"Bad Girls" is a single by American duo MKTO, released as a digital download on June 2, 2015, by Columbia Records. It serves as the first single from their first extended play, Bad Girls EP (2015). The song is a pop song with heavy funk influences featuring predominant saxophone instrumentation in its production. The duo performed the song for the first time on June 2, 2015, during Good Morning America as well as on The Late Late Show on June 4, 2015.[2]
| "Bad Girls" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by MKTO | ||||
| from the album Bad Girls EP | ||||
| Released | June 2, 2015 (iTunes)[1] | |||
| Recorded | 2015 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:14 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
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| MKTO singles chronology | ||||
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Background and composition
editThe song was written by Emanuel Kiriakou, Evan Bogart, Andrew Goldstein, Lindy Robbins, Clarence Coffee Jr., as well as MKTO's own Malcolm Kelley and Tony Oller whilst produced by Kiriakou, Bogart and Goldstein.[3] The track is a pop song with strong funk influences, featuring a predominant horn sound in its composition. Oller told Teen Vogue: "We just want to make music that's current and consistent with what everyone is vibing to. For 'Bad Girls', we recorded a real horn section which isn't something a lot of people do these days. We really wanted to go back to that and go back to the roots of making music."[4]
Speaking to J-14, the duo said of the song's overall sound: "It has an "Uptown Funk" feel to it, it's awesome, we have real instruments in it, we have unbelievable background singers on it. It's going to be a way different sound than the first album. We're proud to play it for our friends. It's not so poppy, but still has that element. We're excited for it."[5]
Music video
editThe music video was directed by Hannah Lux Davis, it was filmed on April 30, 2015, and released on June 5, 2015.[6] Kelley described the video as a "mini movie".[4] It features Oller and Kelley being abducted by a group of "bad girls" and were held hostage. They later escape and capture. The video's initial conception featured ideas of parties, however MKTO wanted something cinematic. Oller said: “Us having the acting backgrounds we have, we wanted to do something cinematic. We always look for any excuse to be able to do that kind of stuff. We came across one that was great and had a P.O.W. camp where these gorgeous women would take us hostage in very sexy outfits, but with a twist: these are women who are not only sexy, but who you don’t want to mess with. There’s a Mad Max kind of theme.”[7] In addition, a lyric video to the song was released on May 29, 2015, to YouTube.[citation needed]
Charts
edit| Chart (2015) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[8] | 80 |
| Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[9] | 74 |
| Russia Airplay (Tophit)[10] | 211 |
| US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[11] | 36 |
References
edit- ^ "Bad Girls – Single by MKTO". iTunes Store (US). Apple. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ "MKTO Performs 'Bad Girls' on Good Morning America Today, Late Night Television Debut on the Late Show with James Corden on June 4" (Press release). Clizbeats. June 2, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ Wass, Mike (May 12, 2015). "MKTO Preview New Single "Bad Girls": Listen To Funk-Pop Anthem". Idolator. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ a b "MKTO Told Us All About Their New Single...and It's Going to Blow You Away". 2015-06-05. Retrieved 2015-06-05.
- ^ Thompson, Heather (March 5, 2015). "Exclusive: MKTO Opens Up About Their 'Bad Girls' Single". J-14. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ "MKTO Explain How 'Mad Max' Relates to Their New 'Bad Girls' Video: Watch". Radio.com. June 5, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ Szubiak, Ali (June 5, 2015). "MKTO Are Cool With Being Abducted by 'Bad Girls' in Their New Video". PopCrush. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (June 13, 2015). "ARIA Charts: Taylor Swift Bad Blood Remains At No 1". Noise11. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 24. týden 2015 in the date selector. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ "MKTO - Bad Girls" (in Russian). Tophit. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ "MKTO Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2015.