Favorite Girl
"Favorite Girl" is a song by Canadian singer Justin Bieber. The song was written and produced by D'Mile, and Antea Birchett, Anesha Birchett, and Delisha Thomas also receive writing credits. Bieber debuted the acoustic version of his song in his official YouTube account after American singer Taylor Swift used Bieber's single "One Time" as background music in one of her video tour diaries. The song was later released exclusively to iTunes as the second promotional single from his debut studio release, "My World" on November 2, 2009.
The song is mid-tempo and merges teen pop and R&B elements. It debuted at number 12 and 26 in Canada and the United States, respectively. It also charted at number 92 Australia, and at numbers 76 and 27 in the United Kingdom and the UK R&B chart, respectively. Bieber performed the song on several occasions, most of them being the acoustic version of the song, including as a supporting act on Swift's Fearless Tour.
Background.
Singer Taylor Swift used Bieber's "One Time" as background music and music that she and her friends were dancing to in a tour video diary that she posted on her official YouTube account in August 2009. In response to Swift using his song, Bieber posted an acoustic rendition of the then never-before heard "Favorite Girl" on his YouTube. When asked about his learning of Swift using his song, Bieber stated, "It was really funny because I heard about it from a fan. I watched it and it was hilarious!" Bieber and Swift then met in person at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, and she later invited him to be a special guest on her Fearless Tour when she returned to the United Kingdom.
The song was written by Dernst "D'Mile" Emile II, Antea Birchett, Anesha Birchet, and Delisha Thomas. Emile also has production credits. The song was recorded by Blake Eisemen at Icon Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, where Bieber's career is based. Mixing was done by Dave Pensado and Jaycen-Joshua Fowler, at Larrabee Studios in North Hollywood, California. The song became a popular trending topic on Twitter on the day of its release. "Favorite Girl" be is a teen-pop song, which integrates characteristics of R&B music. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing, Ltd., "Favorite Girl" is set in common time, and has a moderate tempo of 88 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of E minor with Bieber's vocals spanning from the low-note of G3 to the high-note of B4. The song follows in the chord progression of C–Em–G
Chart performance.
The song had hot shot debuts and limited stays on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100 due to the single being released via iTunes only. It debuted in the U.S. at number twenty-six on the week ending November 21, 2009, and remained on the chart for two weeks. The same week it debuted at number fifteen in Canada, remaining on the chart for two weeks. The song returned to the Canadian Hot 100 at number ninety-nine on the week ending January 9, 2010. In 2010, the chart also appeared on the UK Singles Chart at seventy-six, and on the UK R&B Chart.
Performances.
Most Bieber performances of the song are of the acoustic rendition. Bieber originally performed the song for the first time, acoustically, when he appeared for a second time on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on November 3, 2009, the same day the song was released to iTunes. Regarding the performance, MTV News praised the song as a "funky, groovy, swaggerific jam". Bieber performed the song on the Fearless Tour, during Winter 2009 while performing at radio station-hosted Jingle Ball concerts, and during a live session with MTV, in which he was named MTV's Artist of the Week. During the live session with MTV, he performed the song while playing the keyboard. In a review of his acoustic performance of the song at Z100's 2009 Jingle Ball, Jon Caramanica of "The New York Times" called it his best performance of the night.
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Baby (Justin Bieber song)
2010 song by Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris
"Baby" is a song by Canadian singer Justin Bieber featuring American rapper Ludacris. It was released as the lead single on Bieber's debut studio album, "My World 2.0". The track was written by the artists alongside Christina Milian and producers Tricky Stewart and The-Dream.
It was available for digital download on January 18, 2010. The song received airplay directly after release, officially impacting mainstream and rhythmic radio on January 26, 2010.
The song received positive reviews from critics, who complimented the song's effective lyrics and chorus and commended Ludacris' part and the song's ability to have an urban twist.
The song was a commercial success, peaking at number one in France and Scotland, and charting in the top ten of the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia, Norway, Japan, Ireland, Hungary, Belgium (Flanders), Slovakia and New Zealand. "Baby" was the fourth most successful single of 2010 in France. The accompanying music video takes place in a mall/bowling-alley setting. The video features several cameos such as Drake, Lil Twist and Tinashe, in which Bieber pursues a girl. As of May 2013, the song has sold 3.9 million digital downloads in the United States and is certified 12× platinum by the RIAA.
The official music video is the 39th most-viewed video on YouTube. As of January 2025, it is also the fourth-most-disliked video and the most-disliked music video on the platform. It had been the most-viewed YouTube video from July 16, 2010, when it surpassed the music video for "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga, until November 24, 2012, when it was surpassed by the music video for "Gangnam Style" by Psy. Bieber performed the song several times, including on "Saturday Night Live", and the ninth season of "American Idol". Bieber also performed an acoustic rendition of the remix version with Drake at the 2010 Juno Awards. The official remix in the United Kingdom features British hip-hop artist Chipmunk.
Background and writing.
"Baby" was written by Bieber with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart (who worked on Bieber's debut single "One Time"), R&B singer The-Dream and his then-wife, Christina Milian, as well as Def Jam label-mate and the songs co-performer, Ludacris. When asked how the collaboration initially came about, Bieber said, "[Ludacris and I] both live in Atlanta. I met him a year prior to this and we figured it was a perfect collaboration for him, so we invited him out to do it." A few days before the release of the single, Bieber posted an acoustic version of the song to his YouTube with his guitarist Dan Kanter, similar to the way he did with "Favorite Girl". "Billboard" said that: "Bieber delivers his characteristically clean vocals with conviction: "My first love broke my heart for the first time / and I'm like, 'baby, baby, baby, no!' I thought you'd always be mine." Also in a review of the acoustic version Bill Lamb of About.com said that, "I think the vocals here will convince some that Justin Bieber really does have the vocal chops."
Style and composition.
The song is predominantly upbeat, featuring Bieber's R&B vocals over a backdrop containing a dance infused beat, full of keyboard and "disco string" synths. The song is played at a tempo of 130 BPM and is composed in the key of E♭ major with Bieber's vocal range spanning from the low-note of G3 to the high-note of C5. According to Jody Rosen of "Rolling Stone", the song "blends winks at Fifties doo-wop with hip-hop chants", comparing the style and the lyrics "My first love broke my heart for the first time/And I was like/Baby, baby, baby, ooooh/I thought you'd always be mine" to fifties ballads like "Tears on My Pillow", "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" and "Earth Angel". Lyrically, Bieber's lines explain his distress over his lost love, and promise to get it back, featured in lines like, "And I wanna play it cool/But I'm losin' you…/I'm in pieces/So come and fix me…". The chorus features the distinct and repetitive "baby, baby, baby, ohhhh (nooooo)" hook. After the second verse, Ludacris comes in with the verse-rap, an anecdote of young love when he was thirteen, as it runs "When I was 13/I had my first love/She had me going crazy/Oh, I was star-struck/She woke me up daily/Don't need no Starbucks…".
Critical reception.
Nick Levine of Digital Spy felt the song was "no great departure from what he's given us before", but felt the production of Tricky and The-Dream helped give the song a "simple", "big" chorus about "puppy love" that works. Melanie Bertoldi of "Billboard" said, "The midtempo number's undeniably contagious chorus should keep Bieber's tween fan base satisfied, and Ludacris' brief cameo adds a welcome urban twist." Bertoli went on to say, "The matchup adds a layer of maturity to Bieber's repertoire and should further solidify his growing presence on the charts." "Rap-Up" magazine said that "the sweet pop fare gets a little street cred courtesy of the teen sensation's labelmate Ludacris." Jody Rosen of "Rolling Stone" appreciated the song's vintage doo-wop and fifties aesthetic and hip-hop chants, and said the song included "one of the catchiest choruses concocted by the-Dream and Tricky Stewart, the duo behind "Umbrella" and "Single Ladies". Luke O'Neill of "Boston Globe" had mixed thoughts about the song calling Ludacris' cameo "goofy", and said, the song "effects a musical anachronism, albeit a catchy one, but in this sped-up recycling moment all styles all at once are grist for the mill."
Chart performance.
In the United States, "Baby" debuted at number five on the "Billboard" Hot 100, becoming Bieber's highest-charting single in the US. Bieber then went on to surpass this chart position when "Boyfriend" debuted at number two in April 2012. The song was also Ludacris's biggest song to date, solo or featuring, since 2007's "Glamorous". "Baby" was beaten out as the week's highest debut by Taylor Swift's "Today Was a Fairytale", which debuted at number two. The debuting of the pair of songs was just the third time in history that the Hot 100 had two new top-five debuts. The instance had last happened in 2003 when "American Idol"'s Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken's debut singles charted at number one and two.
During its first week of radio impact, the song had over 1400 spins, and was the top gainer for mainstream and rhythmic radio formats.
The song debuted at thirty-three on the Pop Songs chart on the week labeled February 13, 2010. The song missed out becoming the greatest gainer by one spot, which was Kesha's "Blah Blah Blah". However the following week, the song did collect greatest gainer recognition, jumping to twenty-five on the chart, and has since peaked at sixteen. On August 2, 2010, the song was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of 2,000,000 units.
As of May 2013, the song had sold 3.9 million digital downloads in the United States. With the inclusion of streaming in the RIAA certifications in 2013, the song became the highest certificated single of all time at 12× Platinum (surpassing "Candle in the Wind 1997" by Elton John at 11× Platinum).
"Baby" debuted and peaked on the Canadian Hot 100 at number three, becoming his highest-charting single at the time. On the issue dated February 8, 2010, the song debuted in Australia on the official ARIA Singles Chart at number thirty-seven. After twelve weeks of ascending and descending the charts the single reached a peak of three. "Baby" has since been certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 70,000 units.
In New Zealand, the song entered the chart at nineteen. After weeks of ascending and descending the charts, "Baby" reached a peak of four. The song dropped to the number five position the following week and after weeks of fluctuating around the chart it attained the number four position once again. It has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).
The song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart on the issue date March 14, 2010. The following week, "Baby" fell to number four, but climbed back to its previous peak position of three on the issue date March 28, 2010. In the process of climbing the charts, "Baby" gained a new peak of two on the R&B Singles Chart.
By June 2012, Baby had sold 442,432 copies in the United Kingdom.
Music video.
Filming for the music video began during the week of January 25, 2010, in Los Angeles. It was filmed at Universal CityWalk and Lucky Strike Lanes, by director Ray Kay, who had previously directed videos for Beyoncé Knowles, Lady Gaga, Alexandra Burke, and Cheryl Cole, among others. Ludacris said that the video "is like a 2010 version of Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel"." Bieber said that the video "will capture the song's message of trying to woo back a girl." In explaining the concept of the video, Bieber said, "It starts off, I really like this girl, but we didn't [get] along; we couldn't be together. Basically I want her back and [I'm] kind of going through the whole thing. I'm chasing her around, trying to get her, and she's kind of playing hard to get, but I'm persistent. I keep going." The video premiered exclusively on Vevo on Friday, February 19, 2010. Singer and actress Jasmine Villegas portrays Bieber's love interest in the video. Bieber's friends, Young Money artists Drake and Lil Twist also appeared in the video, along with Tinashe and jerkin' crew The Rangers.
The video takes place in a mall-like setting with a bowling alley and more. After the video was released, MTV commented on the video being the new version of "The Way You Make Me Feel" saying, "... and the choreography does use a few of Jackson's less-suggestive moves." The MTV review goes on to say, "most of the video takes place in the bowling alley, there are also scenes of Bieber in other settings, hanging out with Luda, doing the moonwalk, messing with his hair and mugging for the camera. During the video Bieber's friends and Villegas's friends have several dance offs and Villegas eventually smiles at him. Regardless of his crush's apparent frustration with him, Bieber eventually wins her over. The video concludes with the pair walking off into the night holding hands."
"Billboard" reviewed the video, saying, "Those new dance moves he's showing off can only mean one thing: all over the world, tweens' hearts are melting right now." In July 2010, the video became the most viewed video in YouTube history until it was surpassed by Psy's hit single, "Gangnam Style", in November 2012.
The video received 7.7 million views within its first seven days.
As of September 2023, the video has received over 3 billion views on the video-sharing website YouTube. It was also the most disliked video of all time (briefly surpassed by "Friday" by Rebecca Black upon that video's release in 2011). "Baby"'s music video held the record for the most disliked video for over 7 years, until it was surpassed in December 2018 by (the current most disliked video). The video currently sits as the fourth most disliked YouTube video.
Live performances.
Bieber first premiered the song performing on the MuchMusic series "Live at Much" on December 28, 2009. He sang the song on VH1's Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam, along with other performers Rihanna, JoJo and Timbaland, and on CBS' "The Early Show" as a part of their "Super Bowl" programming. He performed the song the first time with Ludacris on BET's "SOS: Saving Ourselves – Help for Haiti Telethon", on February 6, 2010, which also aired on VH1, and MTV. During the chorus, he changed the lyrics to "Baby, baby, Haiti", to show support for the cause, and the reason everyone came together for the show. In the week of his album release, he performed the song on "The View" and "106 & Park". Bieber also performed the song at the 2010 Kids Choice Awards on March 27. Bieber performed the song along with "U Smile" on the eighteenth episode of season thirty five of "Saturday Night Live". Bieber performed an acoustic rendition of the song along with a freestyle by good friend Drake at the 2010 Juno Awards. In April 2010, Bieber noted that due to his voice changing, he could no longer hit all the notes in "Baby", and for live performances, the key is lowered. Bieber performed the song live in Sydney, Australia on April 26, 2010, in the "Sunrise" studios after his public performance was cancelled. Bieber also performed the song on May 11, 2010, on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Bieber performed the song on June 4, 2010, on the Today Show along with "Never Say Never", "Somebody to Love", and "One Time". He performed the song with "Somebody to Love" at the 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards.
Cover versions and samples.
Jazz pianist Jacky Terrasson covered "Baby" with his trio on his 2012 album "Gouache".
The song was also covered by Relient K in 2011 for their cover album "Is For Karaoke". It was also covered by "Weird Al" Yankovic in the polka medley, "Polka Face" in the same year for his 2011 album "Alpocalypse".
It was sampled 40 times. In 2012, Alexa Ilacad, Mika Dela Cruz, Noemi Oineza and Angel Sy, AKA T.O.P., sampled this song for their single "Crush".
Parody versions.
Yes We Canberra released a parody version satirising then Opposition leader Tony Abbott during the lead-up to the 2010 Australian federal election.
In the 2012 film "", Greg Heffley's older brother Rodrick (portrayed by Devon Bostick) performs a hard rock cover of the song with his band, Löded Diper, in an attempt to impress his love interest Heather Hills (older sister of Greg's love interest, Holly) during her Sweet 16th party. His performance causes the event to end in disaster.
In the Annoying Orange episode, "OMG" (parody of TMZ), there is a clip of Justin Bieberry (portrayal of Bieber) singing a parody version called "Gravy".
Charts.
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Baby (Fabolous song)
"Baby" is a song by American rapper Fabolous featuring singer Mike Shorey, released by Atlantic Records on March 24, 2005 as the second single from Fabolous' third studio album, "Real Talk". The song was written by Fabolous, Derryck Thornton, and American singer Ne-Yo, while production was handled by The Flame Throwers, The Chairman of the Boards, J Remy, and Jeremy Skaller.
"Baby" peaked at number 71 on the "Billboard" Hot 100, number 17 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, and number 22 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It contains a "replay" of "I Can't Help It" by Michael Jackson, lyrics from "2 Bad" also by Jackson, "Breakadawn" by De La Soul, while the hook borrows the line "I see some ladies tonight that should be having my baby, baby" from "Big Poppa" by The Notorious B.I.G.
Music video.
Rapper Rev Run makes a cameo appearance at the end of the music video.
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My Kinda Girl (Babyface song)
"My Kinda Girl" is a song performed and co-written by Babyface, issued as the fourth and final single from his 1989 album "Tender Lover". The song was also the fourth consecutive hit single from the album, peaking at #30 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 in 1990. SOLAR and Epic Records released 7 remixes of the recording with a remix of "Whip Appeal" in 1990, which was available as a CD single.
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Favorite Song (Colbie Caillat song)
"Favorite Song" is a song by American recording artist Colbie Caillat. It was written by Caillat and Ryan Tedder, and produced by Tedder and it features American rapper Common. The song was released as the third single from her third studio album "All of You" (2011). it was released on May 8, 2012. Musically, the song is a guitar-driven pop, hip-hop jam, and the lyrics speak about being in love with someone and desiring that the person feels the same. The song is a metaphor for wanting to be the object of someone’s affection.
The song received mixed reviews, some critics commended the track for having a "summer and island vibe", but some others dismissed Common's appearance and the chorus. They performed the track for the first time on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The music video for the song was released on May 3, 2012. The video was filmed outdoors by the beach and palm trees of Venice, California. In the video, the two singers, along with other party people, take over the streets and skate parks of the ocean walk. Teenagers rocked bikinis and rollerblades as Common rapped away before the sunset.
Background and release.
"I've loved Common's music for years," Caillat says of the unlikely pairing, which was put into motion when the two artists met each other at an event for the Grammys in 2009. "He ended up singing his song 'The Light,' and he needed a girl singer [for the chorus] and I was like, 'I know it!' Afterward he was like, "I love your song and I love your voice.' It took about a year for us to get something together, but it worked out better than we could have imagined."
At the Universal Republic website, it was initiated a poll to decide the third single of the album. Later, she announced that Favorite Song was chosen as the third single. On April 6, Caillat and Common performed the song for the first time ever on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Composition and lyrics.
"Favorite Song" is a guitar-driven pop song, written by Caillat and co-written and produced by Ryan Tedder. It features the American rapper Common. The song is different from Caillat's usual sound, being considered a hip-hop jam.
The song is a metaphor for wanting to be the object of someone’s affection. Colbie sings, "I’ll be the thing that you want to sing back / Stuck in your head like I knew you would." In the sing-a-long chorus, she sings: “I want to be your favorite song/ You can turn it up/ Turn me on all night long/ I want to be your favorite song/ La-la-la-la, la-la-la / I want to be your melody/ Going through your head when you think of me/ I want to be your favorite song/ La-la-la-la.” Meanwhile, Common’s lyrics are softhearted as he tries his hand at crooning. “Girl the songs you sing / They my favorite things / You stay in my dreams / Something so supreme,” he warbles. Later, he raps: “We stay in tune with each other / And in our room we will discover / New ways to do covers / No matter how they dub us / We should stay true to the trust / And the winner of the best duo/ Is us.”
Critical reception.
Bill Lamb wrote for About.com that the song "is bright, summery, and it is utterly charming". Mike Diver from BBC Music wrote that the song has "a Bruno Mars-style summertime vibe to it, and the rapper is a reliable presence on any recording." Kyle Anderson from Entertainment Weekly called it "an island groove". Melinda Newman from HitFix wrote that "she shakes things up a little with the track and Common’s gruff rap proves the perfect foil to Caillat’s smooth, Sheryl Crow-redolent vocals." Trent Fitzgerald wrote a positive review for "Pop Crush", stating that " is the two-time Grammy-winner’s metaphoric love ditty that features playful electric guitars and feel-good lyrics." He also wrote that " is the perfect sunshine-y ballad for the summer and it will most likely do well on Hot Adult Contemporary radio." Michelle Thompson wrote a positive review for The Tune, writing that on the album, the song "stands out the most with an absolutely infectious melody and hook, this is the track that will have you dancing nonstop, and it might get stuck in your head for a long while." Idolator staff wrote that "With a sweetly strummed guitar groove, charming reliance on la la’s and woo-hoo’s, and riding-in-a-car-with-the-top-down rhythm, 'Favorite Song' is instantly recognizable as a Colbie Caillat hit-in-the-making and Common lends a little hip-hop credibility to the track, offering three rhymed verses plus a little sing-song help later on."
Jaymie Baxley wrote an extense review for Slant Magazine, declaring that "the appearance of Common on 'Favorite Song' does threaten to disrupt business as usual. In fact, the harsh strums of electric guitar that preface the rapper's unexpected guest turn seem obstinately placed there to alert the listener of the ostensibly provocative rap verse to follow. But then Common starts dispensing bars of clumsy, musical-themed innuendo; it becomes clear that the song is just as bland and inoffensive as the rest of the album and those guitars were merely a tease. And the chorus is laughably unsexy: 'I want to be your favorite song/You can turn it up, play me all night long'." Another negative review came from Sputnikmusic, who wrote that "Caillat concocts what is quite possibly her cheesiest chorus yet, and it probably goes without saying that Common sounds sorely out of place. It is actually kind of reminiscent of those old-school Radio Disney songs that would mimic the melody of some major hit, make it a thousand times cheesier, and then have a rapper enter midway through to appeal to the “new, hip generation.” Needless to say, Colbie’s hip-hop experiment ends in futility." Andrea Hinton from Stanford Daily wrote that the song "has Caillat almost yelling during the grating chorus and, along with an unbelievably underwhelming contribution from rapper Common, seems out of place in the album."
Chart performance.
The song debuted at number forty on the Adult Pop Songs chart. It later, climbed to number thirty-five. In the third week, it reached a peak of number twenty-nine. In the fourth week, the song reached number twenty-seven. The song ultimately peaked at number 21.
Music video.
A music video for the song was shot on March 29, 2012 on the beach in Venice, California. The singer posted a photo from herself and Common on the set of the music video.
Colbie spoke about the video in an interview:
"It’s a really cool concept. Common and I are singing on the rooftop of this house, overlooking the beach in Venice [California]. Basically the music travels down throughout the town and though the beach. It hits everyone and they all start singing it, and these people in their bathing suits walking on the boardwalk or guys on skateboards, they all find the music and come up to me and Common on the rooftop and watch us perform for them."
The music video premiered on May 2, 2012. It is "a bright, beach-set" video that features Caillat and Common bopping around young beautiful people shooting hoops, skateboarding, catching rays and walking on the Venice boardwalk.
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Girls (Yung Baby Tate album)
Girls is the debut studio album by American rapper Yung Baby Tate (later known as Baby Tate). It was self-released on February 5, 2019. The album was preceded by the singles "Pretty Girl" and "That Girl". On June 25, 2019, a deluxe version was released with four bonus tracks.
Release and promotion.
On April 3, 2018, Tate released "Pretty Girl", the lead single from the album. The song was re-released as a remix featuring Killumantii and Mulatto on January 16, 2019. On November 13, 2018, Tate released "That Girl" as the second single from the album. "Girls", along with its tracklist and release date, was officially announced by Tate via Twitter on January 22, 2019.
A short film was released on January 29, 2019 to accompany the album and was directed by Christian Cody, who also shot the album cover. The deluxe edition of "Girls" was teased by Tate on her social medias in May and June 2019. The release date and cover were officially revealed by Tate via Twitter on June 18, 2019.
Critical reception.
"Girls" received a favorable review from Michelle Kim of Pitchfork. Kim gave the album a 6.8, she noted that on "Girls", Tate "flexes all her modes, too, delivering silky R&B vocals, sassy bubblegum-popping bars, and pop-punky chants."
Track listing.
All tracks written and produced by Tate Farris.
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Naughty Girl (Beyoncé song)
2004 single by Beyoncé
"Naughty Girl" is a song by American singer Beyoncé from her debut solo album, "Dangerously in Love" (2003). It was written by Beyoncé, Scott Storch, Robert Waller and Angela Beyincé, and produced by Storch and Beyoncé. The song was released by Columbia Records as the fourth and final single from the album on March 14, 2004. Musically, "Naughty Girl" is an R&B song that interpolates from Donna Summer's 1975 song "Love to Love You Baby". Influenced by Arabic music, dancehall, funk and reggae, the song contains lyrics that reference to a celebration of sexual lust and conquest, leading up to a desire for a one-night stand.
"Naughty Girl" received positive feedback by music critics, who praised Beyoncé's assertive vocals and the song's sensual vibe. However, opinions about how convincingly Beyoncé was able to portray a naughty girl were polarized. The song was nominated in the category Best R&B/Soul Single by a Female Artist at the 2005 Soul Train Music Awards. "Naughty Girl" peaked at number three on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 chart, becoming Beyoncé's fourth consecutive release from the album to reach the top-five on that chart. The single reached the top-ten in New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. "Naughty Girl" was certified gold by the American and Australian trade associations of record producers. It was also certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand.
The song's accompanying music video was directed by Jake Nava and was inspired by the dancing of Cyd Charisse and Fred Astaire in the 1953 musical comedy film "The Band Wagon". In it, Beyoncé flirtatiously and seductively dances with R&B singer Usher to portray a naughty girl. The video received four nominations at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards and eventually won the Best Female Video accolade. The song was included on Beyoncé's set lists on her tours. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) recognized "Naughty Girl" as one of the most performed songs of 2005 at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards. "Naughty Girl" has been covered by singer-songwriter Roesy and band Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine.
Background and release.
After the release of her former group Destiny's Child's 2001 album, "Survivor", Beyoncé began a solo career and recorded her debut solo album, "Dangerously in Love" (2003). Beyoncé stated that it is more personal than her previous records because she was writing for herself. She contacted Scott Storch, Robert Waller and her cousin and personal assistant Angela Beyincé; together, they composed "Naughty Girl" among many other songs. It was planned to be the lead single from the album, but "Crazy in Love" was eventually chosen. "Naughty Girl" was subsequently released as the fourth and final single by Columbia Records; it was serviced for airplay in the United States on March 14, 2004, under formats that included rhythmic contemporary and urban contemporary ones. The single was added to contemporary hit radios playlists on an unknown date.
"Naughty Girl" was first released in the United Kingdom as a maxi single, which contained four tracks as well as a multimedia one, on April 5, 2004, and later as a CD single on May 18, 2004. In the US, it was later released as a 12" single and a CD single on April 20, 2004. A different CD single was released in Australia on April 23, 2004; it included the album version and two remixes of the song (one of them featuring Lil' Kim), and Destiny's Child's song "I Know" from "The Fighting Temptations" soundtrack. "Naughty Girl" was also made available as a digital download in the same country on June 1, 2004. On April 26, 2004, it was released in Germany as a maxi single and different CD singles were additionally made available in its iTunes Store and on Amazon.com. The song was released as a digital EP in several European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and Sweden in early May 2004. The same EP was also serviced in Canada and was exclusively released as a CD single in Switzerland on May 31, 2004. "Naughty Girl" was released as a download-only single in New Zealand on June 1, 2004.
Music and lyrics.
"Naughty Girl" is an R&B song written in the key of F♯ minor (in the C♯ Phrygian dominant mode). It is written in common time and moves at a moderate tempo of 100 beats per minute. Beyoncé's vocal range spans around one and a half octaves in the song, from B3 to F5. Storch and Beyoncé interpolated the refrain of the 1975 song "Love to Love You Baby", originally performed by Donna Summer and written by Summer, Pete Bellotte and Giorgio Moroder. Musically, "Naughty Girl" is influenced by Arabic music, resulting to an uptempo and disco-oriented sound. The song also displays dancehall as well as reggae influences, and is built on squiggling synth grooves weave.
According to Spence D. of IGN Music, Beyoncé's vocals on the song are layered, making them sound like "a harem of Beyoncé's warbling for the affections of some sultan of swing." According to James Poletti of Yahoo! Music, the female protagonist in the song sings about her "potential to turn on the filth." Lyrically, the song is a celebration of sexual lust and conquest, culminating in a desire for a one-night stand. This "lustful sexual confidence" is further demonstrated in the lyrics of the first verse: "I'm feeling sexy / Wa[nt to] hear you say my name, boy/ If you can reach me, you can feel my burning flame / Feeling kind of N A S T Y / I might just take you home with me" and the chorus lines: " Tonight I'll be your naughty girl / I'm callin' all my girls / We're gonna turn this party out / I know you want my body." Throughout the song, Beyoncé sings the lines "I'd love to love you, baby" almost whispering.
Critical reception.
"Naughty Girl" was critically lauded for its sensual vibe. Sal Cinquemani of "Slant Magazine" wrote that Beyoncé delivers a "convincing impression of Donna Summer". "Los Angeles Times"' Natalie Nichols wrote that "the deliberately Donna Summer-esque 'Naughty Girl' [...] successfully meld [Beyoncé] breathy cooing with hip, interesting production." Lewis Dene of BBC commented that Beyoncé sings "lustfully and sexually confident", and Spence D. of IGN stated that she creates "a brief aura of aural hypnotism", an effect made during the line "I'm feeling sexy". He also added that the song was guaranteed to have even "the most staid of folks slithering across the dance floor." James Poletti of Yahoo! Music wrote that "Naughty Girl" mingles "Holly Valance Moorish exoticism with a typically tight R&B groove."
Rob Fitzpatrick of "NME" characterized Beyoncé's breathing heavily while grabbing the "imaginary" bedsheets but remained a "devout young Christian woman singing what the public wants her to sing." Describing "Naughty Girl" as an uptempo party track, Lisa Verrico of "The Times" commented that the song features "an unusually high-pitched Beyoncé singing lines such as 'The rhythm's got me going crazy'". Neil Drumming of "Entertainment Weekly" found Beyoncé's singing "not quite convincingly a naughty girl". This was echoed by Kelefa Sanneh of "The New York Times" who said it was fun to hear Beyoncé mimicking "the pizzicato line" in "Naughty Girl", and that it was not much fun to hear her try to sing "like a naughty girl". Ed Masley of "The Arizona Republic" commented that "Storch does his most convincing imitation of the Neptunes writing their own Kashmir in a Middle Eastern restaurant".
Chart performance.
"Naughty Girl" did not achieve the chart success of "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy". However, like the latter and "Me, Myself and I", "Naughty Girl" attained more immediate and commercial success than its predecessors, propelling the album onto the charts and helping it be certified as multi-platinum. "Naughty Girl" debuted at number 68 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 issue dated March 27, 2004. After eleven weeks on the chart, "Naughty Girl" received the digital gainer title and peaked at number three on the "Billboard" Hot 100 issue dated June 5, 2004. It remained at number three for another week and became Beyoncé's fourth consecutive top-five release from "Dangerously in Love" and Beyoncé's fifth consecutive top-five hit. The single performed equally well on most of "Billboard" component charts, including Rhythmic Top 40 and Top 40 Tracks. It reached number one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales and the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts. The single remained on the chart for twenty-two weeks. "Naughty Girl" single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 22, 2004.
In Oceania, the single peaked at number six in New Zealand on May 31, 2004, while it debuted and peaked at number nine in Australia on May 9, 2004. After tumbling down a few places, it returned to its high point of number nine for four non-consecutive weeks and was certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) in 2023 for selling over 210,000 equivalent units. "Naughty Girl" debuted and peaked at number 10 in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2004, making it Beyoncé's third UK top ten single. It charted for eight consecutive weeks in 2004. In Europe, the single reached number ten in the Netherlands, and the top twenty in the Belgian territories of Flanders and Wallonia, Denmark, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
Music video.
The music video for "Naughty Girl" was directed by Jake Nava, who directed Beyoncé's videos, "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy". The video is inspired by the dancing of Cyd Charisse and Fred Astaire in the 1953 musical comedy film, "The Band Wagon" and has a Studio 54 style. Paired with Usher, Beyoncé dances seductively and flirts with him to portray a naughty girl. She felt that they were a "perfect match" for the dancing scenes in the video. According to Usher, the video is a homage to classic "ultimate entertainers"; including dancers, singers and actors. He further talked about the collaboration on the video, saying, "Beyoncé and me have been talking about doing a record together. She reached out to me and said she had an idea and really wanted me to be the lead in her video... I was like, 'Well let me hear the idea.' It sounded like something totally different than what had been on TV."
The video begins with Beyoncé performing a simple dance routine surrounded by a wall of mirrors and then undressing until she is naked behind a white curtain, revealing only her silhouette. Beyoncé enters the club with a different outfit and hairstyle and some friends. Male patrons seated at the tables look on. She and Usher notice each other. They meet on the dance floor and dance intimately. Beyoncé performs an elaborate dance scene with female backing dancers. She swirls around in a champagne glass filled with bubbles. In the final scene, Beyoncé sits atop a piano and after being lifted down by a gentleman, she dances and poses as confetti falls everywhere.
Joseph Patel of MTV News described Beyoncé's and Usher's moves in the video as "graceful". "Philadelphia"'s Patrick DeMarco described the video as "sexy". A reviewer from "Vibe" compared Beyoncé's "booty dance" in the music video to those by Christina Aguilera in the music video for "Dirrty" (2002). On MTV's "Total Request Live", "Naughty Girl" debuted at number ten on March 22, 2004, and peaked at number one. It retired to "TRL"'s "Hall of Fame" at number seven and after being on the countdown for fifty days. The video won Best Female Video at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards and was nominated in the categories Best Choreography, Best Dance Video and Best Cinematography. At the 2005 MTV Australia Video Music Awards, the video received two nominations for Best R&B Video and Sexiest Video.
Recognition and accolades.
Bill Lamb writing for About.com ranked the song at number three on his list of the Top 100 Pop Songs 2004, and at number forty-two on his list of the Top 100 Pop Songs of the 2000s, writing: "Beyonce borrowed a portion of Donna Summer's naughty classic 'Love to Love You Baby' to create this celebration of sensual naughtiness." On the occasion of Beyoncé's thirtieth birthday, Erika Ramirez and Jason Lipshutz of "Billboard" magazine placed "Naughty Girl" at number 12 on their list of Beyoncé's 30 Biggest "Billboard" Hits. The staff members of "Pitchfork" placed it at number ten on their list of The Top 50 Tracks of 2004 praising its minimal production which "absolutely burns" and further describing the song as "delicious and practically perfect".
In 2013, John Boone and Jennifer Cady of E! Online placed the song at number eight on their list of Beyoncé's ten best songs, writing "Every now and then Bey likes to get a little funky, like on this reggae-infused dancehall tune that finds our naughty girl cooing Donna Summer-style... Sexiest. Disco. Ever." "Naughty Girl" was nominated in the category Best R&B/Soul Single by a Female Artist at the 2005 Soul Train Music Awards. Beyoncé was awarded the "Songwriter of the Year"—shared with Scott Storch, Robert Walker, Angela Beyincé, and Donna Summer—at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' 2005 Pop Music Awards. It also won the "Most Performed Songs" award, along with "Baby Boy" and "Me, Myself and I". In 2015, "Complex" named the single one of 15 best songs produced by Scott Storch.
Live performances.
During the Verizon Ladies First Tour which also featured Alicia Keys, Missy Elliott and Tamia, Beyoncé performed "Naughty Girl" as part of the concert's set list. Before starting to sing, she asked the audience: "Do I have any naughty girls in the house tonight? Her DJ yelled: "Do the A-Town stomp!" Beyoncé then walked onto the stage with some female dancers. As she sang, more dancers appeared on smaller, circular platforms while fire shot from the floor and a long, rectangular screen merged video of flames with images of the performers. Beyoncé then performed portions of Vanity 6's song "Nasty Girl" (1982) as a small dance break. The song was included on the set list of Beyoncé's Dangerously in Love World Tour that began in late 2003. During the tour, she appeared suspended from the ceiling of the arena and was lowered into a red lounger.
The song was included on Beyoncé's set list on her concert tours The Beyoncé Experience (2007) and I Am... World Tour (2009-2010). It was featured on the live albums "The Beyoncé Experience Live" (2007), and the deluxe edition of "I Am... World Tour" (2010) which contained performances from the tour. On August 5, 2007, Beyoncé performed the song at the Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. Before starting to sing, she asked loudly for "all the naughty girls present" at the concert to respond, which they did "with enthusiasm". While singing, Beyoncé was accompanied by her all-female band and she incorporated Donna Summer's "Love to Love You Baby" into "Naughty Girl". Jon Pareles of "The New York Times" complimented the performance, stating: "Beyoncé needs no distractions from her singing, which can be airy or brassy, tearful or vicious, rapid-fire with staccato syllables or sustained in curlicued melismas. But she was in constant motion, strutting in costumes". Shaheem Reid of MTV News also praised the performance, writing: "For all the dancing she did, Beyoncé got an equally big — if not more resounding — response for displaying her undeniable vocal ability". Frank Scheck of "The Hollywood Reporter" wrote: "The largely uptempo show featured some surprising arrangements that gave the material freshness, such [...] an injection of 'Love to Love You Baby' into 'Naughty Girl'."
In Los Angeles, Beyoncé gave a full-length performance of the song, dressed in a green belly dancing costume. She performed with several female backup dancers and live instrumentation. When Beyoncé performed the song in Sunrise, Florida, on June 29, 2009, she was wearing a glittery gold leotard. As she sang, animated graphics of turntables, faders and other club equipment were projected behind the dancers and musicians. Beyoncé was accompanied by two drummers, two keyboardists, a percussionist, a horn section, three imposing backup vocalists called the Mamas and a lead guitarist, Bibi McGill. Beyoncé performed the song at the Wynn Theatre in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 2, 2009, as part of her show revue I Am... Yours. The performance was recorded and distributed in a DVD/CD package titled "".
Beyoncé performed "Naughty Girl" live at her historic headlining Glastonbury Festival Performance on June 26, 2011. In May 2012, Beyoncé performed "Naughty Girl" during her "" revue at Revel Atlantic City. Before the performance of the song, one of the in-between films was shown, where of Beyoncé said, "Harnessing the power of your body requires responsibility". Then, she appeared dressed in a feathered headdress. During the performance of the song, Beyoncé performed it as a tribute to Donna Summer, singing her song "Love to Love You Baby". Maura Johnston of "The Village Voice" wrote that "the sinuous 'Naughty Girl' had its source material laid bare at the outset when a sample of the groans and coos from 'Love To Love You Baby' was laid over it". According to "Spin"'s Caryn Ganz, she was "breaking out fluffy feathered fans" during the performance of the song.
In 2014, she performed the song during her co-headlining On the Run Tour with her husband Jay-Z, in a melody with his "Big Pimpin'". The same performance was included on the set list of their second co-headlining tour in 2018, the On the Run II Tour.
Beyoncé has also performed the song during her The Mrs. Carter Show (2013-2014) and The Formation (2016) World Tours. In 2023, the song was performed in a mash-up of "Virgo's Groove" from her 2022 album "Renaissance" during its supporting tour.
Cover versions and usage in media.
"Naughty Girl" has been covered by several artists. Irish singer-songwriter Roesy produced a version of the song which appeared on the 2004 charity album "Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 2". Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine covered the song on their 2006 album "Silent Nightclub".
In January 2011, "Naughty Girl" was used in a commercial for L’Oreal Paris Féria hair color in which Beyoncé bleached her hair blonde. Beyoncé wears body-conforming outfits and whips her hair back and forth as she shows off "her luscious locks." "Naughty Girl" was also used in the trailer for the 2004 comedy film "Mean Girls", starring Lindsay Lohan. This song appears in the video game "Just Dance 2018".
Track listings and formats.
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Charts.
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References.
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Favorite (rapper)
German rapper
Christoph Alex (born 18 February 1986), better known as Favorite, is a German rapper and songwriter. In 2011, his album "Christoph Alex" peaked at number 4 in the German charts.
Biography.
At age of 12, Favorite lost his parents in a fire and lived several years in different orphanages. The loss of his parents is a theme in many of Favorite's songs such as: "Gegen den Herrn" ("Against the lord") (released on "Harlekin") and the single "Ich vermisse euch" ("I miss you").
References.
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Baby on Baby
Baby on Baby is the debut studio album by American rapper DaBaby. It was released on March 1, 2019, by Interscope Records and South Coast Music Group. It features guest appearances from fellow rappers Offset, Rich Homie Quan, Rich the Kid and Stunna 4 Vegas.
Release and promotion.
A music video for "Baby Sitter" was released on April 3, 2019. A music video for "Pony" was released May 20, 2019. The songs "Walker Texas Ranger" and an alternate version of "Best Friend" without Rich the Kid were featured on DaBaby's previous mixtape "Blank Blank."
Singles.
"Suge" was released to rhythmic contemporary radio on April 23, 2019, as the album's lead single. A music video for "Suge" was released on March 4, 2019. The song has since peaked at number 7 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 and at number 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. On May 15, 2019, the single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over 500,000 digital copies in the United States.
"Baby Sitter" featuring Offset was released to rhythmic contemporary radio on August 13, 2019, as the album's second single.
Critical reception.
Fred Thomas of AllMusic gave the album a positive review, saying "DaBaby's charm lies in how he's not even taking his irreverent cockiness too seriously, much less asking his audience to bow down to his greatness. Springy, uncluttered, and unable to contain its own grinning excitement, Baby on Baby zooms by in a captivating rush." Marcus Blackwell of "HipHopDX" rated the album 3.8 stars out of 5, saying "DaBaby has staked his claim as an artist by developing a compelling balance of street and lighthearted content that effectively highlights his personality. Baby On Baby at its best delivers an energetic, fun sound that stands out in rap's current landscape, making for a refreshing listen." Paul Thompson of "Pitchfork", rating the album 7.7 out of 10, said ""Baby on Baby" comes in the middle of a prolific period for the rapper [...] the music is refreshingly without pretense or artifice, concerned less with the way it will play in boardrooms and more with the way it will play out of trunks."
Commercial performance.
The album debuted at number 25 on the "Billboard" 200 albums chart in the United States, before eventually rising to number 7. As of July 2019, the album has earned 473,000 equivalent album units.
Track listing.
Track listing adapted from Tidal.
Charts.
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Girl (Destiny's Child song)
2005 single by Destiny's Child
"Girl" is a song recorded by American girl group Destiny's Child for their fifth studio album "Destiny Fulfilled" (2004). The group co-wrote the song with Darkchild, Ric Rude, Angela Beyincé, Sean Garrett, and Patrick "9th Wonder" Douthit; the latter co-produced it with group members Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland. Sampling "Ocean of Thoughts and Dreams" by the Dramatics, the soul song was written about an abusive relationship Rowland went through during the time of writing. "Girl" was released as the third single from "Destiny Fulfilled" on March 14, 2005, by Columbia Records.
"Girl" received mostly positive reviews by music critics, who praised its composition and lyrical content. It was a moderate commercial success, peaking at number 23 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Internationally, it reached the top ten in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The accompanying music video for the song was directed by Bryan Barber and depicted a story inspired by "Sex and the City". The group performed the song live in 2005 during three televised appearances and their final tour Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It. In 2015, "Girl" was sampled on "The Girl Is Mine" by British duo 99 Souls.
Writing and production.
In June 2013, Rowland revealed during an interview with Hot 107.9 Morning Show that Beyoncé and Michelle Williams wrote "Girl" as a request for her to escape an abusive relationship; the same topic was discussed in Rowland's "Dirty Laundry" (2013) and her fans were the first to "connect [the] dots" and discover the inspiration behind "Girl". Rowland elaborated, "Of course, I did [feel emotional upon hearing 'Girl']! The girls [Beyonce and Michelle Williams] ["sic"] wrote it for me. Destiny's Child is deeper than what people see on the surface. Those are my homies for life... Those girls we stuck with each other – period."
Producer 9th Wonder initially met Beyoncé while she was in the recording studio as rapper Jay-Z recorded the song "Threat" for his 2003 album "The Black Album". After Jay went through the CD of tracks that 9th Wonder handed to him, Beyoncé mentioned that she liked what she heard from him. Several months later, 9th received a call from Jay-Z asking for him to give the CD of tracks to Destiny's Child. He was surprised at being contacted by the rapper about working with the group, as 9th confessed that he never owned an album by Destiny's Child. He later traveled to Los Angeles to work on the songs with the trio for their next album. During the three-day session, he produced the songs "Girl", "Is She the Reason" and "Game Over"–all of which made either the standard or international edition's track listing for "Destiny Fulfilled".
"Girl" was written by Destiny's Child members Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams as well as Darkchild, Ric Rude, Angela Beyince, Sean Garrett, and Patrick "9th Wonder" Douthit, with production handled by Beyoncé, Rowland and 9th Wonder. It was recorded by Jim Caruana at Sony Music Studios in New York City in 2004. The song was mixed by Dave "Hard Drive" Pensado and mastered by Tom Coyne.
Music and lyrics.
"Girl" samples the song "Ocean of Thoughts and Dreams", written by Don Davis and Eddie Robinson and performed by The Dramatics. According to the sheet music published on the website Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, "Girl" was composed using common time in the key of C♯ minor with a moderate tempo of 90 beats per minute. The vocal elements span from the low note of E3 to the high note of E5. "Girl" was noted for containing elements of soul music in its composition. Eric Henderson from the website Slant Magazine described the song as Zhané-esque. Dimitri Ehrlich of "Vibe" magazine felt that it sounded like a "Motown classic on steroids".
Lyrically, the song talks about two female friends being concerned about their other friend who denies being in a bad romantic relationship and tries to convince them that nothing is wrong. As the girls know what is really happening, they try to comfort her and make her leave the partner. A writer of "The Times of India" found a break-up theme in the song, further saying that "In 'Girl', the relational mishaps play out as three-way girl talk, with two girlfriends trying to help their sister see the truth of a bad connection". It opens with Beyoncé singing the lines "Take a minute girl, come sit down/ And tell us what's been happening/ In your face I can see the pain/ Don't try and convince us you're happy."
Release.
In early 2005, a poll was conducted on Destiny's Child's official website, asking from the group's fans to choose their "favorite" song between "Girl" and "Cater 2 U". Following this, "Girl" was released as the third single from "Destiny Fulfilled". In the United States, it was added to rhythmic contemporary and contemporary hit radio on March 15, 2005. In the United Kingdom, two separate CD singles of the song were released on April 25, 2005. In Germany, a vinyl single was released on May 2, 2005, and the following day it was also released in the US. A CD single consisting of the album track and a Kardinal Beats Remix was released on May 16 in the former country. An extended play (EP) consisting of remixes of "Girl" was released on May 17, 2005. The same day, a maxi single was released in Germany also consisting of several remixes of "Girl". "Girl" was included on the group's compilation albums "#1's" (2005) and "" (2012).
Critical reception.
Lynsey Hanley writing for "The Daily Telegraph" described "Girl" as an obvious choice for a single and hailed it as "Beyoncé's requisite feminist anthem". A reviewer from "Billboard" magazine felt that the band's "personal transition from teen-dom to womanhood" was most evident on "Girl" among other songs. Slant Magazine's Eic Henderson felt that it was a "smooth bump-and-grinder... almost sunk by the group's hyperbolic vocal arrangements". "Vibe"'s writer Dimitri Enrlich concluded, "Destiny's Child refuses to play it safe with cookie-cutter formulas" something he found evident on "Girl". "The Observer" reviewer Kitty Empire noted that the band's characteristic female solidarity, "is limply expressed in 'Girl', on which they purport to be your best friend". While reviewing "#1's", Thomas Inskeep from Stylus Magazine described the song as "lovely". Jess Harvell writing for Pitchfork Media opined, "'Girl' was a stroll over a 9th Wonder-produced Dramatics sample through bros-before-hoes territory as latte frothy as its 'Sex & the City' video." Idolator's Mike Wass gave a more mixed review for "Girl" describing it as "slightly sappy".
For Beyoncé's 32nd birthday, Erika Ramirez and Jason Lipshutz of "Billboard" included "Girl" at number 30 on their list "Beyonce's 30 Biggest "Billboard" Hits". They remarked that it was an album highlight and added: "[it] will be remembered as one of Destiny's Child's minor singles, but its soulful melody, pitch-perfect harmonies... encapsulated the reason the R&B trio gelled so effortlessly". In 2013, Lindsey Weber from Vulture put "Girl" at number five on her list of the top 25 songs by Destiny's Child, praising it for giving an accurate and "catchy" portrayal of concerned women.
Commercial performance.
In the United States, "Girl" debuted at number 90 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 dated April 2, 2005. The following week, it climbed to number 71 and gradually ascended the chart within several weeks. It peaked at number 23 on the chart issue dated May 28, 2005, and spent a total of 19 weeks on the chart; this made it Destiny's Child's lowest-charting single there since "Bug a Boo" (1999). "Girl" performed better on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, where it peaked at number ten for the week ending June 4, 2005. It became the third single from "Destiny Fulfilled" to enter the chart's top ten and the group's 11th top-ten song. In 2005, "Girl" placed at number 57 on the year-end Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The single further peaked at number 27 on Mainstream Top 40. On October 21, 2005, "Girl" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of 500,000 digital copies in the US.
"Girl" was a moderate success across Europe. It managed to peak at numbers 49 and 56 in Sweden and Austria, respectively, charting for two weeks in the former and four weeks in the latter. On the Danish Singles Chart, "Girl" peaked at number 13 in its only week of charting on June 10, 2005. It also peaked at number 12 in Italy on May 5, 2005, charting for only one week. It was more successful in the United Kingdom and Ireland, after picking up strong airplay and videoplay in those countries. It debuted at number six on the UK Singles Chart on May 7, 2005, becoming the third top-ten single from "Destiny Fulfilled" in the country. Starting from the following week, when it fell to number eight, it started gradually descending the chart, which made its debut position become its peak. On the Irish Singles Chart, "Girl" debuted and peaked at number eight for the week ending April 28, 2005.
The single achieved success across Oceania. In Australia, "Girl" debuted and peaked at number five on the ARIA Singles Chart. It spent the following three consecutive weeks within the top ten of the chart and returned to the top ten, at number ten, in its sixth week. The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) awarded "Girl" with a gold certification for selling 35,000 copies in the country. On the New Zealand Singles Chart, the single reached number six in its second week on May 16, 2005. It further spent five weeks at number nine and was last seen on the chart on August 1 at number 38.
Music video.
The accompanying music video for "Girl" was directed by Bryan Barber and released in mid-February 2005 along with the video for "Cater 2 U". It was inspired by "Sex and the City", containing elements and influences of the series in many scenes. The video is split into two different sets: Destiny's Child in Beyoncé Knowles' apartment and the trio on a fictional television show. It begins with Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland entering Knowles' apartment as she writes on her laptop. They settle down with snacks and wine as they watch a fictional show set in New York City, styled after "Sex and the City". After the opening credits, Knowles and Williams meet Rowland on the TV for lunch at a restaurant. Throughout the video, the women at home respond to the events of the program through gestures and actions, while, on the television, the dialogue of the song matches their conversations in the restaurant. Knowles confronts Rowland about her sad demeanor and suspected boyfriend problems, but she feigns shock and insists that nothing is wrong; however, neither Williams nor Knowles are convinced. Viewers can see that, on one occasion, her boyfriend took very long to come home without explanation and, when he finally arrived, a hurt Rowland threw his food away before running upstairs avoiding him.
Rowland admits to some problems, while making excuses for her boyfriend, such as his busy schedule and her own moodiness. Knowles, however, rolls her eyes at the thin excuses, and assures Rowland that she and Williams love her and she does not need not to suffer alone. At this, Rowland begins to cry and laugh at the same time. Williams goes on to tell her of the day she confronted her boyfriend when she saw him browsing through jewelry with another woman. During the last minute of the video, Rowland can be seen be seen looking cold and angry as her boyfriend comes home. He arrives apologetic, but she perks up, dangling a pair of fuzzy handcuffs. He smiles and begins to follow her upstairs. In the following scene, he is naked except for a pair of boxers (in some versions, his rear-end is blurred out) and handcuffed to the balcony. With her bags packed and the handcuff key in hand, she leaves—laughing happily leaving her partner shocked and angry. The girls are finally seen walking down the city street, holding hands, as an image of the album cover of "Destiny Fulfilled" passes by on a city bus.
Rashaun Hall of MTV News compared Knowles' role to Sarah Jessica Parker's portrayal of Carrie Bradshaw in "Sex and the City" due to the heels designed by Manolo Blahnik she wore in the video. Erika Ramirez and Jason Lipshutz from "Billboard" described it as "adorable". Mike Wass from the website Idolator felt that the clip was "dubious". Lindsay Weber writing on behalf of the blog Vulture, noted that it was a "cheesy play" on "Sex and the City". Stylus Magazine's Thomas Inskeep opined that the song itself has been "bettered by its "Sex and the City" homage of a video". The music video is featured on the Tour edition bonus DVD of "Destiny Fulfilled", as well as on the Japanese edition of "Live in Atlanta" (2006). In 2013, it was included on the album "Destiny's Child Video Anthology", which contained every music video the group had filmed during their career.
Live performances.
Destiny's Child sang "Girl" during the British show "Top of the Pops" on April 29, 2005. They later appeared on the programme "", where they performed the song. On July 2, "Girl" was part of Destiny's Child's set list during the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia as the closing song. Gil Kaufman, reporting for MTV News, noted: "The ladies in the audience sang their hearts out during... 'Girl.'" The trio gave a live rendition of the song again on "Today" on July 29, as part of the show's Toyota Concert Series. At the beginning of the performance, Beyoncé announced that the band wrote the song "for all the girlfriends out there"; "I'll Take You There" (1972) was incorporated during the end.
In 2005, "Girl" was part of the set list of the group's final tour Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It. The performance was preceded by a video interlude, during which Knowles, Williams and Rowland appeared on the screen on the stage. The former two started discussing about the latter's relationship, and she joined them after hearing their opinions. Their discussions were similar to the lyrical content of the song, with the two trying to convince her the relationship is wrong and the latter defending her love interest. After the interlude finished, the group appeared onstage performing "Girl", mixing it with "I'll Take You There". While reviewing a concert in the United Kingdom, Adenike Adenitire of MTV News praised the performance, concluding "They borrowed the 'Sex and the City' theme for the 'Girl' video, but they lean more toward 'Girlfriends' when taking it on the road, with a light comedy moment that may see TV execs thinking seriously about a Destiny's Child sitcom." In contrast, Barbara Ellen of "The Observer" criticized the segment during which "Girl" was performed, writing "... no amount of 'girlpower' rabble-rousing can disguise the fact the songs are wet-paper-bag weak; giving the impression of three bored young women dozing off at a slumber party, whining in their jim-jams about men who 'done them wrong', or men who 'done someone else wrong', or just men doing wrong, period." The song was included on the track listing of the group's live album "Live in Atlanta" (2006), chronicling a concert from the tour in that city.
Samples.
In 2015, "Girl" was sampled along with Brandy and Monica's "The Boy Is Mine" (1998) on 99 Souls's "The Girl Is Mine". The song was