Adorn (song)

"Adorn"
Single by Miguel
from the album Kaleidoscope Dream
Released August 7, 2012 (2012-08-07)
Format CD single, digital download
Recorded 2011; Los Angeles[1]
Genre R&B,[2] electro soul[3]
Length 3:13
Label RCA
Writer(s) Miguel Pimentel
Producer(s) Miguel
Certification 2x Platinum (RIAA)
Miguel singles chronology
"Pride N Joy"
(2012)		 "Adorn"
(2012)		 "Do You..."
(2012)

"Adorn" is a song by American singer Miguel, written and recorded as the first single from his second studio album Kaleidoscope Dream (2012). It was entirely written and produced by Miguel, who was inspired by his girlfriend and a series of dreams he had prior to writing the song.

"Adorn" was released to iTunes on August 7, 2012. It peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Miguel's most successful single to date. The song was received positively by critics, being voted the year's second best single in the annual Pazz & Jop poll while earning Miguel three Grammy Award nominations. It was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Music and lyrics

"Adorn" features on-beat sub-bass sounds,[4] falsetto howls,[5] irregular vocal echoes, obscured synths,[6] and sparse keyboard arrangements.[7] The lyrics feature brazen declarations of affection,[5] including promises of adoration to a female subject.[8] Writers liken "Adorn" to Marvin Gaye's 1982 ballad "Sexual Healing".[5][6][7] Miguel was inspired to write the song by a series of dreams he had prior to writing it.[9] His girlfriend, model and artist Nazanin Mandi, was also an inspiration behind the song. Miguel later told People magazine: "I had been on a long trip and was anxious to see her. That's where the song began, with that emotion while I was on the plane. I don't remember how I got from 'These lips can't wait to taste your skin' to the end of the song, but when I listened to it, I thought, 'This is special.'"[10]

Release and reception

"Adorn" originally appeared on the Miguel mixtape Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1, released on February 27, 2012.[9] It was later included on a promotional extended play titled Kaleidoscope Dream: The Water Preview on July 31, one of two extended plays released by Miguel to promote Kaleidoscope Dream.[11] On August 7, "Adorn" was solicited to rhythmic contemporary radio stations in the United States,[12] and released to iTunes.[13] A remix of the song, featuring American rapper Wiz Khalifa, was released on September 18.[14] "Adorn" charted at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming Miguel's most successful single to date. It was also his third number-one hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart and still holds the record for the longest run atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, being the only song in the chart's history to spend 20 or more weeks at number-one.[15] By July 2013, the song had reached 1,014,000 copies sold in the US.[16] By June 2, 2015, it had sold two million copies according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), who certified it double platinum.[17]

In a review for Seattle Weekly, Erin Thompson wrote that Miguel "made a particularly nice choice of metaphor in the song's chorus—'Let my love adorn you.' When a woman hears the word 'adorn,' she probably thinks of diamonds and Dior; Miguel's rich vocals convey the same sense of luxury. That's a man who knows how to treat a woman."[18] SoulBounce called it an "electro soul slice of niceness",[3] while MSN Music's Robert Christgau cited the song's "throbbing, garbled hook" as "one of 2012's signature pop moments".[19] Brian McManus from The Village Voice called "Adorn" "the perfect amuse-bouche for the album it kicks off, priming the ears, opening them."[20] At the end of 2012, "Adorn" was named the 33rd best song of the year in Rolling Stone.[21] It was also voted the year's second best single in the nationwide Pazz & Jop critics' poll.[22] The song earned Miguel three Grammy Award nominations for Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance at the 55th Grammy Awards, winning his first in the category of Best R&B Song.[23]

Track listing

Digital download – Remix featuring Wiz Khalifa (United States)[14]
No. Title Length
1. "Adorn (Remix)" (featuring Wiz Khalifa) 3:47

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2012–13) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[24] 61
scope="row"Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[25] 7
scope="row"Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[26] 26
scope="row"Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[27] 68
scope="row"France (SNEP)[28] 163
scope="row"UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[29] 49
scope="row"UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[30] 6
scope="row"US Billboard Hot 100[31] 17
scope="row"US Adult R&B Songs (Billboard)[32] 1
scope="row"US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[33] 1
scope="row"US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[34] 35
scope="row"US Rhythmic (Billboard)[35] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (2012) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[36] 97
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[37] 6
Chart (2013) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[38] 84
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[39] 15

Radio and release history

Country Date Format Label
United States[12] August 7, 2012 Rhythmic contemporary radio RCA Records
Germany[40] June 7, 2013 Digital download

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[41] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cooper, Duncan (November 16, 2012). "Miguel: Second Wind". The Fader. New York (83). Archived from the original on November 17, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Adorn – Miguel". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
  3. 1 2 Butta (July 31, 2012). "Miguel Wants To 'Adorn' You With New Music". 'SoulBounce. SoulBounce. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  4. ↑ Larson, Jeremy D. (October 5, 2012). "Album Review: Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 Kellman, Andy. "Kaleidoscope Dream – Miguel". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  6. 1 2 Johnston, Maura (October 1, 2012). "Miguel, 'Kaleidoscope Dream' (Bystorm/RCA)". Spin. New York. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  7. 1 2 McCarthy, Sean (October 19, 2012). "Miguel: Kaleidoscope Dream". PopMatters. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  8. ↑ Tannenbaum, Rob (October 5, 2012). "Kaleidoscope Dream". Rolling Stone. New York. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Video: Miguel – 'Adorn'". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. February 3, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Miguel Talks About Kaleidoscope Dream's Sex-Driven Moments". ABC News Radio. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  11. ↑ White, Caitlin (July 31, 2012). "Miguel 'Adorn' Video: Singer Shares Dreamy, Kaleidoscopic Vision". The Boombox. AOL. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  12. 1 2 "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Inc. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Tuesday Tunes: "Adorn" – Miguel". Kenton Magazine. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  14. 1 2 "Adorn (Remix) [feat. Wiz Khalifa] – Single by Miguel". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  15. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/1531803/miguel-adorns-no-1-on-rbhip-hop-airplay-for-20th-week-weekly
  16. ↑ Paul Grein (July 31, 2013). "Week Ending July 28, 2013. Songs: Radio Hesitates On One Direction". Chart Watch. Yahoo.
  17. ↑ "American single certifications – Miguel – Adorn". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.
  18. ↑ Thompson, Erin (October 11, 2012). "Miguel's "Adorn" Conveys Chivalry, Luxury, and Sex". Seattle Weekly. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  19. ↑ Christgau, Robert (December 28, 2012). "Miguel". MSN Music. Microsoft. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  20. ↑ McManus, Brian (January 16, 2013). "Pazz & Jop: Miguel Is Living The Dream". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  21. ↑ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-songs-of-2012-20121205/miguel-adorn-19691231
  22. ↑ "Singles — All Votes". The Village Voice. Village Voice Media. Retrieved 2013-01-18.
  23. ↑
  24. ↑ "Chartifacts". ARIA Charts. September 16, 2013.
  25. ↑ "[US&titel=Adorn&cat=s Ultratop.be – Miguel [US] – Adorn"] (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  26. ↑ "[US&titel=Adorn&cat=s Ultratop.be – Miguel [US] – Adorn"] (in Dutch). Ultratop Urban.
  27. ↑ "Miguel – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Miguel.
  28. ↑ "[US&titel=Adorn&cat=s Lescharts.com – Miguel [US] – Adorn"] (in French). Les classement single.
  29. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2013-09-07" UK Singles Chart.
  30. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2013-08-24" UK R&B Chart.
  31. ↑ "Miguel – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Miguel.
  32. ↑ "Miguel – Chart history" Billboard Adult R&B Songs for Miguel.
  33. ↑ "Miguel – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Miguel.
  34. ↑ "Miguel – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Miguel.
  35. ↑ "Miguel – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Miguel.
  36. ↑ "Best of 2012 – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  37. ↑ "Best of 2012 – R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-12-17.
  38. ↑ "Best of 2013 – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2013-12-13.
  39. ↑ "Best of 2013 – R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  40. ↑ http://www.beatblogger.de/vo-vorschau/
  41. ↑ "American single certifications – Miguel – Adorn". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

External links

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