Rare (Selena Gomez song) explained
Rare |
Type: | single |
Cover: | Selena Gomez - Rare (Live from the Village studio).png |
Caption: | Live version artwork |
Artist: | Selena Gomez |
Album: | Rare |
Recorded: | 2018 |
Studio: | Home Away From Home Studios (Los Angeles, California) |
Label: | Interscope |
Prev Title: | Look at Her Now |
Prev Year: | 2019 |
Next Title: | Boyfriend |
Next Year: | 2020 |
"Rare" is a song by American singer Selena Gomez from her third studio album of the same name (2020). It was released alongside the album as the third and final single off of its standard edition on January 10, 2020, by Interscope Records.[1] The track was written by Gomez, Madison Love, Brett McLaughlin and its producers Sir Nolan and Simon Says. "Rare" is a pop and electropop song with lyrics exuding self-love and individuality. It peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100. "Rare" was ranked as the 12th best song of the first half of 2020 by Billboard.[2]
Background
"Rare" was developed in a writing session with producer Sir Nolan and songwriters Madison Love and Brett McLaughlin. The song was initially written for Gomez, however she declined, and the song was recorded by other artists. In 2018, Selena wanted the song for the album and received it through her label's A&R. According to Nolan, Gomez added melodies and ad-libs to make it fit her perspective. Producer Simon Says co-produced "Rare" with Nolan stating: "Simon and I went through her vocal takes a million times, comped them, Melodyned them, and went over the timing a trillion times. When it's an artist this big, you don't want to take any risks."[3]
The song was revealed in an Instagram Live by Gomez on August 15, 2018. Later that day, co-writer McLaughlin confirmed his involvement in the song.[4] Gomez teased the song's lyrics in an interview with Elle in September 2018.[5] The song was then teased in the Rare album trailer.[6] [7]
On February 28, 2020, the Alexander 23 Edit of "Rare" was released for digital download and streaming.
Composition
Musically, "Rare" is three minutes and forty seconds long and has been described as a pop[8] and electropop[9] song. In terms of music notation, "Rare" was composed using common time in the key of C Mixolydian with a tempo of 115 beats per minute,[10] following a chord progression of C–B♭. Gomez's vocal range spans from the low note of C4 to the high note of A5, giving the song one octave and five notes of range. Gomez spoke to Billboard about "Rare":[11]
Chart performance
"Rare" debuted and peaked at number thirty on the US Billboard Hot 100 following the release of the parent album and its accompanying music video. It later peaked at number 17 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart following its release as a radio single.
The song also peaked within the top 40 on charts in Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Scotland.
Music video
The BRTHR-directed music video, released on January 10, 2020, accompanied the song and album's release.[12] It features Gomez wandering in an ethereal world, laying on a spinning bed in a discotheque inspired room, and swimming in a pool. It was stated by Gomez that the music video was inspired by her philanthropic trip to Kenya months prior to the album release.
The dress Gomez wore in the video was designed by AADNEVIK.[13]
Live performances
On February 24, 2020, Gomez performed the song for the first time at the Village Studio. This live version was released for digital download and streaming on March 6, 2020.
Track listing
- "Rare" – 3:40
- Digital download – Alexander 23 edit
- "Rare" (Alexander 23 edit) – 3:48
- Digital download – Live from The Village Studio
- "Rare" (Live from The Village Studio) – 3:51
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Rare.[15]
Recording locations
- Recorded at Home Away From Home Studios (Los Angeles, California)
- Mixed at Mirrorball Studios (North Hollywood, California)
- Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City)
Personnel
- Selena Gomez – lead vocals, backing vocals, songwriting
- Madison Love – songwriting, backing vocals
- Brett McLaughlin – songwriting
- Sir Nolan – songwriting, production, vocal production, engineering, instrumentation
- Simon Says – songwriting, production, vocal production, engineering, instrumentation
- Bart Schoudel – engineering
- Benjamin Rice – engineering
- Jake Faun – instrumentation
- Tony Maserati – mixing
- Miles Comaskey – mix engineering
- Chris Gehringer – mastering
Charts
Release history
Notes and References
- Rowley . Glenn . Selena Gomez Is Right at Home Among Rainbows and Butterflies in Delightful 'Rare' Video: Watch . Billboard . January 13, 2020 . January 10, 2020.
- The 50 Best Songs of 2020 (So Far): Staff Picks. Billboard. June 10, 2020.
- Web site: Inside Track: Selena Gomez 'Rare' .
- lelandofficial. 1029897144591740929. Straight from the queen's mouth! Can't wait for everyone to hear "Rare". One of my favorite songs I've ever written and she sounds so so beautiful. https://twitter.com/seIenaIatest/status/1029890896974761985. Leland. August 15, 2018. January 14, 2020.
- Web site: Selena Breaks Her Silence. Rapkin. Mickey. September 4, 2018. ELLE. January 14, 2020.
- Web site: Selena Gomez – Rare (Official Extended Album Trailer). YouTube. January 14, 2020.
- Web site: Selena Gomez – Official Album Trailer. YouTube. January 14, 2020.
- Every Song Ranked on Selena Gomez's 'Rare'. Billboard. January 14, 2020.
- Web site: Watch Selena Gomez Perform A Beautiful Acoustic Rendition Of 'Rare'. https://web.archive.org/web/20210226080803/https://etcanada.com/news/597855/watch-selena-gomez-perform-a-beautiful-acoustic-rendition-of-rare/. dead. February 26, 2021. ET Canada. Tanja. Saric. February 24, 2020.
- Web site: Selena Gomez "Rare" Sheet Music in F Major. n.d.. Musicnotes.com. January 14, 2020.
- Selena Gomez Has Found Peace With 'Rare': 'I'm in the Happiest Place I've Ever Been in My Life'. Billboard. January 14, 2020.
- Web site: Selena Gomez – Rare (Official Music Video). YouTube. January 14, 2020.
- Web site: 2020-01-14. aadnevikofficial Instagram. 2022-02-13. instagram.com.
- Web site: 2020 People's Choice Awards: Complete List of Nominees . E! Online . 2 October 2020 . 2020.
- Rare. Selena Gomez. 2020. CD booklet. Interscope Records.
- Web site: ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles. Australian Recording Industry Association. January 27, 2020. January 25, 2020.
- Web site: Croatia ARC TOP 100. HRT. February 25, 2020. February 24, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200224210756/https://radio.hrt.hr/clanak/arc-100-datum-24-veljace-2020/221825/. dead.
- Web site: Track Top-40 Uge 2, 2020. Hitlisten. January 22, 2020.
- Web site: Top 100 Ecuador – Semana 4 del 2020 – Del 17/01/2020 al 23/01/2020. National-Report. January 24, 2020. Spanish. https://web.archive.org/web/20200105003748/http://national-report.com/top-ecuador/. January 5, 2020.
- Web site: ALBUMID TIPP-40. Eesti Ekspress. January 19, 2020. January 22, 2020.
- Web site: Top Singles (Week 3, 2020). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. French. January 21, 2020.
- Web site: IFPI Charts. ifpi.gr. March 15, 2020.
- Web site: Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 3. Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Italian. January 18, 2020.
- Note: See date February 16, 2020
- Web site: 2020 3-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100). Lithuanian. AGATA. January 17, 2019. January 22, 2020.
- Web site: Top 20 Most Streamed International & Domestic Singles in Malaysia. Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. January 25, 2020.
- Selena Gomez Chart History (Mexico Airplay). Billboard. December 18, 2020.
- Web site: NZ Top 40 Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. January 20, 2020. January 18, 2020.
- Web site: VG-lista – Topp 20 Single uke 3, 2020. VG-lista. January 18, 2020.
- Web site: Panamá Top 20 - Del 10 al 17 de Febrero 2020. Monitor Latino. April 8, 2020.
- Web site: Airplay 100 – 23 februarie 2020. Kiss FM. Romanian. February 24, 2020. February 23, 2020.
- Web site: RIAS International Top Charts Week 3. Recording Industry Association (Singapore). https://web.archive.org/web/20200125051116/https://www.rias.org.sg/rias-top-charts/. January 25, 2020.
- Web site: SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart. slotop50.si. March 23, 2020. March 31, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200331200101/https://www.slotop50.si/Glasbene-lestvice/Tedenske-lestvice/?year=2020&week=12. dead.
- Web site: Top 100 Canciones: Semana 3. Productores de Música de España. January 22, 2020.
- Web site: Veckolista Singlar, vecka 3. Sverigetopplistan. January 18, 2020.
- Top 100 Songs. Rolling Stone. January 22, 2020. January 28, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200128092340/https://www.rollingstone.com/charts/songs/2020-01-16/. dead.
- Selena Gomez Is Right at Home Among Rainbows and Butterflies in Delightful 'Rare' Video: Watch. Billboard. January 14, 2020.
- Web site: SELENA GOMEZ "Rare" (Radio Date: January 17, 2020). radiodate.it. January 14, 2020.
- Web site: Selena Gomez — Rare. tophit.ru.
- Web site: Radio 2 New Music Playlist. https://web.archive.org/web/20200118230357/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2qNJsnjYFvbLrK9CZ0CfYfM/radio-2-new-music-playlist. January 18, 2020. BBC. January 15, 2020.
- Web site: BBC – Radio 1 Playlist. BBC. January 24, 2020.
- Web site: Future Releases. n.d.. All Access Media Group. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200203054159/https://www.allaccess.com/top40-mainstream/future-releases. February 3, 2020. January 22, 2020.