Beautiful Surprise (song)
| "Beautiful Surprise" | ||||
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| Single by Tamia | ||||
| from the album Beautiful Surprise | ||||
| Released | March 2, 2012 | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 3:37 | |||
| Label | Plus One | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Salaam Remi | |||
| Tamia singles chronology | ||||
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"Beautiful Surprise" is a song by Canadian recording artist Tamia. It was written by Claude Kelly, Salaam Remi and the singer herself for her same-titled fifth album (2012), while production was overseen by Remi. A breezy mid-tempo groove, the R&B song is structured around a smooth synth.
The track was released as the album's lead single in the United States on March 2, 2012, reaching number 24 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number four on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs. "Beautiful Surprise" received a nomination for Grammy Award for Best R&B Song at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, held in February 2013.
Background
"Beautiful Surprise" was written by Tamia, Claude Kelly, and Salaam Remi, while production was helmed Remi.[1] The trio hunkered down in the Chalice Studios in Los Angeles to work on material for Tamia's fifth album, with "Beautiful Surprise" becoming the last song to be recorded for the project.[1] According to Kelly they were "just kicking ideas around and we wanted to have a romantic song but an underlying message of what she is about. Obviously, she is married to Grant Hill and they both have working schedules. And we said… 'Let’s celebrate the marriage and what it’s like to come off the road and surprise you. Let’s do ‘Beautiful Surprise.'”[1] The song was finished in about 45 minutes.[1]
Critical reception
In his review for the same-titled parent album, Jon Caramanica found that "Beautiful Surprise" was out of several tracks on the album that nod "at the dance floor while never really stepping onto it. Of these, the title track [...] hits hardest, juxtaposing restrained boom-bap against Tamia’s pretty fluttering."[2] Mark Edward Nero from About.com remarked that the song was "a prime example of how underrated her vocal strength is." It had Tamia singing "sweetly" over "a moderately uptempo beat."[3] Richard Spadine, writing for DJBooth, felt that the "track finds Salaam Remi serving up a smooth synth beat as Tamia expresses her joy at finding herself in the arms of the man she loves upon waking up in the morning." He called it "one of many quality tunes to be found on the singer's fifth studio album."[4] Associated Press cited "Beautiful Surprise" as "one of the album's shortcomings," calling it "lukewarm."[5]
Music video
The music video for "Beautiful Surprise" was directed by Ryan Pallotta.[6] Shot at a mansion in Malibu, it co-stars Tamia's husband Grant Hill. On their decision to include him in the video, she commented: “After twelve years of marriage, he finally made it into one of my videos. I told him, ‘This is your chance, boo.’"[7]
Track listing
- Digital download
- "Beautiful Surprise" – 3:37
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Beautiful Surprise.[8]
- Ben Chang – engineering
- Tamia Hill – backing vocals, writer
- Claude Kelly – backing vocals, writer
- Manny Marroquin – mixing
- Salaam Remi – production, writer
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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References
- ^ a b c d "Behind The Song: Tamia "Beautiful Surprise"". sacramento.cbslocal.com. January 30, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
- ^ Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Chinen, Nate; Ratliffaug, Ben. "Music From Yeasayer, Tamia, Lionel Loueke and Divine Fits". The New York Times. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
- ^ Nero, Mark Edward. "Review: Tamia - 'Beautiful Surprise'". About.com. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
- ^ "Tamia - Beautiful Surprise". djbooth.net. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
- ^ "Review: R&B singer Tamia is consistent on 5th CD". deseret.com. August 27, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
- ^ "Artist Videography". mvdbase.com. ASG. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ "Tamia's Beautiful Surprise". supatrax.com. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
- ^ Beautiful Surprise (Media notes). Tamia. Plus One Music Group. 2012.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Tamia Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ "Tamia Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
- ^ "2012 Year End Chart: Adult R&B Songs". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
- ^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - 2012 Year End Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-12-17.