Here (Alessia Cara song)
"Here" is the debut single by Canadian singer Alessia Cara. It is the lead single for her extended play (EP) Four Pink Walls (2015) and her debut album Know-It-All (2015). The song was released on April 30, 2015.[1] Created around a sample of "Ike's Rap II" by Isaac Hayes from the album Black Moses, "Here" is about people who secretly hate parties.[2][3] The song slowly gained popularity, and became Cara's first US Billboard Hot 100 chart entry debuting at number 95 for the week of August 22, 2015.[4] It later became her first top five single on the chart and reached the top of the US Pop Songs chart after a historic 26-week climb. "Here" has charted in the top 40 in Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The official remix features American rapper Logic. The song was featured on the third season of the comedy-drama television series Younger.
"Here" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Alessia Cara | ||||
from the EP Four Pink Walls and the album Know-It-All | ||||
Released | April 30, 2015 | |||
Recorded | 2015 | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 3:19 | |||
Label | Def Jam | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | ||||
Alessia Cara singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Here" on YouTube |
Background and composition
While working on her debut album in 2014, Cara attended a house party. She told NME, "Everyone seemed to know each other, but not me. It was sweaty, there was a guy and girl passed out with vomit all over her, people were just stepping over them."[5] The party caused her so much discomfort that she called her mother asking to take her home. Cara discussed the party with co-writer Sebastian Kole who then came up with the first line of the song.[6] Her record label, Def Jam, initially persuaded her to release another song that was more friendly for radio, but Cara pushed for the release of "Here" as she felt the other song would not have made her stand out from other singers.[7]
"Here" samples "Ike's Rap II" by Isaac Hayes from the album Black Moses, which had also been sampled in Portishead's "Glory Box" and Tricky's "Hell Is Round the Corner".[8] Oak Felder and Pop Wansel argued about wanting a Portishead or Hayes sample for the song, both unaware it was the same one.[9]
Critical reception
"Here" was met with critical acclaim by music critics, who praised the song's concept and lyrics. Rolling Stone ranked "Here" at number 21 on its year-end list of the 50 best songs of 2015.[10] Billboard ranked "Here" at number six on its year-end list: "If Lorde's 'Royals' was a rallying cry for those who felt isolated by the rampart materialism in pop culture, then Alessia Cara's 'Here' is the anthem for those fed up with the glut of pop songs about partying and drinking. Thanks to the teenage R&B singer, being an introvert is finally cool again."[11] The prestigious Village Voice voted "Here" the 18th-best single released in 2015 on their annual year-end critics' poll, Pazz & Jop; the song is tied with Courtney Barnett's "Depreston".[12]
Accolades
Publication | Accolade | Rank |
---|---|---|
Billboard | 25 Best Songs of 2015[13] | 6 |
Complex | The Best Songs of 2015[14] | 10 |
Consequence of Sound | Top 50 Songs of 2015[15] | 42 |
Entertainment Weekly | The 40 Best Songs of 2015[16] | 4 |
Pazz & Jop | Single of the Year 2015[17] | 18 |
Pitchfork | The 100 Best Tracks of 2015[18] | 32 |
PopMatters | The 90 Best Songs of 2015[19] | 64 |
Rolling Stone | 50 Best Songs of 2015[20] | 21 |
Time Out London | The 100 Best Songs of 2015[21] | 10 |
Music video
An official lyric video of the song was released on her YouTube page on May 7, 2015.[22] The official video was directed by Aaron A[23] and was released on her YouTube page on May 26, 2015. The video uses the inspiration of how Cara wrote the song by having her at a party and being the only one moving while the party is frozen in time,[24] while she's next to crowds of girls and guys drinking beer and gossiping.[23] The visual effect of the frozen partygoers predated the viral Internet phenomenon Mannequin Challenge.
Track listing
- Digital download – The Remixes[25]
- "Here" (Logic Remix) (featuring Logic) – 3:20
- "Here" (Jaden Smith Remix) (featuring Jaden Smith) – 3:44
- "Here" (Chris Lorenzo Remix) – 4:54
- "Here" (Imanos & Gramercy Remix) – 3:27
2:00 AM version
"Here (2:00 AM version)" | |
---|---|
Song by Alessia Cara | |
from the album Know-It-All (Deluxe edition) | |
Recorded | 2015 |
Genre | |
Length | 3:45 |
Label | Def Jam |
Songwriter(s) |
A 2:00 AM version was included in the deluxe edition of the album Know-It-All.[26]
Live performances
On July 29, 2015, Cara made her US television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon performing "Here" with house band The Roots, after host Jimmy Fallon discovered the song online.[27] On October 31, 2015, Cara joined Taylor Swift onstage as a surprise guest at the 1989 World Tour in Tampa, Florida, singing a duet of "Here" for Swift's last US show.[28] On November 20, 2015, Cara sang "Here" live during the closing credits of the NBC live comedy, Undateable.[29]
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[69] | Platinum | 70,000 |
Canada (Music Canada)[70] | 3× Platinum | 240,000 |
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[71] | Gold | 45,000 |
France (SNEP)[72] | Gold | 100,000 |
Italy (FIMI)[73] | Gold | 25,000 |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[74] | Platinum | 15,000* |
Sweden (GLF)[75] | Gold | 20,000 |
United Kingdom (BPI)[76] | Gold | 400,000 |
United States (RIAA)[77] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000 |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
References
- "New Songs: Alessia Cara - Here". Cut from Steel. May 4, 2015. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
- Zeichner, Naomi (April 27, 2015). "Every Introvert Needs To Hear This Song". The Fader. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
- Trust, Gary (August 13, 2015). "Hot 100 Chart Moves: Drake Ties James Brown's Record". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- Carson, Dan (2015-08-10). "Radar New Act Of The Week – Alessia Cara Is Pop's Latest Superstar In Waiting". NME. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
- Platon, Adelle (2016-05-14). "Sebastian Kole Dishes on Writing for Jennifer Lopez, 'Grey's Anatomy' Success & New His New EP". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
- Caramanica, Jon (2015-05-19). "Alessia Cara Speaks Up for the Outsiders on 'Here'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
- http://nialler9.com/alessia-cara-flips-portisheads-glory-box/
- Kawashima, Dale (2017-09-07). "Interview with Oak Felder, Hit Writer/Producer for Alessia Cara, Demi Lovato, Nicki Minaj And Other Artists". Songwriter Universe. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
- "50 Best Songs of 2015". Billboard.com.
- "Billboard 25 Best Songs of 2015: Critics' Picks". Billboard.com.
- "Pazz & Jop Statistics". The Village Voice. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- "25 Best Songs of 2015: Critics' Picks". Billboard. December 17, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
- "The Best Songs of 2015". Complex. December 10, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
- "Top 50 Songs of 2015". Consequence of Sound. November 30, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
- "The 40 Best Songs of 2015". Entertainment Weekly. December 10, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
- "Single of the Year 2015". Pazz & Jop. January 12, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
- "The 100 Best Tracks of 2015". Pitchfork. December 14, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
- "The 90 Best Songs of 2015". PopMatters. January 3, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
- "50 Best Songs of 2015". Rolling Stone. December 3, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
- "The 100 Best Songs of 2015". Time Out London. December 7, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara - Here (Lyric Video)". YouTube. May 7, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- Beauchemin, Molly (May 26, 2015). "Alessia Cara Transcends a Party in the "Here" Video". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- "Alessia Cara - Here (Behind The Scenes)". YouTube. May 26, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- "iTunes - Music - Here (The Remixes) - EP by Alessia Cara". iTunes Store.
- https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/know-it-all-deluxe/id1050275063
- Unterberger, Andrew (July 30, 2015). "Alessia Cara Makes TV Debut Playing 'Here' With the Roots on 'Fallon". Spin. SpinMedia. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- Swift, Taylor (November 1, 2015). "Sharing a stage with @alessiacara and @idinamenzel was the perfect way to end this amazing chapter. Thanks ladies". Twitter. Twitter, Inc. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
- Undateable Writers Room [@UndateableWRoom] (2015-11-20). "The 1 & only @alessiacara prepping to sing with her amazing band on #UndateableLive on @nbc" (Tweet). Retrieved 2018-04-23 – via Twitter.
- "Australian-charts.com – Alessia Cara – Here". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Austriancharts.at – Alessia Cara – Here" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Ultratop.be – Alessia Cara – Here" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Ultratop.be – Alessia Cara – Here" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201549 into search. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201550 into search. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Lescharts.com – Alessia Cara – Here" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Alessia Cara – Here". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History". RÚV. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- "Chart Track: Week 4, 2016". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Alessia Cara – Here" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 3, 2016" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Charts.nz – Alessia Cara – Here". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201545 into search. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201546 into search. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Alessia Cara – Here". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Swisscharts.com – Alessia Cara – Here". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Dance Mix/Show Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Latin Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Alessia Cara Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Canadian Hot 100 Year End 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Hot 100 Songs Year End 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
- "Canadian Hot 100 Year End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- "Hot 100 Songs - Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- "Adult Pop Songs: Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
- "Dance/Mix Show Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
- "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
- "Pop Songs: Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
- "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
- "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2016 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- "Canadian single certifications – Alessia Cara – Here". Music Canada. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- "Danish single certifications – Alessia Cara – Here". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
- "French single certifications – Alessia Cara – Here" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
- "Italian single certifications – Alessia Cara – Here" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved March 17, 2017. Select "2016" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Here" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli online" under "Sezione".
- "New Zealand single certifications – Alessia Cara – Here". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 1, 2016 | Sverigetopplistan" (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- "British single certifications – Alessia Cara – Here". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
- "American single certifications – Alessia Cara – Here". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.