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Level Up (Ciara song)

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"Level Up"
Single by Ciara
from the album Beauty Marks
ReleasedJuly 17, 2018 (2018-07-17)
StudioNeptune Valley (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length3:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • J.R. Rotem
Ciara singles chronology
"Get Up"
(2016) 		"Level Up"
(2018) 		"Freak Me"
(2018)
Music video
"Level Up" on YouTube

"Level Up" is a song by American singer-songwriter Ciara released on July 17, 2018, by Beauty Marks Entertainment and Warner Bros. Records. The single artwork was shot by Haley Blavka.

Influenced by the Jersey club variety of electronic dance music,[1] the song was written by Ciara, J.R. Rotem, Theron Thomas, Telly Brown Jr. and Theron Feemster, with production by J.R. Rotem and Nas Luke. It samples the Jersey Remix of "We Are Young" by Fun. that was also used in DJ Telly Tellz's 2017 viral hit "Fuck It Up Challenge".[2][3] Its music video was directed and choreographed by New Zealand dancer Parris Goebel, who also appears in the video alongside fellow New Zealanders ReQuest Dance Crew.

Reception to the music video was positive, with "Level Up" becoming the number one trending video on YouTube and spawning the #LevelUpChallenge on social media, featuring fans and celebrities recording their own version of the video's choreography. The official remix for "Level Up" was released a week later featuring additional vocals from Missy Elliott and Fatman Scoop. Chartwise, "Level Up" peaked within the upper half of the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the United States, top forty in Hungary and top sixty on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Composition

[edit]

"Level Up" is a song about empowerment and growth.[3] The song's title directly references Ciara's controversial #LevelUp marriage tweet, which some felt blamed women for being single.[4] She later cleared up the message, explaining that she wanted to empower women as she felt her "lowest moment" as a solo parent before learning to love herself.[5][6] Some critics also believed parts of the song were aimed at ex-fiancé, American rapper Future.[7]

Promotion

[edit]

In promotion of the single, fans initiated the "Level Up Challenge", which generated hundreds of thousands of responses on social media. The challenge consisted of fans mimicking the choreography performed in the accompanying music video. Ciara added onto the challenge by encouraging fans to share three ways in which they want to "level up" or better themselves. Fans and celebrities alike participated in the challenge, including Chris Pratt, Kelly Clarkson, Serena Williams, Macklemore, Janelle Monae, Missy Elliott, Jennifer Hudson, and Ciara's husband, Russell Wilson.[8] Ciara also performed the song as a part of her set list as an opening act for singer, Bruno Mars' 24K Magic World Tour (2018).

Remix

[edit]

On July 26, 2018, Ciara premiered the song's official remix, featuring Missy Elliott and Fatman Scoop. The three of them previously worked together on Elliott's single "Lose Control".[9]

Chart performance

[edit]

In the United States, "Level Up" debuted at 77 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on July 31, 2018, for the chart week dated August 4, 2018; it ascended to number 59 the following week.[10] It debuted at number 10 on the US Digital Songs chart that same week, becoming Ciara's sixth top-ten hit on the chart and first since "Love Sex Magic" in March 2009.[11]

Music video

[edit]

The music video for "Level Up" was filmed in 2017 but initially went unreleased as Ciara's contract with Warner Bros Records was terminated.[12] It eventually premiered, alongside the single, on July 18, 2018.[13] The video, which features the New Zealand dancers of ReQuest Dance Crew, was directed and choreographed by New Zealander Parris Goebel, who also appears as a dancer. The music video was filmed in the Auckland War Memorial Museum in Auckland. Ciara premiered a "Behind the Scenes" video through Trace Me on August 6, 2018.[14]

The dance-centric clip opens with the words: "Be your own boss, love yourself, get up and dance. Level up!". Then Ciara dances while wearing headphones and a black leotard with the words "Level Up", accompanied by the all-female Request Dance Crew, dressed in matching red activewear and Bose headphones.[15]

Reception

[edit]

The music video received a positive critical response. Spin magazine's Israel Daramola opined "Choreographed by dancer Parris Goebel, Ciara and ReQuest put on an electric, mesmerizing performance and make it look easy."[3] Within 24 hours of release, it became the #1 trending video on YouTube.[16]

Live performances

[edit]

Ciara has performed the song on the American Music Awards of 2018 and on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The song is also performed on Bruno Mars' 24K Magic World Tour, where Ciara serves as an opening act.

Track listing

[edit]
  • Digital download[17]
  1. "Level Up" – 3:24
  • Digital download – remix[18]
  1. "Level Up" (remix featuring Missy Elliott and Fatman Scoop) – 3:49

Personnel

[edit]
  • Chris Athens — Mastered
  • Ciara — vocal producer
  • Jaycen Joshua - mixed
  • Samuel Kalandjian — engineer
  • Rashawn McLean — assistant mixer
  • Jacob Richards — assistant mixer
  • J.R. Rotem — keyboards, producer, vocal producer
  • Mike Seaberg — assistant mixer

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2018–2019) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[19] 34
Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[20] 27
Hungary (Single Top 40)[21] 36
France (SNEP)[22] 88
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[23] 7
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[24] 42
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[25] 79
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 59
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[26] 23

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[27] Gold 100,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[28] Gold 25,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[29] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[30] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Ciara Snags a Hit with the Jersey Club Influence in "Level Up"". 23 July 2018.
  2. ^ Johnson, Zach (July 18, 2018). "Ciara Charts Her Comeback With "Level Up" Music Video". E! Online.
  3. ^ a b c "Ciara - "Level Up" Video". 18 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Ciara Ticks Off Single Twitter With Instagram Post Urging Women To "Level Up"". Yahoo.com. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  5. ^ "Ciara Clarifies Her "Level Up" Comment Towards Single Women". Vibe.com. January 22, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  6. ^ "Ciara Makes a Comeback With New Single, 'Level Up' – The Source". Thesource.com. July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  7. ^ Robidoux, Brandy (July 18, 2018). "Is Ciara Dissing Ex Future In Steamy New Single? See The Scathing Lyrics". Hollywoodlife.com. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  8. ^ Rincón, Alessandra (July 24, 2018). "Chris Pratt, Kelly Clarkson & More Participate in Ciara's New 'Level Up' Challenge: Watch". Billboard.
  9. ^ Post, Chantilly (July 26, 2018). "Ciara Grabs Missy Elliott & Fatman Scoop For A "Level Up" Remix". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Ciara Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  11. ^ "Ciara". Billboard.
  12. ^ "Ciara Asked Label for Her Masters After They Didn't Believe "Level Up" Would be Successful". HNHH. 20 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Video: Ciara – 'Level Up'".
  14. ^ "Making The Video: Ciara – 'Level Up'". 6 August 2018.
  15. ^ "Video: Ciara – 'Level Up'". Rap-Up.
  16. ^ "Winning! Ciara's 'Level Up' Music Video #1 Trending On YouTube". 19 July 2018.
  17. ^ "Level Up - Single by Ciara on Apple Music". iTunes Store. 18 July 2018. Retrieved Jul 18, 2018.
  18. ^ "Level Up (feat. Missy Elliott & Fatman Scoop) [Remix] - Single". iTunes. 27 July 2018. Retrieved Jul 27, 2018.
  19. ^ "Ciara – Level Up" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  20. ^ "Ciara – Level Up" (in Dutch). Ultratop Urban. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  21. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  22. ^ "LEVEL UP". ACHARTS.CO. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  23. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 30, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  24. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 40. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  25. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  26. ^ "Ciara Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  27. ^ "French single certifications – Ciara – Level Up" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  28. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2022 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  29. ^ "British single certifications – Ciara – Level Up". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  30. ^ "American single certifications – Ciara – Level Up". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
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