hear Standout Track 'Let There Be Love'". Idolator. Buzz Media. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  11. ^ a b Zaleski, Annie (November 13, 2012). "Christina Aguilera: Lotus". The A.V. Club. Chicago: The Onion. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
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  13. ^ Wass, Mike. "Christina Aguilera's 'Lotus': Album Review". Idolator. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
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  15. ^ a b c Copsey, Robert (November 2, 2012). "Christina Aguilera's new album 'Lotus': First listen". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
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  30. ^
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External links