fbpx
Wikipedia

Work (Kelly Rowland song)

"Work" is a song by American recording artist Kelly Rowland. It was written by Rowland along with Scott Storch and Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd for her second studio album, Ms. Kelly (2007), while production was helmed by Storch and Boyd. An up-tempo party record that displays elements of funk and go-go, "Work" is composed in the key of D minor. Lyrically, the song speaks of a woman who affirms to her man that actions speak louder than words and that she is not a woman who is easy to get to. "Work" was acclaimed by music critics who highlighted the pulsating beat, suggestive lyrics, and the fast and stuttered style in which Rowland sings.

"Work"
Single by Kelly Rowland
from the album Ms. Kelly
ReleasedJanuary 18, 2008
StudioHit Factory Criteria (Miami)
Genre
Length
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Scott Storch
  • Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd
  • Freemasons (remix)
Kelly Rowland singles chronology
"Ghetto"
(2007)
"Work"
(2008)
"Daylight"
(2008)

Intended to be released as Ms. Kelly's lead single at one time or another, "Work" was eventually released as the album's second single during the first quarter of 2008 in most international music markets, excluding North America, where "Ghetto" featuring rapper Snoop Dogg was issued instead. Prominently pushed by a bhaṅgṛā-infused dance pop remix by British DJ duo Freemasons, which, according to Rowland, gave it "new life", "Work" enjoyed major commercial success and eventually became Rowland's best-charting solo single in years, reaching the top-ten in Australia, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

The music video for "Work" was filmed in Los Angeles and directed by Philip Andelman. Influenced by the work of American minimalist Dan Flavin, it shows Rowland and her dancers posed in silhouette and shot against backdrops of vivid color and beam lighting that is used to create a kaleidoscope effects. "Work" was part of Rowland's set list for her Ms. Kelly Tour. Its commercial success prompted Rowland to record additional music for the Ms. Kelly album of which a more uptempo deluxe edition reissue was released in 2008 and would introduce a temporary shift to dance music in Rowland's sound in the late 2000s.

Writing and recording

"Work" was written by Rowland, Scott Storch and his protégé Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd.[1] The song is one out of two tracks which the trio crafted for Ms. Kelly and was among eight new tracks that Rowland recorded near completion in 2006 for the revamped version of My Story, the album's actual version.[2] Conceived during a studio session at The Hit Factory in Miami, Rowland, Storch and Boyd began to work on melodic ideas for the song over an instrumental track by Storch.[3] With most of its lyrics being written after returning from a night out in the city, composing for "Work" was eventually finished in "like twenty minutes," according to Rowland.[3] The team returned the next day for vocal recording.[4] Vocal production was helmed by Rowland and Boyd, while engineering was overseen by Conrad Golding and Rommel Nino Villanueva with assistance by Vadim Chislov.[1] Mixing was handled Jason Goldstein; Christian Baker served as his assistant.[1] Storch and Boyd received producer and co-producer credits, respectively.[1]

Initially titled "Put It in",[4] Rowland has described the song as "a party record, a record that'd make you get up and dance."[4] An up-tempo composition featuring funk production and go-go elements,[5] it is composed in E minor and moves at a moderate tempo of 104 beats per minute. Set in common time, "Work" is written in the common verse-chorus form.[5] When asked if the song was about sexual intercourse in a 2008 interview with music website Popjustice, Rowland commented: "Oh no, it's actually very innocent [...] It's a little aggressive maybe. It's just a woman saying you can't catch me easy and you have to put in the work. It's about putting in work – that's it, of course.."[6] However, in 2010, she admitted that she previously shied away from explaining the true nature of the lyrics to the song, telling British gay lifestyle magazine Attitude: "The lyrics are very sexy, they were out of the box for me [...] But I've grown into my sexuality and I'm very comfortable with it. OK, yes, it means exactly what you think it means! I've never told anybody that, but yes, it's exactly what you think it is [...] I remember when the writer was writing it and he was like, 'Put it in, put it in', and I said, 'This is a nasty record'."[7]

Critical reception

"Work" was highly acclaimed by music critics. In his review for New York Post, writer Dan Aquilante named "Work" Ms. Kelly's best track, calling it an "upbeat record that soulfully delves into contemporary funk."[8] Spence D. of media website IGN observed that the song flipped the early musical script of the album "for a hot minute, going for a more driven, throbbing thrust over which Rowland's flitters and flirts."[9] He further said that "it showcases her strengths, but also still highlights her delicate vocal limitations. It's a sticky wicket that bumps while breaking down."[9] Guardian journalist Alex MacPherson wrote that "the caffeinated 'Work' is the best [of] three club bangers on Ms. Kelly,"[10] while That Grape Juice cited it as "one of many highlights; with a pulsating beat and deliberately suggestive lyrics, Rowland doesn’t hold back."[11] RWD editor Emmanuel Ezugwu found "Work" a "high energy track that will undoubtedly be a future club banger. The constant cow bells adds to the frenzied pace of the record and Kelly’s vocals are fast and stuttered."[12]

About.com editor Mark Edward Nero called the song an "excellent, Destiny's Child-type song that [...] minimizes Kelly's vocal shortcomings behind an attention-catching beat."[13] BBC critic Gemma Padley also compared the track favorably to Rowland's former band's singles "Bug a Boo" (1999) and "Lose My Breath" (2004) due to "its jagged vocal and hip shaking beat."[14] Similarly, Sal Cinquemani from Slant remarked that "Storch delivers on “Work,” a funky, fast-paced thumper in the DC tradition,"[15] while Glenn Gamboa, writing for The News & Observer, noted that Rowland "sounds like her brassy Destiny's Child self on the elaborate" record.[16] However, San Francisco Weekly writer Dan Leroy was less emphathic with "Work", calling it "derivative," while Dotmusic's Jaime Gill considered the track a mis-step: "'Work' is a clear attempt to encroach on her old band mates' hyper-sexual territory, although it's hard to imagine Beyoncé resorting to as crass a single entendre as repeatedly demanding "put it in!" like a hooker on crystal meth."[17]

Commercial performance

Although Columbia Records intended to release "Work" as Ms. Kelly's lead single at one time or another,[3] Polow da Don-produced "Like This" eventually replaced original lead single "Gotsta Go" in early 2007 as Rowland thought the song had no hit potential, influenced by negative blog comments she had read after snippets of "Work" had leaked on May 31, 2007.[18] First released in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2008, "Work" debuted at number 56 on the UK Singles Chart based on digital sales alone, two weeks prior to the song's physical release.[19] The biggest-moving single of the week, it rose twenty-four places to number seven on January 26, 2008, marking Rowland's fifth non-consecutive top-ten entry. On February 3, "Work" reached its peak position at number four on that particular chart. It then spent six weeks within the top-ten, the longest stay of any of Rowland's singles,[19] and, as of November 2011, became Rowland's fourth best-selling solo single in the United Kingdom with 250,000 copies being sold.[20][21]

In Australia, it reached number six on the ARIA Singles Chart and went on to be certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales of 70,000 copies.[22] It also reached the top-ten of the singles charts in Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Italy (where it was certified platinum for more than 31,000 digital downloads[23]), Switzerland and Turkey. It reached number one in Bulgaria, Poland and on UK R&B and German Black Charts. Following the less successful chart performances of "Like This" and "Ghetto", "Work" widely exceeded the success of its predecessor. It has since become the third highest-charting single of Rowland's solo career, behind her 2002 collaboration "Dilemma" and subsequent "Stole," entering foreign music markets where previous efforts failed to chart on.[24]

Music video

 
Screenshot of Kelly Rowland and her female dancers in the music video for "Work" (Los Angeles; 2007).

An accompanying music video for "Work" with directed by American music video director and photographer Philip Andelman and was filmed in Los Angeles, California on July 26, 2007.[25] It was shot back to back with Rowland's video for her song "Comeback".[25][26] According to Rowland, the choreography-heavy "hype energized" video is about "movement and color and really cool angles, shots and lights."[27] Set amid a variety of fluorescent light environments, it features the singer and a team of dancers performing Bollywood-style dance numbers.[28] Rowland noted that the video was different from her previous videos since her styling introduced a sexier image of her.[27]

The imagery used in this video can be described as Rowland and her dancers posed in silhouette and shot against backdrops of vivid color and beam lighting. The beam lighting is used throughout the video to create a kaleidoscope effect which is used to break up each scene. During the last part of the clip the lighting schemes are reversed to show Rowland and her four dancers out of silhouette and performing a choreographed Bollywood-style routine against a black backdrop.[27][28] Two versions of the video were made; one with the original album version and one with the Freemasons radio edit.

"Work" was originally set to premiere during the September 10, 2007, episode of BET's Access Granted, along with the music video for "Ghetto", however, this did not materialize as there was confusion over which would be Rowland's next single, as the artist now had three videos shot. After her record label rescheduled the air date to October 22, 2007, the release was further pushed back, and the video finally premiered on the December 5, 2007, at SoUrban.com, the record label website for the Sony Urban Music division in the United Kingdom.[29] In 2009, the video for "Work" was temporarily removed video-sharing platforms such as YouTube and MTV.com after the estate of American minimalist Dan Flavin declared that similarities with Falvin's work had led to legal action, involving monetary damages for the estate.[30]

Remixes

In support of its single release, Columbia Records consulted several British DJs to produce remixes of "Work" for international music markets where, other than in the United States, pure pop and funky house had dominated radio and the charts in the mid-2000s.[31] While Steve Pitron and Max Sanna collaborated on a fast-paced bitpop version of the song, Russell Small and James Wiltshire from DJ duo Freemasons created a bhangra-infused dance pop remix of "Work" that blends disco music with Indian instruments.[32][33] Known for their Grammy-nominated work with Beyoncé,[34] Rowland's team approached Freemasons to rework her song after their club-oriented remix of "Déjà Vu" (2006) had received significantly more airplay on British radio than Beyoncé's R&B-led original.[31] When asked about the collaboration, Rowland elaborated in an interview with British music magazine Blues & Soul: "I remember my A&R telling me what a great job they'd done with Beyoncé's remixes and that we should give them a try. So we did."[32]

Columbia Records arranged for "Work" to be released in a tandem, with both versions being serviced to European radio.[31] In addition, a music video for the Freemasons remix was released.[32] Critics were favorable in their reviews of the remix, with Popjustice calling it "quite brilliant."[35] As with "Déjà Vu", it tested well with audiences and soon surpassed Storch's original production on radio, becoming a top ten hit on the charts.[31] Rowland further commented on the remix in 2008: "I'm really grateful to the Freemasons for coming along [...], because it's something that I could have got. You always need an extra brain there and they just gave it a new vibe."[4] However, while the song enjoyed international success, it was not released stateside. When asked why it was not issued in the United States, Rowland answered: "I don't know, seriously, I feel like I didn't have anything to do with the success of 'Work' in Europe. The Freemasons remix took the song to the next level, fans kept requesting it on the radio. Look at Destiny's Child's 'Say My Name', the fans in the U.S. made it a single, they made it happen, I didn't have that little extra with 'Work' over there."[18] In 2018, Wiltshire named "Work" his favorite remix.[31]

Track listings

All tracks written by Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd, Scott Storch, and Kelly Rowland.[1]

European maxi single[36]
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Work" (Freemasons Radio Edit)3:11
2."Work" (Album Version)
3:28
3."Work" (Steve Pitron & Max Sanna Radio Edit)
3:32
4."Work" (Freemasons Dub Mix)
7:07
5."Work" (Music video)  
Total length:17:19
European / Australian single[37]
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Work" (Freemasons Radio Edit)
3:11
2."Work" (Album Version)
3:28
Total length:6:39

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies additional producer

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Ms. Kelly.[1]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Work"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[75] Platinum 70,000^
Italy 31,386[23]
United Kingdom (BPI)[76] Gold 400,000 

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
  Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Work"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom January 18, 2008 Digital download (EP) RCA
January 21, 2008 Digital download
January 28, 2008 CD
February 18, 2008 Digital download (2-track)
United States February 26, 2008 Digital download (EP)
France March 3, 2008 CD Columbia
Germany March 7, 2008 Sony BMG
Australia March 15, 2008 Digital download (EP)
March 17, 2008 CD

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Ms. Kelly (liner notes). Kelly Rowland. Columbia Records. 2007.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ . MiddleChild Promotions. Archived from the original on October 23, 2007. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
  3. ^ a b c . BBC/1Xtra. Archived from the original on December 25, 2007. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d I Like Music (February 1, 2008). "Kelly Rowland chats to I Like Music". I Like Music. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
  5. ^ a b "Work music sheet". Musicnotes. Retrieved July 12, 2008.
  6. ^ "Kelly Rowland talks about the 'Work' and her dinner plans". Popjustice. January 8, 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  7. ^ Copsey, Robert (July 7, 2010). "Rowland's 'Work' was 'all about sex'". Digital Spy. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  8. ^ Aquilante, Dan (December 31, 2019). "Kelly Rowland "Ms. Kelly"". New York Post.
  9. ^ a b Spence D. . IGN. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
  10. ^ MacPherson, Alex (December 31, 2019). "Kelly Rowland, Ms Kelly". The Guardian. London.
  11. ^ Sam. "Album review". That Grape Juice. Retrieved March 26, 2008.
  12. ^ Ezugwu, Emmanuel. . RWD Magazine. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  13. ^ Nero, Mark Edward. "Ms. Kelly review". 8About.com. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  14. ^ Padley, Gemma. "Kelly Rowland – Ms. Kelly review". BBC.co.uk. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  15. ^ "Kelly Rowland: Ms. Kelly – Music Review". Slant Magazine. July 3, 2007. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  16. ^ Glenn Gamboa. . Newsobserver.com. Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  17. ^ Jaime Gill. . Dot Music. Archived from the original on July 17, 2007. Retrieved February 2, 2008.
  18. ^ a b . That Grape Juice. May 18, 2008. Archived from the original on May 26, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  19. ^ a b c "Kelly Rowland: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  20. ^ . Unrealitytv.co.uk. December 2, 2011. Archived from the original on December 10, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  21. ^ "About Us – Our Partners". Theofficialcharts.com. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  22. ^ . Ariacharts.com.au. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  23. ^ a b (PDF). fimi.it. February 1, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 25, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  24. ^ a b "Kelly Rowland – Work". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  25. ^ a b "Kelly Rowland shoots new video". So-Urban.com. Retrieved July 12, 2007.
  26. ^ . Partizan.com. Archived from the original on January 21, 2008. Retrieved July 12, 2007.
  27. ^ a b c "Kelly Rowland 'Work' Interview". joynt.tv. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  28. ^ a b "Flavin In Music Video". artnet.com. July 29, 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  29. ^ "Kelly Rowland at SoUrban.com". Retrieved May 12, 2007.
  30. ^ "Flavin Estate Goes After Former Destiny's Child Singer Kelly Rowland". minusspace.com. April 23, 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  31. ^ a b c d e Copsey, Rob (August 3, 2018). "Never Forget: When The Freemasons' remixes took songs to the top of the charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  32. ^ a b c Lewis, Pete. "Kelly Rowland: Fulfilling Her Destiny". Blues & Soul. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  33. ^ Myers, Justin (November 1, 2019). "Remixes that gave songs a big chart boost". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  34. ^ . Grammy.com. National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. December 7, 2006. Archived from the original on December 9, 2007. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  35. ^ "Kelly Rowland — 'Work' (Freemasons Remix)". Popjustice. November 21, 2007. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  36. ^ "Kelly Rowland – Work". Spotify. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  37. ^ "Work by Kelly Rowland". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  38. ^ "Kelly Rowland – Work". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  39. ^ "Issue 948" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  40. ^ "Kelly Rowland – Work" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  41. ^ "Kelly Rowland – Work" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  42. ^ "Kelly Rowland – Work" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  43. ^ Kelly Rowland — Work. TopHit. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  44. ^ Kelly Rowland — Work. TopHit. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  45. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 200934 into search.
  46. ^ "Hits of the World: Eurocharts". Billboard. Vol. 120, no. 12. March 22, 2008. p. 83.
  47. ^ "Kelly Rowland: Work" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  48. ^ "Kelly Rowland – Work" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  49. ^ a b "Kelly Rowland – Work" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  50. ^ "Kelly Rowland Chart History (Global Dance Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  51. ^ "Greece Singles Chart (2008-05-31)". Billboard. May 31, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
  52. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  53. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Work". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  54. ^ "Kelly Rowland – Work". Top Digital Download. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  55. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Kelly Rowland" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  56. ^ "Kelly Rowland – Work" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  57. ^ "Kelly Rowland – Work". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 25, 20125.
  58. ^ "Kelly Rowland – Work". VG-lista. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  59. ^ . Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original (Please see "Issue 16" of the year 2008) on May 10, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  60. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  61. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200832 into search.
  62. ^ . Billboard. Archived from the original on April 20, 2008. Retrieved January 29, 2008.
  63. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  64. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  65. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2008". ARIA Charts (ARIA). Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  66. ^ "Australian Top 50 Urban Singles of 2008". ARIA Charts (ARIA). Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  67. ^ "CIS Year-End Radio Hits (2008)". Tophit. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  68. ^ . Billboard. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  69. ^ (in French). Disqueenfrance.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  70. ^ "Classements-Annuels 2008" (in French). Disqueenfrance.com. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  71. ^ "Éves összesített listák – MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 (súlyozott)". Mahasz. Mahasz.
  72. ^ "Dutch Download Year-End Chart 2008". Media Control AG/Hung Medien. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  73. ^ "Swiss Year-End Chart 2008". Media Control AG/Hung Medien. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  74. ^ "2002 UK Singles Chart" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  75. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2008 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  76. ^ "British single certifications – Kelly Rowland". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  77. ^ "Work (Remixes) – EP". Apple Music. January 18, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  78. ^ "Work (Freemasons Radio Edit) – Single". Apple Music. January 21, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  79. ^ "Music Upfront" (PDF). Music Week. January 5, 2008. p. 8. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  80. ^ "Work – Single". Apple Music. February 18, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  81. ^ "Work (Remix Bundle) – EP". Apple Music. February 26, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  82. ^ "Work – Kelly Rowland – CD single" (in French). France: Fnac. March 3, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  83. ^ "Work – Single". Apple Music. March 15, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  84. ^ "New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 17th March 2008" (PDF). The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. March 17, 2008. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 25, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2022 – via Pandora archive.

External links

work, kelly, rowland, song, work, song, american, recording, artist, kelly, rowland, written, rowland, along, with, scott, storch, jason, bear, boyd, second, studio, album, kelly, 2007, while, production, helmed, storch, boyd, tempo, party, record, that, displ. Work is a song by American recording artist Kelly Rowland It was written by Rowland along with Scott Storch and Jason Poo Bear Boyd for her second studio album Ms Kelly 2007 while production was helmed by Storch and Boyd An up tempo party record that displays elements of funk and go go Work is composed in the key of D minor Lyrically the song speaks of a woman who affirms to her man that actions speak louder than words and that she is not a woman who is easy to get to Work was acclaimed by music critics who highlighted the pulsating beat suggestive lyrics and the fast and stuttered style in which Rowland sings Work Single by Kelly Rowlandfrom the album Ms KellyReleasedJanuary 18 2008StudioHit Factory Criteria Miami GenreFunkgo godance popLength3 28 album version 3 13 Freemasons radio edit LabelColumbiaMusic WorldSongwriter s Jason Poo Bear BoydScott StorchKelly RowlandProducer s Scott StorchJason Poo Bear BoydFreemasons remix Kelly Rowland singles chronology Ghetto 2007 Work 2008 Daylight 2008 Intended to be released as Ms Kelly s lead single at one time or another Work was eventually released as the album s second single during the first quarter of 2008 in most international music markets excluding North America where Ghetto featuring rapper Snoop Dogg was issued instead Prominently pushed by a bhaṅgṛa infused dance pop remix by British DJ duo Freemasons which according to Rowland gave it new life Work enjoyed major commercial success and eventually became Rowland s best charting solo single in years reaching the top ten in Australia Finland France Greece Italy Switzerland Turkey and the United Kingdom The music video for Work was filmed in Los Angeles and directed by Philip Andelman Influenced by the work of American minimalist Dan Flavin it shows Rowland and her dancers posed in silhouette and shot against backdrops of vivid color and beam lighting that is used to create a kaleidoscope effects Work was part of Rowland s set list for her Ms Kelly Tour Its commercial success prompted Rowland to record additional music for the Ms Kelly album of which a more uptempo deluxe edition reissue was released in 2008 and would introduce a temporary shift to dance music in Rowland s sound in the late 2000s Contents 1 Writing and recording 2 Critical reception 3 Commercial performance 4 Music video 5 Remixes 6 Track listings 7 Credits and personnel 8 Charts 8 1 Weekly charts 8 2 Year end charts 9 Certifications 10 Release history 11 References 12 External linksWriting and recording Edit Work was written by Rowland Scott Storch and his protege Jason Poo Bear Boyd 1 The song is one out of two tracks which the trio crafted for Ms Kelly and was among eight new tracks that Rowland recorded near completion in 2006 for the revamped version of My Story the album s actual version 2 Conceived during a studio session at The Hit Factory in Miami Rowland Storch and Boyd began to work on melodic ideas for the song over an instrumental track by Storch 3 With most of its lyrics being written after returning from a night out in the city composing for Work was eventually finished in like twenty minutes according to Rowland 3 The team returned the next day for vocal recording 4 Vocal production was helmed by Rowland and Boyd while engineering was overseen by Conrad Golding and Rommel Nino Villanueva with assistance by Vadim Chislov 1 Mixing was handled Jason Goldstein Christian Baker served as his assistant 1 Storch and Boyd received producer and co producer credits respectively 1 Initially titled Put It in 4 Rowland has described the song as a party record a record that d make you get up and dance 4 An up tempo composition featuring funk production and go go elements 5 it is composed in E minor and moves at a moderate tempo of 104 beats per minute Set in common time Work is written in the common verse chorus form 5 When asked if the song was about sexual intercourse in a 2008 interview with music website Popjustice Rowland commented Oh no it s actually very innocent It s a little aggressive maybe It s just a woman saying you can t catch me easy and you have to put in the work It s about putting in work that s it of course 6 However in 2010 she admitted that she previously shied away from explaining the true nature of the lyrics to the song telling British gay lifestyle magazine Attitude The lyrics are very sexy they were out of the box for me But I ve grown into my sexuality and I m very comfortable with it OK yes it means exactly what you think it means I ve never told anybody that but yes it s exactly what you think it is I remember when the writer was writing it and he was like Put it in put it in and I said This is a nasty record 7 Critical reception Edit Work was highly acclaimed by music critics In his review for New York Post writer Dan Aquilante named Work Ms Kelly s best track calling it an upbeat record that soulfully delves into contemporary funk 8 Spence D of media website IGN observed that the song flipped the early musical script of the album for a hot minute going for a more driven throbbing thrust over which Rowland s flitters and flirts 9 He further said that it showcases her strengths but also still highlights her delicate vocal limitations It s a sticky wicket that bumps while breaking down 9 Guardian journalist Alex MacPherson wrote that the caffeinated Work is the best of three club bangers on Ms Kelly 10 while That Grape Juice cited it as one of many highlights with a pulsating beat and deliberately suggestive lyrics Rowland doesn t hold back 11 RWD editor Emmanuel Ezugwu found Work a high energy track that will undoubtedly be a future club banger The constant cow bells adds to the frenzied pace of the record and Kelly s vocals are fast and stuttered 12 About com editor Mark Edward Nero called the song an excellent Destiny s Child type song that minimizes Kelly s vocal shortcomings behind an attention catching beat 13 BBC critic Gemma Padley also compared the track favorably to Rowland s former band s singles Bug a Boo 1999 and Lose My Breath 2004 due to its jagged vocal and hip shaking beat 14 Similarly Sal Cinquemani from Slant remarked that Storch delivers on Work a funky fast paced thumper in the DC tradition 15 while Glenn Gamboa writing for The News amp Observer noted that Rowland sounds like her brassy Destiny s Child self on the elaborate record 16 However San Francisco Weekly writer Dan Leroy was less emphathic with Work calling it derivative while Dotmusic s Jaime Gill considered the track a mis step Work is a clear attempt to encroach on her old band mates hyper sexual territory although it s hard to imagine Beyonce resorting to as crass a single entendre as repeatedly demanding put it in like a hooker on crystal meth 17 Commercial performance EditAlthough Columbia Records intended to release Work as Ms Kelly s lead single at one time or another 3 Polow da Don produced Like This eventually replaced original lead single Gotsta Go in early 2007 as Rowland thought the song had no hit potential influenced by negative blog comments she had read after snippets of Work had leaked on May 31 2007 18 First released in the United Kingdom on January 21 2008 Work debuted at number 56 on the UK Singles Chart based on digital sales alone two weeks prior to the song s physical release 19 The biggest moving single of the week it rose twenty four places to number seven on January 26 2008 marking Rowland s fifth non consecutive top ten entry On February 3 Work reached its peak position at number four on that particular chart It then spent six weeks within the top ten the longest stay of any of Rowland s singles 19 and as of November 2011 became Rowland s fourth best selling solo single in the United Kingdom with 250 000 copies being sold 20 21 In Australia it reached number six on the ARIA Singles Chart and went on to be certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association ARIA for sales of 70 000 copies 22 It also reached the top ten of the singles charts in Estonia Finland France Greece Italy where it was certified platinum for more than 31 000 digital downloads 23 Switzerland and Turkey It reached number one in Bulgaria Poland and on UK R amp B and German Black Charts Following the less successful chart performances of Like This and Ghetto Work widely exceeded the success of its predecessor It has since become the third highest charting single of Rowland s solo career behind her 2002 collaboration Dilemma and subsequent Stole entering foreign music markets where previous efforts failed to chart on 24 Music video Edit Screenshot of Kelly Rowland and her female dancers in the music video for Work Los Angeles 2007 An accompanying music video for Work with directed by American music video director and photographer Philip Andelman and was filmed in Los Angeles California on July 26 2007 25 It was shot back to back with Rowland s video for her song Comeback 25 26 According to Rowland the choreography heavy hype energized video is about movement and color and really cool angles shots and lights 27 Set amid a variety of fluorescent light environments it features the singer and a team of dancers performing Bollywood style dance numbers 28 Rowland noted that the video was different from her previous videos since her styling introduced a sexier image of her 27 The imagery used in this video can be described as Rowland and her dancers posed in silhouette and shot against backdrops of vivid color and beam lighting The beam lighting is used throughout the video to create a kaleidoscope effect which is used to break up each scene During the last part of the clip the lighting schemes are reversed to show Rowland and her four dancers out of silhouette and performing a choreographed Bollywood style routine against a black backdrop 27 28 Two versions of the video were made one with the original album version and one with the Freemasons radio edit Work was originally set to premiere during the September 10 2007 episode of BET s Access Granted along with the music video for Ghetto however this did not materialize as there was confusion over which would be Rowland s next single as the artist now had three videos shot After her record label rescheduled the air date to October 22 2007 the release was further pushed back and the video finally premiered on the December 5 2007 at SoUrban com the record label website for the Sony Urban Music division in the United Kingdom 29 In 2009 the video for Work was temporarily removed video sharing platforms such as YouTube and MTV com after the estate of American minimalist Dan Flavin declared that similarities with Falvin s work had led to legal action involving monetary damages for the estate 30 Remixes EditIn support of its single release Columbia Records consulted several British DJs to produce remixes of Work for international music markets where other than in the United States pure pop and funky house had dominated radio and the charts in the mid 2000s 31 While Steve Pitron and Max Sanna collaborated on a fast paced bitpop version of the song Russell Small and James Wiltshire from DJ duo Freemasons created a bhangra infused dance pop remix of Work that blends disco music with Indian instruments 32 33 Known for their Grammy nominated work with Beyonce 34 Rowland s team approached Freemasons to rework her song after their club oriented remix of Deja Vu 2006 had received significantly more airplay on British radio than Beyonce s R amp B led original 31 When asked about the collaboration Rowland elaborated in an interview with British music magazine Blues amp Soul I remember my A amp R telling me what a great job they d done with Beyonce s remixes and that we should give them a try So we did 32 Columbia Records arranged for Work to be released in a tandem with both versions being serviced to European radio 31 In addition a music video for the Freemasons remix was released 32 Critics were favorable in their reviews of the remix with Popjustice calling it quite brilliant 35 As with Deja Vu it tested well with audiences and soon surpassed Storch s original production on radio becoming a top ten hit on the charts 31 Rowland further commented on the remix in 2008 I m really grateful to the Freemasons for coming along because it s something that I could have got You always need an extra brain there and they just gave it a new vibe 4 However while the song enjoyed international success it was not released stateside When asked why it was not issued in the United States Rowland answered I don t know seriously I feel like I didn t have anything to do with the success of Work in Europe The Freemasons remix took the song to the next level fans kept requesting it on the radio Look at Destiny s Child s Say My Name the fans in the U S made it a single they made it happen I didn t have that little extra with Work over there 18 In 2018 Wiltshire named Work his favorite remix 31 Track listings EditAll tracks written by Jason Poo Bear Boyd Scott Storch and Kelly Rowland 1 European maxi single 36 No TitleProducer s Length1 Work Freemasons Radio Edit StorchBoyd a Freemasons b 3 112 Work Album Version StorchBoyd a 3 283 Work Steve Pitron amp Max Sanna Radio Edit StorchBoyd a Max Sanna b Steve Pitron b 3 324 Work Freemasons Dub Mix StorchBoyd a Freemasons b 7 075 Work Music video Total length 17 19 European Australian single 37 No TitleProducer s Length1 Work Freemasons Radio Edit StorchBoyd a Freemasons b 3 112 Work Album Version StorchBoyd a 3 28Total length 6 39 Notes a signifies co producer b signifies additional producerCredits and personnel EditCredits adapted from the liner notes of Ms Kelly 1 Christian Baker mixing assistance Jason Poo Bear Boyd writing co production vocal production Vadim Chislov assistance Conrad Golding engineering Jason Goldstein mixing Kelly Rowland vocals writing vocal production Scott Storch writing production vocal production Rommel Nino Villanueva engineeringCharts EditWeekly charts Edit Chart 2008 2009 PeakpositionAustralia ARIA 38 6Australian Urban ARIA 39 2Austria O3 Austria Top 40 40 32Belgium Ultratip Flanders 41 3Belgium Ultratop 50 Wallonia 42 37CIS TopHit 43 8CIS TopHit 44 Steve Pitron amp Max Sanna Radio Edit 62Czech Republic Radio Top 100 45 38European Hot 100 Singles Billboard 46 7Finland Suomen virallinen lista 47 4France SNEP 48 4Germany Official German Charts 49 25Global Dance Songs Billboard 50 16Greece IFPI 51 6Hungary Radios Top 40 52 27Ireland IRMA 53 12Italy FIMI 54 6Netherlands Dutch Top 40 55 18Netherlands Single Top 100 56 14New Zealand Recorded Music NZ 57 10Norway VG lista 58 17Romania Romanian Top 100 59 13Scotland OCC 60 6Slovakia Radio Top 100 61 13Switzerland Schweizer Hitparade 24 8Turkey Turkey Top 20 62 3UK Singles OCC 19 4UK Singles Downloads OCC 63 4UK Hip Hop R amp B OCC 64 1 Year end charts Edit Chart 2008 PositionAustralia ARIA 65 39Australian Urban ARIA 66 12CIS TopHit 67 58European Hot 100 Singles Billboard 68 51France SNEP 69 77France Airplay SNEP 70 100Hungary Radios Top 40 71 79Netherlands Downloads MegaCharts 72 78Switzerland Schweizer Hitparade 73 52UK Singles OCC 74 52Certifications EditCertifications and sales for Work Region Certification Certified units salesAustralia ARIA 75 Platinum 70 000 Italy 31 386 23 United Kingdom BPI 76 Gold 400 000 Shipments figures based on certification alone Sales streaming figures based on certification alone Release history EditRelease dates and formats for Work Region Date Format s Label s Ref United Kingdom January 18 2008 Digital download EP RCA 77 January 21 2008 Digital download 78 January 28 2008 CD 79 February 18 2008 Digital download 2 track 80 United States February 26 2008 Digital download EP ColumbiaMusic World 81 France March 3 2008 CD Columbia 82 Germany March 7 2008 CDmaxi CD Sony BMG 49 Australia March 15 2008 Digital download EP 83 March 17 2008 CD 84 References Edit a b c d e f Ms Kelly liner notes Kelly Rowland Columbia Records 2007 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Interview MiddleChild Promotions Archived from the original on October 23 2007 Retrieved March 25 2008 a b c DJ B interviews Kelly Rowland BBC 1Xtra Archived from the original on December 25 2007 Retrieved January 25 2008 a b c d I Like Music February 1 2008 Kelly Rowland chats to I Like Music I Like Music Retrieved March 25 2008 a b Work music sheet Musicnotes Retrieved July 12 2008 Kelly Rowland talks about the Work and her dinner plans Popjustice January 8 2008 Retrieved December 31 2019 Copsey Robert July 7 2010 Rowland s Work was all about sex Digital Spy Retrieved December 31 2019 Aquilante Dan December 31 2019 Kelly Rowland Ms Kelly New York Post a b Spence D Destiny s Child ex pat serves up routine contemporary R amp B IGN Archived from the original on July 13 2011 Retrieved March 25 2008 MacPherson Alex December 31 2019 Kelly Rowland Ms Kelly The Guardian London Sam Album review That Grape Juice Retrieved March 26 2008 Ezugwu Emmanuel Online Exclusive Ms Kelly Album Review RWD Magazine Archived from the original on September 28 2007 Retrieved March 23 2008 Nero Mark Edward Ms Kelly review 8About com Retrieved March 23 2008 Padley Gemma Kelly Rowland Ms Kelly review BBC co uk Retrieved March 23 2008 Kelly Rowland Ms Kelly Music Review Slant Magazine July 3 2007 Retrieved December 31 2019 Glenn Gamboa R amp B Lifestyles News amp Observer Newsobserver com Archived from the original on January 14 2009 Retrieved December 31 2019 Jaime Gill Kelly Rowland Ms Kelly Dot Music Archived from the original on July 17 2007 Retrieved February 2 2008 a b Kelly Rowland Speaks To Top DC Fansite That Grape Juice May 18 2008 Archived from the original on May 26 2008 Retrieved May 16 2009 a b c Kelly Rowland Artist Chart History Official Charts Company Retrieved November 25 2012 The videocountdown Kelly Rowland s Official Top 10 broadcast 10 December 2011 on MTV Music UK Unrealitytv co uk December 2 2011 Archived from the original on December 10 2011 Retrieved June 6 2012 About Us Our Partners Theofficialcharts com Retrieved June 6 2012 Top 40 Urban Albums amp Singles Chart Australian Record Industry Association Ariacharts com au Archived from the original on February 10 2012 Retrieved March 15 2012 a b FIMI Annual Digital Sales Report 2008 PDF fimi it February 1 2009 Archived from the original PDF on January 25 2016 Retrieved June 22 2013 a b Kelly Rowland Work Swiss Singles Chart Retrieved November 25 2012 a b Kelly Rowland shoots new video So Urban com Retrieved July 12 2007 Partizan Music Videos by Philip Andelman Partizan com Archived from the original on January 21 2008 Retrieved July 12 2007 a b c Kelly Rowland Work Interview joynt tv Archived from the original on December 21 2021 Retrieved December 31 2019 a b Flavin In Music Video artnet com July 29 2008 Retrieved December 31 2019 Kelly Rowland at SoUrban com Retrieved May 12 2007 Flavin Estate Goes After Former Destiny s Child Singer Kelly Rowland minusspace com April 23 2009 Retrieved December 31 2019 a b c d e Copsey Rob August 3 2018 Never Forget When The Freemasons remixes took songs to the top of the charts Official Charts Company Retrieved December 31 2019 a b c Lewis Pete Kelly Rowland Fulfilling Her Destiny Blues amp Soul Retrieved December 31 2019 Myers Justin November 1 2019 Remixes that gave songs a big chart boost Official Charts Company Retrieved December 31 2019 49th GRAMMY Nominees Announced Grammy com National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences December 7 2006 Archived from the original on December 9 2007 Retrieved December 31 2019 Kelly Rowland Work Freemasons Remix Popjustice November 21 2007 Retrieved December 31 2019 Kelly Rowland Work Spotify Retrieved July 8 2022 Work by Kelly Rowland Amazon co uk Retrieved July 8 2022 Kelly Rowland Work ARIA Top 50 Singles Retrieved November 25 2012 Issue 948 ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles National Library of Australia Retrieved January 10 2022 Kelly Rowland Work in German O3 Austria Top 40 Retrieved November 25 2012 Kelly Rowland Work in Dutch Ultratip Retrieved December 30 2019 Kelly Rowland Work in French Ultratop 50 Retrieved November 25 2012 Kelly Rowland Work TopHit Retrieved August 11 2019 Kelly Rowland Work TopHit Retrieved October 25 2021 CNS IFPI in Czech Hitparada Radio Top 100 Oficialni IFPI Czech Republic Note Change the chart to CZ RADIO TOP 100 and insert 200934 into search Hits of the World Eurocharts Billboard Vol 120 no 12 March 22 2008 p 83 Kelly Rowland Work in Finnish Musiikkituottajat Retrieved November 25 2012 Kelly Rowland Work in French Les classement single Retrieved November 25 2012 a b Kelly Rowland Work in German GfK Entertainment charts Retrieved January 29 2020 Kelly Rowland Chart History Global Dance Songs Billboard Retrieved November 5 2022 Greece Singles Chart 2008 05 31 Billboard May 31 2008 Retrieved July 8 2008 Archivum Slagerlistak MAHASZ in Hungarian Radios Top 40 jatszasi lista Magyar Hanglemezkiadok Szovetsege Retrieved November 25 2012 The Irish Charts Search Results Work Irish Singles Chart Retrieved January 29 2020 Kelly Rowland Work Top Digital Download Retrieved November 25 2012 Nederlandse Top 40 Kelly Rowland in Dutch Dutch Top 40 Retrieved November 25 2012 Kelly Rowland Work in Dutch Single Top 100 Retrieved December 30 2019 Kelly Rowland Work Top 40 Singles Retrieved November 25 20125 Kelly Rowland Work VG lista Retrieved May 21 2013 Romanian Top 100 Romanian Top 100 Archived from the original Please see Issue 16 of the year 2008 on May 10 2008 Retrieved October 14 2021 Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company CNS IFPI in Slovak Hitparada Radio Top 100 Oficialna IFPI Czech Republic Note insert 200832 into search Turkish Top 20 Billboard Archived from the original on April 20 2008 Retrieved January 29 2008 Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Official Hip Hop and R amp B Singles Chart Top 40 Official Charts Company Retrieved November 25 2012 ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2008 ARIA Charts ARIA Retrieved May 21 2013 Australian Top 50 Urban Singles of 2008 ARIA Charts ARIA Retrieved May 21 2013 CIS Year End Radio Hits 2008 Tophit Retrieved August 11 2019 Year End Charts European Hot 100 Singles Billboard Archived from the original on October 4 2012 Retrieved January 10 2022 Classements Annuels 2008 in French Disqueenfrance com Archived from the original on December 3 2013 Retrieved May 21 2013 Classements Annuels 2008 in French Disqueenfrance com Retrieved May 21 2013 Eves osszesitett listak MAHASZ Radios TOP 100 sulyozott Mahasz Mahasz Dutch Download Year End Chart 2008 Media Control AG Hung Medien Retrieved May 26 2013 Swiss Year End Chart 2008 Media Control AG Hung Medien Retrieved May 21 2013 2002 UK Singles Chart PDF ChartsPlus Retrieved April 25 2017 ARIA Charts Accreditations 2008 Singles PDF Australian Recording Industry Association British single certifications Kelly Rowland British Phonographic Industry Retrieved July 8 2021 Work Remixes EP Apple Music January 18 2008 Retrieved November 5 2022 Work Freemasons Radio Edit Single Apple Music January 21 2008 Retrieved November 5 2022 Music Upfront PDF Music Week January 5 2008 p 8 Retrieved November 5 2022 Work Single Apple Music February 18 2008 Retrieved November 5 2022 Work Remix Bundle EP Apple Music February 26 2008 Retrieved November 5 2022 Work Kelly Rowland CD single in French France Fnac March 3 2008 Retrieved November 5 2022 Work Single Apple Music March 15 2008 Retrieved November 5 2022 New Releases Singles Week Commencing 17th March 2008 PDF The ARIA Report Australian Recording Industry Association March 17 2008 p 31 Archived from the original PDF on March 25 2008 Retrieved November 5 2022 via Pandora archive External links Edit Work music video on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Work Kelly Rowland song amp oldid 1134258828, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.