Looking for a New Love

Not to be confused with Looking for Love (disambiguation).

"Looking for a New Love" is a song by American dance-pop singer Jody Watley. It was released in January 1987 as the first single from her eponymous debut album. The song reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and charted in several countries worldwide, peaking at number one in Canada. Watley re-recorded and re-issued the song in various remixes in 2005.

"Looking for a New Love"
Single by Jody Watley
from the album Jody Watley
Released	January 6, 1987
Genre	Freestyle^[1]
Length	5:06 (album version) 3:56 (single version)
Label	MCA
Songwriter(s)	André Cymone Jody Watley
Producer(s)	André Cymone David Z.
Jody Watley singles chronology
"Looking for a New Love" (1987) "Still a Thrill" (1987)

Background

While listening to a tape of instrumental tracks given to her by producer André Cymone, Watley reflected on a recent sour romantic breakup. Fusing her own feelings of "I'll show you" with the feel of the track, Watley came up with the basic premise of "Looking for a New Love." The released record is the eight-track demo of the song; that way the emotional urgency of Watley's vocal was still intact. One of the song's key phrases became a popular saying: "Hasta la vista, baby." It wound up on innumerable answering machines and was used by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgment Day (see Hasta la vista, baby).

Reception

The single hit number two for four consecutive weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1987 and spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart.^[2] It ranked number 16 on Billboard's year-end chart for 1987. The song also reached number one on the RPM Singles Chart in Canada. In 1988, the song was nominated for two Soul Train Music Awards for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video, and Best R&B/Soul Single, Female. She was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Music video

A music video, directed by Brian Grant was released in March 1987 to promote the song.^[3] Grant previously made videos for Whitney Houston, Peter Gabriel and Tina Turner.

2005 version

"Looking for a New Love '05"
Single by Jody Watley
Released	February 14, 2005
Label	Curvve Avitone Peace Bisquit
Songwriter(s)	André Cymone Jody Watley
Producer(s)	Jody Watley Bill Coleman Vinny Troia
Jody Watley singles chronology
"Whenever" (2003) "Looking for a New Love '05" (2005) "Borderline" (2006)

In 2005, Jody Watley re-recorded and released "Looking for a New Love" on Curvve Recordings in conjunction with her own Avitone label and Peace Bisquit. The newly imagined "Looking for a New Love" peaked at number one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award
1987	Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Looking for a New Love"
1988	Soul Train Music Award nomination for Single of the Year (Female) for '"Looking for a New Love"
1988	Soul Train Music Award nomination for Best Music Video for '"Looking for a New Love"
1988	American Music Award nomination for Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Looking For A New Love

Track listing

Maxi-CD 2005

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Looking for a New Love" (ROCAsound radio edit)	4:32
2.	"Looking for a New Love" (ROCAsound mix)	7:30
3.	"Looking for a New Love" (Chus & Ceballos mix)	9:50
4.	"Looking for a New Love" (Craig C. mix)	8:25
5.	"Baby Baby" (DJ Tool)	0:31
6.	"Looking for a New Love" (Chris Joss vocal mix)	5:45
7.	"Looking for a New Love" (Chris Joss Stripped vocal mix)	4:48
8.	"Looking for a New Love" (Levon Vincent mix)	6:45
9.	"Looking for a New Love" (GoodandEvil mix)	4:53
10.	"I Needed You" (DJ Tool)	0:36
11.	"Looking for a New Love" (Heinrich Z mix) (Ultimix edit)	5:52

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1987) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)^[4] 13 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[5] 24 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[6] 1 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[7] 15 Greece (IFPI)^[8] 3 Ireland (IRMA)^[9] 16 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[10] 36 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[11] 37 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[12] 5 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[13] 11 UK Singles (OCC)^[14] 13 US Billboard Hot 100^[15] 2 US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard)^[16] Remix 1 US Dance Club Play (Billboard)^[17] Remix 1 US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)^[18] 1 West Germany (Official German Charts)^[19] 25 Chart (2005) Peak position US Dance Club Play (Billboard)^[20] Remixes 1

Year-end charts Chart (1987) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[21] 41 US Billboard Hot 100^[22] 16 US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard)^[23] 6 US Dance Club Play (Billboard)^[24] 9 US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)^[24] 8

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[25]	Gold	50,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	January 6, 1987	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl cassette	MCA	^[citation needed]
United Kingdom	April 27, 1987	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl		^[26]

See also

• List of number-one dance singles of 2005 (U.S.)

References

1. Molanphy, Chris (July 16, 2022). "Point of No Return Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 614.
3. "Jody Watley – "Looking for a new love"". Mvdbase.com.
4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 334. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid 1983 and 19 June 1988.
5. "Jody Watley – Looking for a New Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0820." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
7. "European Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 25. June 27, 1987. p. 14.
8. "Top 3 in Europe". Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 24. June 20, 1987. p. 16.
9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Looking for a New Love". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
10. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 17, 1987" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
11. "Jody Watley – Looking for a New Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
12. "Jody Watley – Looking for a New Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
13. "Jody Watley – Looking for a New Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
15. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. May 2, 1987. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
16. "Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. April 25, 1987. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
17. "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. April 4, 1987. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
18. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. March 21, 1987. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
19. "Offiziellecharts.de – Jody Watley – Looking for a New Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
20. "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. September 3, 2005. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
21. "Top 100 Singles of 1987". RPM. Retrieved November 27, 2022 – via Library and Archives Canada.
22. "Billboard Top 100 – 1987". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
23. "Top Dance Sales 12-inch Singles / Top Dance Club Play Singles". Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 52. December 26, 1987. p. Y-30.
24. "Top Black Singles". Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 52. December 26, 1987. p. Y-28.
25. "Canadian single certifications – Jody Watley – Looking for a New Love". Music Canada. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
26. "New Singles". Music Week. April 25, 1987. p. 13.