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Lolita (Leah LaBelle song)

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"Lolita" is a song recorded by American singer Leah LaBelle. It was released on May 7, 2013, through Epic. The single was written by American songwriter Kelly Sheehan in collaboration with record producer Pharrell Williams. Backed by synthesizers and a bass guitar, it is a midtempo funk, R&B, and pop song with disco influences. Media commentators have suggested the song was inspired by Vladimir Nabokov's 1955 novel Lolita, and noted that its lyrics greatly diverge from the source material.

"Lolita"
An image of a light-skinned woman in a revealing outfit in three different poses.
Single by Leah LaBelle
ReleasedMay 7, 2013 (2013-05-07)
Genre
Length2:49
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Pharrell Williams
Leah LaBelle singles chronology
"What Do We Got To Lose?"
(2012) 		"Lolita"
(2013)

"Lolita" was positively received by music critics, who praised its chorus, Williams' production, and LaBelle's vocal performance. The single ranked number seven on the Dance Club Songs Billboard chart in the United States. Internationally, it peaked at number 264 on the official Tophit airplay chart. To promote "Lolita", LaBelle sang an acoustic version for Rap-Up, and performed the original version at various venues, such as New York Fashion Week and the Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend.

Directed by Diane Martel, the single's accompanying music video features LaBelle as Lolita and shows how she seduces boys from her neighborhood. The video received attention due to its focus on sexuality. Welsh singer-songwriter Charlotte Church strongly criticized Martel's creation of sexually-explicit music videos, and Idolator selected the carwash scene as an instance in which the video emphasized sexuality. Despite the criticism, LaBelle's performance garnered positive reviews.

Background and release

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American singer Leah LaBelle initially rose to fame in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol, and found minor success through releasing covers of songs on her YouTube account.[1][2] American singer Keri Hilson hired LaBelle as a backup singer after listening to her rendition of her 2009 single "Energy".[2] American record producers Pharrell Williams and Jermaine Dupri had first noticed LaBelle while she was performing with Hilson,[2] and provided her with a joint record deal with L.A. Reid's company Epic, Dupri's So So Def Recordings, and Williams' label I Am Other.[1][3] In 2012, LaBelle released her debut single "Sexify",[2][4] which Natalie Maher of Billboard identified as her "breakout song",[2] and a five-track sampler album Pharrell Williams and Jermaine Dupri Present Leah LaBelle.[2][5]

"Lolita" was written by American songwriter Kelly Sheehan in collaboration with Pharrell Williams. Andrew Coleman and Mike Larson recorded LaBelle's vocals, and Coleman edited them. Matthew Desremeaux, PJ McGinnis, and Tony Olivera provided additional engineering, and Leslie Brathwaite mixed the audio.[6] On March 26, 2013, Epic Records released a digital extended play, 10 electro house remixes and instrumentals of "Lolita" by DJs Sidney Samson, Sick Individuals, and Chris Cox.[7] The single was released as a digital download in select parts of the world through Epic Records on May 7, 2013, before being made available internationally on July 5.[8][9] Its cover features LaBelle in a revealing outfit that showcases her cleavage and legs.[4][10]

Composition and lyrical interpretation

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"Lolita"
A sample of Leah Labelle's "Lolita", in which she sings the chorus backed by synthesizers and a bass guitar.[4] Critics identified the track as funk with disco influences.[4][11]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Lolita" is a midtempo funk, R&B, and pop song,[4][12][13][14] which lasts two minutes and 49 seconds.[15] Its instrumentation is provided by synthesizers, a bass guitar, and it features a stomp progression.[4][12] MTV News' Jenna Hally Rubenstein described the song as featuring "a deep-bass disco vibe with a layer of grime",[11] while Bradley Stern of MuuMuse interpreted it as a "blend of funk and ferocity" and a "disco-tinged strut".[4]

In the single, LaBelle teases the listener with the lyrics: "Am I the aim of your fascination? / Am I the eye of your storm?".[4] During the chorus, she is described as crooning the following lyrics: "Baby, I was born to make you do something you've never done / You'll be forever young / I'm your Lolita."[4][16] LaBelle continues to seduce the listener by singing: "Leave your pinstripes and your 9 to 5 in my Lolita eyes tonight / Come on, let's dirty up your mind."[11][12]

Media commentators have discussed the connection between the single and Vladimir Nabokov's 1955 novel Lolita.[11][17][18] David Drake of Complex viewed the lyrics as diverging dramatically from the character of Lolita in Nabokov's novel,[18] and Jenna Hally Rubenstein found it to be a loose adaptation.[11] D-Money from SoulBounce.com noted that LaBelle's age differentiated her from the Nabokov character, but described the singer as "embod[ying] the alluring essence of the literary temptress".[17] LaBelle clarified that the single was not directly about the novel Lolita or an attraction to youth; she suggested instead that it was about being someone's desire or fantasy.[19]

Reception

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"Lolita" has received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Brad Stern of MTV News praised the song as a "fresh, obsessively repeat-friendly cut" and a "slice of strut-friendly goodness".[12] Idolator's Sam Lansky wrote that it should have received more attention from mainstream media.[10] A contributor for Soulhead.com commended LaBelle's vocal performance, describing that the song as having "clearly articulated lyrics that are sung with passion". The reviewer added that the record added to the anticipation of the release of LaBelle's debut album.[13] Jenna Hally Rubenstein wrote that "Lolita" was an excellent example of Williams' capabilities as a producer, and appreciated its adaptation of the Nabokov story.[11] Bradley Stern found it to be an improvement over "Sexify", writing that it was the type of sound that he wanted American singer Justin Timberlake to release on his 2013 album The 20/20 Experience for his return to music.[4] On the other hand, Centric's Justin Joseph criticized LaBelle's interpretation of Lolita as "borderline side-eye worthy", but he praised the production as sounding like "a fresh and youthful R&B jam".[14]

In the week of March 22, 2013, "Lolita" was listed as one of the "breakout tracks" for the Dance Club Songs Billboard chart, which meant that it was expected to debut on the chart within several weeks.[20] It reached the top 20 of the chart the week of May 5, 2013,[21] before reaching a peak position of number seven at the end of the month.[22] Internationally, "Lolita" ranked on the official Tophit airplay chart at number 264 in June, 2013.[23]

Music video and promotion

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Music video

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The music video's representation of sexuality received multiple comments from critics, with Idolator's Lansky highlighting the carwash scene.[10][24][25]

A lyric video was uploaded to LaBelle's Vevo account on February 11, 2013.[26][27] It was filmed by director Diane Martel in Los Angeles, and was released on May 8, 2013.[28][29] BET aired the video, and included it on its countdown show 106 & Park.[30]

In the video, LaBelle plays the part of Lolita, defined as a "badass baby girl", and seduces boys in her neighborhood.[29][31] The singer is shown watering flowers while wearing a skirt, dancing in the streets, and counting money while sitting on a lemonade stand.[29][31][32] Throughout the scenes, she wears crop tops and short skirts and shorts.[33] The video reverses the imagery of the heart-shaped glasses from Stanley Kubrick's 1962 film Lolita, by having the shirtless men wear them as they pursue LaBelle.[10] The men serve as LaBelle's "heart eyed entourage" and "her own personal secret service"; they are seen washing a toy car in a carwash and presenting the singer with a life-sized teddy bear.[25]

LaBelle sex appeal received attention from media outlets.[29][31][34] Baffuor Gyamfi of Mass Appeal praised LaBelle's presence in the video, writing that the singer's "sex appeal dominates the video, no matter how weird things get".[25] Welsh singer-songwriter Charlotte Church criticized Diane Martel for her creation of sexually-explicit music videos, and referenced the "Lolita" video as "an objectionable little number"; Church disapproved of the single's title.[24] Idolator's Sam Lansky called the video "crazy-sexy-cool", saying of the carwash scene – "[Y]ikes!".[10] D-Money was critical of the lack of choreography, citing it as an example of Martel's emphasis on style over performance in her music videos.[33]

Live performances

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LaBelle first performed "Lolita" as a part of a set for BET's Music Matters, held over the weekend of the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.[35][36] In the same year, she performed the song for the Boy Meets Girl runway during New York Fashion Week on February 20[19][37] and the Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend in April, 2013.[38] For the latter, she sang it along with "Sexify".[38] She performed an acoustic version of the single for Rap-Up, along with "Mr. Scissors" from her sampler album and a cover of Daft Punk's 2013 single "Get Lucky".[39][40][41]

Formats and track listings

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Digital download[15]
No.TitleLength
1."Lolita"2:49
Digital download (Remixes)[7]
No.TitleLength
1."Lolita [Sidney Samson Remix] Original Mix"5:18
2."Lolita [Sidney Samson Remix] Radio Mix"3:08
3."Lolita [Sidney Samson Instrumental]"5:18
4."Lolita [Sick Individuals Remix] Original Mix"6:05
5."Lolita [Sick Individuals Remix] Radio Mix"3:06
6."Lolita [Sick Individuals Remix] Instrumental"6:05
7."Lolita [Chris Cox Club Mix] Original Mix"7:23
8."Lolita [Chris Cox Radio Mix] Original Mix"3:33
9."Lolita [Chrix Cox Dub] Instrumental"6:04
10."Lolita [Chris Cox Mixshow] Original Mix"5:35

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of "Lolita".[6]

Personnel

Charts

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Chart (2012) Peak
position
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[22] 7

Release history

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Region Format Date Label
United States Remix package[7] March 26, 2013 Epic
Spain Digital download[8] May 7, 2013
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States
Austria Digital download[9] July 5, 2013
Canada
Finland
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Norway

References

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  1. ^ a b James, Nicole (October 16, 2012). "You Need to Know: Jermaine Dupri's R&B Ingenue Leah Labelle". Fuse. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Maher, Natalie (January 31, 2018). "Leah LaBelle's Musical History, From Gospel Choir to 'American Idol'". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018.
  3. ^ Partridge, Kenneth (May 21, 2012). "In House With Leah LaBelle: Singer Talks New Album With Pharrell Williams, Jermaine Dupri". The Boombox. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on September 14, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Stern, Bradley (January 20, 2013). "Leah LaBelle's "Lolita" is My Obsession Du Jour". MuuMuse. Brad Stern. Archived from the original on May 17, 2015.
  5. ^ "Leah Labelle Previews 5 Tracks Off Debut Album". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. May 1, 2012. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016.
  6. ^ a b Lolita (Media notes). Leah Labelle. Epic Records. 2013. 5 742 141.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ a b c "Lolita – Remixes". Beatport. March 26, 2013. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Lolita" was initially released as a digital download on May 7, 2013 in select parts of the word:
  9. ^ a b "Lolita" was later released on July 5, 2013 internationally:
    • "Lolita". Ca.7digital.com. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016.
    • "Lolita". Ca.7digital.com. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016.
    • "Lolita". Ca.7digital.com. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016.
    • "Lolita". Ca.7digital.com. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016.
    • "Lolita". Ca.7digital.com. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016.
    • "Lolita". Ca.7digital.com. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016.
    • "Lolita". Ca.7digital.com. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016.
    • "Lolita". Ca.7digital.com. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018.
    • "Lolita". Ca.7digital.com. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d e Lansky, Sam (May 14, 2013). "Leah LaBelle's "Lolita" Video: Watch The Super-Sexy Clip". Idolator.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Rubenstein, Jenna Hally (January 24, 2013). "New Song: Leah Labelle, 'Lolita'". MTV News. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016.
  12. ^ a b c d Stern, Brad (January 22, 2013). "Neon Hitch, Leah LaBelle, Darin + More: 5 Must-Hear Pop Songs of the Week". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016.
  13. ^ a b "Listen to Leah Labelle – Lolita". Soulhead.com. March 7, 2013. Archived from the original on July 17, 2015.
  14. ^ a b Joseph, Justin (January 22, 2013). "New Music: Leah LaBelle Turns Up the Heat with "Lolita"". Centric. Archived from the original on November 8, 2016.
  15. ^ a b "Lolita – Single – Leah Labelle". iTunes Store (US). May 7, 2013. Archived from the original on February 2, 2016.
  16. ^ "New Music: Leah LaBelle – 'Lolita'". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. January 18, 2013. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016.
  17. ^ a b D-Money (January 22, 2013). "Leah LaBelle Teases With 'Lolita'". SoulBounce.com. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  18. ^ a b Drake, David (May 8, 2013). "Watch: Leah LaBelle "Lolita"". Complex. Verizon Hearst Media Partners. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013.
  19. ^ a b "Video: Watch Leah LaBelle Choose Her Performance Look for the Boy Meets Girl Fashion Show". OK!. Northern & Shell. February 18, 2013. Archived from the original on November 7, 2016.
  20. ^ Bronson, Fred (May 2, 2013). "'American Idol' on the Charts: Phillip Phillips' Live Performance Boosts 'Gone, Gone, Gone'". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014.
  21. ^ Bronson, Fred (May 2, 2013). "'American Idol' on the Charts: Fantasia's Latest Lands a No. 1". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on January 14, 2016.
  22. ^ a b "Chart Search". Billboard Dance Club Songs for Leah Labelle. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  23. ^ "Chart Search". Tophit for Leah Labelle. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  24. ^ a b McGeorge, Alistair (October 15, 2013). "Charlotte Church has a pop at "mediocre" Robin Thicke". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on June 5, 2015.
  25. ^ a b c Gyamfi, Baffuor (May 9, 2013). "Leah LaBelle "Lolita" Produced by Pharrell". Mass Appeal. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016.
  26. ^ ""Lolita" (Lyric Video)". Leah LaBelle official website. February 11, 2013. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016.
  27. ^ "Lolita – Leah LaBelle". MTV Base. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016.
  28. ^ "Watch Leah's "Lolita" Video". Leah LaBelle official website. May 8, 2013. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016.
  29. ^ a b c d "Watch: Leah Labelle – 'Lolita'". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. May 8, 2013. Archived from the original on May 25, 2015.
  30. ^ "Vote for "Lolita" on 106 & Park!". Leah LaBelle official website. June 5, 2013. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016.
  31. ^ a b c Joseph, Justin (May 8, 2013). "New Video: Leah Labelle – "Lolita"". Centric. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016.
  32. ^ Guard, Megan (May 8, 2013). "New Video: Leah Labelle 'Lolita'". Vibe. Spin Media. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016.
  33. ^ a b D-Money (May 8, 2013). "Leah LaBelle Turns Temptress In 'Lolita'". SoulBounce.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2018.
  34. ^ Rubenstein, Jenna Hally (May 8, 2013). "New video: Leah Labelle, 'Lolita'". MTV News. Archived from the original on February 7, 2018.
  35. ^ TeamBASSicBlack (February 9, 2013). "Leah Labelle Performs at BET's Music Matters in Los Angeles, CA". Adamblackstone.com. Archived from the original on October 30, 2016.
  36. ^ "BET Network's Music Matters' Showcase - Grammy Edition "Lipstick on the Mic" Featuring Marsha Ambrosius, Elle Varner, Stacy Barthe, Leah LaBelle, and Ravaughn, Friday, February 8th, 2013". BET. February 4, 2013. Archived from the original on February 7, 2018.
  37. ^ "Leah Labelle Brings "Lolita" to NYFW". Leah LaBelle official website. February 15, 2013. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016.
  38. ^ a b Lee, Steve (March 20, 2013). "Leah LaBelle added to Club Skirts Dinah Shore weekend line-up". LGBTWeekly.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2016.
  39. ^ "Leah LaBelle Performs for Rap-Up Sessions". Leah LaBelle official website. July 24, 2013. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016.
  40. ^ "Leah LaBelle Performs for Rap-Up Sessions". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. July 24, 2013. Archived from the original on July 28, 2015.
  41. ^ "Jermaine Dupri Shares Unreleased Leah LaBelle Song 'Scumbag'". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
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