Say Something (Kylie Minogue song)
"Say Something" | ||||
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Single by Kylie Minogue | ||||
from the album Disco | ||||
B-side | "Say Something" (acoustic) | |||
Released | 23 July 2020 | |||
Recorded | 2019 | |||
Studio | Biffco Studios (Brighton, England) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:32 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Kylie Minogue singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Say Something" on YouTube |
"Say Something" is a song by Australian singer
, the song's lyrics explore themes of love and a call for unity.“Say Something” received widespread acclaim by music critics for its production quality, overall sound, and songwriting. Furthermore, many critics regarded this as one of Minogue's best works, and it was shortlisted for Song of the Year at the 2021 APRA Music Awards. The song had a moderate commercial success, appearing on record charts in Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as component charts in Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Europe. The song was certified gold in Brazil by Pro-Música Brasil after exceeding 20,000 unit sales.
British filmmaker
Writing and development
Minogue began working on new music in 2019, after wrapping up promotion for her fourteenth
Minogue co-wrote "Say Something" with Ash Howes, Jonathan Green, and longtime collaborator Stannard, and it was one of first tracks recorded for Disco.
Composition
"You need a rest after 'Supernova,' and 'Say Something' is a chance to calm down and reflect a little. It’s one of those songs that just dropped from the sky. I recorded it in my first session, before I even had a timeline or an album planned... It started as a beat, and we were all just singing into a microphone to capture everything. The ‘love is love’ part is almost like a different song, but somehow it lives with the rest of it. The song literally spilled out of us that day."[7]
—Minogue talking about the development of "Say Something".
"Say Something" is a three-minute, 32-second
Helen Brown of The Independent wrote that "Saying Something" features "all throbbing intergalactic synths, intoxicating layers of vocal and murky guitar riffs," while NME editor Nick Levine described it as "a cosmic slow-burn with Bowie-esque guitar licks."[16] Pitchfork contributor Katherine St. Asaph thought the song was the least "disco"-inspired on the album, writing that its progression has "no real chorus and almost no structure at all."[17] According to Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine, the song is a "midtempo synth-pop sleeper" similar to Minogue's previous lead singles "All the Lovers" and "Into the Blue." He describes it as a “deceptive” introduction to the album’s sound.[18]
Lyrically, the song is inspired by the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown, with themes of love and unity.[19] Minogue stated that the lyrics are "about all of our eternal quest for love" and the search for "something or someone out there that you can relate to"; the lyrics "Love is love / It never ends / Can we all be as one again?" were given as an example for this theme.[19] Rolling Stone editor Claire Shaffer echoed the track's impact during COVID-19, stating that it "feels pertinent for our quarantine days".[20] Similarly, Katie Bain of Billboard wrote that the song sees Minogue "hitting the topical nail on the head," while Joshua Martin of MTV News described it as a "call for unity."[12][21]
Release
Two days before its initial release, media and publications reported Minogue's work on Disco and that "Say Something" would be released soon.[22] Minogue announced the release of "Say Something" and Disco on 22 July 2020 via social media, with the former available the next day.[23][24] It is the album's lead single from BMG Rights Management and Minogue's company Darenote, and it was first available as a digital single. An acoustic version of the song was released a month later in August.[25][26] On 1 September, BMG and American label S-Curve released the track to dance radio stations across the United States.[27]
Ten days later,
Critical reception
“Say Something” received widespread acclaim from music critics. Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic chose it as one of the best songs from Disco, saying it was "not only a peak on Disco, it's also one of Minogue's best songs to date." Yeung later referred to it as a "rapturous anthem".[32] Similarly, Helen Brown of The Independent named it one of the best tracks from Disco.[16] Pitchfork editor Katherine St. Asaph called it one of the album's "strongest" tracks, praising the overall quality by writing "What's left is a luxuriant amount of space for Kylie to spiral higher, buoyed by rocket-exhaust sighs, airy choirs, and zero-irony affirmations."[17]
Variety editor Jem Aswad described "Say Something" as one of the "best disco songs in recent memory," with a "irresistible chorus," a "driving rhythm," and "perhaps unintentionally relevant lyrics."[35] Entertainment Weekly editor Joey Nolfi dubbed it a "mirrorball anthem" and described the song as "more than an ode to the lust for human connection in dark times, it's a poetic, surprisingly deep step forward" for Minogue.[36] Kate Solomon of The Guardian described "Say Something" as a "quasi-disco bop with a slightly saccharine post-quarantine sentiment" that Minogue "carries perfectly".[37] "Say Something" was ranked 95th on The 100 Best Songs of 2020 list by Billboard, and it was shortlisted for Song of the Year at the APRA Music Awards of 2021.[38][39]
Commercial performance
“Say Something” performed moderately after its release. The song did not appear on the
In the United Kingdom, "Say Something" debuted at number 82 on the
Music video
The music video for "Say Something" was directed by British filmmaker Sophie Muller.[57] It was filmed at Black Island Studios in London, England, during a period of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the video only features Minogue and the dancer Kaner Flex. Minogue's fishnet catsuit and black and white dress were designed by Ed Marler, while the crystal mesh bodysuit was created by Gucci. The latter costume was inspired by a photograph of Marisa Berenson found by Minogue and Muller while researching Studio 54.[58]
The overall theme of the video was inspired by the disco aesthetic, which is carried over to the parent album.
Promotion
"Say Something" was used as the
On November 1, The Sound broadcast a performance from the upcoming concert special
Track listing
Digital download / streaming[25]
Digital download / streaming – acoustic version[26]
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Digital download / streaming – Syn Cole remix[28]
7-inch vinyl[30]
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Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.[5]
- Kylie Minogue – lead vocals, writer, backing vocals and vocal production
- Louis Lion – programming
- Jon Green – writer, backing vocals, producer, guitar, keyboards
- Duck Blackwell – additional producer, keyboards, mixing engineer
- Dick Beetham – recording engineer
- Richard "Biff" Stannard – writer, backing vocals, producer, keyboards
- Ash Howes– writer, programming
- Adetoun Anibi – backing vocals
Charts
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia Airplay (Radiomonitor)[40] | 15 |
Australia Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[41] | 5 |
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[43] | 14 |
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[44] | 35 |
Croatia ( HRT)[45]
|
67 |
Euro Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[47] | 17 |
Hungary (Single Top 40)[46] | 15 |
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[42] | 40 |
Scotland (OCC)[72] | 3 |
56 | |
UK Indie (OCC)[73] | 8 |
US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[54] | 35 |
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[55] | 18 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[74] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label(s) | Ref. |
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Various | 23 July 2020 | Original |
|
[25] | |
14 August 2020 | Acoustic | [26] | |||
United States | 1 September 2020 | Dance radio | Original |
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[27] |
Various | 11 September 2020 |
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Syn Cole remix |
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[28] |
30 October 2020 | Apple Music at Home Sessions | [29] | |||
6 November 2020 | 7-inch single
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|
[30] |
Notes
References
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- ^ @kylieminogue (22 July 2020). "Lovers! New music is ON THE WAY! SAY SOMETHING is all yours this Thursday. The first play is on @BBCRadio2 and I'll be phoning in to chat with the fabulous @ZoeTheBall. Tune in! 💋#SaySomething" (Tweet). Retrieved 2 March 2024 – via Twitter.
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- ^ a b "pple Music Home Session: Kylie Minogue - EP by Kylie Minogue". United Kingdom: Apple Music. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
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