Me & the Rhythm

"Me & the Rhythm"
Promotional single by Selena Gomez from the album Revival
Released October 2, 2015 (2015-10-02)
Format Digital download
Recorded

2015

Genre
Length 3:33
Label
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Mattman & Robin
Revival track listing

"Camouflage"
(7)		 "Me & the Rhythm"
(8)		 "Survivors"
(9)

"Me & the Rhythm" is a song by American singer Selena Gomez from her second solo studio album Revival (2015). It was released on October 2, 2015 on iTunes and other digital download platforms as the album's first and only promotional single. It was written by Gomez, Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels and its producers Mattman & Robin, "Me & the Rhythm" was the last song to be recorded for Revival after a request made by Gomez to work four more days with its songwriters and it is one of Gomez's favorite songs on that album.

"Me & the Rhythm" was inspired by disco music, dance music and synthpop, and features steel drums, deep house beats, "pulsating" percussion and "smoky" synths in its instrumentation. Lyrically, the song talks about losing yourself on the dance floor and being able to be free within the moment and within one's self. The song was acclaimed by critics, with many praising its vintage disco sound and Gomez's sultry vocals. Gomez performed the song in a medley with "Come & Get It" during her set on The Today Show.

Recording and release

After the unexpected success of "Good for You" on the charts, Gomez asked her label to delay the album's mixing to work with its songwriters Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter to write more songs with her since she "became super obsessed with Justin and Julia" and "felt like we created magic. I felt like Julia was me and I was Julia."[1] Michaels also commented: "I think Selena is a lot like Justin and I, in the way that…when you find something that you feel connected to, and it’s real and it’s honest, you don’t let it go. You see where it can lead you."[2] Her label authorized and they worked for four days in other three songs and two of them made the record: "Hands to Myself" and "Me & the Rhythm,"[1] with the latter being the last song to be recorded for Revival,[3] as well as one of her favorite songs on the record.[4][5] A snippet of the track was first teased along with the official artwork on September 26, 2015.[6] The cover art depicts Gomez "looking at herself in the mirror as she wears a black bondage-style bra."[4] Later, the song was fully released as the album's first and only promotional single on October 2, 2015,[7] followed by the album's two singles, "Good for You" and "Same Old Love".[4][8][9] During her Today concert, Gomez performed the song on a medley with previous hit "Come & Get It".[10]

Composition and lyrics

"Me & the Rhythm" was written by Selena Gomez, Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels and production team Mattman & Robin (Mattias Larsson and Robin Fredriksson), who also produced the track. They were also the song's vocal producers, as well as being responsible for programming, drums, percussion, synths and bass, while Michaels provided background vocals.[11] It was described as a dance,[12][13] disco[14][6] and synthpop song,[15] with its instrumentation consisting in deep house beats,[12] steel drums,[16] smoky synths and pulsating percussion,[17] while Gomez delivers a "heightened" and whispered vocals.[12] Its opening "pulsing beats" were compared to "70's Donna Summer disco jams" by Samantha Schnurr of E! Online,[18] while Zach Dionne of Fuse compared to Carly Rae Jepsen's Emotion album.[19] Meanwhile, Mike Wass of Idolator noted that the song is "the most obvious link between the 'Stars Dance' and 'Revival' eras,"[15] as well as compared it to Kylie Minogue circa 'Fever', mostly 'Come Into My World', and 'Body Talk'-era Robyn.[17]

Lyrically, "Me & the Rhythm" talks about letting go and losing yourself on the dance floor,[20] while being free within that moment and yourself. According to Gomez, "[I]t's not about love. It's just about feeling that moment and being present. Everyone's on their phones, everyone's doing this, and it's just about you and what you're experiencing in that moment."[3] During the pre-chorus, she sings with a sense of "drippy" sexuality: "And everybody wants to be touched / Everybody wants to get some / But don't you play a song about love / When I move my body / I don't have to talk about none / Let the chemicals do its stuff / 'Til the energy is too much."[12] During the chorus, she declares: "I’d be lying/ If I said I didn’t need/ Yeah the rhythm, me and the rhythm."[4] During the bridge, Gomez gives "a Janet Jackson-esque speaking verse,[19] where she speaks: "If you feel like you're the spark, then come out of the dark."[21]

Critical reception

"Me & the Rhythm" received acclaim from contemporary music critics. Tim Sendra of AllMusic picked the song as one of the album's highlights, noting that Gomez "sounds most at home" on the track, "where the smoothness of her voice fits in with the vacant abandon of the beat."[13] Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone applauded the song for "find[ing] her sounding completely in control of her own euphoria", while appreciating "[h]er brand of sexiness" for having "a coy, subtle quality that never tries too hard."[20] Mike Wass of Idolator called it "another breathy synth-pop adventure, the genre she conquered on album number four, but there’s a simplicity and sophistication to the production that sets it apart." Wass also praised the fact that "her casual disinterest is perfectly suited to the icy, quintessentially Scandinavian arrangement."[15] In another review, he also highlighted that the song is "a pop anthem with an unexpected twist" and that it has "an air of sophistication to the arrangement and vocal delivery that sets it apart."[17] Carolyn Menyes of Music Times named it "the most straightforward dance track from 'Revival'," adding that it "begs to be played at the next club night."[12]

Alex Kritselis of Bustle was also positive, noticing that "[it] doesn't sound like anything else Gomez has ever recorded — and that's really exciting. She's experimenting with different genres and [...] using her voice in new ways."[6] Samantha Schnurr of E! Online remarked that Gomez "has definitely found her rhythm" on the track, calling it "[e]qually as catchy as her first single," also observing that "Gomez's signature airy vocals are on full blast backed by an upbeat tempo perfect for strutting out on the dance floor in a pair of platform heels."[18] Ali Szubiak from Popcrush also commented about her vocals, writing that they are "as sultry as ever here, with a Lana Del Rey-inflection she’s affected that doesn’t feel as artificial as it could — the more speak-sing attempt works for her, and she knows it." He also perceived that it "maintains the sleek and sexy appeal of Selena’s first Revival single 'Good for You', but it’s far less crawling-on-the-ground seductive and more subtle in its appeal."[22] Writing for Fuse, Zach Dionne was very positive, defining the song as "[e]qual parts romantic and club-ready," while declaring that the song "might be our favorite 'Revival' tune to date."[19]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[11]

Charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[23] 57
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[24] 83
France (SNEP)[25] 143
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[26] 68
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[27] 6

References

  1. 1 2 Feeney, Nolan (September 30, 2015). "Selena Gomez on Her New Album and Media Scrutiny: 'I Just Don't Care About the Noise Anymore'". Time. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  2. ↑ Kawashima, Dave (November 16, 2015). "Young Pop Songwriter Julia Michaels Co-Writes Big Hits For Justin Bieber And Selena Gomez". Songwriter Universe. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Mastrogiannis, Nicole (October 22, 2015). "INTERVIEW: Selena Gomez Reveals The Meaning Of Songs On 'Revival' | Track By Track". iHeart Radio. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Adams, Chanel (October 2, 2015). "Selena Gomez On New Song 'Me & The Rhythm,' New Album And The Single Life". Inquisitr. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  5. ↑ Hiramine, Brie (October 12, 2015). "LISTEN: Selena Gomez Releases "Me & The Rhythm"". J-14. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Kritselis, Alex (September 28, 2015). "Selena Gomez's "Me & The Rhythm" Preview Proves Her New Album Is Going To Be Very Diverse — LISTEN". Bustle. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  7. ↑ Daley, Megan (October 2, 2015). "Selena Gomez releases 'Me & The Rhythm' - EW.com". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  8. ↑ Navarro, Andrea (October 6, 2015). "Selena Gomez Casually Drops a New Single and Announces a World Tour in the Same Night". Teen Vogue. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  9. ↑ Ashagre, Aggi (October 2, 2015). "Selena Gomez Shares 'Me & The Rhythm' From 'Revival'". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  10. ↑ Lindner, Emilee (October 12, 2015). "Watch Selena Gomez Be The 'Boss' In 'Today' Show Performance". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  11. 1 2 Revival (Media notes). Selena Gomez. Baarn, Netherlands: Interscope Records. 2015. p. 5. 602547569646.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Menyes, Carolyn (October 2, 2015). "Selena Gomez Drops 'Me and the Rhythm' One Week Before Her New Album 'Revival' [LISTEN]". Music Times. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
  13. 1 2 Sendra, Tim. "Selena Gomez: "Revival"". AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  14. ↑ St. Asaph, Katherine (October 13, 2015). "Review: Selena Gomez Is Whoever Pop Needs Her to Be on Revival". Time. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  15. 1 2 3 Wass, Mike (October 9, 2015). "Selena Gomez's 'Revival': Album Review". Idolator. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  16. ↑ Hosken, Patrick (October 9, 2015). "Here's Everything We Learned During Selena Gomez's Revival Listening Party". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 Wass, Mike (October 2, 2015). "Pop Perspective: Selena Gomez's "Me & The Rhythm" Reviewed And Rated By Idolator Editors". Idolator. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  18. 1 2 Schnurr, Samantha (October 2, 2015). "Selena Gomez Releases a Sexy New Song "Me & the Rhythm," Officially Announces Tour Dates—Listen Here!". E! Online. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  19. 1 2 3 Dionne, Zach (October 2, 2015). "Hear Selena Gomez's Sexy New Song, "Me & the Rhythm"". Fuse. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  20. 1 2 Spanos, Brittany (October 15, 2015). "Album Review: Revival". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Selena Gomez - Me And The Rhythm Lyrics". MetroLyrics. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  22. ↑ Szubiak, Ali. "Selena Gomez's 'Me and the Rhythm' Is a Disco-Lite Jam". Popcrush. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Selena Gomez – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Selena Gomez. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  24. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201546 into search. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Selena Gomez – Me & The Rhythm" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  26. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201546 into search. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Chart Search – Selena Gomez". Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles for Selena Gomez. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
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