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Anti stylized as ANTI is the upcoming eighth studio album by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, set to be released through Roc Nation and Westbury Road. Since Rihanna's career began in 2005 she released or re-released an album annually, however in 2013 Rihanna did not release any new material opting to take more time on the albums recording process. In late-2013 Rihanna began work on Anti but avoided discussing the album or its release leading to a considerable amount of confusion among music journalists and fans. The following year Rihanna left Def Jam, and would be releasing Anti through Roc Nation and her own record label Westbury Road.

Anti became the fastest album to go platinum in RIAA history.[1]

Recordijng

Released in 2016, the span gap between Rihanna's last studio album, Unapologetic and Anti is the longest wait between records in her music career. Beginning in 2013, Anti evolved from nearly three years of sessions and featured an extensive roster of R&B, hip hop, and pop musicians and recording technicians, the albums recording sessions began in 2013 and lasted through till 2015. The albums sessions took place at numerous recording studios including; Jungle City Studios in New York City, Westlake Recording Studios, Sandra Gale Studios and Windmark Recording Studios in Los Angeles, SOTA Studios in Toronto and Twin Studios in Paris.[2] During the initial stages of recording it was reported that Rihanna was working with a range of people including Sia Furler, Grimes, Alicia Renee, Kiesza, Natalia Kills, DJ Mustard, Tinashe and Calvin Harris amongst others. [3][4][5][6] "Love on the Brain" was the first song commissioned for Anti.[7] It was written by Norwegian[8] songwriter and producer Fred Ball in late 2014 with American songwriter Joseph Angel.[7] They wanted the song to be "old school - a mix between Prince and Al Green." Ball also stated that he didn't write the song with Rihanna in his mind, however his manager at Roc Nation, Jay Brown, heard the song and loved it. Brown sent it to Rihanna and she also reacted similarly, and wrote additional lyrics.[7]

In mid 2014, musician Chad Sabo, traveled to Los Angeles, were he began working on new music along with other songwriters and producers from Roc Nation. During his time in California, Sabo was playing with the band Basic Vacation. Sabo was in the bands van and began to write the intro riff that would become "Never Ending". Shortly after he took the song home and attempted to bring the song together using a digital 8-track studio. He later worked on the songs lyrics and posted it onto the internet. The writing process of "Never Ending" began in November 2013, and started again in April 2014 at which time Rihanna became interested in the track and wanted to record it.[9] Songwriter Bibi Bourelly had been working with producer, Paperboy Fabe, who arranged a session with Kanye West, who isolated her in a booth. The result was "Higher".[10] "Higher " was recorded in the early hours of the morning whilst Rihanna was under the influence of alcohol; “We just said, ‘You know what? Let’s just drink some whiskey and record this song.” [11] Rihanna stated that when recording the albums opening track "Consideration", she felt a connection to it, stating that the song captured the sound and attitude she was aiming for.[11]

During the album's recording, Rihanna's management contacted Tame Impala's management team, Spinning Top, informing them that Rihanna loved the band's song "New Person, Same Old Mistakes" and asked if she could re-record the track for Anti. The song's writer, Kevin Parker, agreed and gave Rihanna permission to record the song. After hearing Rihanna's version, Parker stated, "We’re all really happy with how the song turned out, love it!".[12] "Desperado" was written by Mick Shultz and Rook Monroe, following the songs writing Shultz met with Rihanna. After visiting Rihanna's home, Shultz was contacted a week later by Rihanna's team who stated "she really loves the record. Rihanna, Fauntleroy and Kuk Harrell, were all later involved in the songs development, production and recording.[13]

In the summer of 2015, Jamaican Canadian songwriter and producer Rupert Thomas together with Allen Ritter and Boi-1da among others, stayed at Canadian rapper's Drake house in Los Angeles for three-four days. During the time, creation of the lead single, "Work" came in to fruition. Thomas described the time spent at the home as a "beat factory, everyone was sitting there working and collaborating with each other."[14] Thomas created a beat which was dancehall-influenced; he later played it for Boi-1da to which he positively responded, "We’re both Jamaican-Canadian. It was just something in our DNA, so it woke him up, and we started remembering all these old dancehall songs from the '90s." Boi-1da came with up idea for sampling an "old school dancehall rhythm" and after that the chords were made with Ritter and past it, "everything went organically".[14] When the song's music was finished, Boi-1da sent it to Braithwaite (better known by his production name PartyNextDoor) who wrote the lyrics, after Drake heard the song he loved it and decided to write and record a verse on it.



Puma

In the fall of 2015, Rihanna released her first trainer with Puma, named creepers, the sneaker sold out online with three hours of its pre-sale launch. Two months later, in November, a men’s version of the creeper was released and was sold out by the following day.[15] In May 2016, Rihanna released the third instalment of the Fenty x Puma creeper, the trainers sold out within thirty-five minutes of release.[16] Then in 2016, she released the PUMA Fenty Trainer, which premiered in red, white, and black, and then was scheduled to release in a grey "Quarry" colorway at midnight on June 14 via Packer Shoes; they sold for $180.[17] The "Fenty Trainers" were available on June 15 in-store at both Packer Shoes locations.[17] Besides the creepers and trainer collection, Rihanna and Puma, released a faux fur pool slide made in three colours like the creepers, the collection sold out within thirty minutes.[18] As well as designing shoes, Rihanna debuted a clothing line in collaboration with Puma at New York Fashion Week, the collection was met with rave reviews from fashion critics.[19]


Under her PUMA collection, she released the "Puma Creepers".



The publication also relays the brand has experienced the most growth in footwear, which is the area that Rihanna has given most of her focus since taking on the position as Creative Director. Fans are reportedly overly antsy to get their hands on the latest designs by the singer, including the “creeper to the furry shower slides. ” Rihanna has revealed clothing line for the brand Fenty by Puma was also met with rave reviews when first shown at NY Fashion Week. Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/3048389/puma-sales-sky-rocket-thanks-to-kylie-jenner-and-rihanna-kylie-not-backing-down-despite-kanyes-competition/#sGEc5imGk1dZLPpK.99

Songs

Love on the brain

British producer Fred Ball co-wrote and produced "Love On The Brain".

"Love On The Brain" was written by Fred Ball, Joseph Angel and Rihanna, whilst production was handled by Ball. Ball and Angel also supplied the songs keyboards and drums, whilst Angel arranged the track. "Love On The Brain" was recorded at the Windmark Studios in Santa Monica, in California. The vocal recording was done by Marcos Tovar for Allfadersup and producer Kuk Harrell, whilst the latter served as the vocal producer for the song. The song was finally mixed by Manny Marroquin at Larrabee Studios, North Hollywood, Calafornia along with mixing assistants Chris Galland, Jeff Jackson & Ike Schultz before being mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound, in New York City.[20]

Ball wrote the song two years prior to the release of its parent album. Ball and Joseph Angel met at Westlake studios in Los Angeles, which was the first time they had worked together, Ball described their meet stating "we just clicked immediately." Whilst in the studio the pair wanted to create an old school style song that encompassed the work of Prince and Al Green. They wrote the songs timing signature in 6/8ths to create a timeless and soulful feel, with a juxtaposition of an old school soul sound and modern lyrics. When writing the song, the pair did not initial have Rihanna in mind for the track, however Jay Brown, from Roc Nation, heard "Love On The Brain" and sent it too Rihanna, the song went on to become the first song that was commissioned for the album.[21]

Composition

"Love On the Brain" is a mid-tempo '50s inspired doo-wop ballad "that features a guitar arpeggio, swirling organ, simple chord progression and backing vocals," and was compared to the work of Amy Winehouse.[22][23] Rihanna's vocals on the track were noted as being acrobatic and ranging from her "trademark snarl", to high notes, with dark lyrics that depict a destructive, yet addictive relationship.[23][24] The song features dark lyrics, which were noted by Jordan Bassett of NME as being an "ode to a violent lover" which he believed was Chris Brown following their highly published domestic violence case. Bassett stated that this themes of violence where introduced in lines such as “It beats me black and blue but it fucks me so good / Must be love on the brain.”[25]

Live performances

Rihanna included and performed "Love on the Brain" on the Anti World Tour.[26] On May 22, Rihanna performed the song at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, the performance featured a low lit stage with Rihanna wearing a green fur stole and shades. Following the performance Rihanna received a standing ovation, whilst her performance was described by Billboard themselves as being a "standout".[27]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Rihanna's official website.[20]

Locations
Personnel
  • Rihanna – vocals, writing
  • Fred Ball;– writing, production, keyboards, drums
  • TJoseph Angel;– writing, keyboards, drums, arrangement
  • Marcos Tovar – vocal recording
  • Kuk Harrell – vocal recording, vocal production
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing
  • Chris Galland – mixing assistant
  • Jeff Jackson – mixing assistant
  • Ike Schultz – mixing assistant
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering

Charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[28] 40

Background

In November 2012, Rihanna released her seventh studio album, Unapologetic, a pop[29] and R&B album[30] that incorporates elements of dubstep and other electronic music.[31][32] It received mixed reviews from music critics[33] and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with sales of over 238,000 copies.[34] The album spawned seven singles, including the international hits, "Diamonds" and "Stay". To further promote it, in 2013, Rihanna embarked on her fifth concert tour, the Diamonds World Tour. From the start of her career in 2005 until 2012, Rihanna released or re-released at least one album annually. In 2013, however, Rihanna took a step back from music and did not release a new album that year or the following.[35] She instead opted to take part in other endeavours, starring in the 3D animated film Home, alongside Jim Parsons, Steve Martin and Jennifer Lopez, as well as executively producing its accompanying soundtrack.[36] In May 2014, it was announced that Rihanna had left Def Jam to sign fully with her manager Jay Z's company Roc Nation,[37] There was considerable confusion among music journalists and fans, with Rihanna avoiding discussing the album or its release.[35]

The stuff I've heard is absolutely incredible. I can’t speak on what it sounds like because I’ll get in trouble. But I definitely feel like people are gonna enjoy it. Anybody that's a Rihanna fan is gonna stay a Rihanna fan, and anybody that's not might become a Rihanna fan ... just gear up for it.

— Ne-Yo, discussing the album's initial conception and recording.[38]

On October 8, 2014, Rihanna posted a picture of herself in the studio, working on the album.[39] Following the albums announcement Rihanna released three singles, various snippets of songs and performed at numerous award shows, but never announced the albums release or possible release date. The first single from the album, "FourFiveSeconds", featuring Kanye West and Paul McCartney, was released on January 24, 2015,[40] Followed by the release of a snippet entitled "Higher" on March 5.[41] She later released the second single from her eighth studio album "Bitch Better Have My Money", performing it for the first time at the 2nd iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 29, 2015.[42] Another song entitled "American Oxygen" debuted on Tidal on April 5, 2015.[43][44] However all three initial singles were scrapped in favour of new material.

In October 2015, it was revealed that Rihanna had acquired the masters to all her recordings and would be releasing Anti jointly through her own record label Westbury Road and Roc Nation.[45] Later that month it was announced that Rihanna had inked a $25 million contract with Samsung. The deal would see Rihanna promoting Samsung's Galaxy line of products whilst Samsung would sponsor the release of Anti and its supporting tour.[46] In Novemeber, 2014, while on the red carpet for the premiere of director Andrew Jenks documentary, It's Not Over, Rihanna told Entertainment Tonight, that her album should come out "very soon". She further said, "I'm really excited about the music that we've been working on, so I can't wait for people to hear it."[47] The following month Rihanna invited "hundreds" of her fans in Paris to participate in a promotional video, it was reported that the clip might be associated with the release of Anti.[3]




Songwriter Bibi Bourelly had been working with producer, Paperboy Fabe, who arranged a session with Kanye West, who isolated her in a booth. The result was "Higher".[10] "Higher " was recorded in the early hours of the morning whilst Rihanna was under the influence of alcohol; “We just said, ‘You know what? Let’s just drink some whiskey and record this song.” The song was compared by Rihanna to a “a drunk voice mail” stating “You know he’s wrong, and then you get drunk and you’re like, ‘I could forgive him. I could call him. I could make up with him.’ Just, desperate.” Rihanna stated that when recording the albums opening track "Consideration", she felt a connection to it, stating that the song captured the sound and attitude she was aiming for.



The candor is heightened by a husky, soul-inflected warmth. “We just said, ‘You know what? Let’s just drink some whiskey and record this song.’ ” Then there’s “Work,” on which she repeats the word work until it is no longer recognizable, a flourish one critic called “post-language.” While it evokes a technofuture, it’s actually a nod to her home culture in Barbados. (Though Rihanna now splits her time between New York and L.A., her ties to the island remain strong. She is close with her mother, Monica Braithwaite, who owns a clothing boutique there, and with her maternal grandfather, Lionel Braithwaite, a frequent star of her Instagram feed.) “You get what I’m saying, but it’s not all the way perfect,” she says. “Because that’s how we speak in the Caribbean.” In the accompanying video she made with Drake—“Everything he does is so amazing”—Rihanna grinds and jerks in a knitted Rasta-colored Tommy Hilfiger dress at a raucous dance-hall party, the kind “we would go to in the Caribbean and just dance and drink and smoke and flirt,” with her real-life best friends, Melissa Forde and Jennifer Rosales.

Writing and development

After the release of Unapologetic and its accompanying tour, Rihanna aimed to take a hiatus from recording music stating; “I wanted to have a year to just do whatever I want artistically, creatively,” Rihanna went on to state that this hiatus lasted a week and she had returned to the studio. During the initial writing and development of the album, Rihanna recording a vast amount of songs that were up-tempo, but was unsure of what she wanted Anti to sound like. Following the albums initially recording Rihanna became bored with pop music stating that she gravitated towards music that was "honest" and represented her at that time. Rihanna also recognised that the music she was recording "might not be some automatic record that will be Top 40," but believes she had "earned the right to do that now.”[11] Following this, Rihanna began to collaborate with producers and writers aiming to create Anti. Initially she began working with past collaborates such as Alex da Kid who along with American rock group X Ambassadors created "American Oxygen". The writing of the song started in 2014, with Rihanna co-writing the verses with Harris and Kid, "I wrote one thing and then Alex and Rihanna had the idea to turn it into this song about an immigrant story, coming to this country as an outsider... That was her idea, really, hers and Alex's, to turn it into that kind of song."[48]

Kanye West was initially the executive producer of Anti, however West did not contribute to the albums final track listing.

During the album's early development Rihanna aimed to create an album that was both "soulful" and "aggressive", elaborating on this she stated that the aggressive and soulful themes would be heard in the musical, lyrical and vocal context.[49] During a press conference in early 2014, Rihanna told MTV News that she aimed to depart from the musical style of her previous releases, which she described as being "big songs. From the jump, they just blow up." Rihanna continued to state that with Anti she would be focusing on music that "felt real" and soulful and would be timeless.[50] She also stated that she wanted to record songs that could be "timeless" and that she could perform 15 years later. "Not any songs that were burnt out. I find that when I get on stage now, I don't want to perform a lot of my songs. They don't feel like me."[50]

In early 2015 Kanye West announced he would be exceutivley producing Anti. The collaboration came about a year into the albums recording sessions.[51] After Rihanna and West had a meeting, West played her his album which featured work from singer and guitarist Paul McCartney, after hearing the music Rihanna stated she "had to have it" on her album which led the pair to working together.[51] Besides serving as the executive producer of the album West also featured on the song "FourFiveSeconds" along with McCartney, however along with "American Oxygen", the song did not make the albums final cut. In mid-2015 music critics and the media began reporting that Rihanna had scrapped the album in favour of starting again.[52] By September 2015, work on the album slowed down, due to Rihanna's and West's schedules, making it impossible for the pair to record together. Rihanna stated that the pair would be back in the recording studio by November.[53] The same month, Rihanna said that she was still in the process of recording Anti stating it would not be done until the "final moment".[54] However by early 2016, Rihanna revealed that West would no longer executive producer of the album as both of them are working on different projects.[55]

Recording

Released in 2016, the span gap between Rihanna's last studio album, Unapologetic and Anti is the longest wait between records in her music career. Beginning in 2013, Anti evolved from nearly three years of sessions and featured an extensive roster of R&B, hip hop, and pop musicians and recording technicians, the albums recording sessions began in 2013 and lasted through till 2015. The albums sessions took place at numerous recording studios including; Jungle City Studios in New York City, Westlake Recording Studios, Sandra Gale Studios and Windmark Recording Studios in Los Angeles, SOTA Studios in Toronto and Twin Studios in Paris.[2] During the initial stages of recording it was reported that Rihanna was working with a range of people including Sia Furler, Grimes, Alicia Renee, Kiesza, Natalia Kills, DJ Mustard, Tinashe and Calvin Harris amongst others. [56][57][3][58]

In June 2014, musician Chad Sabo, signed to the same label as Rihanna, Roc Nation. He later traveled to Los Angeles, were he began working on new music along with other songwriters and producers from Roc Nation. During his time in California, Sabo was playing with the band Basic Vacation. Sabo was in the bands van and began to write the intro riff that would become "Never Ending". Shortly after he took the song home and attempted to bring the song together using a digital 8-track studio. He later worked on the songs lyrics and posted it onto the internet. The writing process of "Never Ending" began in November 2013, and and started again in April 2014 at which time Rihanna became interested in the track and wanted to record it. The song also featured writing credits from British singer Dido, due to "Never Ending" having a similar pattern, although not a sample Dido's "Thankyou" was listed as an interpolation.[59]


Songwriter Bibi Bourelly had been working with producer, Paperboy Fabe, who arranged a session with Kanye West, who isolated her in a booth. The result was "Higher".[10] "Higher " was recorded in the early hours of the morning whilst Rihanna was under the influence of alcohol; “We just said, ‘You know what? Let’s just drink some whiskey and record this song.” The song was compared by Rihanna to a “a drunk voice mail” stating “You know he’s wrong, and then you get drunk and you’re like, ‘I could forgive him. I could call him. I could make up with him.’ Just, desperate.” Rihanna stated that when recording the albums opening track "Consideration", she felt a connection to it, stating that the song captured the sound and attitude she was aiming for.

During the albums recording, Rihanna's management Roc Nation contacted Tame Impala's management team Spinning Top, informing them that Rihanna loved Tame Impala's song 'New Person, Same Old Mistakes' and asked if she could re-record the track for Anti. The songs writer agreed and gave Rihanna permission, after hearing Rihanna's version Kevin stated "we’re all really happy with how the song turned out, love it!".[60] "Desperado" was written by Mick Shultz and Rook Monroe, prior to being given to Rihanna. Following the songs writing Shultz met with Rihanna, at "a place that she was working on a bunch of music." After visiting Rihanna's home, Shultz was contacted a week later by Rihanna's team who stated "she really loves the record. Rihanna, Fauntleroy and Kuk Harrell, were all later involved in the songs development, production and recording.[61]

Vocal production

Vocal producer Kuk Harrell, had been working with Rihanna since 2007, but stated that with Anti Rihanna was creatively involved more with the process. Harrell stated that Rihanna aimed to push they album in the direction she envisioned and stated that she named the album Anti because she wanted to create different music. Harrell attempted to move away from mainstream pop music when producing the album stating; "Every record that everybody does is a record that somebody else could've done, if that makes sense. It's so awesome that she just stepped out and was courageous enough to stick to that and be that and do that."[62]

Harrell and Rihanna worked constantly on the album, however Harrell noted that with the production of Anti Rihanna was far more meticulous about what she wanted each individual line to sound like. Harrell stated that he attempted to work quickly when producing the album, however Rihanna wanted to constantly improve the albums quality stating "Listen, let's up the quality level. Let's make sure we have the emotion, and make sure it's a masterpiece." Harrell stated that when he and Rihanna had previously worked together they aimed to make a great body of work, however on Anti they aimed to create a "masterpiece".[62] When discussing his and Rihanna's mindset during the albums production Harrell stated;


Speaking on the albums production and style, Harrell stated that artists such as Rihanna, have been talking a stance and stepping away from the popular music of the time and the expectations of her label, directors and radio, stating; "I don't want to make what everybody else is making. I want to make what I want to make. I know my fans will love it because my fans are loyal to me, but if everybody else loves it, great. If they don't, at least I know, as an artist, I've done what I want to do."[62] Anti was engineered by Nathaniel Alford, Chris Godbey, Kuk Harrell, Blake Mares, Daniela Rivera and Marcos Tovar. The album was finally mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound, NYC.[2]

Music and lyrics

Anti has an unconventional musical style, and was seen as a departure from Rihanna's previous material, leaving behind the club and dance genres of her previous releases for a predominantly pop[63] and R&B album.[64] With influences from dancehall and soul music .[65] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian viewed the album as an "experimental R&B" album with elements of psychedelia,[66] whilst Lindsay Zoladz of Vulture believed that "to neatly classify Anti by genre, you'd have to invent one," which she described as being "industrial dancehall".[67] Ben Rayner of The Toronto Star stated that Anti is divided into two halves; the first consisting of "futuristic robo-R&B", whilst the second half contains "a more organic breed of soul".[68] Writing on behalf of Billboard, Julianne Escobedo Shepherd found the Ant's hazy rap and alternative R&B style was similar to artists such as Jhené Aiko and Travis Scott.

Containing interludes and a lack of verses, choruses, melodies and hooks,[22] the album's production has been characterized as being, dark, sparsely layered,[69] bouncy, with lo-fi bass, old school styles,[65] downtempo moodiness and electro-soul minimalism.[68] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph described the album and musically focusing on "depth and texture" using a mid-tempo rhythm.[22] Stephen Erlewine of All Music stated that albums key factor is it's mood which he noted as being a "subdued, simmering affair, its songs subtly shaded yet interlocked to create a vibe caught halfway between heartbreak and ennui."[70] Anti's production is less prominent in comparison to Rihanna's previous, which allowed "room" for Rihanna's vocals to be derived in a raw and emotional dense style.[71] Throughout the album RIhanna's vocals were used as a focal point, singing with a feathery falsetto, with dexterity, acumen, soul and deep tones, that incorporates the use of her native patio.[69][72]

During the albums recording Rihanna aimed to create an album that was both "soulful" and "aggressive", elaborating on this she stated that the aggressive and soulful themes would be heard in the musical, lyrical or vocal context.[73] During a press conference in early 2014, Rihanna told MTV News that she aimed to depart from the musical style, of her pervious releases, which she described as being "big songs. From the jump, they just blow up." Rihanna continued to state that with "Anti" she would be focusing on music that "felt real" and soulful and would be timeless.[50] She also stated that she wanted to record songs that could be "timeless" and she could perform them in a span of 15 years, "Not any songs that were burnt out. I find that when I get on stage now, I don’t want to perform a lot of my songs. They don’t feel like me."[50]

Anti's lyrics feature themes of sex, love, drugs, desire and frustration,[22] however the album's lyrical content predominantly touches upon themes of relationships, exploring what it means to be in love, to get hurt, to need someone, and to be true to yourself.[69] The themes of relationships are picked up in numerous songs such as "Kiss It Better" which sees Rihanna questioning how far an ex-lover will go to get her back; in "Woo", Rihanna turns spiteful, stating she does not care for her ex-partner, while "Never Ending" features Rihanna admitting she would like to be in love again.[69] The album's themes were also noted as being unapologetic, with an uncaring attitude, and self-assurance.[65] Writing on behalf of The Guardian Alexis Petridis's stated that "amid the sagas of romantic woe and the inevitable references to marijuana, there are a lot of lyrics about doing things her own way, being more creative, and a pointed-sounding line about her ability to “cover shit in glitter and turn it gold”."[66]

Songs

During a press conference in early 2014, Rihanna told MTV News that the albums music would be different from previous releases which she discribed as being "big songs. From the jump, they just blow up." Rihanna continued to state that with "Anti" she would be focusing on music that "felt real" and soulful and would be timeless.[50] Rihanna later described the album as both "soulful" and "aggressive" whether it was its music, lyrics or vocals.[74]

On Anti, all of the focus is on that voice and her appealingly wayward personality, singing about sex, love, drugs, desire and frustration as if her life depends on it. Without all the practised song-craft that usually knock the wind out of listeners, what she has come up with is atmospheric, sexy and strangely disturbed, tapping into the kind of distorted beats and chilled tempos that burble through progressive hip hop.

 — Neil McCormick, discussing the album's musical and vocal style.[22]

Anti is a departure from Rihanna's previous material, leaving behind the club and dance genres of her previous releases for a predominantly pop[63] and R&B album,[64] with elements of dancehall and soul.[65] The album's production has been characterized as being, dark, sparsely layered,[69] bouncy, with lo-fi bass, old school styles,[65] downtempo moodiness and electro-soul minimalism.[68] Lindsay Zoladz of Vulture believed that "to neatly classify Anti by genre, you'd have to invent one," which she described as being "industrial dancehall".[75] Ben Rayner of The Toronto Star stated that Anti is divided into two halves; the first consisting of "futuristic robo-R&B", whilst the second half contains "a more organic breed of soul".[68] The albums songs were seen as being a representation of Rihanna experimenting with her Barbadian culture, with a mixture of early hip-hop sounds on "Consideration," folk styles on "Never Ending," doo-wop on "Love On the Brain," piano ballad's such as "Close to You," and the dancehall rhythm featured on "Work".[76]

During the album's recording Rihanna aimed to create an album that was both "soulful" and "aggressive", elaborating on this she stated that the aggressive and soulful themes would be heard in the musical, lyrical and vocal context.[77] During a press conference in early 2014, Rihanna told MTV News that she aimed to depart from the musical style of her previous releases, which she described as being "big songs. From the jump, they just blow up." Rihanna continued to state that with Anti she would be focusing on music that "felt real" and soulful and would be timeless.[50] She also stated that she wanted to record songs that could be "timeless" and that she could perform 15 years later. "Not any songs that were burnt out. I find that when I get on stage now, I don't want to perform a lot of my songs. They don't feel like me."[50]

The album's lyrical content predominantly touches upon themes of relationships, exploring what it means to be in love, to get hurt, to need someone, and to be true to yourself.[69] The theme of relationships is picked up in numerous songs; "Kiss It Better" sees Rihanna questioning how far an ex-lover will go to get her back; in "Woo", Rihanna turns spiteful, stating she does not care for her ex-partner, while "Never Ending" features Rihanna admitting she would like to be in love again.[69] The album's themes were also noted as being unapologetic, with an uncaring attitude, and self-assurance these lyrics were picked up on tracks such as "Consideration", which features frustrations.[65] Erin Macleod of NPR Music stated that lyrically the albums songs were metaphors, for anti-colonislisim. Macleod picked up on tracks such as "Needed Me", which which features lyrics such as "Didn't they tell you that I was a savage?, Fuck ya white horse and ya carriage", Macleod stated that these phrases seem to be that of a conversation between two lovers but could possibly be speaking against the larger narrative of colonialism.[76] Macleod continued to state that other tracks such as "Work" contained a similar narrative due to Rihanna's use of patois.[76]


"American Oxygen" is a ballad.[78] According to Jim Farber of New York Daily News, it features a "deeply resonant production" accompanied by EDM-inspired beats.[78] Jessica Goodman of The Huffington Post described it as a "slowed-down, dubstep-influenced track".[79] Farber compared the lyrical content of the song to the one of the 2009 single "Empire State of Mind" by Jay Z and Alicia Keys. According to Farber, "American Oxygen" "offers an un-ironic endorsement of the American dream, saluting unending possibility and upward mobility".[78] According to Jake Flanagin of Quartz, the song is autobiographical to Rihanna and describes her move to the United States in late 2003, when record producer Evan Rogers discovered her in Barbados.[80]

"FourFiveSeconds" is an acoustic pop and soul pop song,[81][82] with a length of three minutes and eight seconds.[83] Critics noted how the song has a stripped back feel to it,[81] and that it incorporates elements of country and folk.[84][85] "FourFiveSeconds" makes use of a simple instrumentation, primarily consisting of an acoustic guitar and organ, as well as a cello in the background.[86][87] Lyrically, it "express emotions ranging from the flip to the resigned".[81] Sharan Shetty of Slate stated that the song is about "heartbreak and redemption",[88] while a Yahoo! News reviewer noted that it is about "personal travails and confusion".[89]

"James Joint" is an interlude that lasts for The song is a mellow Jazz[90] and neo-soul song, that features keyboards built over rising bass riffs that create a thickly textured groove, the song takes influence from neo-soul and was compared to the work of Stevie Wonder, due to the use of a harmonica.[91] The songs "light keys and synth bass" were compared to the work of producer Thundercat by Patrick Lyons, who also noted Rihanna's vocals as being "low-key" and "warm".[90] Lyrically "James Joint" speaks about a love, "laced" with weed, wild lovemaking and danger.[92]


"Bitch Better Have My Money" is a trap song[93] that was noted as being reminiscent to the works of West, particularly the half-sang and half-rapped vocals, delivered in a Caribbean accent.[94] Lewis Corner of Digital Spy noted that the track represents a sequel to the music material present on Rihanna 2012 seventh studio album, Unapologetic,[95] with lyrics, that feature an angrier tone than "Rihanna's usual oeuvre".[93]

Packaging and title

I sometimes fear that I am misunderstood.
It is simply because what I want to say,
what I need to say, won't be heard.
Heard in a way I so rightfully deserve.
What I choose to say is of so much substance
That people just won't understand the depth of my message.
So my voice is not my weakness,
It is the opposite of what others are afraid of.
My voice is my suit and armor,
My shield, and all that I am.
I will comfortably breath in it, until I find the moment to be silent.
I live loudly in my mind, so many hours of the day.
The world is pin drop sound compared to the boom
That thumps and bumps against the walls of my cranium.
I live it and love it and despise it and I am entrapped in it.
So being misunderstood, I am not offended by the gesture, but honored.
If they let us...

—A reading of the albums artwork poem If They Let Us.[96]

On Wednesday October 7, 2015 Rihanna held a private viewing for fans and press at Los Angeles' Mama Gallery, where she debuted the albums official artwork and title, the guests were encouraged to wear red blindfolds upon entry and closes their eyes to the braille versions of the albums liner notes.[96] The album albums cover art was designed by Israeli artist Roy Nachum, and was described by Rihanna as her "favourite album cover".[97] An oil painting the albums front cover shows and image of Rihanna which was taken on her first day of daycare,[98] holding a black balloon, with a gold crown covering her eyes, the majority of the artwork is black and white with a "smattering" of red paint.[97] Speaking about the cover arts concept Nachum stated that he painted a young Rihanna to represent her "bringing something new" to music.[99]

Over the red, black and white canvas there is a poem written in braille by poet Chloe Mitchell, the braille follows the theme of the albums singles artwork which also feature the same technique. Speaking on her choice to use braille Rihanna said "Sometimes the ones who have sight are the blindest."[100] During the covers designing stage, Rihanna met with Chloe Mitchell, in which they "drank" and came up with a poem that would be used for the artwork and linear notes entitled If They Let Us.[96] Mitchell explained the poem and its meaning to RollingStone magazine, stating it was about being misunderstood, but still be able to stand out whilst doing what is right for you, continuing Mitchell said that the poem speaks about not conforming to society and being a leader as well as excepting that being misunderstood is a positive thing. [99]

File:This is the back album cover of Rihanna's album Anti.png
Back cover of the album

At the gallery the albums back cover along with multiple inside album artworks were revealed. The album back cover features a similar image of Rihanna as a child, however this time from behind, like the front cover the back art features braille whilst the inside covers feature poetry sculpted in Braille by Nachum, the use of braille made the album become the first album ever to incorporate physical Braille. [101] The seven pieces of artwork were all named and featured a poem written by Mitchell or Nachum, the front and back covers were titled “If They Let Us Part I” and “If They Let Us Part II” and featured a poem that was split over the front and back, another piece entitled "If They Let Us" was commissioned and featured the full reading of the poem.[102] The inside booklet contains a further five pieces entitled “Fire Part I”, “Fire Part II”, “Fire Part III” and “R‎”.[102]

Initially thought to have been entitled R8 by fans and critics a like, Rihanna announced the official title during the albums cover art release, revealing the album would be called Anti stylized as ANTI, the exhibition included a piece of art which defined the albums title stating that anti is "a person opposed to a particular policy, activity or idea.” [103] Following the exhibition Rihanna took to social media to confirm the albums title once again along with an explanation of its meaning, the explanation stated "By continuing to follow her own instincts, her work strives to make an impact by doing the very antithesis of what the public expects.”[104]

Release and promotion

In November, 2014, Rihanna announced, that her album should come out "very soon".[105] The following month Rihanna invited "hundreds" of her fans in Paris to participate in a promotional video which was thought to be associated with the release of the album.[106] Following the albums announcement Rihanna released three singles, various snippets of songs and performed at numerous award shows, but never announced the albums release or possible release date. The first single from the album, "FourFiveSeconds", featuring Kanye West and Paul McCartney, was released on January 24, 2015,[107] Followed by the release of a snippet entitled "Higher" on March 5.[108] She later released the second single from her eighth studio album "Bitch Better Have My Money", performing it for the first time at the 2nd iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 29, 2015.[109] Another song entitled "American Oxygen" debuted on Tidal on April 5, 2015. The song will reportedly be featured on her upcoming album.[110][111] Rihanna also posted an interlude entitled "James Joint" in its entirety from the upcoming album on her website on April 21, 2015, as a "celebration of 420".[112] While modeling in a Dior Secret Garden advertisement, Rihanna teased a 1-minute clip of a song called "Only If For A Night".[113]

Commercial performance

Critical reception

Impact

Anti and its lead single "Work" were seen as displaying West Indian black culture prominently without appropriation from mainstream culture..

Anti along with Kanye West's The Life of Pablo, and Beyonce's "Formation" were noted as being a "pop reformation". The three bodies of work were said to have been released unconventionally and contained themes of black power, which was described as causing "anxiety", Bryan Garsten, a professor of political science at Yale, stated that "anger contains the seeds of politics, and the same might be said of these projects’ defiant attitudes. Just under their surface simmers the anger and restlessness that inspire action." Jacob Potash of The Yale Herald stated that releases such as Beyoncé's self-titled (2013), D'Angelo's, Black Messiah (2014), and Kendrick Lamar's, To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), were noted as laying the groundwork down for the political charged releases that happened in 2016, which included Anti.[114]

Taj Rani of Billboard stated "Work" has brought the genre of dancehall to the forefront of American music, as it became the first dancehall song to top the Billboard Hot 100 since Sean Paul's "Temperature" reached the feat in 2006. She opined the song is a prime example of "an unapologetic black woman proudly showing her heritage at a time when our politics are dominated by #BlackLivesMatter and Donald Trump’s racist, xenophobic and misogynistic tirades." Rani continued to state that although mainstream critics are uncomfortable with Rihanna’s use of patois (describing it as "gibberish"), she is able to display black culture front and center without appropriation from mainstream culture.[115]

Following the songs release a reviewer from RollingStone noted "Work" as being a Tropical Pop song. The review caused outrage, with numerous reviewers responding, Idolator’s Bianca Gracie was among the first to respond stating “What a joke! You do know where that sound originated from right?”, this was followed by users correcting the magazine stating it was not tropical pop but in fact dancehall. Following the RollingStone review critic Jody Rosen stated that the song’s style was similar to Justin Bieber’s, Purpose singles. Reviewers from Spin Magazine replied to this remarks and stated that the reviews were white-washing dancehall music.[116]

The albums commercial performance especially its streaming performance, was noted as helping R&B flourish again, along with Drake and Kanye West, Rihanna was cited as the second most streamed artist of 2016, earning 795 million streams by June.[117]

Tour

Track listing

Creditsl

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

See also

References

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25

Following the release of 21 (2011), Adele was considering quitting the music industry all together, stating she thought it was better to "go out on a high." However, in early 2012 she announced she was simply taking a hiatus from music in order to "take time and live a little bit."[1] During this time Adele became pregnant, and began to feel overwhelmed by her own success, and became alarmed at 21's insistence on selling and selling at the rate it did. This led Adele to believe she had "lost control" of her life, around the same time her pregnancy forced her to cancel her career plans, however Adele described it as the "perfect timing" after all, because she was becoming afraid of her career.[2]

Her hiatus from music came to an end after the birth of her first child in October 2012, with Adele stating her son inspired her to start recording music again in order for him to "know what I do."[3][4] Before the albums' recording came under way, Adele made a conscious decision not to try and create another 21 and would not make another "heartbreak record".[5] Before the albums writing sessions began Adele bought a new note pad, something she does in the early stages of all her albums and wrote her age on the front; 25, the pad would be where Adele would go onto write the album.[5]

Prior to the album's release, 25 was listed as one of the most anticipated albums of 2015. Billboard, Fuse, SMH and numerous others placed the album at number one on their list, with the latter stating "if Adele releases her third album in 2015, she could dominate the year."[6] Prior to the album's official announcement, music journalists and fans speculated that the album would be titled 25 continuing the age theme from Adele's previous releases 19 and 21.[7][8] On the eve of her 26th birthday in May 2014, Adele posted a message via her Twitter account which prompted media discussion about her next album. The message, "Bye bye 25... See you again later in the year," was interpreted by outlets including Billboard and Capital FM as meaning that her next album would be titled 25 and released later in the year.[9][10]

Legacy

Music industry

In October 2015 numerous journalists speculated that other musicians had pushed back their albums in order to avoid chart competition with her, artists such as Justin Bieber, Sam Smith and One Direction would release their albums before Adele's, so that their sales would not be affected.[11][12] Columbia Records shipped 3.6 million physical copies of “25,” across the United States, making it the most CDs shipped for a new release since the shipment of 4.2 million copies of *NSYNC’s “No Strings Attached” in 2000.[13] One million copies of 25 were shipped to UK retailers, including HMV and Tesco, Ian Topping, CEO of HMV, stated that the company had a great "start" with the album and sales had exceeded their exceptions continuing to say it was their "fastest selling album for many years."[14]

Following the albums release, journalists reported that 25 was able to encourage the public to return to buying physical copies, compared to streaming. Adam Shewin of The Independent stated "25 sent casual purchasers back to the remaining physical stores and may even have introduced a new generation to the delights of ownership."[15] The album was described as saving the music industry, from download and streaming.[16] James Cabooter of the Daily Star echoed the sentiment saying "considering the musical climate, Adele’s figures are astonishing, and she is outselling the rest of the UK chart combined. Apple’s digital sales are expected to be around 900,000, while 25 displaced Take That’s III as the most pre-ordered album of all time on Amazon.co.uk. She’s saving the CD too – in the US alone, shops have ordered 3.6m physical copies of 25 with a further two million CDs stocked in Europe. That’s the biggest CD pressing of any album since 2000.[17]

David Bakula, senior vice president of analytics and client development at Nielsen Music, forecasted the album to sell 2.9 million it its first week of release.[18] Bakula claimed that sales could even hit 3 million units, calling the success of the album "incredible".[19]

Pop Culture

Adele’s decision to withhold her new album 25 from streaming services (at least for the first week it’s out) is not the only thing that will have flocks of people heading to the stores to grab a copy in the coming week. There’s more at work here than that, and it’s much bigger than streaming.[20]

25 was described as a "rare moment in pop culture that grabs the entire populous, and which forces everybody to pay attention."

The release of the pop superstar’s follow up to the global phenomenon that was 21 is music’s equivalent to the series finale of TV’s most popular program, or opening weekend for the year’s biggest blockbuster movie: you’ll surely be chastised by family and friends in school or by the watercooler if you haven’t at least heard it. Not owning a copy of 25 is to be uninformed and out of the know, and she’s ensured that if you want to experience the album, you’re going to have to buy it.

Predictions suggest that Adele has a serious chance to break the all-time first week sales record, with some saying the album may shift upwards of two and a half million copies in the next seven days alone. The fact that she’s close to smashing a record is likely to make even more people buy a copy, as everybody loves being a part of history. If she does end up besting the current title-holder, those that did have a part in sending her to the top will have earned a bit of pride, and bragging rights over those who didn’t participate. People love having even the smallest connection to champions and titans, and with Adele it’s as easy as purchasing a copy.

On top of everything else, you should buy the album, because, well, it’s great. Adele’s music appeals to a wide range of people, and with her new project, she has held onto that special ability to peer into millions of people’s hearts and perfectly encapsulate the heartbreak and the hurt that everybody has known at some point. She does so in a way that hits a nerve, while still keeping in mind that the song needs to be catchy.

Adele has been out of the spotlight for years, and so far she’s been welcomed back with open arms. Her single “Hello” debuted atop the Hot 100 and hasn’t vacated the position yet, and the praise has been pouring in ever since. The singer has witnessed some serious fan love in the past, but this coming week is sure to be something special for her—and for you, if you want to be a part of the moment.

Background

In 2000, Tweet began recording vocals for Elliott's album and was also reunited with her old friends from the Swing Mob days, Timbaland, Magoo, Playa, and Ginuwine later ending in Tweet recording her debut studio album. Southern Hummingbird was, released on April 2, 2002 by The Goldmind Inc. and Elektra Records. Upon release the album was met with positive reviews from music critics who commended the album's musical direction and its lyrical content. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 195,000 copies in its first week.[21] Southern Hummingbird was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on April 30, 2002,[22] and has sold 858,000 units in the US as of March 2005.[23] It's Me Again Tweets second studio album was, released on March 21, 2005 by The Goldmind Inc. and Atlantic Records. The album debuted at number seventeen on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 55,000 copies.[24]

Tweet left Missy Elliot's record label in 2007 shortly after the release of It's Me Again , however the pair reunited during the recording process of Charlene.

In 2007, Tweet performed with Timbaland, Eve, Keyshia Cole, Nelly Furtado, Fat Man Scoop and Ciara at the 4th annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors, honoring the work of Missy Elliott which aired on October 8.[25] The same year, she departed from Missy Elliott's Goldmind Inc. camp and signed to Jheryl Busby and Mike City's record label, Umbrella Recordings.[26] There, she began recording material for her third album along with producers Nisan Stewart, Warryn Campbell and Novel.[26] Initially titled Love, Tweet, the album was preceded by the buzz single "Good Bye My Dear", a collaboration with rapper T.I., and expected to be released on April 8, 2008.[27] The release of lead single "Anymore" failed to materialize however.[26] On April 26 and April 27, 2008, Tweet along with Bilal, Dwele and German singer Joy Denalane performed with The Dresden Soul Symphony in Dresden, Germany. The quartet reinterpreted soul hits and combined them with classical music. An album The Dresden Soul Symphony and DVD were later released on October 24, 2008.

In 2010, Tweet split from Umbrella due to a lack of promotion and ongoing delays.[28] In late 2011, Tweet signed to MC Lyte's record label DuBose Music Group.[29] In June 2012, she began posting previously unreleased material from the It's Me Again and Love, Tweet recording sessions on her new website as a part of her weekly SoundCloud-hosted special, Tweet Tuesdays.[30] In February 2013, DuBose released her Simply Tweet EP.[31] Recorded live with a full band, the five-track set was preceded by the single "Enough". The digital extended play reached the top thirty on both the US Billboard Independent Albums and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In July 2015, Tweet confirmed that she had signed with the independent eOne Music label.[32]

Her third regular studio album Charlene, featuring production from Missy Elliott, is expected to be released on January 22, 2016 in the United States, with its lead single to be released in August 2015.[32]

  1. ^ Kaufman, Gil (3 April 2012) "Adele To Release New Single This Year". MTV. Retrieved 19 October 2012
  2. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/adele-inside-her-private-life-and-triumphant-return-20151103?page=7
  3. ^ "Adele Admits Almost Quitting Music After '21'". 23 October 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  4. ^ "Adele Gives Birth to Baby Boy". Billboard. 21 October 2012.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference id.vice.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Most anticipated albums of 2015: Adele to Led Zeppelin, via Kanye West". SMH. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  7. ^ "30 Most Anticipated Albums of 2015". Billboard. 30 December 2014. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  8. ^ "30 Most Anticipated Albums of 2015". Fuse. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  9. ^ "Adele Teases '25' Album On Twitter?". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  10. ^ "Adele Teases New Album '25' On Twitter". Capital FM. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  11. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/34570462/adeles-new-track-other-artists-pushed-material-back-to-avoid-clash
  12. ^ http://www.latinospost.com/articles/75325/20151013/adeles-new-album-25-to-be-epic-release-other-artists-advised-to-drop-their-records-at-a-later-date.htm
  13. ^ http://finance.yahoo.com/news/adele-s-new-album-may-break--impossible--sales-record-195030302.html
  14. ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/adele-25-new-album-on-course-to-sell-a-million-copies-on-its-first-day-a6742416.html
  15. ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/adele-25-new-album-on-course-to-sell-a-million-copies-on-its-first-day-a6742416.html
  16. ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/adele-new-album-review-adele-arrives-to-save-the-music-industry-with-25-a6739231.html
  17. ^ http://www.dailystar.co.uk/showbiz/goss/476689/Wired-Adele-Kate-Hudson-Rita-Ora
  18. ^ Lucas_Shaw, Lucas Shaw. "Adele's 2.3 Million Copies Sold Put '25' on Pace for Record". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  19. ^ "Sales of Adele's '25' are poised to break 'NSync's record in first week". latimes.com. Retrieved 2015-11-24.
  20. ^ http://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2015/11/21/adeles-25-is-more-than-just-an-album/
  21. ^ Martens, Todd (April 11, 2002). "Ashanti Album, Single Dominate Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  22. ^ "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. April 30, 2002. Retrieved May 1, 2009.
  23. ^ Whitmire, Margo (March 30, 2005). "50's 'Massacre' Holds Steady At No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  24. ^ Whitmire, Margo (March 30, 2005). "50's 'Massacre' Holds Steady At No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  25. ^ "2007 VH1 Hip Hop Honors Award Show Performance Pictures". Celeb wohoo. 2007-10-05. Retrieved 2012-04-27.
  26. ^ a b c "Tweet Interview: Tweet Talks Signing To eOne Music, New Album, Working With Missy Elliott". The DJ Booth LLC. Original. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
  27. ^ "New Music: Tweet Feat. T.I. – "Good Bye My Dear"". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
  28. ^ "YouKnowIGotSoul Interview With Tweet". YouKnowIGotSoul.com. 2010-10-21. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
  29. ^ https://twitter.com/mclyte/status/117312237722542080
  30. ^ https://soundcloud.com/dubose-music-group
  31. ^ "Tweet Releases New EP "Simply Tweet" Today". YouKnowIGotSoul.com. 2013-02-23. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
  32. ^ a b "Tweet Interview: Tweet Talks Signing To eOne Music, New Album, Working With Missy Elliott". YouKnowIGotSoul.com. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
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