Unusual You: Difference between revisions

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{{good article}}

{{short description|2008 song by Britney Spears}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Unusual You

| cover =

| alt =

| type =

| artist = [[Britney Spears]]

| album = [[Circus (Britney Spears album)|Circus]]

| released =

| format =

| recorded = 2008

| studio = [[Conway Recording Studios|Conway Studios]] ([[Los Angeles, California]])

| venue =

| genre = {{hlist|[[Electropop]]|[[Electro (music)|electro]]}}

| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=20}}

| label = [[Jive Records|Jive]]

| writer =

* [[Bloodshy and Avant|Christian Karlsson]]

* [[Bloodshy and Avant|Pontus Winnberg]]

* [[Henrik Jonback]]

* Kasia Livingston

| producer = [[Bloodshy and Avant|Bloodshy & Avant]]

}}

"'''Unusual You'''" is a song by American recording artist [[Britney Spears]] from her sixth studio album, ''[[Circus (Britney Spears album)|Circus]]'' (2008). It was written and produced by [[Christian Karlsson (record producer)|Christian Karlsson]] and [[Pontus Winnberg]] from [[Bloodshy & Avant]], with additional writing by Kasia Livingston and [[Henrik Jonback]]. "Unusual You" is a mid-tempo [[electropop]] and [[Electro (music)|electro]] love song reminiscent of the music of [[Janet Jackson]] and [[Gwen Stefani]], with sung lyrics that address an experienced woman finding unexpected love. "Unusual You" received mostly positive reviews from critics, who commended it for being a departure of the rest of the album. Following the release of ''Circus'', the song charted at number eighty on the U.S. [[Billboard Pop 100|''Billboard'' Pop 100]] due to strong digital sales.

==Background==

"Unusual You" was written and produced by Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg from [[Bloodshy & Avant]], with additional writing by Kasia Livingston and [[Henrik Jonback]]. Main instrumentation was recorded by Bloodshy & Avant at Robotberget in [[Stockholm, Sweden]].<ref name=liner/> Spears recorded her vocals at [[Conway Recording Studios|Conway Studios]] in [[Los Angeles, California]], while audio mixing was done by Anders Hvenare and Bloodshy & Avant at Robotberget. Background vocals were provided by Livingston.<ref name=liner>{{cite AV media notes|title=Circus|others=Britney Spears|year=2008|publisher=[[Jive Records]]|type=Liner notes}}</ref> "Unusual You" appeared on a six-song mix of ''Circus'' that was released on November 13, 2008.<ref name=taste>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1599280/britney-spears-circus-gets-online-preview.jhtml|title=Britney Spears Gives Fans A Taste Of Circus With Online Preview|last=Vena|first=Jocelyn|date=2008-11-18|accessdate=2011-09-24|publisher=[[MTV]]. [[MTV Networks]]|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107210334/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1599280/britney-spears-circus-gets-online-preview.jhtml|archivedate=2012-11-07}}</ref> In August 2009, it was reported by [[NRJ Radio]] that "Unusual You" was going to be released as the fifth single from the album in France and the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrj.fr/music-509/news-music-524/article/231540-britney-spears-et-son-nouveau-single-unusual-you.html|title=Britney Spears et son nouveau single Unusual You|date=2009-08-11|accessdate=2011-09-16|publisher=[[NRJ Radio]]. NRJ Group|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815145356/http://www.nrj.fr/music-509/news-music-524/article/231540-britney-spears-et-son-nouveau-single-unusual-you.html|archivedate=2009-08-15}}</ref>

==Music and lyrics==

{{Listen

|pos = left

|title = "Unusual You" (2009)

|filename = Britney_Spears_-_Unusual_You.ogg

|description = A sample of [[Britney Spears]]'s "Unusual You" features Spears singing over heavy [[electronic music]].

|type = [[Ogg]]

"Unusual You" is a midtempo [[electropop]]<ref name=omh/> and [[Electro (music)|electro]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nied |first1=Mike |title=Lost Hit: Britney Spears' "Unusual You" Should Have Been A Single |url=https://www.idolator.com/7676762/lost-hit-britney-spears-unusual-you?view-all |website=[[Idolator (website)|Idolator]] |accessdate=March 22, 2020 |date=July 3, 2018 |archive-date=October 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029220945/https://www.idolator.com/7676762/lost-hit-britney-spears-unusual-you?view-all |url-status=live }}</ref> song, that has been described by Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the [[Associated Press]] as "[[Synthesizer|synth]]-centric".<ref name=ap/> The song has been noted by John Murphy of [[musicOMH]] to be reminiscent of "[[Gwen Stefani]]'s quieter moments."<ref name=omh/> [[Ann Powers]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' commented that "Unusual You" "goes for that shimmering waterfall mood first popularized by [[Janet Jackson]] rather than strict [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]-style workouts."<ref name=latimes/> According to Chris Richards of ''[[The Washington Post]]'', Spears's vocals in the song are transformed into "a spectral [[wikt: coo|coo]]."<ref name=wp/> Lyrically, "Unusual You" talks about an experienced woman finding unexpected love, with Spears voicing the lines, "Didn't anyone tell you you're supposed to break my heart? / I expect you to / So why haven't you?."<ref name=omh/><ref name=ew/>

==Reception==

"Unusual You" received positive reviews from critics. Ann Powers of the ''Los Angeles Times'' noted that the song stood out on ''Circus'' because it did not paint "Britney as mannequin, sex object, paparazzi victim and leather-clad mistress" like the other tracks on the album.<ref name=latimes>{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2008/11/album-review--1.html|title=Album review: Britney Spears' 'Circus'|last=Powers|first=Ann|date=2008-11-30|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|accessdate=2011-01-30|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100809005902/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2008/11/album-review--1.html|archivedate=2010-08-09}}</ref> Caryn Ganz of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' deemed it as "melodic [and] glowing".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/circus-20081212|title=Britney Spears: Circus|last=Ganz|first=Caryn|date=2008-12-12|work=[[Rolling Stone]]|accessdate=2011-01-11|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216132634/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/circus-20081212|archivedate=2011-02-16}}</ref> Chris Willman of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' named "Unusual You" as a standout track from ''Circus'' and added, "Spears still presents herself as fantasy object, but here might be her own fantasy — of real acceptance. Next time, Britney, flash us more of that."<ref name=ew>{{cite web|url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20242634,00.html|title=Music Review: ''Circus'' (2008), Britney Spears|last=Willman|first=Chris|date=2008-11-29|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|accessdate=2011-11-29|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112223902/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20242634,00.html|archivedate=2012-01-12}}</ref> Chris Richards of ''The Washington Post'' selected it as one of the "gems" of the album, along with "[[Womanizer (song)|Womanizer]]".<ref name=wp>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/music-events/britney-spears,1037893/critic-review.html|title='Circus' Is Pretty Much Cotton Candy|last=Richards|first=Chris|date=2008-12-02|work=[[The Washington Post]]|accessdate=2011-01-29|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111202418/http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/music-events/britney-spears,1037893/critic-review.html|archivedate=2012-11-11}}</ref> John Murphy of musicOMH said that the lyrics make Spears "sound extraordinarily world-weary for a 27 year old" and added that it "gives a pointer to an interesting new direction."<ref name=omh>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicomh.com/albums/britney-spears-3_1108.htm|title=Britney Spears - Circus (RCA)|last=Murphy|first=John|date=2008-12-01|work=[[musicOMH]]|accessdate=2011-01-29|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://archive.is/20120912143326/http://www.musicomh.com/albums/britney-spears-3_1108.htm|archivedate=2012-09-12}}</ref> Jim Farber of the ''[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]'' called the song "perhaps the first truly pretty melody Spears has ever sung."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/11/30/2008-11-30_britney_spears_circus_is_a_3ring_hit_.html|title=Britney Spears 'Circus' is a 3-ring hit|last=Farber|first=Jim|date=2008-11-30|work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|accessdate=2011-01-29|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120071450/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/11/30/2008-11-30_britney_spears_circus_is_a_3ring_hit_.html|archivedate=2010-11-20}}</ref> Brad Wheeler of ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' said "Unusual You" was entertaining, but not as remarkable as other tracks on ''Circus'' and dismissed the song as merely a "[[Strobe light|strobe-lit]], heart-shaped testimonial."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/article725047.ece|title=Join Britney's Circus|last=Wheeler|first=Brad|date=2008-12-01|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|accessdate=2011-01-29}}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Jon Pareles of ''The New York Times'' commented that "Unusual You" and the two other ballads in the album, were ''Circus'''s "only attempts at warmth."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/arts/music/01choi.html|title=Critics' Choice: New CDs|last=Pareles|first=Jon|date=2008-11-30|work=[[The New York Times]]|accessdate=2011-01-29|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009001215/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/arts/music/01choi.html|archivedate=2011-10-09}}</ref>

Cameron Adams of the ''[[Herald Sun]]'' called "Unusual You" "a surprisingly subtle and effective moment" and speculated that it was "surely a future single."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/music/britney-survives-the-circus/story-e6frf9hf-1111118160628|title=First Australian review of Britney Spears album Circus|last=Adams|first=Cameron|date=2008-11-28|work=[[Herald Sun]]|publisher=Herald and Weekly Times|accessdate=2011-01-29|archive-date=2020-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029220946/https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/britney-survives-the-circus/news-story/04c73db42465cae92da6202d4f10747d?nk=f31f28a5a19973d2def93ab237d247d2-1604009386|url-status=live}}</ref> Steve Jones of ''[[USA Today]]'' described "Unusual You" as "saccharin", adding that "she sounds much better in the dance tracks."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2008-11-25-britney-spears-circus_N.htm|title=Britney Spears maximizes her pop appeal in 'Circus'|last=Jones|first=Steve|date=2008-11-26|work=[[USA Today]]|accessdate=2011-01-29|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100808152149/http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2008-11-25-britney-spears-circus_N.htm|archivedate=2010-08-08}}</ref> [[Ben Rayner]] of the ''Toronto Star'' called it the album's one "moment of [[pathos]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/article/546760|title=Britney Spears: Circus|authorlink=Ben Rayner|last=Rayner|first=Ben|date=2008-12-02|work=[[Toronto Star]]|publisher=[[Torstar|Torstar Corporation]]|accessdate=2011-01-29|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407190023/http://www.thestar.com/article/546760|archivedate=2012-04-07}}</ref> [[Jim DeRogatis]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' criticized "Unusual You" as "shamelessly Madonna-aping."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/music/2008/12/britney_spears_circus_jive_2_s.html|title=Britney Spears, "Circus" (Jive)|last=DeRogatis|first=Jim|date=2008-12-01|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|accessdate=2011-01-29|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118004557/http://blogs.suntimes.com/music/2008/12/britney_spears_circus_jive_2_s.html|archivedate=2010-11-18}}</ref> Nekesa Mumbi Moody of the Associated Press commented that Spears's most personal and emotional moments of ''Circus'' are in the slower tracks, most notably in "Unusual You". Moody continued, "Though she didn't write the song, it's hard not to wince in empathy when you think about the string of users who have filtered in and out of her life."<ref name=ap>{{cite news|url=http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/27999567|title='Circus' will get you in the mood to groove: Britney Spears' latest comeback almost as good as first|last=Moody|first=Nekesa Mumbi|date=2008-12-01|publisher=[[msnbc.com]]. [[Associated Press]]|accessdate=2011-01-30|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926001031/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/27999567|archivedate=2012-09-26}}</ref> [[Peter Paphides|Pete Paphides]] of ''[[The Times]]'' said "Unusual You" would "find a home with anyone whose love of melancholy [[Europop]] is fatal enough to take in [[Limahl]]'s '[[The NeverEnding Story (song)|Never Ending Story]].'"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article5246808.ece|title=Britney Spears: The Circus|last=Paphides|first=Pete|date=2008-11-28|work=[[The Times]]|accessdate=2011-01-30|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616124215/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article5246808.ece|archivedate=2011-06-16}}</ref> On December 18, 2008, "Unusual You" managed to peak at number eighty on the US [[Billboard Pop 100|''Billboard'' Pop 100]] due to strong digital sales.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/britney-spears-p320976/charts-awards/billboard-singles|title=Britney Spears USA Chart History|publisher=[[Allmusic]]. [[Rovi Corporation]]|accessdate=2011-01-30|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225042927/http://allmusic.com/artist/britney-spears-p320976/charts-awards/billboard-singles|archivedate=2012-02-25}}</ref>

"Unusual You" is frequently highlighted in Spears' overall discography, with retrospective reviews lamenting its status as an album-only track. The song has been called Spears' "greatest" ballad, bar "[[Everytime]]".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7581361/britney-spears-top-10-deep-cuts-songs-glory-baby-one-more-time|title=Britney Spears' Top 10 Deep Cuts: Her Best Songs That Were Never Singles|last=Weiss|first=Dan|date=January 14, 2017|work=Billboard|access-date=October 7, 2018|archive-date=October 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007230329/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7581361/britney-spears-top-10-deep-cuts-songs-glory-baby-one-more-time|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.idolator.com/7676762/lost-hit-britney-spears-unusual-you|title=Lost Hit: Britney Spears' "Unusual You" Should Have Been a Single|last=Mike|first=Nied|date=July 3, 2018|website=Idolator|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703211815/http://www.idolator.com/7676762/lost-hit-britney-spears-unusual-you|archive-date=July 3, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=October 7, 2018}}</ref> [[Idolator (website)|Idolator]] and [[MTV]], twice, have listed "Unusual You" in pieces covering Britney songs that missed the single treatment, with Gregory Hicks naming it as ''the'' best Britney song not to be widely publicized.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2615751/britney-spears-birthday-10-best-songs/|title=BRITNEY SPEARS' 10 BEST SONGS NEVER RELEASED AS SINGLES|last=Hicks|first=Gregory|date=2015-12-02|accessdate=2015-12-02|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204002259/http://www.mtv.com/news/2615751/britney-spears-birthday-10-best-songs/|archivedate=2015-12-04|url-status=live|publisher=[[MTV]]. [[MTV Networks]]}}</ref> John Mitchell expressed: "[it] features the most compelling lyrics of any Spears song and represents one of the few times she’s addressed the private turmoil that culminated in a brief stay in a psychiatric facility [...]"<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2581145/britney-spears-i-wanna-go-best-non-single/|title=Britney Spears and the Case of Never Releasing Your Album's Best Song as a Single|last=Mitchell|first=John|date=June 20, 2011|work=MTV News|access-date=October 7, 2018|language=en}}</ref> [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'s Dan Weiss called "Unusual You" one of her top ten deep cuts, though he opined that "it’s a little too bombast-free to have been a single, but you’re unlikely to find a better song in her catalog that never received its own promotional push." ''Entertainment Weekly'' placed "Unusual You" at number 52 in their ranking of her overall discography, while it came in at number eleven in [[E! News]]' ranking of her fifteen best songs.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.eonline.com/photos/10765/15-best-britney-spears-songs|title=15. Perfume from 15 Best Britney Spears Songs|last=Boone|first=John|date=December 16, 2013|work=E! Online|access-date=October 7, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=October 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007183651/https://www.eonline.com/photos/10765/15-best-britney-spears-songs|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018, the [[Official Charts Company]] listed the song as her nineteenth biggest non-single in the United Kingdom, based on sales and streaming figures.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/britney-spears-official-top-20-biggest-non-singles-the-fan-favourite-album-tracks-that-deserve-more-love__23505/|title=Britney Spears' Official Top 20 Biggest Non-Singles|last=Copsey|first=Rob|date=August 3, 2018|work=Official Charts|access-date=October 7, 2018|language=en|archive-date=October 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007073531/http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/britney-spears-official-top-20-biggest-non-singles-the-fan-favourite-album-tracks-that-deserve-more-love__23505/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Credits and personnel==

* [[Britney Spears]] – [[lead vocals]] and [[background vocals]]

* [[Bloodshy and Avant|Christian Karlsson]] - songwriting

* [[Bloodshy & Avant]] – songwriting, mixing, programming, keyboards, [[Bass guitar|bass]] and [[guitar]]

* [[Henrik Jonback]] – songwriting and [[guitar]]

* [[Bloodshy and Avant|Pontus Winnberg]] - songwriting

* Kasia Livingston – songwriting and [[background vocals]]

Credits adapted from ''Circus'' liner notes.<ref name=liner/>

==Charts==

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

!scope="col"|Chart (2008)

!scope="col"|Peak<br />position

|-

|US [[Pop 100]]<ref>[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/britney-spears-mn0000628467/awards Britney Spears | Awards | AllMusic] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616010617/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/britney-spears-mn0000628467/awards |date=2013-06-16 }}</ref>

|style="text-align:center;"|80

|}

==References==

{{reflist|2|22 http://www.breatheheavy.com/exhale/index.php?/topic/459711-unusual-you-is-one-of-lady-gagas-favorite-britney-song-ever/ = }}

{{Britney Spears singles}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Unusual You}}

[[Category:2008 songs]]

[[Category:2000s ballads]]

[[Category:Britney Spears songs]]

[[Category:Electropop ballads]]

[[Category:Song recordings produced by Bloodshy & Avant]]

[[Category:Songs written by Christian Karlsson (record producer)]]

[[Category:Songs written by Henrik Jonback]]

[[Category:Songs written by Pontus Winnberg]]