Higher (Taio Cruz song)
Encyclopedia
"Higher" is the fifth single from English
singer-songwriter
Taio Cruz
's second studio album Rokstarr
. It was written and produced by Cruz and Sandy Vee
, and was released on 26 November 2010. This song was originally written for Australia
n singer Kylie Minogue
's album Aphrodite
, but plans fell through. However, Cruz and Minogue recorded a version of the song for the Europe
an release, while American
rapper Travie McCoy
recorded guest raps for the U.S. release. The UK version has parts of McCoy's rap mixed into the Minogue version. The version on Cruz's albums feature a solo vocal by Cruz with no guest vocalist and an edited version of the solo version was added to Radio Disney
's playlist.
performed the song on ITV's Daybreak
on 14 February 2011 and on BBC's Let's Dance for Comic Relief
on 19 February 2011. Also in February 2011, Cruz appeared on T4
with Jade Ewen
, who filled in for Minogue as she was unavailable for the show.
video to date.
at number 77, where after several weeks on the chart reached a peak position of number 25. The single debuted on the RIANZ Singles Chart
on 30 November 2010 at number 32, eventually climbing to a peak of number 5. On the week ending 1 January 2011, the Travie McCoy version of "Higher" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100
at #80, jumping 39 places to #41 the following week. Five weeks later, the single reached a new peak of #24. The single also managed to debut on the UK Singles Chart
at number 60 on 16 January 2011; climbing to number 37 the following week, based entirely on downloads of the album version alone. Following its full physical release, it ascended to its peak position of number 8. In the UK, the US version of the song made Radio 1's B-Playlist while the single version (with Kylie Minogue) has made Radio 2's B-Playlist. The version featuring Kylie Minogue is now set for a full release in the UK during February 2011.
CD Single
Digital EP
Digital Download: The Remixes
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Taio Cruz
Taio Cruz
Taio Cruz is a British singer-songwriter, record producer, occasional rapper, and entrepreneur. In 2008, he released his debut album Departure, which Cruz wrote, arranged and produced himself. It achieved initial success in the UK and earned him a MOBO Award nomination...
's second studio album Rokstarr
Rokstarr
Rokstarr is the second studio album by English recording artist Taio Cruz. It was released on 12 October 2009 in the United Kingdom. On 11 June 2010, a revised version of the album was released in Europe and the United States, appearing as Cruz's debut album there...
. It was written and produced by Cruz and Sandy Vee
Sandy Vee
Sandy Julien Wilhelm, known professionally as Sandy Vee, is a French songwriter, disc jockey and music producer. Originally a disk jockey and producer within the house genre, he began working with pop artists in 2009...
, and was released on 26 November 2010. This song was originally written for Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n singer Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
's album Aphrodite
Aphrodite (album)
Aphrodite is the eleventh studio album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was her first studio album in the three years following her 2007 release X. Aphrodite was released worldwide in July 2010, and was preceded by the release of the lead single, "All the Lovers"...
, but plans fell through. However, Cruz and Minogue recorded a version of the song for the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an release, while American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper Travie McCoy
Travie McCoy
Travie Lazarus McCoy is an American singer and rapper. He is the lead vocalist of the alternative hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes. He released his debut solo album Lazarus on June 8, 2010....
recorded guest raps for the U.S. release. The UK version has parts of McCoy's rap mixed into the Minogue version. The version on Cruz's albums feature a solo vocal by Cruz with no guest vocalist and an edited version of the solo version was added to Radio Disney
Radio Disney
Radio Disney is a radio network based in Burbank, California and headquartered out of the Disney Channel headquarters on West Alameda Ave., from where it has been based since November 2008. Prior to that, the network was based in Dallas, Texas...
's playlist.
Live performances
On 30 October 2010, Cruz and Minogue appeared on Starfloor and performed the song as a new single. Cruz and McCoy performed the song on Z100's Jingle Ball 2010 on 16 December 2010. Cruz and Kimberly WyattKimberly Wyatt
Kimberly Kaye Wyatt is an American showgirl, singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress and choreographer. She is best known as a former member of the American pop/R&B girl group and dance ensemble, the Pussycat Dolls. She joined the Pussycat Dolls in 2003...
performed the song on ITV's Daybreak
Daybreak (ITV)
Daybreak is the weekday breakfast television programme on the British commercial ITV network that broadcasts on weekday mornings from 06:00 to 08:30 and is currently presented by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley from Monday to Thursday with Dan Lobb and Kate Garraway on Fridays...
on 14 February 2011 and on BBC's Let's Dance for Comic Relief
Let's Dance for Comic Relief
Let's Dance for Comic Relief is a British television programme shown on BBC One, featuring celebrities performing famous dance routines to raise money for the charity Comic Relief. The programme is currently presented by Steve Jones and Alex Jones, who replaced previous host Claudia Winkleman in...
on 19 February 2011. Also in February 2011, Cruz appeared on T4
T4
- In airports and airlines :* The IATA airline code for Hellas Jet* Madrid Barajas Airport Terminal 4* London Heathrow Airport Terminal 4- In biology and medicine :* T4 phage, a bacteriophage* Thyroxine , a form of thyroid hormones* The T4 spinal nerve...
with Jade Ewen
Jade Ewen
Jade Almarie Louise Ewen is an English singer, songwriter, actress and member of the Sugababes. Ewen began her singing career in a girl group named Trinity Stone signed to Sony BMG in 2005, but they disbanded in 2007 with no album released...
, who filled in for Minogue as she was unavailable for the show.
Music video
The European video, featuring Cruz and Minogue, was directed by Alex Herron and released 19 November 2010. The U.S. version, featuring McCoy, was released the same day. Both versions feature Cruz and either Minogue or McCoy in an underground warehouse with a live band. With over 28 million views, the video featuring Minogue is her most watched YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video to date.
Chart performance
"Higher" first debuted on the ARIA Singles ChartARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
at number 77, where after several weeks on the chart reached a peak position of number 25. The single debuted on the RIANZ Singles Chart
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
on 30 November 2010 at number 32, eventually climbing to a peak of number 5. On the week ending 1 January 2011, the Travie McCoy version of "Higher" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at #80, jumping 39 places to #41 the following week. Five weeks later, the single reached a new peak of #24. The single also managed to debut on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number 60 on 16 January 2011; climbing to number 37 the following week, based entirely on downloads of the album version alone. Following its full physical release, it ascended to its peak position of number 8. In the UK, the US version of the song made Radio 1's B-Playlist while the single version (with Kylie Minogue) has made Radio 2's B-Playlist. The version featuring Kylie Minogue is now set for a full release in the UK during February 2011.
Track listing
Digital Download- "Higher" (feat. Kylie MinogueKylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
) – 3:09 - "Higher" (feat. Travie McCoyTravie McCoyTravie Lazarus McCoy is an American singer and rapper. He is the lead vocalist of the alternative hip-hop band Gym Class Heroes. He released his debut solo album Lazarus on June 8, 2010....
) - 3:40
CD Single
- "Higher" (feat. Kylie Minogue) - 3:09
- "Little Lion Man" (BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Live Version) - 2:48
Digital EP
- "Higher" (feat. Kylie Minogue and Travie McCoy) - 3:22
- "Higher" (feat. Travie McCoy) - 3:39
- "Higher" (DJ Wonder Remix) - 3:55
- "Higher" (7th Heaven Club Mix) - 6:31
- "Higher" (Club Junkies Remix) - 5:42
Digital Download: The Remixes
- "Higher" (Jody Den Broeder Radio Mix) – 3:30
- "Higher" (WideboysWideboysThe Wideboys are UK house, Bassline and UK garage Record producers and remixers.The Wideboys are managed by Matt Waterhouse from MWR/Hyperactive. In 2008, they signed to Sony ATV Music Publishing. Prior to this, The Wideboys had been signed in various deals with the likes of Warner, Univeral and...
Radio Mix) – 3:39 - "Higher" (Ultimate High Radio Mix) – 3:42
- "Higher" (Jody Den Broeder Club Mix) – 6:18
- "Higher" (Wideboys Club Mix) – 6:11
- "Higher" (Ultimate High Club Mix) – 6:32
- "Higher" (Jody Den Broeder Dub) – 6:03
- "Higher" (Wideboys Dub) – 6:11
- "Higher" (Ultimate High Dub) – 6:18
Charts
| Charts (2010–2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Airplay Chart | 8 |
| Poland (ZPAV Polish Music Charts The Polish Music Charts are two official album charts and seven singles charts in Poland, provided by ZPAV, the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . The first, the Top 100, is a monthly chart based on data received from the album companies... ) |
2 |
| Poland (Dance Top 50 Polish Music Charts The Polish Music Charts are two official album charts and seven singles charts in Poland, provided by ZPAV, the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . The first, the Top 100, is a monthly chart based on data received from the album companies... ) |
31 |
| Romania (Romanian Top 100 Romanian Top 100 The Romanian Top 100 is the national airplay-based singles chart of Romania. It is weekly and it started running in 1996. It is recognized as an official chart by the European division of Billboard, Music & Media.... ) |
49 |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Gold |
| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
Platinum |
| New Zealand | RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Gold |
| Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
Gold |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 26 November 2010 | Digital download | Featuring Kylie Minogue |
| Australia | |||
| Finland | |||
| Belgium | |||
| Canada | 7 December 2010 | ||
| Austria | 10 December 2010 | ||
| Australia | |||
| Italy | |||
| Finland | |||
| Denmark | |||
| Belgium | |||
| Germany | 13 December 2010 | ||
| Brazil | Digital download | Featuring Kylie Minogue or Travie McCoy | |
| Australia | 17 December 2010 | Featuring Travie McCoy | |
| United States | 20 December 2010 | ||
| Canada | |||
| United Kingdom | 28 December 2010 | Digital download | Featuring Kylie Minogue |
| France | 31 January 2011 | CD single | |
| United States | 1 February 2011 | Digital download – The Remixes | Featuring Kylie Minogue and/or Travie McCoy |
| United Kingdom | 7 February 2011 | CD single | Featuring Kylie Minogue and Travie McCoy |
| Belgium | 2011 | CD single/download | Featuring K3 |
| The Netherlands |