Julien (song)

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"Julien"
Single by Carly Rae Jepsen
from the album Dedicated
ReleasedApril 19, 2019 (2019-04-19)
Genre
Length3:54
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Kyle Shearer
Carly Rae Jepsen singles chronology
"No Drug Like Me"
(2019) 		"Julien"
(2019) 		"Too Much"
(2019)

"Julien" is a song by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen from her fourth album Dedicated. It was released on April 19, 2019, by 604, School Boy and Interscope Records as the fourth single off of the record. It is a midtempo funk-pop, synth-pop, disco, electropop and dance song influenced by soft rock.

Background and release[edit]

"Julien" was written at Maderas Village, Nicaragua in August 2016.[1][2][3] Jepsen revealed that the title was inspired by an ex-boyfriend with whom she had a "romantic weekend" in Quebec City, saying that she found the name "musical" and has been trying to write it into a song since they met, going through multiple different songs of the same name. She stated, however, that the song itself is not about a specific person, but is a metaphor of "what it is to have that person that is maybe the one that got away".[4][5] The singer described "Julien" as "the heart" of Dedicated[6] and stated that it is about an "everlasting fantastical love" that follows you for the rest of your life.[7]

Jepsen posted a line from the song and announced its release date on social media on April 16, 2019.[8][9] It was released as an instant download alongside the pre-order for Dedicated on April 19, 2019 as the fourth single off of the album.[10][11][12][13][14] The song was performed live throughout The Dedicated Tour.

Composition and lyrics[edit]

"Julien" is a "squelchy"[15] and "shimmery"[16] midtempo[17] funk-pop,[18] synth-pop,[19] disco,[20] electropop[21] and dance[20][22][23] song composed in the key of A minor.[24] It has a tempo of 119 beats per minute[24] and influences of soft rock.[21] Its instrumentation consists of a "clean, robotic" and "driving" beat,[20][16] "soft" and "swelling" guitars,[25][26] as well as "slippery" synths.[16] Lyrically, the track is a "simmering reflection on fleeting romance",[27] which portrays Jepsen as a "wounded animal, searching for a way to cauterize her injuries as she lies on the road to heartbreak".[25] Jepsen "sings about somebody she wishes she was with"[23] and "tells the story of a long lost love that she prays will come back but knowing deep down that he probably won't"[28] on the song.

Critical reception[edit]

Mark Young of Mxdwn called the song the "centerpiece of the album", and complimented the synthesizers used in the beginning of the song. Young also praised the buildup verse to pre-chorus to hook, writing that it is "perfectly executed".[29] Writing for Pitchfork, Anna Gaca noted the "windshield-wiper synths that open Julien", "pointing to Jepsen's other guiding aesthetic: chill disco".[30] Music critics Heather Phares of AllMusic and Anthony Fantano highlighted "Julien" as one of the best songs on Dedicated.[31][32] It was selected as one of the best tracks of 2019 by The Guardian journalist Graeme Virtue[33] and voted one of the top songs of 2019 by Pitchfork readers.[34]

Year-end lists[edit]

Publication Year Accolade Rank Ref.
Elle 2019 60 Best Songs of 2019
39
[35]

Charts[edit]

Chart (2019) Peak
position
China Airplay/FL (Billboard)[36] 26

Release history[edit]

Release dates and formats for "Julien"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Russia May 14, 2019 Contemporary hit radio Universal [37]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The Knocks on Instagram: '@carlyraejepsen's 'Julien' is out today!! Took a trip down to @maderasvillage in Nicaragua with some amazing people a couple years ago and...'". Archived from the original on December 25, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2019 – via Instagram.
  2. ^ @theknocks (August 14, 2016). "The team in Nicaragua this week is so strong. @WALKTHEMOONband / @carlyraejepsen / @ph0eberyan / @BearsonMusic / @CaptainCuts & more homies" (Tweet). Retrieved April 20, 2019 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ @carlyraejepsen (August 15, 2016). "Nicaragua for some writing" (Tweet). Retrieved April 20, 2019 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ Greene, David; Tidmarsh, Kevin (May 15, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Colors Outside The Lines". NPR. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  5. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (May 15, 2019). "Carly-oke: Carly Rae Jepsen on love, Broadway, and being 'Dedicated'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  6. ^ "Carly Rae Jepsen Ranks Her Own Songs". YouTube. May 17, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  7. ^ Spanos, Brittany (May 1, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen: Queen of Hearts". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  8. ^ Wass, Mike (April 17, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Reveals The Tracklist Of 'Dedicated'". Idolator. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  9. ^ @carlyraejepsen (April 16, 2019). "I'll be whispering Julien...Friday 🎶" (Tweet). Retrieved June 15, 2020 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ @carlyraejepsen (April 19, 2019). "Julien is the song that taught me the heart and direction of this album. Couldn't keep him for myself any longer.Now if you pre-order #Dedicated, 'Julien' will be available right away!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 20, 2019 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ Renshaw, David (April 19, 2019). "Listen to Carly Rae Jepsen's "Julien"". The FADER. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  12. ^ Blais-Billie, Braudie (April 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Shares New Song "Julien": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  13. ^ Goldfine, Jael (April 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Drops Fourth 'Dedicated' Single 'Julien'". PAPER. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  14. ^ Arcand, Rob (April 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen - "Julien"". SPIN. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  15. ^ Helman, Peter (April 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Shares New Single "Julien": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  16. ^ a b c Nied, Mike (April 19, 2019). "Disco Queen! Carly Rae Jepsen Longs For Lost Love On "Julien"". Idolator. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  17. ^ Leach, James (April 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen - "Julien" | Review". Pursuit Of Pop. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  18. ^ Daw, Stephen (June 3, 2019). "The 50 Best Albums of 2019 (So Far): Staff Picks". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  19. ^ Daw, Stephen (June 3, 2019). "The 50 Best Albums of 2019 (So Far): Staff Picks". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  20. ^ a b c "Carly Rae Jepsen Wants You Back on Aching Dance Jam 'Julien': Listen". Billboard. April 19, 2019. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  21. ^ a b Hudson, Alex (April 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Shares New Song "Julien"". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  22. ^ Tyler, Jessica (April 23, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen's "Julien" Offers a Sneak Peak of her Forthcoming Album Dedicated". Soundigest. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  23. ^ a b Rossignol, Derrick (April 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Misses Somebody Special On The Upbeat, Disco-Inspired Single 'Julien'". UPROXX. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  24. ^ a b "Key & BPM for Julien by Carly Rae Jepsen". Tunebat. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  25. ^ a b Alston, Trey (April 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen's Heart Is Broken By Her Own Decision On 'Julien'". MTV News. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  26. ^ Bote, Joshua (April 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Julien' Will Make You Cry At The Club". NPR. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  27. ^ Savage, Mark (May 17, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen: Pop's queen of over-thinking". BBC. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  28. ^ Bleach, Thomas (April 19, 2019). "SINGLE REVIEW: Carly Rae Jepsen - Julien". ThomasBleach. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  29. ^ Young, Mark (May 26, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen – Dedicated". mxdwn Music. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  30. ^ Gaca, Anna (May 17, 2019). "Dedicated | Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  31. ^ Phares, Heather. "Dedicated - Carly Rae Jepsen". AllMusic. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  32. ^ Fantano, Anthony (May 23, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated ALBUM REVIEW". YouTube. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  33. ^ "Guardian albums and tracks of 2019: how our writers voted". The Guardian. December 20, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  34. ^ "The Best Music of 2019: Pitchfork Readers' Poll Results". Pitchfork. December 20, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  35. ^ Tang, Estelle (December 23, 2019). "60 Best Songs Of 2019". Elle. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  36. ^ "China Airplay Chart/Foreign Language - 20/05/2019". Billboard China (in Chinese). Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  37. ^ "Carly Rae Jepsen — Julien". Tophit.
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