"Closer" is a song by English singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae, released as the third and final single from her second studio album The Sea (2010). It was the third UK and worldwide single and had a release date of 2 August 2010.[1] It was also issued to radio alone in the United States on 25 January 2010.[2]
| "Closer" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Corinne Bailey Rae | ||||
| from the album The Sea | ||||
| Released | 2 August 2010 | |||
| Genre | Soul, R&B, jazz | |||
| Length | 4:17 (album version) | |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Corinne Bailey Rae | |||
| Producer(s) | Corinne Bailey Rae, Steve Chrisanthou | |||
| Corinne Bailey Rae singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Promotion
editBailey Rae's first television performance of the song was on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on 28 January.[3]
Critical reception
editEarly comments regarding "Closer", in album reviews for The Sea were mixed.
Nick Day Slant Magazine gave a mixed review of the song, stating:
"The moment the rhythm breaks, as with "Closer," it's a struggle to reengage with music that is so intensely personal, so overwhelmingly desolate and yet somehow unmemorable.[4]
Also in a mixed review, Tony Hardy of Consequenceofsound wrote "'Closer' finds the artiste in more of a classic R&B mode... the sentiments are bleak. It's accomplished stuff but not necessarily as strong as the earlier songs."[5]
However, Mayer Nassim from Digital Spy was more positive expressing:
"The best moments here are when Rae lets her hair down. The deep soul of 'Closer' is a good example."[6]
Formats and track listings
edit- UK Promo CD
- "Closer" (Radio Edit) - 3:36
- "Closer" (Instrumental) - 4:17
Music video
editThe music video for "Closer" was directed by Adria Petty and premiered on 1 July 2010. It features the singer as she performs the song in a dark room, bringing "a dreamy sensuous feel, perfect for a steamy summer playlist."[7]
"I had such an amazing time making this video. The director, Adria Petty, has brilliant ideas," Bailey Rae said. "We both thought about the feel of the song and independently imagined a slightly seventies look, Donna Summer sexy, abandoned roller disco fun".[8] Of her favorite scene in the clip, she chooses the one which features her "with the veil inspired by a 1970s Vogue cover by Bianca Jagger." She added, "The choreographer Frank Gatson was on hand to offer me advice about movement in the video. He helped my focus of the strength shape I was making".[9]
Chart performance
editThe single spent 31 weeks inside the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and reached a peak of thirty-one, being her highest chart single ever on that chart.[10] On the week of 28 August 2010, the song returned to the Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at number #50, and on the week of 4 September 2010, the song climbed higher to number #36.[11]
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Airplay and release history
edit
Airplayedit
|
Purchasable releaseedit
|
References
edit- ^ UK Forthcoming Singles - 2 August 2010 Archived 11 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Radio 1. Retrieved 2010-07-14.
- ^ Corrine launches new singles[permanent dead link]. News Press Room. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
- ^ Corinne Bailey Rae - Closer(live on The Ellen DeGeneres Show EllenShow Retrieved 28 January 2010
- ^ To The Sea review by Slant Magazine Slant Magazine Retrieved 21 April 2010
- ^ Hardy, Tony (24 October 2010). "Closer by Corinne Bailey Rae". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
- ^ Digital Spy Album Review: Corinne Bailey Rae - The Sea Digital Spy Retrieved 28 January 2010
- ^ D210TV ON DEMAND. "Corinne Bailey Rae Debuts 'Closer' Music Video Video". Vodpod.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Corinne Bailey Rae - "Closer" | Official Music Video". SoulCulture. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ Closer video at MySpace
- ^ Closer by Corrine Bailey Rae at Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard Retrieved 23 June 2010
- ^ Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Retrieved 27 August 2010
- ^ "Corinne Bailey Rae Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- ^ "Corinne Bailey Rae Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- ^ "2010 Year End Chart: Adult R&B Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ CorinneBaileyRae.net - Watch 'Closer' video now Retrieved on 16 July 2010
- ^ ChartsInFrance.net Corinne Bailey Rae choisit "Closer" Retrieved on 16 July 2010