Who Is She 2 U

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“Who Is She 2 U”
“Who Is She 2 U” cover
Single by Brandy
from the album Afrodisiac
Released August 2004
(North America)
March 27, 2005
(Australia, Eurasia)
Format CD single, vinyl single, digital single, digital download
Recorded 2003, Criteria Hit Factory, Miami, Florida
Genre R&B, pop
Length 4:43 (Album Version)
3:46 (Radio Edit)
Label Atlantic
Writer(s) Walter Millsap III, Candice Nelson, Tim Mosley, Jacqueline Hilliard, Leon Ware
Producer Timbaland; Walter Millsap III (co-producer)
Brandy singles chronology
"Talk About Our Love"
(2004)		 "Who Is She 2 U"
(2004)		 "Afrodisiac"
(2004)

"Who Is She 2 U" is an R&B–pop song recorded by American singer Brandy. It was written by Walter Millsap III, Candice Nelson, and Tim "Timbaland" Mosley for the singer's fourth studio album, Afrodisiac (2004), and co-produced by Timbaland and Millsap. The song contains a sample from Jacqueline Hilliard's 1968 song "Instant Love", written by Hilliard and Leon Ware.

Released as the album's second and final single in North America in August 2004 (see 2004 in music), the song became one of Brandy's commercially least successful singles, never making it out of the lower half of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. "Who Is She 2 U" served as the album's third single in Australia and Eurasia in March 2005 (see 2005 in music) where it saw similar success.

Contents

[edit] Writing and recording

"Who Is She 2 U" was one of the first songs on the Afrodisiac album Brandy worked on with producer Timbaland, following her break-up with producer Robert "Big Bert" Smith in fall 2002. Described as "a caught-in-the-act tale set to throwback soul" by Newsday,[1] the record incorporates a sample of the 1968 song "Instant Love," written by Jacqueline Hilliard and Leon Ware.

Lyrically, the song's protagonist describes a confrontation with her cheating boyfriend, who "tries to two-time, three-time and even four-time his way into multiple relationships." In an interview with MTV News, Brandy revealed that semi-biographical "Who Is She 2 U" was basically written for her female audience: "It's a song I'm sure so many females have experienced. And I've definitely experienced this before, just like, 'Who's that? Let me know what's going on!'"[2] She also termed the song "reminiscent of a vintage Mary J. Blige. I was expressing my innermost feelings about life, love and relationships. It was me at my most raw [...] He [Timbaland] really encouraged me to do my best."[3]

In late October 2003, an early version of the song was presented alongside album cut "Finally" onto the Brandy Special Music Project on ratethemusic.com, a website that asks people's opinions on new tracks from various artists. The leaked version has featured a different vocal production and ending from the one on Afrodisiac; the final edit of the song was first played during an interview with Funkmaster Flex on Hot 97. Singer Usher, who was originally expected to appear on the album at one time or another, re-recorded the song for mixtapes a few weeks before the single's release in the United States, replacing parts of Brandy's vocals for the male's point of view. However, the unofficial duet version of "Who Is She 2 U" became even more popular than the album version or its official remix with rapper Fabolous.

[edit] Chart performance

As the second single released from Afrodisiac, expectations were lowered on "Who Is She 2 U" after the first single's failure - and unfortunately the single didn't perform well on the charts, even becoming Brandy's lowest-charting song on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 of all video-accompanied singles she has ever released, with a peak of only number 85. If not cancelled (as happened in France and Germany), the single saw similar success in Europe.

[edit] Music video

The music video for "Who Is She 2 U" was directed by Jake Nava, and was filmed in various locations throughout Los Angeles, California in July 2004. Choreographed by Laurie Ann Gibson, the video harks back on authentic street sensibility, showing Brandy from a very ordinary side in normal neighborhood settings, all away from high-class lifestyle and designer clothes: "I wanted to be fashion-forward, so we're going to give the girl a little fashion," she said. "It's going to be young and fun and sexy, but not over the top — still down to earth."

In the video Brandy plays an all-seeing, all-knowing narrator, who gives the central male character pause with her wicked glances that let him know she's watching his every move. The pursuit starts with the singer performing the first lines of her song in the back of a cruising bus, while observing her boarding man next to a female, both discussing vehemently with each other. She's constantly moving and dancing, before the scene shifts to a scaffolding in front of a fenced building, where she performs the chorus in dusty backgrounds. The next scene shows her standing under a traffic light at a plied crossing, wearing a grey outfit and big glasses, wherefrom she enters a near barber shop and performs afresh in a hairdresser chair. At the same time the camera shows her man flirting with two girls. The video ends with a backflash on all locations Brandy was seen at, also catching the daytime in front of the sinking sun.

Fabolous and Timbaland were originally expected to sign on to shoot additional scenes for a remixed version of the clip; however, plans weren't put into practice. "Who Is She 2 U" worldpremiered at the end of BET's Access Granted on August 24, 2004.

[edit] Formats and tracklistings

These are the formats and track listings of major single-releases of "Who Is She 2 U".

[edit] International CD Single
  1. "Who Is She 2 U" (Radio Edit)
  2. "Who Is She 2 U" (Josh Harris Old School Edit)
  3. "Who Is She 2 U" (Davidson Ospina Edit)
[edit] U.S. CD Single
  1. "Who Is She 2 U" (Radio Edit)
  2. "Who Is She 2 U" (Josh Harris Old School Edit)
[edit] Unreleased Remixes
  1. "Who Is She 2 U" (Remix, featuring Fabolous)
  2. "Who Is She 2 U" (Featuring Usher)
[edit] Vinyl single
  1. "Who Is She 2 U" (Hani Club Mix)
  2. "Who Is She 2 U" (Josh Harris Old School Club Mix)
  3. "Who Is She 2 U" (FTL Club Mix)
  4. "Who Is She 2 U" (E-Smoove Bump Mix)
  5. "Who Is She 2 U" (Johnny Budz Club Mix)
  6. "Who Is She 2 U" (Hani Dub)
  7. "Who Is She 2 U" (Sugar Dip Solo Dub)
  8. "Who Is She 2 U" (FTL Dub Mix)
  9. "Who Is She 2 U" (Josh Harris Alternative Mix)
  10. "Who Is She 2 U" (Pull's Passionate Mix)

[edit] Credits and personnel

[edit] Music charts

Chart (2004-05) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[4] 99
German Black Chart [5] 7
UK Singles Chart 50
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [6] 85
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles [6] 43
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales [7] 20
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Singles [6] 2

[edit] References

  1. ^ Glenn Gamboa. "The Cure finds one in its comeback CD". Newsday. Retrieved on 2008-04-26.
  2. ^ Jennifer Vineyard (2004-08-06). "Brandy Scopes Out A Cheater". VH1.com. Retrieved on 2007-01-19.
  3. ^ "Brandy's Biography". SoulTracks. Retrieved on 2008-04-21.
  4. ^ ARIA: ARIA Charts. ARIA. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
  5. ^ German Black Charts. Trendcharts. Retrieved February 14, 2007.
  6. ^ a b c AMG: Billboard Singles. All Music Guide. Retrieved on 2007-04-29.
  7. ^ Top Music Charts - Hot 100 - Billboard 200 - Music Genre Sales

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Brandy
Studio albums
Brandy (1994) · Never Say Never (1998) · Full Moon (2002) · Afrodisiac (2004)
Compliation albums
EPs
Related topics
v • d • e
Brandy singles discography
Brandy
"I Wanna Be Down" (1994) · "Baby" (1995) · "Best Friend" (1995) · "Brokenhearted" (1995)
Never Say Never
Full Moon
"What About Us?" (2002) · "Full Moon" (2002) · "He Is" (2002)
Afrodisiac
"Talk About Our Love" (2004) · "Who Is She 2 U" (2004) · "Afrodisiac" (2004)
Other singles
"Sittin' Up in My Room" (1995) · "Missing You" (1996) · "Another Day in Paradise" (2001)
Promo songs
"Turn It Up" (2003)