Whatever It Takes (Leona Lewis song)

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"Whatever It Takes"
Song by Leona Lewis
from the album Spirit
Recordedat DARP Studios, Atlanta. GA; Doppler Studios, Atlanta, GA; Battery Studios, New York City.
GenreGospel-pop
Length3:27
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Leona Lewis
  • Novel Stevenson
  • Tony Reyes
Producer(s)

"Whatever It Takes" is a song by British singer-songwriter

UK Singles Chart due to strong digital download sales. Lewis has performed the song at the 2010 Rock in Rio and on her debut concert tour, The Labyrinth. It was later included on the subsequent DVD release called The Labyrinth Tour: Live from the O2
.

Recording and production

Co-written by Lewis with

mixed by Lynn at DARP Studios; Josh Houghkirk served as the assistant mixer.[1] The song was produced by Novel and Dallas Austin.[1] A variety of instrumentalists were enlisted for the production of "Whatever It Takes": Eddie Horst was the string arranger, while Kenn Wagner, Olga Shiptko, Amy Chang and William Pu performed violins, Karen Freer and Daniel Laufer provided cello and co-writer Reyes played the guitar.[1] Stephen Lowman and Stephen Ferrera performed drums, while Novel played the keyboard.[1] "Whatever It Takes" makes use of a choir, which consists of Tawatha Agee, Vanesse Thomas, Cindy Mizelle, Michelle Cobbs, Robin Clark, "Bibi" Straughn, Tammy Lucas, Billy Porter, Bennie Diggs and Fonzi Thornton; Thornton was enlisted as the vocal contractor.[1] Lewis provides background vocals on the track, and the production process was overseen by Kimberly L. Smith.[1] As she introduced the track before performing it on her debut concert tour The Labyrinth (2010), Lewis revealed that "Whatever It Takes" was the first song to be written for Spirit.[2]

Composition and critical reception

"Whatever It Takes" is an upbeat, midtempo

B♭5.[6] The song garnered a mixed response from music critics. Nate Chinen for The New York Times was complimentary of "Whatever It Takes", writing that it is an "upbeat anthem."[3] Nick Levine was for Digital Spy wrote "'Whatever It Takes' is anchored by a rhythm track that wouldn't shame a boy-racer cruising through Harlem in his pimped-up ride."[4] However, he noted that "Whatever It Takes" and "Best You Never Had" were Spirit's only uptempo moments, and that Lewis tries to emulate her contemporaries too closely.[4] Kitty Empire for The Guardian was critical of the song, writing that "Not even Dallas Austin – who has worked with Sugababes – can make 'Whatever It Takes' any fun."[7]

Live performances

Lewis performed "Whatever It Takes" at the

Don't Let Me Down", "Better in Time" and "Take a Bow".[2] The set was decorated in the style of a castle; acrobats performed as they were hanging from the ceiling on large pieces of fabric while Lewis wore a gold sequined dress and thigh-high boots.[9]

Track listing

Spirit standard/deluxe edition[5][10]
  1. "Whatever It Takes" – 3:27
Spirit United States standard/deluxe version[11][12]
  1. "Whatever It Takes" – 3:27
The Labyrinth Tour: Live from the O2[2]
  1. "Whatever It Takes" (Live from the 02) – 3:26

Credits and personnel

Recording
  • Recorded at DARP Studios, Atlanta, GA; Doppler Studios, Atlanta, GA; Battery Studios, NYC.
  • Mixed at DARP Studios, Atlanta, GA.
Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Spirit.[1]

Charts

Upon the release of Spirit, "Whatever It Takes" debuted at number 61 on the strength of digital download sales in the chart issue released on 24 November 2007.[13]

Chart (2007) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[13]
 61

References

  1. ^
    Syco. 2007. 8 86970 25542 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link
    )
  2. ^ a b c d e "'The Labyrinth Tour – Live from the O2' – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (United States). Apple. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  3. ^ a b Chinen, Nate (7 April 2008). "New CDs". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Levine, Nick (12 November 2007). "Leona Lewis: 'Spirit'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Spirit – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Australia). Apple. 5 February 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  6. ^
    Peer International Music Publishing
    . 2007.
  7. ^ Empire, Kitty (4 November 2007). "The flesh is willing but the spirit is weak". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  8. ^ "Leona Lewis Setlist at Rock In Rio Lisboa 2010". SetlistFM. 22 May 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
  9. Trinity Mirror
    . Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  10. ^ "'Spirit' (Deluxe Version) – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (Great Britain). Apple. 13 November 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  11. ^ "'Spirit' – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (United States). Apple. 8 April 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  12. ^ "'Spirit' (Deluxe edition) – Leona Lewis". iTunes Store (United States). Apple. 8 April 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  13. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
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