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| Recorded = 2013
| Recorded = 2013
| Length = {{duration|m=46|s=54}}
| Length = {{duration|m=46|s=54}}
| Genre = [[Dance-pop]]<ref name="independent"/>
| Genre = {{Flatlist|
*[[Funk]]<ref>http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19100-pharrell-g-i-r-l/</ref>
*[[Soul music|soul]]<ref>http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19100-pharrell-g-i-r-l/</ref>
*[[Contempoary R&B|R&B]]<ref>http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/review/a554613/pharrell-williams-g-i-r-l-album-review-uplifting-rb-funk.html</ref>
*[[dance-pop]]<ref name="independent"/>
| Label = [[i Am Other]], [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| Label = [[i Am Other]], [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| Producer = [[Pharrell Williams]]
| Producer = [[Pharrell Williams]]

Revision as of 09:43, 6 April 2014

"GIRL" redirects here. For other uses, see Girl (disambiguation).

{{Infobox album | Name = Girl | Type = album | Artist = Pharrell Williams | Cover = Pharrell Williams – Girl (album cover).png | Border = yes | Released = March 3, 2014 (2014-03-03) | Recorded = 2013 | Length = 46:54

| Genre =

Girl (stylized as G I R L) is the second studio album by American recording artist and record producer Pharrell Williams. The album was released on March 3, 2014, through Williams' label i Am Other and Columbia Records. Girl is Williams' first studio album in eight years, since his 2006 debut, In My Mind.[5]

The lead single of Girl is the Academy Award-nominated song "Happy", from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. The album contains appearances by Kelly Osbourne, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Miley Cyrus, Daft Punk, JoJo, Alicia Keys, Tori Kelly and Leah LaBelle.[6] Reviews of the album from music critics have been generally positive.[7]

Background

Williams provided vocals for French duo Daft Punk's 2013 album Random Access Memories. After returning from the Paris recording sessions, he attended a meeting with record label managers, who said that the results were "spectacular" and that "Get Lucky" would be Daft Punk's next single. They also made Williams an offer to record his own album, to which he agreed quickly, "overwhelmed that someone wanted to know what's in my heart."[8]

On December 17, 2013, it was announced that Williams had signed to Columbia Records and would release his second studio album in 2014.[9] In a December 2013, press release Rob Stringer, Chairman of Columbia Records, said, "When we excitedly partnered with Pharrell in January of this year, we felt it was his time again. Since then, 'Blurred Lines' and 'Get Lucky' have defined pop music in 2013, and now we are preparing to launch Pharrell as a global solo superstar in 2014. 'Happy' is just the beginning."[9]

On February 18, 2014, Williams unveiled a trailer for the album.[10] The next day, he said in a statement, "When Columbia Records presented me with the opportunity to make an album, three things came to mind, One was the sense of overwhelming honor that I felt when I realized that they were interested in partnering with me on the album that I had always dreamt of making. Two, it would have to feel festive and urgent. And three, I instantly knew it would be called G I R L. I hope you like it."[11]

Concept

Called feminist "almost-concept" album in early reviews,[12] Girl is Williams' attempt to "eliminate what he sees as an understandable degree of uncertainty over what his attitude to women actually is." He said that he felt the need to clarify himself in the wake of "Blurred Lines" controversy, as with the song's "questionable lyrics, and the nature of the aesthetic of the video, it's easy to get confused about that."[8][13] Williams also stated, "There's an imbalance in society, in my opinion, and it's going to change. A world where 75 per cent of it is run by women – that's a different world. That's gonna happen, and I want to be on the right side of it when it does."[8]

Interviewed by Zane Lowe backstage at the 2014 BRIT Awards, Williams specified that the capitalization and double-spacing of the album title is deliberately designed, "because when you look at it, it looks a little weird [...] because society is a little unbalanced." He also added that he wished to honor the female figures that had been part of his life by making the record.[14]

Music and lyrics

The opening track on the album, "Marilyn Monroe", begins with an orchestral string introduction.[15] The song's production is characterized by Williams' signature "skittering" beat and "bumping" bass line,[16] and its lyrics discuss "helpless romantics and the perfect lady."[16]

The album's first single, "Happy", is a neo soul and funk song that Williams sings in a falsetto singing tone.[17] "Come Get It Bae" features uncredited guest vocals from Miley Cyrus, the song is a funk song with playful beat,[18][19] Lyrically, the song is based around sex and the metaphor "you want to ride my motorcycle?" serving as an innuendo for sex.[20]

Singles

"Happy" was released as the lead single from the album on November 21, 2013; the song was originally written for and included on the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack.[21] On November 24, Williams released the first 24-hour music video for "Happy". Guest appearances included Magic Johnson, Steve Carrell, Jimmy Kimmel, Jamie Foxx, Steve Martin, Odd Future, Miranda Cosgrove, Janelle Monáe, and many others.[22] The song has been commercially successful, peaking at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, topping charts in 19 other countries, and reaching top 10 positions in several more. It received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 86th Academy Awards, and Williams performed the song live at the ceremony on March 2, 2014.[23]

In an interview with New York radio station Power 105.1, Williams revealed that the album's second single would be "Marilyn Monroe".[24] On March 10, 2014, the single was added to the playlist of British urban contemporary radio station BBC Radio 1Xtra.[25]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic67/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[26]
The A.V. ClubB[27]
Consequence of SoundB–[28]
Entertainment WeeklyB[29]
The Guardian[30]
The Independent[4]
Pitchfork Media6.2/10[31]
Spin8/10[32]
Rolling Stone[33]
Slant Magazine[34]

Upon its release, Girl received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 67, which indicates "generally favorable", based on 32 reviews.[7] Billboard magazine's Reggie Ugwu rated the album 85/100, and wrote that "like Williams' most recent hits, is a relentlessly positive and unselfconsciously joyful tour de force."[5] Michael Cragg of The Guardian called Girl "an audacious, almost-concept album celebrating women and aiming to highlight society's gender imbalance."[12] Andy Kellman of AllMusic gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Compared to his albums with N.E.R.D. and In My Mind, this is easily Pharrell's second most enjoyable album, just behind the original version of In Search Of... from 2001. It's fun, frivolous, and low on excess."[26] Barry Walters of Spin gave the album an eight out of ten, saying "That lighter-than-helium vibe is all over Girl, the most audacious milestone in the Neptunes/N.E.R.D. icon's already storied career. As suggested by its title, Pharrell's second solo album follows last year's monster smashes for Daft Punk and Robin Thicke with a full-length both unabashedly feminine and neatly spaced-out."[32] Reed Jackson of XXL gave the album an XL rating, saying "G I R L not only represents a proper representation of his creativity, but, with high-profile guest spots (Timberlake, Cyrus, Daft Punk) and a number of radio-ready singles, it should also be a success on the charts and further his reputation as a pop icon. Let the man’s hot streak continue."[35]

Andy Gill of The Independent gave the album three out of five stars, saying "It’s an enjoyable dance-pop album lacking a central focus. But one whose diffident charm makes a pleasant change from the overwrought wailing that routinely afflicts R&B."[4] Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine gave the album three out of five stars, saying "As Williams tells it, the Despicable Me 2 team made him go through eight drafts before he arrived at the disarming, first-person charm of "Happy". Girl may have benefited from a few more introspective trips back to the drawing board."[34] Robert Copsey of Digital Spy gave the album four out of five stars, saying "The Motown-funk sound that dominates most of G I R L was always going to be a given after the success of "Get Lucky" and "Blurred Lines", but what is surprising is its lyrical content, which is celebratory of women's power and sexuality, unlike his Robin Thicke collaboration."[36] Chris Kelly of Fact gave the album one out of five stars, saying "From the orchestral string intro of "Marilyn Monroe" to the funk-rock jam session that ends "It Girl", G I R L is 45 minutes of warmed-over retro-pop pastiche, cribbing from Michael Jackson and Chic, from disco and yacht rock. Mostly, Pharrell is content to approximate dance floor fillers from the ’70s and ’80s; at his worst, he rehashes the more soulful and innovative material he made a decade ago."[15] Oliver Keens of Time Out gave the album four out of five stars, saying "The best you can say is that Pharrell has created, hands down, one of the biggest and best pop albums of the year. The worst is that, well, it sometimes sounds a bit Magic FM. Oddly age-appropriate, in fact, for one so young looking."[37]

Chart performance

The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart on March 9, 2014. With first-week sales of over 70,000 copies, it was the fastest-selling album of 2014 in the UK at the time of its release, overtaking Bruce Springsteen's High Hopes by 45% and being certified Silver.[38] In the United States, the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 113,000 copies.[39] In its second week the album dropped to number five on that chart, selling 45,000 more copies.[40] In its third week the album dropped to number six on that chart, selling 34,000 more copies.[41] In its fourth week the album rose to number five on that chart, selling 25,000 more copies bringing its total album sales to 217,000 copies.[42]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Pharrell Williams, except where noted. All songs produced by Williams

No.TitleLength
1."Marilyn Monroe" (written by Williams and Ann-Marie Calhoun)5:51
2."Brand New" (featuring. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)4:31
3."Hunter"4:00
4."Gush"3:54
5."Happy" (from Despicable Me 2)3:53
6."Come Get it Bae" (featuring. Miley Cyrus)3:21
7."Gust of Wind"4:45
8."Lost Queen" (includes a hidden track "Freq")7:56
9."Know Who You Are" (duet with Alicia Keys)3:56
10."It Girl"4:47
Total length:46:54

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2014) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[44] 1
Australian Urban Albums (ARIA)[45] 1
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[46] 4
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[47] 1
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[48] 2
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[49] 2
Croatian International Albums (HDU)[50] 9
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[51] 4
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[52] 1
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[53] 2
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[54] 7
French Albums (SNEP)[55] 1
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[56] 2
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[57] 6
Italian Albums (FIMI)[58] 1
Irish Albums (IRMA)[59] 3
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[60] 2
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[61] 1
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[62] 3
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[63] 4
Scottish Albums (OCC)[64] 1
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[65] 6
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[66] 2
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[67] 1
UK Albums (OCC)[68] 1
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[69] 1
US Billboard 200[70] 2
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[71] 1

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Poland (ZPAV)[72] Gold 0*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[73] Gold 10,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[74] Gold 100,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Worldwide March 3, 2014[75] Digital download, CD Black Lot Music, Columbia Records

References

  1. ^ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19100-pharrell-g-i-r-l/
  2. ^ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19100-pharrell-g-i-r-l/
  3. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/review/a554613/pharrell-williams-g-i-r-l-album-review-uplifting-rb-funk.html
  4. ^ a b c Andy Gill. "Album reviews: Pharrell Williams, Paloma Faith, Elbow, Drive-by Truckers, Robert Ellis, Nick Waterhouse — Reviews — Music". The Independent. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c Ugwu, Reggie (February 25, 2014). "Pharrell, 'G I R L': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  6. ^ a b Pharrell Williams, Girl liner notes (2014).
  7. ^ a b c "G I R L Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 8, 2014. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  8. ^ a b c Batey, Angus (February 21, 2014). "We Heard Pharrell's New Album & This Is What It Sounds Like". NME. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Pharrell Williams Signs To Columbia Records". Vibe. December 17, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  10. ^ Corner, Lewis (February 18, 2014). "Pharrell Williams unveils new album G I R L trailer — watch". Digital Spy. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  11. ^ Brandles, Lars (February 19, 2014). "Pharrell Williams' Solo Album 'G I R L' Gets Release Date". Billboard. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  12. ^ a b Cragg, Michael (February 21, 2014). "First listen: Pharrell's G I R L". The Guardian. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  13. ^ Gibson, Megan (February 21, 2014). "Pharrell's New Album G I R L Is All About Girls (In a Good Way)". Time. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  14. ^ "Zane Lowe with Pharrell Part I, Backstage At The BRITs 2014". YouTube. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  15. ^ a b Kelly, Chris (February 27, 2014). "GIRL – FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music". Fact. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  16. ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (March 6, 2014). "Pharrell's 'Marilyn Monroe' Is So Not What You Think It's About". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. Retrieved February 26, 2014. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  17. ^ Rosen, Jody (June 7, 2013). "Pharrell – Happy". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
  18. ^ Rose, Ashley (February 26, 2014). "Miley Cyrus and Pharrell's New Song "Come Get It Bae" Sounds Like "Blurred Lines"". Cambio. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
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  20. ^ Kennedy, John (February 24, 2014). "First Response: 5 Things We've Learned From Pharrell's 'G I R L' Album". Vibe. Spin Media. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
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  24. ^ "LISTEN: Pharrell Williams addresses album cover criticism". iHeartRadio. February 28, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
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  27. ^ Rytlewski, Evan. "Pharrell continues his one-man disco revival on G I R L · Music Review · The A.V. Club". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  28. ^ Madden, Michael (March 5, 2014). "Album Review: Pharrell – G I R L". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  29. ^ Catucci, Nick (February 27, 2014). "G I R L Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
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  32. ^ a b Walters, Barry (March 3, 2014). "Pharrell Walks on Pop-R&B Sunshine With the Daring, Infectious 'G I R L'". Spin. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  33. ^ Dolan, Jon (March 2, 2014). "Pharrell Williams: G I R L | Music Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  34. ^ a b Henderson, Eric (March 2, 2014). "Pharrell Williams: G I R L | Music Review". Slant Magazine. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  35. ^ Jackson, Reed (February 8, 2014). "Pharrell Continues His Hot Streak With 'G I R L'". XXL. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  36. ^ Copsey, Robert (February 28, 2014). "Pharrell Williams G I R L album review: 'Uplifting R&B-funk'". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 5, 2014. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  37. ^ Keens, Oliver (February 26, 2014). "Pharrell 'GIRL' album review". Time Out. London. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  38. ^ Rigby, Sam (March 9, 2014). "Pharrell Williams scores first UK No.1 album with G I R L". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  39. ^ Tardio, Andres (March 12, 2014). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Week Ending 3/9/2014". HipHop DX. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
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  42. ^ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.28149/title.hip-hop-album-sales-week-ending-3-30-2014
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  72. ^ Expression error: Unexpected <= operator
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  74. ^ id MUST BE PROVIDED for UK CERTIFICATION.
  75. ^ "G I R L by Pharrell Williams". iTunes. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
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