Back to Love (Chris Brown song)

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"Back to Love"
Single by Chris Brown
from the album Indigo
ReleasedApril 11, 2019
GenreR&B[1]
Length3:42
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Cam Wallace
Chris Brown singles chronology
"Chi Chi"
(2019)
"Back to Love"
(2019)
"Wobble Up"
(2019)
Music video
"Back to Love" on YouTube

"Back to Love" is a song by American singer Chris Brown. It was released by RCA Records on April 11, 2019, serving as the second single from Chris Brown's ninth studio album Indigo.[2]

The song received positive reviews from music critics who celebrated its lyrical content and its production, praising the intention from Brown to bring himself close to his early R&B roots, comparing it to some works from his Grammy Award winning album F.A.M.E., and to Michael Jackson's music from the 1990s as well. While receiving positive reception from critics, the single became the lowest charting single from Indigo.

Background[edit]

Chris Brown teased the song with a post on his Instagram account, while he was performing a choreography for it.[3]

Composition and lyrics[edit]

The song was written by Chris Brown and Mark Pitts, and was produced by Cam Wallace. "Back to Love" runs for three minutes and forty two seconds. The instrumentation is dominated by percussive elements and a slapping snare. The song is also bass-heavy while featuring extended guitar chords, riffs, and a woodwind synth that makes an appearance halfway through the track.[4]

The song is about a man that wants to leave his past behind him, apologizing to his girlfriend, for mistreating her, needing to get back to love in the correct way, thanking her for helping him to open his eyes, promising to be a better man.[5]

Critical reception[edit]

Andy Kellman of AllMusic defined the song as a "career highlight".[6] Alex Zidel of HotNewHipHop said that the song is "lyrically deep and conscious, while musically has a worldwide and timeless sound", noticing that with "Back to Love", and his previous single "Undecided", Brown is successfully trying to bring himself close to his early R&B roots.[7] Ken Hamm of SoulBounce described the song as "meaningful", saying that the song is a revival of Michael Jackson's music from the 1990s.[8]

Music video[edit]

The music video was directed by Brown, and released the same day that the song was released. The video was shot in Paris,[9][10] and starts with Brown escaping some paparazzi, being driven to the Seine's edge where he shows off different dance moves in front of what appears to be an illuminated well. Groups of dancing children from across the globe make cameos throughout the music video as Chris Brown continues to display his dancing ability in the midst of rows of columns which later morph into striped moving pillars.[11][4]

The Back to Love video was compared by many to Michael Jackson's music videos, suggesting the "King of Pop" as an inspiration for it.[12]

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[13]

  • Chris Brown - vocals, lyrics, composer
  • Cameron Wallace - producer, composer
  • Mark Pitts - lyrics, composer
  • Nathan Perez - composer
  • Atia Boggs - composer
  • Keith Thomas - composer
  • Ben Chang - assistant engineer
  • Randy Merril - mastering engineer
  • Patrizio Pigliapoco - mixing engineer, recording engineer

Charts[edit]

Chart (2019) Peak
position
New Zealand (NZ Hot Singles Chart)[14] 12
UK Singles (OCC)[15] 82
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[16] 6
US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard)[17] 16

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various April 14, 2019 RCA [18]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Chris Brown Gets "Back to Love" in His New Video". HNHH. 11 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Back to Love - Single by Chris Brown". Apple Music. Retrieved 2019-05-19.
  3. ^ Miss2Bees (January 24, 2019). "Chris Brown Gets "Back To Love" In His New Video". The Source. Retrieved 2019-03-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b "Watch: Chris Brown releases latest music video 'Back to Love' - AXS". Archived from the original on 2019-04-17. Retrieved 2019-06-02.
  5. ^ Zangba Thomson (2019-04-11). "Chris Brown releases a music video for his "Back to Love" single". Bongminesentertainment.com. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
  6. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Indigo - Chris Brown". AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  7. ^ "Chris Brown Gets "Back to Love" in His New Video". HotNewHipHop.com. 11 April 2019.
  8. ^ "Chris Brown Takes Us 'Back to Love' & Paris". Soulbounce.com. 12 April 2019.
  9. ^ Alex Zidel (April 11, 2019). "Chris Brown Gets "Back To Love" In His New Video". HotNewHipHop.com. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  10. ^ "Chris Brown shoots 'Back To Love' video in Paris". Rap-Up. January 23, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  11. ^ Sayushka Naidoo (April 12, 2019). "Watch Chris Brown's Back To Love music video". Justnje.com. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  12. ^ "Chris Brown Pays Homage to Michael Jackson in 'Back to Love' (VIDEO)". Ebony.com. 12 April 2019.
  13. ^ "Back To Love". Tidal. April 11, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
  14. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. April 29, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  16. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  17. ^ "Chris Brown Chart History (Hot R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  18. ^ "Back to Love – Single by Chris Brown". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved August 5, 2019.