Lose Control (Let Me Down)

"Lose Control (Let Me Down)"
Single by Keri Hilson featuring Nelly
from the album No Boys Allowed
Released May 10, 2011 (airplay)
Recorded 2010
Roc The Mic Studios
(New York City)
Length 4:49 (album version)
Label Interscope
Writer(s) Mikkel Eriksen, Tor Hermansen, Ester Dean, Cornell Haynes
Producer(s) StarGate
Keri Hilson singles chronology
"One Night Stand"
(2011)		 "Lose Control (Let Me Down)"
(2011)
Nelly chronology
"Gone"
(2011)		 "Lose Control (Let Me Down)"
(2011)		 "The Champ"
(2011)

"Lose Control (Let Me Down)" is a song performed by American recording artist Keri Hilson featuring Nelly, taken from her second studio album, No Boys Allowed (2010). The song was produced by Norwegian duo StarGate, who wrote the song with Nelly and Ester Dean. "Lose Control" was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio in the United States on May 10, 2011, as the album's fourth single.

Composition

"Lose Control" is a song featuring American rapper Nelly, produced by Norwegian duo StarGate. The track opens with a keyboard riff that reverberates.[1] As stated by Nadine Cheung of AOL Music, it features "Hilson's impeccable vocals layered over slinky synths".[2] Karen Tye of Adelaide Now described "Lose Control" as a "B-grade version of Rihanna's "What's My Name?" (2010).[3] Cheung also commented that on the song, Hilson "is instantly attracted to a guy in the club who knows just how to move."[2] During the chorus, Hilson encourages her man to put his hands on her body and lose control.[2] Nelly later delivers his "sexually charged verse" by "confidently telling his lady friend just how he rolls".[1] Robbie Daw of Idolator compared Nelly's line "on the way you shaking your anus", to Kesha's "Cannibal" (2010).[1] After three and a half minutes, "Lose Control" segues into the slow jam "Let Me Down".

Critical reception

Andy Kellman of Allmusic said "Lose Control" was one of the album's direct hits, "despite an anus/famous rhyme from Nelly".[4] Anthony Osei of Complex magazine wrote, "We're a little curious as to why "Lose Control" wasn't her first choice as a single. You really can't go wrong with the production/songwriting combination of StarGate and Ester Dean. Future number-one hit?"[5] Jason Richards of NOW magazine and editors of USA Today, chose "Lose Control" as one of the stand out songs from the album.[6] Aamir Yaqub of SoulCulture.co.uk said the song has a "Rihanna vibe to it probably owed to the production by StarGate".[7] A writer for DesiHits described it as a dance track that was "pure and simple".[8] Andrew Martin of Prefix Mag wrote that "It's unlikely that any new singles off Keri Hilson's No Boys Allowed will have the same chart success as "Pretty Girl Rock". But if any of them can do it, it's 'Lose Control'."[9] Spence D. of IGN Music gave the song a mixed review, stating that it would not fall so flat if the rest of the album had "half the sassy spirit" of "Pretty Girl Rock".[10]

Music video

In late March 2011, Rap-Up reported that Hilson would be filming the music video to "Lose Control" with director Colin Tilley, who previously directed "One Night Stand" and "In the Air", her collaboration with UK rapper Chipmunk.[11] Images from the shoot leaked online in April 2011.[2] The video premiered on Vevo on May 20, 2011.[12] In the video, Hilson seductress comes out after the sun goes down, oozing sex appeal as she shakes, winds, and rolls across the screen. She models a handful of warrior princess looks on land and in a lagoon, getting hot and heavy with Nelly, who gets dragged by her crew through the sand.[12]

Live performances

Hilson performed "Lose Control" live for the first time with Nelly during her visit to Australia in April 2011 for Supafest, the largest urban music festival.[13] She also performed the song on the American version of So You Think You Can Dance on June 16, 2011. Shortly after the performance, "Kelly Hilson" became a trending topic on Twitter after the show's host Cat Deeley mispronounced her name and called her Kelly Hilson instead.[14]

Credits and personnel

Source [15]

Charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 36
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 23
Romania (UPFR)[18] 33
Slovakia (Slovak Airplay Chart)[19] 84
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] 77
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[21] 35

Radio add dates

Country Date Format Label
United States May 10, 2011 Rhythmic contemporary radio[22] Interscope Records
June 28, 2011 Urban contemporary radio[23]
United Kingdom September 16, 2011 Urban radio[24] Polydor Records

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Daw, Robbie (December 22, 2010). "Listen To Keri Hilson "Lose Control" With Nelly". Idolator. (Buzzmedia). Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Cheung, Nadine (April 20, 2011). "Keri Hilson, 'Lose Control' Feat. Nelly – New Song". AOL Music. (AOL). Retrieved May 8, 2011.
  3. ↑ Tye, Karen (January 9, 2011). "Hilson suffers second album blues". Adelaide Now (News Limited). Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  4. ↑ Kellman, Andy. "No Boys Allowed - Keri Hilson". Allmusic. (Rovi Corporation). Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  5. ↑ Osei, Anthony (March 30, 2011). "Keri Hilson Gets Ready to "Lose Control" on New Single". Complex. (Complex Media Network). Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  6. ↑ Richards, Jason (January 13, 2011). "NOW Magazine // Music // Keri Hilson - No Boys Allowed". NOW. (NOW Communications Inc.). Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  7. ↑ Yaqub, Aamir (December 20, 2010). "Keri Hilson - No Boys Allowed | Album Review". SoulCulture.co.uk. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Keri Hilson is About to 'Lose Control' ft. Nelly". DesiHits. Desi Hits! Inc. May 20, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  9. ↑ Martin, Andrew (May 20, 2011). "Keri Hilson: "Lose Control" ft. Nelly (Video)". Prefix Mag. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  10. ↑ D., Spence (December 21, 2010). "Keri Hilson: No Boys Allowed Review". IGN Music. (News Corporation). Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Keri Hilson to Shoot Video with Nelly". Rap-Up. March 30, 2011. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Video: Keri Hilson f/ Nelly – 'Lose Control'". Rap-Up. May 20, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  13. ↑ http://www.rap-up.com/2011/04/09/keri-hilson-ciara-nelly-snoop-dogg-bow-wow-kick-off-supafest-festival/
  14. ↑ http://www.rap-up.com/2011/06/16/keri-hilson-performs-lose-control-on-so-you-think-you-can-dance-video/
  15. ↑ No Boys Allowed (Booklet). Keri Hilson. New York, CA: Mosley Music, Zone 4 (Interscope Records) (Cat no. 602527536804). 2010.
  16. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Keri Hilson feat. Nelly – Lose Control". Top 40 Singles.
  17. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Keri Hilson feat. Nelly – Lose Control" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  18. ↑ Romanian Top 100 Podcasts
  19. ↑ "RADIO TOP100 Oficiálna: Lose Control" (in Slovak). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Keri Hilson Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Keri Hilson.
  21. ↑ "Keri Hilson Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Keri Hilson.
  22. ↑ "Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on May 6, 2011. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  23. ↑ "Top 40 Urban Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Radio 1Xtra – Playlist – September 16, 2011". BBC Radio 1Xtra. Archived from the original on September 16, 2011.