Mistletoe (Justin Bieber song)
Encyclopedia
"Mistletoe" is the first single by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber
from his second studio album, Under the Mistletoe
(2011). The track was written and produced by the duo Nasri
and Adam Messinger
(aka The Messengers
). It was released on 17 October, 2011. It sold 164,000 the first week putting it at number 5 on digital.
, Bieber said, "I'm really excited. [The song is] really catchy. I know all my fans are going to love it. It's something that I feel like they're going to be singing every Christmas." Bieber first premiered the song live on the My World Tour
on October 6, 2011 at Olympic Stadium
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
. During the performance, Bieber confirmed that the song would be released on iTunes
worldwide on October 17, 2011.
song that is sonically derived from the pop
and R&B
genres, while making use of reggae elements. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
, "Mistletoe" is set in common time with a "bounce" tempo of 80 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of A minor with Bieber's vocal range spanning from the low-note of E3 to the high-note of E6. According to many reviewers, the song's production and Bieber's delivery bears much similarity to Jason Mraz
's "I'm Yours." Bill Lamb of About.com
went as far as to call the song "'I'm Yours' goes Christmas." A Rolling Stone
writer commented that "The song basically sounds like a laid-back Jack Johnson
number with a bit of overdubbed sleigh bells."
The song presents the maturation of Bieber's voice, with RJ Cubarrubia of Billboard writing that he sounded "smooth and intimate." Lamb said "This track marks a distinct move toward a more adult sound on the part of 17 year old Justin Bieber." The song, which includes subtle "Christmas flourishes" in the background arrangement, opens up with jingle bells before an instrumental of guitar
and bongos come in.
first complimented the song, saying that "the stripped-down sound allows the young superstar to showcase how much he and his voice have grown," and that the chorus sounds "warm and fuzzy." However he said "Bieber's breezy crooning and flat lyrics make 'Mistletoe' come off like an uninspiring, Jason Mraz-esque holiday track." Cubarrubia commended Bieber for attempting to inject his charisma in such a track, but said "he's still far from the classic Christmas pop of Mariah Carey
's "All I Want for Christmas Is You"." Although he said the song may feel a bit calculated, Bill Lamb of About.com
complimented the song's "acoustic Jason Mraz
vibe, the subtle seasonal touches, and adult sound. Lamb predicted the song to be a likely seasonal hit for Bieber and commented, "The subtle wintry holiday chimes in the backing track make it obvious this is a seasonal release, but it will not be jarring when included on a standard pop playlist." Jarett Wieselman of The Insider.com
said the song "is pretty damn good" and went on to say "it's gonna be the biggest song of 2011." Wieselman said "You can't deny the appeal of America's tween dream du jour dropping a track where he asks the listeners to 'kiss me underneath the mistletoe.' Well played young man, well played."
. The video marked the second time Bieber had worked with White on a music video, the first being "One Less Lonely Girl
" (2009). It was also shot in Franklin, Tennessee
, where the previous video was filmed. On recruiting White to shoot the video, Bieber explained, "[Roman] can tell a story really well, so we wanted to use him," Bieber explained. "He shot the 'One Less Lonely Girl' video, and I thought he did a great job; he shot the 'You Belong With Me
' video with Taylor Swift
, and he had a lot of great experience and a lot of great work." A teaser of the video was released on October 11, 2011. The video itself premiered on October 18, 2011 at 7:54 PM, followed by a 30-minute interview with Bieber about the video, the album, and his holiday plans.
A Rolling Stone
reviewer said "the clip is cheesy holiday joy, with the singer courting a cute chick in some idyllic small town decked out with tasteful white lights and a very light dusting of snow."
and on November 10, 2011 in Germany at the Bambi (prize)
and on X Factor (Germany)
. He is to perform the song on the semi-final on The X Factor (UK)
.
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...
from his second studio album, Under the Mistletoe
Under the Mistletoe
Note: denotes a co-producer-Charts:-Sales and certifications:...
(2011). The track was written and produced by the duo Nasri
Nasri (singer/songwriter)
Nasri Tony Atweh known by his mononym Nasri is a Canadian-born recording artist, songwriter, and producer now based in Los Angeles, California...
and Adam Messinger
Adam Messinger
Adam "Messy" Messinger is a Canadian songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist currently based in Los Angeles, California. Besides his solo work, he is part of the writing and production duo "The Messengers" along with Nasri Atweh.-Career:...
(aka The Messengers
The Messengers (producers)
The Messengers is a Grammy nominated Canadian songwriting and production team currently based in Los Angeles, California. The duo consists of singer/lyricist Nasri and multi-instrumentalist/arranger Adam Messinger....
). It was released on 17 October, 2011. It sold 164,000 the first week putting it at number 5 on digital.
Background
In an interview with MTV NewsMTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
, Bieber said, "I'm really excited. [The song is] really catchy. I know all my fans are going to love it. It's something that I feel like they're going to be singing every Christmas." Bieber first premiered the song live on the My World Tour
My World Tour
The My World Tour is the debut concert tour by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber. It is Bieber's first concert tour which supports his two-part debut album My World and My World 2.0. The tour was officially announced on March 16, 2010, a week before My World 2.0 was released...
on October 6, 2011 at Olympic Stadium
Estádio Olímpico João Havelange
-Women's tournament:Group A----Group B----Group A----Group B----Group A----Group B----Group B----Group A-External links:*...
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. During the performance, Bieber confirmed that the song would be released on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
worldwide on October 17, 2011.
Composition
"Mistletoe" is a ChristmasChristmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
song that is sonically derived from the pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
genres, while making use of reggae elements. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Music Publishing is a music publishing company co-owned by The Michael Jackson Family Trust and Sony. The organisation was originally founded as Associated TeleVision in 1955 by Lew Grade. In 1957, ATV acquired Pye Records as a wholly owned subsidiary...
, "Mistletoe" is set in common time with a "bounce" tempo of 80 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of A minor with Bieber's vocal range spanning from the low-note of E3 to the high-note of E6. According to many reviewers, the song's production and Bieber's delivery bears much similarity to Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
's "I'm Yours." Bill Lamb of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
went as far as to call the song "'I'm Yours' goes Christmas." A Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
writer commented that "The song basically sounds like a laid-back Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson may refer to :*Jack Johnson , one of Wyatt Earp's possemen during his "vendetta ride"*Jack Johnson , first African-American heavyweight boxing world champion...
number with a bit of overdubbed sleigh bells."
The song presents the maturation of Bieber's voice, with RJ Cubarrubia of Billboard writing that he sounded "smooth and intimate." Lamb said "This track marks a distinct move toward a more adult sound on the part of 17 year old Justin Bieber." The song, which includes subtle "Christmas flourishes" in the background arrangement, opens up with jingle bells before an instrumental of guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and bongos come in.
Critical reception
RJ Cubarrubia of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
first complimented the song, saying that "the stripped-down sound allows the young superstar to showcase how much he and his voice have grown," and that the chorus sounds "warm and fuzzy." However he said "Bieber's breezy crooning and flat lyrics make 'Mistletoe' come off like an uninspiring, Jason Mraz-esque holiday track." Cubarrubia commended Bieber for attempting to inject his charisma in such a track, but said "he's still far from the classic Christmas pop of Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
's "All I Want for Christmas Is You"." Although he said the song may feel a bit calculated, Bill Lamb of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
complimented the song's "acoustic Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
vibe, the subtle seasonal touches, and adult sound. Lamb predicted the song to be a likely seasonal hit for Bieber and commented, "The subtle wintry holiday chimes in the backing track make it obvious this is a seasonal release, but it will not be jarring when included on a standard pop playlist." Jarett Wieselman of The Insider.com
The Insider (TV series)
The Insider is an American tabloid television news program covering events and celebrities. It debuted on September 13, 2004 as a spinoff of Entertainment Tonight and started as a popular segment that took viewers "behind closed doors" and gave them "inside" information...
said the song "is pretty damn good" and went on to say "it's gonna be the biggest song of 2011." Wieselman said "You can't deny the appeal of America's tween dream du jour dropping a track where he asks the listeners to 'kiss me underneath the mistletoe.' Well played young man, well played."
Music video
The music video for "Mistletoe" was directed by Roman WhiteRoman White
Roman White is a music video director who has directed most of Carrie Underwood's videos. He has also directed music videos for Kelly Clarkson, Josh Groban, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and more...
. The video marked the second time Bieber had worked with White on a music video, the first being "One Less Lonely Girl
One Less Lonely Girl
"One Less Lonely Girl" is a song by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber. The song was written and produced by Bieber's mentor, Usher, as well as Ezekiel Lewis, Balewa Muhammad of The Clutch, and A-Rex duo Sean Hamilton and Hyuk Shin...
" (2009). It was also shot in Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
, where the previous video was filmed. On recruiting White to shoot the video, Bieber explained, "[Roman] can tell a story really well, so we wanted to use him," Bieber explained. "He shot the 'One Less Lonely Girl' video, and I thought he did a great job; he shot the 'You Belong With Me
You Belong with Me
"You Belong with Me" is a country pop song performed by American recording artist Taylor Swift. The song was co-written by Swift and Liz Rose and produced by Nathan Chapman with Swift's aid. It was released on April 21, 2009, by Big Machine Records as the third single from Swift's second studio...
' video with Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
, and he had a lot of great experience and a lot of great work." A teaser of the video was released on October 11, 2011. The video itself premiered on October 18, 2011 at 7:54 PM, followed by a 30-minute interview with Bieber about the video, the album, and his holiday plans.
A Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
reviewer said "the clip is cheesy holiday joy, with the singer courting a cute chick in some idyllic small town decked out with tasteful white lights and a very light dusting of snow."
Live performances
"Mistletoe" was performed for the first time on October 5, 2011, during a concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.It was also performed in MTV Europe music awards. During the performance, Bieber confirmed the release date of the song as October 17, 2011. Bieber also performed this on November 20, 2011 at the American Music Awards of 2011American Music Awards of 2011
The 39th American Music Awards was held on November 20, 2011 , at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles . The awards recognized the most popular artists and albums from the year 2011. Nominees were announced on October 11, 2011. The awards ceremony was host-free...
and on November 10, 2011 in Germany at the Bambi (prize)
Bambi (prize)
The Bambi - Deutschlands Wichtigster Medienpreis, often simply called Bambi Awards and stylized as BAMBI, are presented annually by Hubert Burda Media to recognize excellence in international media and television "with vision and creativity who affected and inspired the German public that year",...
and on X Factor (Germany)
X Factor (Germany)
X Factor is the German version of The X Factor, a show originating from the United Kingdom. It is a television music talent show contested by aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions....
. He is to perform the song on the semi-final on The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
.
Chart performance
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... ) |
9 |