B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)

"B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" is a song by English DJs Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal. Written and performed by Rose, it includes a sample of Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam's 1991 song "Let the Beat Hit 'Em" (LL W:Love RC Mix).^[5][6] "B.O.T.A." initially received a digital and limited dubplate release through Rose's independent record label Rosebud Recordings on 15 June 2022.^[4][7] After gaining popularity through DJ sets at the Glastonbury Festival,^[8] the track went viral on the app TikTok and was released on a licensing deal through Warner Records on 12 August 2022.^[9][10][11]

"B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)"
Single by Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal
B-side	"Move to The"
Released	15 June 2022 (2022-06-15)
Genre	House
Length	6:02 3:51 (edit)
Label	Rosebud Warner One House^[1]^[2]^[3]
Songwriter(s)	Eliza Rose^[4]
Producer(s)	Interplanetary Criminal
Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal singles chronology
"Move to The" (2022) "B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" (2022) "Better Love" (2023)
Music video
"B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" on YouTube

The song topped the UK Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks, and became the chart's milestone 1,400th number-one single, and the first by a female DJ since Sonique's "It Feels So Good" in 2000.^[6] "B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" also charted in the top 10 in Australia, Lithuania and New Zealand, and spent six weeks at number one on the Irish Singles Chart. Rose performed the song live at the 25th MOBO Awards alongside Sonique and Sweet Female Attitude.^[12] In December 2022, "B.O.T.A." was certified platinum in the UK and Australia,^[13][14] and appeared in critic year-end lists by the NME, Pitchfork and The Guardian.^[15][16][17] In January 2023 it placed second in Australia's Triple J Hottest 100 for 2022.^[18]

Background

Eliza Rose had been a DJ on the London circuit for 7 years. In February 2022, she signed to One House. According to Rose, the song originated when she was provided the beat by Manchester-based producer DJ Zach Bruce (Interplanetary Criminal).^[19] She then wrote majority of the song within a few minutes, emphasising adding "cutesy" elements as well as "grittiness".^[8] She detailed the thought process behind the song in an interview, saying: "This track is so nostalgic. When I first heard the beat it gave me instant memories of growing up in the 90s and the bubblegum-tinged dance music from that time. Going on seaside holidays, hanging around the surreal atmospheres of the arcade, meeting boys, and being cute and flirty. Then you have the "Baddest of Them All" lyric that counteracts that innocence and adds the edge, which came to me at just the right time via a Jackie Brown Blaxploitation poster. It definitely reflects the two contrasting aspects of my personality. Girly and cutesie, but a bit of a bad gal too!"^[20]

Composition

The song was described as a "supremely fun, suave, 4×4 anthem with plenty of swagger and flirtatious lyrics that permeate your mind."^[20] Dazed said that the song "has elements of UK garage, which remains one of Rose's biggest inspirations, and maybe a little dash of PC Music, but really it's a tribute to 90s dance."^[21]

Music video

The music video was released on 15 June 2022 and was filmed in Rose's home of Hackney, London. Directed by Jeanie Crystal, it features guest appearances by drag icon Ms Sharon Le Grand, Vogue Ball founder Taboo, dancer Sakeema Peng Crook and artist Wet Mess. Julian Broad worked on the video as a lighting technician. The Lewis Carroll-inspired video celebrates the LGBTQ+ performance community.^[20][22]

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" Chart (2022) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[23] 4 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[24] 68 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[25] 24 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[26] 71 Croatia (HRT)^[27] 11 France (SNEP)^[28] 167 Germany (Official German Charts)^[29] 36 Global 200 (Billboard)^[30] 47 Greece (IFPI)^[31] 46 Ireland (IRMA)^[32] 1 Lithuania (AGATA)^[33] 2 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[34] 19 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[35] 16 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[36] 7 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)^[37] 27 Portugal (AFP)^[38] 147 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)^[39] 38 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[40] 75 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[41] 45 UK Singles (OCC)^[42] 1 UK Dance (OCC)^[43] 1 UK Indie (OCC)^[44] 2 US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)^[45] 8

Year-end charts 2022 year-end chart performance for "B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" Chart (2022) Position Australia (ARIA)^[46] 50 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[47] 125 Lithuania (AGATA)^[48] 59 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[49] 96 UK Singles (OCC)^[50] 24 US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)^[51] 48 2023 year-end chart performance for "B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" Chart (2023) Position Australia (ARIA)^[52] 65 UK Singles (OCC)^[53] 48 US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)^[54] 40

Certifications

Certifications for "B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[14]	Platinum	70,000^‡
Canada (Music Canada)^[55]	Gold	40,000^‡
Netherlands (NVPI)^[56]	Gold	40,000^‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[57]	Gold	15,000^‡
Poland (ZPAV)^[58]	Platinum	50,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)^[13]	2× Platinum	1,200,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/63079/eliza-rose-interplanetary/
2. https://www.onehouse.com/about
3. https://www.onehouse.com/artists/eliza-rose
4. Hutchinson, Kate (2 December 2022). "'Things need to die for something else to come through': Wet Leg, Nilüfer Yanya, Shabaka Hutchings and more on the year in music". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
5. Hawthorne, Carlos (19 August 2022). "Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal's 'B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)' goes #2 in UK chart". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
6. Savage, Mark (2 September 2022). "Eliza Rose scores UK's 1,400th number one single". BBC News. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
7. "B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All) / Move To The - EP". Bandcamp. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
8. Jolley, Ben (3 August 2022). "Eliza Rose: the DJ behind this summer's most empowering dance anthem". NME. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
9. Buckle, Becky (22 August 2022). "'B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)' by Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal hits #2 in UK charts". Mixmag. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
10. Pritchard, Will (5 December 2022). "Biggest songs of 2022: B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All) by Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal". The Face. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
11. "B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All) by Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal". Amazon Music. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
12. "Central Cee, Knucks, Little Simz, Burna Boy, Nia Archives and more win at 25th MOBO Awards". Music Week. 30 November 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
13. "British single certifications – Eliza Rose/Interplanetary – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
14. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
15. "The 50 best songs of 2022". NME. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
16. Bugel, Safi; D'Souza, Shaad; Snapes, Laura (5 December 2022). "The 20 best songs of 2022". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
17. "The 100 Best Songs of 2022". Pitchfork. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
18. "Countdown | Hottest 100 2022 | triple j". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
19. Jones, Alan (September 2, 2022). "Charts analysis: Eliza Rose unseats label mates LF System at singles peak as dance continues to dominate | Analysis | Music Week". www.musicweek.com. Retrieved Sep 3, 2022.
20. Phillips, Nicola (17 June 2022). "Press Play: Eliza Rose – B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)". Kaltblut Magazine. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
21. Greig, James (September 1, 2022). "How Eliza Rose made the song of the summer". Dazed Digital.
22. Welsh, April Clare (15 June 2022). "Eliza Rose Celebrates Hackney's LGBTQ+ Performance Art Community in New Music Video, 'B.O.T.A.': Watch". DJMag. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
23. "Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
24. "Single Charts vom 27. September 2022" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
25. "Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
26. "Canadian Hot 100: Week of October 1, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
27. "HRT Airplay Radio Chart No. 1054 - Issue Date: November 21st 2022" (PDF). Hrvatska Radiotelevizija. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
28. "Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
29. "Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
30. "Billboard Global 200: Week of October 8, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
31. . ifpi.gr. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
32. "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
33. "2022 38-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
34. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 41, 2022" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
35. "Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
36. "Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
37. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
38. "Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
39. "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202238 into search. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
40. "Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
41. "Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
42. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
43. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
44. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
45. "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs: Week of October 8, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
46. "ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart for 2022". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
47. "Jaaroverzichten 2022" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
48. "2022 metų klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
49. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2022" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
50. "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2022". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
51. "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
52. "ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart for 2023". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
53. "End of Year Singles Chart – 2023". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
54. "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
55. "Canadian single certifications – Eliza Rose – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)". Music Canada. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
56. "Dutch single certifications – Eliza Rosa, Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A." (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 4 December 2023. Enter B.O.T.A. in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2023 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
57. "New Zealand single certifications – Eliza Rose and Interplanetary Criminal – B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All)". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
58. "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 September 2023. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter B.O.T.A. in the search box.