Skirt (song)
From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
| "Skirt" | |
|---|---|
 Remixes EP cover[a] | |
| Promotional single by Kylie Minogue | |
| Released | 24 June 2013 |
| Recorded | 2013 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:29 |
| Label | Rising Music |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Nom de Strip[b] |
| Lyric video | |
| "Skirt" on YouTube | |
"Skirt" is a 2013 song recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. She co-wrote the song with Chris Elliot, Chris Lake, and The-Dream, while Elliot and Marco Lys produced it. "Skirt" samples "Shake & Bake", a composition by Elliot and DJ Bones.[b] The track premiered on Elliot's SoundCloud account on 28 May 2013—Minogue's 45th birthday—before it was released as a stand-alone promotional single on 24 June.[c] The distribution of the single, both physically and digitally as a remix EP, was handled by Rising Music, an independent record label established by Lake.
"Skirt" is an EDM, dubstep, and house-pop track. The lyrics portray Minogue seducing someone by dropping her skirt. Music critics commended its production and Minogue's return to mainstream dance music. The track was Minogue's tenth number-one single on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. In order to promote the single, an accompanying lyric video was published in June 2013, featuring more than 1,000 stills of her inside a hotel room.
Background and production[edit]
In February 2012, DJ Bones and Chris Elliot (under the stage name Nom de Strip) released a two-track EP under the independent label DirtyNitrus.[3] The EP features an instrumental composition titled "Shake & Bake" on the B-side.[3] Elliot wrote "Shake & Bake" using Logic Pro while he was working in music shops.[4] In 2013, Elliot caught the attention of British producer Chris Lake, who signed him to Rising Music, his Los Angeles-based independent label.[5] That year, Australian singer Kylie Minogue announced she had signed a management deal with Roc Nation, an entertainment agency handled by American rapper and businessman Jay-Z.[6] The announcement was made after she parted ways with her long-term manager Terry Blamey and the British label EMI.[7]
During the summer of 2013, Minogue and her manager had a chance meeting with Lake, who played a set for them.[8] Minogue selected "Shake & Bake" from that set, and recorded the instrumental track with Elliot and American songwriter The-Dream later that night.[8] RocNation introduced the singer to The-Dream, with whom she spent a few days co-writing the track.[9] Elliot and his label-mate Marco Lys co-produced the track.[10] Lake was pleased with the working experience with Minogue.[8] He found the bass-heavy production different from Minogue's previous work and challenging for her casual listeners.[8]
Composition[edit]
"Skirt" is an EDM, dubstep, and house-pop song.[11] It is written in the key of D major and has a moderately fast tempo of 128 beats per minute.[12] The track has sparse production between the verses and is anchored by a bass-laden hook, which comes more than a minute into the track and appears only twice.[13] It opens with muffled electronic beats, and features instrumentation of keyboards, synthesizers, and a drum machine.[14] "Skirt" has no middle-eight section, and the beat drop builds up to Minogue singing the chorus.[15] Minogue's vocals are breathy, distorted, and synthesized; she can be heard moaning and sighing towards the end of the track.[16] At one point, Minogue chants "Down, down, down, down" over the heavy bass production.[17] The-Dream also contributed background vocals, making breathy exclamations at the 2:03 mark.[18]
Music critics described "Skirt" as more experimental than Minogue's other work.[19] Alexis L. Loinaz of E! Online said that the track delivers "a harder, driving sound" compared to what Minogue's audience might have expected from her.[20] The Tab's Harrison Brocklehurst noted that the track contains elements of dubstep, which Minogue had not previously incorporated into her music.[21] Lyrically, Minogue sings about dropping her skirt before initiating a sexual encounter.[22] Brocklehurst called it "a sexually charged anthem", and Logo TV's Simon Curtis compared the sexual theme to Minogue's "Slow" (2003).[23]
Release and remixes[edit]
.jpg)
In February 2013, Minogue confirmed working on her twelfth studio album and a new single.[6] Elliot first played "Skirt" during his set at the Pacha Ibiza nightclub before the track's premiere on his SoundCloud account on 28 May 2013, Minogue's 45th birthday.[24] The release was made without any prior official announcement; Minogue revealed the track with a post on Twitter: "Birthday surprise!!".[25] "Skirt" was released as a promotional single ahead of Minogue's twelfth studio album, Kiss Me Once.[c] In July 2013, she confirmed the track was only a teaser.[20] "I'd like to think of it as being the amuse-bouche of the meal. Your entire meal's not going to be like that; my album's not going to be like that," says Minogue.[20] The track was ultimately not included on Kiss Me Once.[27]
Lake released the track and its accompanying remixes under his label Rising Music.[8] The label distributed "Skirt" as a digital EP on 24 June 2013, exclusively through Beatport.[28] The EP included four remixes individually produced by Nom de Strip, electronic duo GTA, English DJ Switch, and American DJ Hot Mouth.[29] Nom de Strip's remix expanded upon the original dubstep production, while GTA and Hot Mouth were influenced by rave and electronic dance music.[30] Switch's remix is a robotic house-influenced track.[30] The EP was physically released in China by EMI and Gold Typhoon.[31] Rising Music distributed the physical EP in the UK, which featured remixes by American producers Matthew Dear and Mark Picchiotti.[32] Dear announced his remix on his SoundCloud account in early July.[33] A remix by Australian duo Cut Snake was made available on Minogue's SoundCloud account as a free giveaway in July 2013.[34]
Reception[edit]
"Skirt" was met with mostly positive reviews from music critics, who appreciated Minogue's fresh take on dance music.[35] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine found the track "quintessential Kylie" despite its edgy production.[36] Described it as a "forward-thinking slice of electronic brilliance", Curtis suggested that Minogue is on the cusp of a long-awaited artistic breakthrough.[37] Fact magazine offered a mixed review, criticizing the brash production and mid-range synthesizer sounds.[38] Billboard magazine picked the Switch remix as the best track on the remix EP, praising the producer for creating a "soft, warm embrace to the original, turning the sexual into the sensual".[39] The magazine also named "Skirt" as one of the "Top 50 Game-Changing EDM Tracks of 2013", ranked at number 36.[40]
Brocklehurst, in his retrospective review, stated the track is among Minogue's most adventurous and overlooked, praising its modern production and chorus.[41] In contrast, Simon Mills of the Herald Sun perceived the track as "cold, camp-free, and unsettling," and noted that the Americanization of Minogue was not entirely successful.[42] Graham Gremore of Queerty drew a positive comparison between the track and Minogue's "Padam Padam" (2023), noting how despite being recorded a decade apart, they intriguingly complement each other.[43] Several critics believe that "Skirt" should have been included in Kiss Me Once.[44] Slant Magazine's Alexa Camp felt that the absence of "Skirt" was among the biggest disappointments of the album.[45] Brocklehurst commented that the album would have been more interesting if its sonic direction had leaned more into tracks like "Skirt".[41] The Tab and Classic Pop listed "Skirt" among their top Minogue tracks.[46]
"Skirt" peaked atop of US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart during the week of 14 September, and remained there for one week.[47] "Skirt" became Minogue's tenth number one, and her seventh consecutive number one in the Dance Club Songs chart since August 2010 with "All the Lovers".[48] Overall, it was present on the chart for 13 weeks.[49] "Skirt" spent 10 weeks on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, reaching its peak at number 31 on 24 August.[50] By the end of 2013, "Skirt" was ranked number 23 on Billboard's annual Dance Club Songs chart, and number 75 on the annual Dance/Electronic Songs chart.[51]
Promotion[edit]
On 14 June 2013, an accompanying stop-motion lyric video was published on Nowness and YouTube.[52] Directed and photographed by Will Davidson, the video is a series of quick cuts of over 1,000 still photos of Minogue seductively posing in a hotel room.[53] During the video, Minogue moves around the floor, arches her back, and stares straight into the camera.[54] She wears a tight-fitting Alexander Wang black dress and Jimmy Choo stilettos.[55] The three-hour shoot took place in Los Angeles a week before its premiere.[56] Minogue was impressed by Davidson's natural approach, saying: "In 25 years I haven't done anything like this ... They feel real, unprocessed and much like the viewer is there with me."[56] Curtis praised Davidson for making a "deceptively simple, yet beautiful" video, while HitFix's Melinda Newman felt that it would "either flip yours up or induce a seizure."[57] A picture from Davidson's photoshoot was used as the remix EP's artwork.[a] A second visual was used as an interlude featurette on Minogue's Kiss Me Once Tour. A two-minute video was also included on the live DVD, titled Kiss Me Once Live at the SSE Hydro, as a bonus feature.[58]
Track listings[edit]
|
|
Personnel[edit]
Credits are adapted from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.[60]
- Kylie Minogue – vocals, songwriting
- Chris Elliot – songwriting, production
- Marco Lys – production[b]
- Chris Lake – songwriting[b]
- Terius "The Dream" Nash – songwriting, background vocals[18]
Charts[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end chart[edit]
|
Release history[edit]
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 28 May 2013 | Streaming | — | [63] |
| 24 June 2013 | Digital download | Rising Music | [29] | |
| China | 2013 | CD single | [31] | |
| United Kingdom | Rising Music | [32] |
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b The artwork, revealed on Nom de Strip's SoundCloud and issued through physical promo copies, depicts Minogue behind a curtain near a slide-door. The picture was taken from Davidson's photoshoot.[1] The iTunes cover has Minogue's name superimposed on a black "+" symbol, with the Rising Music label on the top left corner.[2]
- ^ a b c d Chris Elliot used the stage name Nom de Strip when he released "Shake & Bake" with DJ Bones in 2012.[3] Elliot went on to produce "Skirt" with Marco Lys, both credited as Nom de Strip.[10] DJ Bones, however, was not listed as the track's songwriter by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.[60]
- ^ a b In several interviews in 2013 and 2014, Minogue referred to "Skirt" as a "buzz track".[26]
References[edit]
Citations[edit]
- ^ Nom De Strip 2013
- ^ Rising 2013b
- ^ a b c Charles 2012; Gottadancedirty.com 2012; DirtyNitrus 2012
- ^ Gottadancedirty.com 2012; Insomniac
- ^ Insomniac; 909originals 2020; McCarthy 2014
- ^ a b Izundu & Savage 2013; Caulfield 2013; Corner 2013a; Corner 2013b
- ^ Evening Standard 2012
- ^ a b c d e McCarthy 2014
- ^ Schaefer 2013, 5:32–6:27
- ^ a b Copsey 2013; Jenesaispop 2013
- ^ Fact 2013; Camp 2014; Gremore 2023
- ^ Tunebat.com
- ^ Radio Creme Brulee 2013; Cinquemani 2013
- ^ Radio Creme Brulee 2013
- ^ Radio Creme Brulee 2013; Lipshutz 2013
- ^ Clarke 2013; Radio Creme Brulee 2013; Lipshutz 2013; Villagomez 2013; Hardie 2013
- ^ Hardie 2013
- ^ a b Lipshutz 2013
- ^ Cinquemani 2013; Loinaz 2013
- ^ a b c Loinaz 2013
- ^ Brocklehurst 2022
- ^ Cinquemani 2013; Curtis 2013
- ^ Brocklehurst 2022; Curtis 2013
- ^ Clarke 2013; Copsey 2013; Lipshutz 2013; Schaefer 2013, 4:07–4:30; Nom De Strip 2013
- ^ Lipshutz 2013; Minogue 2013a
- ^ Schaefer 2013, 4:07–4:30; Irish Independent 2014
- ^ Warner Music Australia 2014; Camp 2014
- ^ RocNation 2013; Rising 2013a
- ^ a b Rising 2013a; Rising 2013b
- ^ a b Andrews 2022, p. 162
- ^ a b c EMI & Gold Typhoon 2013
- ^ a b c Rising 2013c
- ^ Jenesaispop 2013
- ^ Paper 2013
- ^ Cinquemani 2013; Loinaz 2013
- ^ Cinquemani 2013
- ^ Curtis 2013
- ^ Fact 2013
- ^ Billboard 2013
- ^ McCarthy 2013
- ^ a b Brocklehurst 2022
- ^ Mills 2014
- ^ Gremore 2023
- ^ Camp 2014; Brocklehurst 2022
- ^ Camp 2014
- ^ Brocklehurst 2022; Classic Pop 2022
- ^ a b Billboard B; Billboard C
- ^ Billboard C; Murray 2013; Trust 2013
- ^ Billboard C
- ^ a b Billboard E; Billboard F
- ^ Billboard G; Billboard H
- ^ Nowness 2013; YouTube 2013
- ^ Nowness 2013; Curtis 2013; Andrews 2022, p. 162
- ^ Hardie 2013; Newman 2013
- ^ Nowness 2013; Hardie 2013
- ^ a b Nowness 2013
- ^ Curtis 2013; Newman 2013
- ^ Bagwell 2014; Warner Music Australia 2015
- ^ Rising 2013a; Rising 2013b
- ^ a b American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
- ^ Billboard G
- ^ Billboard H
- ^ Nom De Strip 2013
Websites and print sources[edit]
- "ACE Repertory: Skirt – Kylie Minogue". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. 885799999. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- "CODER Picks of the Week: Kylie Minogue, Alesso and More". Billboard. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
- "Dance Club Songs – Week of 14 September 2013". Billboard. 14 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2016.(subscription required)
- "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 2013". Billboard. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- "Get Kylie Minogue's 'Skirt' Remix EP Today". RocNation. 24 June 2013. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
- "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Week of 24 August 2013". Billboard. 24 August 2013. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2016.(subscription required)
- "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2013". Billboard. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- "Interview: 'Say What You Want About Those Years Musically, but EDM Truly Created Something out Here That Didn't Exist Before.' 909originals Chats to Chris Lake". 909Originals. 11 August 2020. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- "Keep the Weekend's Going with Kylie Minogue's 'Skirt' (Cut Snake Mix)". Paper. 1 June 2013. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- "Key & BPM for Skirt by Kylie Minogue". Tunebat.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
- "Kylie's Skirt". Nowness. 14 June 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- "Kylie Minogue – Chart History: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- "Kylie Minogue – Chart History: Hot Dance/Electronic Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- "Kylie Minogue and Lily Allen Dropped from EMI in £1.2Bn Takeover Deal". Evening Standard. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- "Kylie Minogue Drops 'Skirt' and Schoolboy Q Has a 'Hell of a Night': The Best New Music from the Bank Holiday". Fact (Gallery list). 28 May 2013. p. 5. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- "Kylie Minogue's 'Skirt' Is a Poor Commercial for Her New Album". Radio Creme Brulee. 29 May 2013. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- "Making Music 'Therapy' for Minogue". Irish Independent. 18 March 2014. Archived from the original on 11 July 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- "Matthew Dear Regala Remix de Kylie Minogue" [Matthew Dear Gives Away Kylie Minogue remix]. Jenesaispop (in Spanish). 2 July 2013. Archived from the original on 23 May 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- "Nom de Strip & Bones – EP Teaser". Gottadancedirty.com. 23 January 2012. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- "Nom De Strip – Artists". Insomniac. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2012.
- "Top 40 Kylie Minogue Songs". Classic Pop. 20 February 2022. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- Andrews, Marc (2022). Kylie Song by Song. Fonthill Media. p. 162. ISBN 9781781558706. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023 – via Google Books.
- Bagwell, Matt (25 September 2014). "Kylie Minogue 'Kiss Me Once' Tour: Pop Princess Flashes The Flesh (And That Famous Bottom) As She Opens European Tour In Liverpool (Videos, Pics)". HuffPost. United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- Brocklehurst, Harrison (20 January 2022). "The 50 Greatest Kylie Minogue Singles of All Time, Ranked". The Tab. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- Camp, Alexa (19 March 2014). "Kylie Minogue Gets Physical in New 'Sexercise' Music Video". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- Caulfield, Keith (6 February 2013). "Kylie Minogue Joins Jay-Z's Roc Nation, Will Release Single 'Soon'". Billboard. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
- Cinquemani, Sal (28 May 2013). "Kylie Drops Her 'Skirt'". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- Clarke, Jenna (28 May 2013). "Put Away the Hot Pants, Kylie's Got a New 'Skirt'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- Copsey, Robert (28 May 2013). "Kylie Unveils New Track 'Skirt' to Celebrate 44th Birthday – Listen". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- Charles (7 March 2012). "Nom De Strip + Bones – "Yo!" / "Shake & Bake"". Hardfest. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- Corner, Lewis (8 February 2013). "Kylie Minogue New Single 'Coming Soon'". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- Corner, Lewis (22 February 2013). "Kylie Minogue Working with Sia for New Album?". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- Curtis, Simon (27 June 2013). "Kylie Minogue: An Icon Ascends As Her 'Skirt' Drops". Logo TV. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- Gremore, Graham (23 May 2023). "Listen: The #1 Summer Banger Kylie Minogue Released Exactly 10 Years Ago That Nobody Remembers Today". Queerty. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
- Hardie, Beth (14 June 2013). "Kylie Minogue Gets Down and Very Dirty in Sexy Lyric Video for New Single Skirt, Watch It Here". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 23 June 2017. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
- Izundu, Chi Chi; Savage, Mark (7 February 2013). "Jay-Z Signs Kylie Minogue to Roc Nation Label". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
- Lipshutz, Jason (28 May 2013). "Kylie Minogue Drops 'Skirt': Listen To New Song". Billboard. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
- Loinaz, Alexis L. (19 July 2013). "Exclusive: Kylie Minogue Teases Her First Album Under Jay-Z's Roc Nation: 'Sparkle, Sex and Insouciance!'". E! Online. Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
- McCarthy, Zed (27 February 2014). "Chris Lake Talks Rising Label, Premieres 'Helium' Video: Watch Here". Billboard. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- McCarthy, Zel (19 December 2013). "Top 50 Game-Changing EDM Tracks of 2013". Billboard. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- Mills, Simon (10 October 2014). "Kylie Minogue on Dating, London Life and Work (Definitely No Twerking)". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 27 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
- Minogue, Kylie [@kylieminogue] (28 May 2013). "Birthday surprise!!! @theKingDream #skirt #KM2013 @chrislake @NomDeStrip" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 6 July 2014 – via Twitter.
- Newman, Melinda (13 June 2013). "Kylie Minogue Twists and Turns in Sexy Clip for 'Skirt': Watch". HitFix. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- Murray, Gordon (6 September 2013). "Daft Punk Sends 'Dance' Into Top 10 on Dance Chart, Gaga's 'Applause' Remains at No. 1". Billboard. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.(subscription required)
- Trust, Gary (2 September 2013). "Chart Highlights: Enrique Iglesias' 'Loco' Launches At No. 1 On Latin Airplay". Billboard. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.(subscription required)
- Villagomez, Andrew (28 May 2013). "Listen: Celebrate Kylie Minogue's Birthday With New Single 'Skirt'". Queerty. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
Media notes[edit]
- Minogue, Kylie (2014). Kiss Me Once (Media notes). Australia: Warner Music Australia. ASIN B00I0O9QJY. 2564632807. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021 – via JB Hi-Fi.
- Minogue, Kylie (2015). Kiss Me Once Live at the SSE Hydro (Liner notes; DVD/2CD). Australia: Warner Music Australia. ASIN B00SKEQZ52. 0825646163076. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- Minogue, Kylie (23 June 2013). Skirt (Digital EP). Rising. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2016 – via Beatport.
- Minogue, Kylie (24 June 2013). Skirt (Liner notes; Digital EP). United States: Rising. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2016 – via iTunes Store.
- Minogue, Kylie (2013). Skirt (Liner notes). United Kingdom: Rising. RIM066.
- Minogue, Kylie (2013). Skirt (Liner notes; Digital EP) (in French). China: EMI / Gold Typhoon. 7888493513. Archived from the original on 26 February 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2016 – via Amazon.
- Minogue, Kylie (14 June 2013). Skirt (Lyric Video) (Media notes). YouTube. Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- Nom De Strip (28 May 2013). Kylie Minogue – Skirt (Digital). SoundCloud. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- Nom de Strip; Bones (23 February 2012). Yo! / Shake & Bake (Digital EP). DirtyNitrus. NIT00507. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2016 – via Beatport.
- Schaefer, John (25 June 2013). "Kylie Minogue's Fashionable Sound; The State of Pop Parody; That Wasn't a Hit?!?". Soundcheck. WNYC. Archived from the original on 6 December 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
External links[edit]
- "Skirt" lyrics on Kylie.com (archive from 2013)
- "Skirt" (From The Kiss Me Once Tour) on YouTube
