Cut to the Feeling

"Cut to the Feeling" is a song recorded by Canadian singer and songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen, from the Canadian-French animated film Ballerina (2016). It was released as a single on May 26, 2017, to promote the film's release under the title Leap! in the United States. The song was written by Jepsen, Simon Wilcox, and Nolan Lambroza, and produced by Lambroza. The song was also featured on MTV reality series Siesta Key.

"Cut to the Feeling"
Single by Carly Rae Jepsen
from the EP Emotion: Side B+
ReleasedMay 26, 2017
Recorded2015
Genre
Length3:27
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Sir Nolan
Carly Rae Jepsen singles chronology
"It Takes Two"
(2017)		 "Cut to the Feeling"
(2017)		 "Party for One"
(2018)
Music video
"Cut to the Feeling" on YouTube

The song was critically acclaimed, with Billboard, The Guardian, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair naming it one of the best songs of 2017 in their respective year-end lists. Commercially, the single was successful in Japan where it was certified gold by the RIAJ.

Background

"Cut to the Feeling" was written during the creation of Jepsen's third studio album, Emotion (2015), but was not included on the album because it was too "cinematic and theatrical".[3] It was later intended for the album's follow-up EP, Emotion: Side B, but was then slated for release with Ballerina after Jepsen signed on for the film and felt the song was fitting for the story.[4] The track was one of two songs, along with "Runaways", that Jepsen contributed to the film.[5] "Cut to the Feeling" was included on the new edition of Emotion: Side B, released exclusively in Japan on September 13, 2017 and re-titled Emotion: Side B+. It was also used as the theme song for the MTV reality television show Siesta Key.[6]

Composition

"Cut to the Feeling" was originally published in the key of A major in common time with a tempo of 115 beats per minute. Jepsen's vocals span from A3 to F#5.[7][8]

Critical reception

Upon its release, "Cut to the Feeling" received critical acclaim:

  • J. Lynch of Billboard called the song "flawlessly constructed", and said it is "the closest we'll get to Whitney Houston's late-'80s dancefloor euphoria in 2017".[9]
  • Hayden Manders of Nylon describes "Cut to the Feeling" as a "masterclass" of the "best, sweetest pop music" today, celebrating the "possibility of big love" with a "chorus that blasts off to stars and doesn't let up for the rest of the song's duration". She further describes the song as being like the "butterflies you get before a first date with a crush".[10]
  • It was featured as Pitchfork's "Best New Track", with Laura Snapes describing it as "bombastic and gaudy" while praising it for being "distinctly Jepsen, her coaxing vocal creakiness convincing her paramour to stop denying what they want and just fucking go for it with her".[11]
  • Rolling Stone said Jepsen "saved 2017 with her bracing rejoinder to Xanax-pop malaise", and that her "boisterous vocal [sic] adds extra urgency to this jump-along anthem's much-needed e•mo•tional rescue".[12]
  • Slant Magazine said the single is her best since "Call Me Maybe", adding that it "delivers breathless, syncopated vocals over a measured handclap beat before the whole thing erupts into its euphoric hook."[13]
  • Spin praised the song for deemphasizing Emotion's "explicit '80s posing, using that well-worn synth-pop chug for something brighter, bigger, and more bombastic."[2]
  • DJ Louie XIV of Vanity Fair praised Jepsen's directness, as she "cuts straight through the crap...No artifice. No posturing". He described the song as an ecstatic celebration of "diving in headfirst with a new guy (or girl)", providing "the smile we all needed in 2017".[14]

Year-end lists
Publication Year Accolade Rank Ref.
Billboard 2017 50 Best Songs of 2017, So Far
23
[15]
Esquire 50 Best Songs of 2017
N/A
[16]
The Guardian The Top 100 Tracks of 2017
N/A
[17]
The Line of Best Fit The Best Fifty Songs of 2017 Ranked
44
[18]
Noisey The 100 Best Songs of 2017
100
[19]
Nylon The Best Songs Of 2017, So Far
3
[10]
Popjustice The Top 45 Singles of 2017
2
[20]
Pitchfork The 100 Best Songs Of 2017
30
[21]
Rolling Stone 50 Best Songs of 2017
44
[12]
Slant Magazine The 25 Best Singles of 2017
4
[22]
Spin 50 Best Songs of 2017, So Far
1
[23]
Vanity Fair 17 Best Songs of 2017
N/A
[14]

Music video

The music video for "Cut to the Feeling" was filmed on July 26, 2017,[24] directed by Gia Coppola with whom Jepsen had previously worked on the "Your Type" video.[25] It begins with a behind-the-scenes footage of making this very video, which shows the singer and her team getting ready for the shoot. As a clock positioned in the corner counts down from 1 minute and 32 seconds, Jepsen is seen having her make-up applied, posing with her team outdoors, making coffee and playing around the studio. She then arrives at the filming set and the clip launches into the 'actual' black-and-white performance-style music video, which sees Jepsen singing the last chorus of the song into a microphone, surrounded by her band. The video premiered on September 15, 2017.

Prior to the official music video, a lyric video for the song was released in June 2017.

Track listings
  1. "Cut to the Feeling" – 3:27
  • Digital download/Streaming (Remix)[28][29]
  1. "Cut to the Feeling" (Kid Froopy Remix) – 3:13

Charts
Chart (2017–18) Peak
position
Canada Digital Songs (Billboard)[30] 33
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[31] 23
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[32] 13
Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard)[33] 3
Scotland (OCC)[34] 55
UK Download (OCC)[35] 69
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[36] 54
US Digital Songs (Billboard)[37] 42

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[38] Gold 100,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Country Date Format Label
Various May 26, 2017
Universal Music

References
  1. Spanos, Brittany (May 26, 2017). "Hear Carly Rae Jepsen's Assertive, Unearthed Song 'Cut to the Feeling'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  2. Sargent, Jordan (May 26, 2017). "Carly Rae Jepsen's "Cut to the Feeling" Is as Good as Everyone Is Saying". Spin. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
  3. Nolan Feeney (February 7, 2017). "Carly Rae Jepsen previews Lil Yachty collaboration, Donna Summer-inspired new album". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  4. Nolfi, Joey (April 10, 2017). "Hear Carly Rae Jepsen's new music from Canadian film Leap!". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  5. Helman, Peter (April 9, 2017). "Carly Rae Jepsen – "Cut To The Feeling"". Stereogum. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  6. "MTV's Siesta Key Trailer Features "Cut to the Feeling"". www.carlyslayjepsen.com. July 19, 2017. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  7. "Carly Rae Jepsen - Cut to the Feeling". musicnotes.com. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  8. "Carly Rae Jepsen - Cut to the Feeling". songbpm.com. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  9. Lynch, J. (June 5, 2017). "50 Best Songs of 2017 So Far: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  10. Manders, Hayden (July 3, 2017). "The Best Songs Of 2017, So Far". Nylon. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  11. Snapes, Laura (May 26, 2017). ""Cut to the Feeling" by Carly Rae Jepsen Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  12. Christopher R. Weingarten, Brittany Spanos, Charles Aaron, Simon Vozick-Levinson, Maura Johnston, Will Hermes, Rob Sheffield (November 29, 2017). "50 Best Songs of 2017". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 21, 2018.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. "Review: "Cut to the Feeling" Is Carly Rae Jepsen's Best Single Since "Call Me Maybe"". www.slantmagazine.com.
  14. DJ Louie XIV (December 4, 2017). "The 17 Best Pop Songs of 2017". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
  15. Lynch, J. (June 5, 2017). "50 Best Songs of 2017 So Far". Billboard. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  16. Matt Miller (December 4, 2017). "The 50 Best Songs of 2017". Esquire.
  17. Ben Beaumont-Thomas (December 4, 2017). "The top 100 tracks of 2017". The Guardian.
  18. "The Best Fifty Songs of 2017 Ranked". The Line of Best Fit. December 8, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  19. Noisey Staff (December 7, 2017). "The 100 Best Songs of 2017". Vice Media. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  20. "The Top 45 Singles of 2017". Popjustice. December 21, 2017. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
  21. Pelly, Jenn (December 11, 2017). "The 100 Best Songs of 2017". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  22. Staff (December 5, 2017). "The 25 Best Singles of 2017". Slant Magazine.
  23. SPIN Staff (June 21, 2017). "50 Best Songs of 2017 So Far". Spin Magazine.
  24. Patrick Hosken (September 15, 2017). "Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Cut To The Feeling' Video Will Help You Hold On To Summer". MTV. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  25. Lars Gotrich (September 15, 2017). "Carly Rae Jepsen, Queen Of Meta Music Videos, Shares 'Cut To The Feeling'". NPR. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  26. "Cut to the Feeling - Single by Carly Rae Jepsen on iTunes". iTunes Store. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  27. "Cut To The Feeling by Carly Rae Jepsen on Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  28. "Cut to the Feeling (Kid Froopy Remix) - Single by Carly Rae Jepsen on iTunes". iTunes Store. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  29. "Cut To The Feeling (Kid Froopy Remix) by Carly Rae Jepsen on Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  30. "Carly Rae Jepsen – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  31. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  32. "Japan Hot 100 – Billboard". Billboard. September 30, 2017. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  33. "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. September 20, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  34. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
  35. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  36. "Carly Rae Jepsen Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
  37. "Digital Song Sales – Billboard", Billboard, retrieved February 2, 2018
  38. "Japanese single digital certifications – Carly Rae Jepsen – Cut to the Feeling" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved June 27, 2020. Select 2018年7月 on the drop-down menu
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