"Heaven" is a song by American singer Julia Michaels. It was written by Michaels, Taylor Parks, Brian Garcia, Uzoechi Emenike and Morten Ristorp Jensen, with production handled by Morten Ristorp.[1] The song was released via Universal Studios and Republic Records on January 26, 2018, as the third and final single from the soundtrack to the film Fifty Shades Freed (2018).[2]
"Heaven" | ||||
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Single by Julia Michaels | ||||
from the album Fifty Shades Freed: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
Released | January 26, 2018 | |||
Recorded | 2017 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:11 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Morten Ristorp | |||
Julia Michaels singles chronology | ||||
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Fifty Shades soundtrack singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Heaven" on YouTube |
Composition
edit"Heaven" is a mid-tempo pop song that runs for three minutes and eleven seconds.[3] Its instrumentation consists of a "syncopated synth beat", "layers of 'ooh' vocals in the background" sung by Uzoechi Emenike and Tayla Parx,[4] and a chord progression of Gm–D/F♯–Dm–C/E-Cm/E♭-B♭-D/F♯. Written in the key of G minor, it has a tempo of 66 beats per minute with a slowly feeling in compound duple (6
8) time.
Critical reception
editChristina Lee of Uproxx wrote that Michaels "manages to summarize the entire Fifty Shades franchise in just two lines: 'They say all good boys go to heaven / but bad boys bring heaven to you'".[5] Sam Damshenas of Gay Times described it as a "hauntingly addictive track" in which "Julia reminisce on a past lover".[6] Mike Nied of Idolator regarded the song as "a sparse and sexy ode to bad boys", writing that "it offers the budding superstar an opportunity to explore a moodier aesthetic". He felt the song of being a bit risky "considering her tendency toward contemplative bops like 'Issues,' but it more than pays off". He also found the song "dangerously addictive" and opined that it is "a little more in line with the brooding material from the franchise's earlier albums". He concluded his review by calling it "a bit of a sonic switch-up" from previous materials released from the soundtrack.[7]
Music video
editThe song's music video was released on February 6, 2018, and directed by Sophie Muller. In the visual, Michaels wanders around a kitchen inside an apartment, wearing a tailored suit, intercut with scenes of Michaels daydreaming half-dressed men dancing around and circle the room,[8] and tasting ice cream from the fridge.[9][10] By the end of the video, all of those men display their anger issues, echoing the "bad boys" mentioned in the song.[11]
Live performances
editMichaels made a live performance debut of the track when the she performed a medley of "Heaven" and her previous single "Issues" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[12]
Credits and personnel
editRecording and management
- Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City)
- Published by Warner/Chappell Music Ltd (PRS), administered by WB Music Corp., Taylor Monet Music (BMI) & Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), HALLA! HALLA! Publishing (ASCAP) & WB Music Corp. (ASCAP), Brian Garcia Pub Designee (BMI) & Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), Thanks for the Songs Richard (BMI) & Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), Universal Pictures Music (ASCAP), UPG Music Publishing (BMI)
Personnel
- Julia Michaels – vocals, songwriting
- Uzoechi Emenike – songwriting, background vocals
- Tayla Parx – songwriting, background vocals
- Morten Ristorp Jensen – songwriting
- Brian Garcia – songwriting
- Morten Ristorp Jensen – production, all instruments performing
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
- Randy Merrill – mastering
Credits adapted from Fifty Shades Freed: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack liner notes.[13]
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[36] | 3× Platinum | 120,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada)[37] | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[38] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[39] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV)[40] | Platinum | 20,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[42] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
References
edit- ^ Fifty Shades Freed (2018) – IMDb, retrieved 2021-12-08
- ^ "Listen to "Heaven" by Julia Michaels!". Republic Records. January 26, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (January 26, 2018). "Hear Julia Michaels' Sleek 'Fifty Shades Freed' Song 'Heaven'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Tsai, Caroline (February 2, 2018). "Single review: Julia Michaels' 'Heaven' is 'Fifty Shades' of Unconventional Catchiness". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
- ^ Lee, Christina (January 26, 2018). "Julia Michaels Flies To 'Heaven' In Her Sultry New 'Fifty Shades Freed' Song". Uproxx. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Damshenas, Sam (January 26, 2018). "Julia Michaels releases new single Heaven for Fifty Shades Freed – listen here!". Gay Times. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Nied, Mike (January 26, 2018). "Julia Michaels' "Heaven" Is A Seductive Ode To Bad Boys". Idolator. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Sterling, Scott (February 6, 2018). "Julia Michaels Reveals 'Heaven' Video for 'Fifty Shades Freed'". CBS Radio. Archived from the original on March 12, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Braca, Nina (February 6, 2018). "Julia Michaels Drops Sultry New Video For 'Heaven'". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Nied, Mike (February 6, 2018). "Julia Michaels Lusts After Bad Boys In Her "Heaven" Video". Idolator. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Roth, Madeline (February 6, 2018). "Julia Michaels's 'Heaven' Video Is A Slice Of Fifty Shades Seduction". MTV News. Archived from the original on February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Marzovilla, Julia (January 26, 2018). "Listen to Julia Michaels' Seductive New Single 'Heaven' From 'Fifty Shades Freed' Soundtrack". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- ^ Fifty Shades Freed: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (CD). Julia Michaels. Universal Studios. 2018. p. 3.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Julia Michaels – Heaven" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels – Heaven" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 10. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels – Heaven". Tracklisten. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels: Heaven" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels – Heaven" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels – Heaven" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels – Heaven" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- ^ "NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. February 19, 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels – Heaven". VG-lista. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels – Heaven". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201810 into search. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels – Heaven". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels – Heaven". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Michaels Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ^ "Track Top-100 2018" (in Danish). Hitlisten. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
- ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Julia Michaels – Heaven" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Julia Michaels – Heaven". Music Canada. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
- ^ "Danish single certifications – Julia Michaels – Heaven". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ "Norwegian single certifications – Julia Michaels – Heaven" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- ^ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2020 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
- ^ "British single certifications – Julia Michaels – Heaven". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "American single certifications – Julia Michaels – Heaven". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 11, 2023.