Skin (Rihanna song)
Encyclopedia
"Skin" is a song by Barbadian
recording artist Rihanna
from her fifth studio album
, Loud
(2010). The song was written by Kenneth Coby and Ursula Yancy, whilst production of the song was completed by Soundz
. Musically, the song draws influence from rock
and R&B
genres, whilst lyrically, the song is about being in a relationship with someone and only wanting to feel their skin close to the protagonists. "Skin" received generally positive reviews from critics, as part of their overall review of Loud, praising the song's compositions as well as Rihanna's sensual vocal performance. The song was included on the set list
of the Loud Tour
, where Rihanna retrieves a man from the audience near the end of the song, and performs a lap-dance whilst on an elevated platorm. The song was also used in Rihanna's advertisement campaign for Armani Jeans
.
and filming during her debut feature film Battleship
(2012). The song was written by Kenneth Coby and Ursula Yancy, with production of the song completed by Hip hop
and R&B
producer, Soundz
. The song was recorded at Studio at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada
. According to the digital music sheet published at musicnotes.com, the song is written in the key of G minor
and is set in common time
with a moderate groove
of 62 beats per minute. The song is instrumentally complete with bass instruments, synthesizers and and an electric guitar. "Skin" contains elements of pop
, dance-pop
as well as dubstep
. As commented by Robbie Daw of Idolator
, the song's "real" hook is "the fuzzy electric guitar" that begins sawing through the melody about three minutes in, and continues building until it reaches "a, er, climactic[sic] solo at the very end." Rihanna's vocal range in the song spans from the low note of G
3 to the high note of B♭4. As noted by Emily Mackay of NME
, her vocals sound "restrained" and "controlled". Throughout the song, Rihanna sounds "suspenseful" and "sultry" as she sings the lyrics "I got secrets that I wanna show you". Thomas Conner of Chicago Sun-Times
wrote that the singer "teases her man" and "lets him at her" as she sings the line "You've waited long enough" before instructing "Don't hold back/you know I like it rough".
s "No Ordinary Love
" for the song's sensual content, but noted that Adu's song is not as lyrically graphic as "Skin". Jon Pareles of The New York Times
commented that Rihanna's sensuality in the song is evoked though her use of sexually suggestive moaning and heavy breathing, adding to the "slow, torrid buildup". Colin Gentry of 4Music
noted that Rihanna appears to be transitioning from singing songs about partying and dancing in clubs to singing about her sexual fantasies and desires, writing "Rihanna swaggers through the album as a woman on the prowl, taking her conquests from the clubs to the bedroom. Demanding to know 'why are you standing over there with your clothes on?' on sultry track Skin, the Barbadian clearly means business." Ryan Dombell of Pitchfork Media
concurred with Stern with regard to "Skin" being the singer's most mature song to date, writing "Skin' is her sexiest song yet, a haunted, near-dubstep stunner that wouldn't sound totally out of place on Massive Attack
's Mezzanine
."
Ryan Burleson of Consequence of Sound
commented that Rihanna's combines different emotions in the song to increase the level of provocativeness, writing "For its part, the Soundz-produced 'Skin' combines these emotions into a five-minute space-hop excursion into the boudoir, driving deep into the id with an austere, though undeniably potent amount of minor chords and bass." Andy Kellman of Allmusic chose "Skin" as one of the highlights on Loud, writing, "One song that sounds nothing like anything else in Rihanna’s past is 'Skin,' a contender for anti-gravity slow jam of 2010 – a match for Trey Songz
's 'Red Lipstick' and Usher
's 'Mars vs Venus. USA Today
s Steve Jones also put the song in his list of tracks from Loud to consider downloading. Jerry Shriver of the same publication found "down-and-dirty-ness" in the chorus of the song. James Skinner of BBC Online said that the line "I like it rough" was a little "uncomfortable in the light of her personal history". Thomas Conner of Chicago Sun-Times
commented on Rihanna's sex appeal in the song, writing "the art of her seduction is oh-so slow and merciless".
and Emporio Armani Underwear. The advert, which launched the brand's Fall 2011 line, was directed by Johan Renck
and photographed by Steven Klein
. In the advert, "Rihanna wears a short blonde wig and enters a vintage car with a bag of clothing, changing in the car and visible in her underwear while a bodyguard keeps watch. She then leaves the car wearing a dark leather jacket and Armani jeans and takes an elevator out of the underground parking lot to meet her partner-in-crime or love interest". Giorgio Armani
said that Rihanna was a "pleasure to work with" and said that she "perfectly embodies" the spirit of his company. The advert, which was filmed in New York
and shot in monochrome
, was also used to launch Armanis e-commerce site.
The advertisement received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, with The Huffington Post
claiming that it was "sizzling". The magazine Stylist
called the advert "saucy" and praised the fact that it "combines traces of metropolitan storytelling, cops ‘n robbers movies with an ode to film noir, but with a lighter and ironic touch". Claiming that Rihanna is "at her steamy-best" in the "sultry" piece, the Hindustan Times
said that the piece "is a must-watch, not just for it's steam factor but for its visual and aesthetic sense too". Grazia
also gave a positive review by saying that the advert was, among other things, "saucy" and "exciting".
. Before performing "Skin", Rihanna appeared on stage with a set similar to that of her performance of "S&M
" remix with Britney Spears
at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards, wearing a black tuxedo and pink tie to perform a cover of Prince
s "Darling Nikki
", before transitioning into "S&M". Whilst transitioning into "S&M", Rihanna removed her tuxedo to reveal a white PVC
body suit. After performing "S&M", Rihanna performed "Skin" laying on raised platform, which at the end of the performance, the singer says "this is the part of the show when we like to have a little fun – who wants to come up here and get freaky with me?" and takes a man out of the audience and pins them down on the platform, where she provocatively and sexually gyrates and grinds
the man, as they are lowered under the stage as the song's instrumental ends and the lights go out. Rihanna has caused controversy by occasionally opting to perform the act with a woman instead.
The sexually suggestive performances of "Skin" have been met with mixed reactions from critics. The Daily Mail
was critical of the routine; they branded it "lewd", compared the routine with Rihanna's previous sexual performances and voiced the belief that the singer had "outdone herself" with the "raunchy and overtly sexualised" routine. A few months later, the paper claimed that Rihanna had "pushed the boundaries" by lap dancing an older man at her show in Barbados
and a review for the Evening Herald
voiced similar sentiments, arguing that Rihanna's "good girl gone bad image is getting tired". The Daily Record
praised Rihanna's Glasgow
performance but argued that the lap dance at the end of the "Skin" routine was "a move that had parents covering their children's eyes". Bernard Perusse of The Gazette
, however, criticized parents who attended with children knowing that the singer is known for performing sexually suggestive dance routines. He also stated that "Rihanna [walks] that always confusing line between sexual empowerment and objectification, gave the crowd an eyeful" and suggested that the "main concept seemed to be bumping, grinding, groping, straddling, black underwear and self-touching". Catriona Stewart Lotte Jeffs, editor of ES Magazine
was one of the audience members who received a lap dance from Rihanna and reacted positively, saying "[i]t was a night I will never forget".
Credits and personnel adapted from the liner notes of Loud.
Barbadian people
Barbadians are people originating on the Caribbean island of Barbados whether they live there or in the Barbadian diaspora.Rihanna is by far the most popular Barbadian on the planet.-Diaspora:...
recording artist Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
from her fifth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Loud
Loud (Rihanna album)
Loud is the fifth studio album by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, first released on November 12, 2010 by Def Jam Recordings. The album was recorded between February and August 2010, predominantly during Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour and filming for her first feature film Battleship...
(2010). The song was written by Kenneth Coby and Ursula Yancy, whilst production of the song was completed by Soundz
Soundz
Soundz is a producer specialising in Hip-Hop and R&B genres. Soundz has produced many songs of these genres, including "Look at Her" by One Chance, and has produced a lot of content for artists Pitbull, Trina, Young Boss, Ciara, Brandy and Rihanna....
. Musically, the song draws influence from rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
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, whilst lyrically, the song is about being in a relationship with someone and only wanting to feel their skin close to the protagonists. "Skin" received generally positive reviews from critics, as part of their overall review of Loud, praising the song's compositions as well as Rihanna's sensual vocal performance. The song was included on the set list
Set list
A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...
of the Loud Tour
Loud Tour
The Loud Tour is the fourth concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. Performing in over twenty countries in the Americas and Europe, the tour supports Rihanna’s fifth studio album, Loud...
, where Rihanna retrieves a man from the audience near the end of the song, and performs a lap-dance whilst on an elevated platorm. The song was also used in Rihanna's advertisement campaign for Armani Jeans
Armani Jeans
Armani Jeans may refer to:*Armani#Armani_Jeans*Olimpia Milano, an Italian basketball club currently named Armani Jeans Milano...
.
Background and composition
Recording sessions for Loud began in February 2010, and continued for six months, overlapping with her Last Girl on Earth TourLast Girl on Earth Tour
The Last Girl on Earth Tour was the third concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. Visiting Europe, Asia, North America and Australia, the tour supported her fourth studio album, Rated R . The tour was announced through MTV News in December 2009...
and filming during her debut feature film Battleship
Battleship (film)
Battleship is an upcoming 2012 science fiction naval war film based on the game of the same name. The film is being directed by Peter Berg and will be released by Universal Pictures...
(2012). The song was written by Kenneth Coby and Ursula Yancy, with production of the song completed by Hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
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...
producer, Soundz
Soundz
Soundz is a producer specialising in Hip-Hop and R&B genres. Soundz has produced many songs of these genres, including "Look at Her" by One Chance, and has produced a lot of content for artists Pitbull, Trina, Young Boss, Ciara, Brandy and Rihanna....
. The song was recorded at Studio at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. According to the digital music sheet published at musicnotes.com, the song is written in the key of G minor
G minor
G minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. For the harmonic minor scale, the F is raised to F. Its relative major is B-flat major, and its parallel major is G major....
and is set in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
with a moderate groove
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 62 beats per minute. The song is instrumentally complete with bass instruments, synthesizers and and an electric guitar. "Skin" contains elements of 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...
, dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
as well as dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
. As commented by Robbie Daw of Idolator
Idolator (website)
Idolator is a music blog. Created by the blog network Gawker Media in August 2006, Idolator was later sold to rival blog network Buzz Media, which also owns music blog Stereogum. From the 2007 departure of original head writer Brian Raftery until November 2009, the blog's head writer was Maura...
, the song's "real" hook is "the fuzzy electric guitar" that begins sawing through the melody about three minutes in, and continues building until it reaches "a, er, climactic[sic] solo at the very end." Rihanna's vocal range in the song spans from the low note of G
G minor
G minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. For the harmonic minor scale, the F is raised to F. Its relative major is B-flat major, and its parallel major is G major....
3 to the high note of B♭4. As noted by Emily Mackay of NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, her vocals sound "restrained" and "controlled". Throughout the song, Rihanna sounds "suspenseful" and "sultry" as she sings the lyrics "I got secrets that I wanna show you". Thomas Conner of Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
wrote that the singer "teases her man" and "lets him at her" as she sings the line "You've waited long enough" before instructing "Don't hold back/you know I like it rough".
Critical reception
Of the multiple music critics who commented on the song, the majority praised the its musical structure as well as Rihanna's vocal performance. Apart from writing about the song's composition, Daw called the ballad "smoldering" and compared the last minute of the song to Sade AduSade Adu
Helen Folasade Adu OBE , is a British singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer. She first achieved success in the 1980s as the frontwoman and lead vocalist of the Brit and Grammy Award winning English group Sade.-Biography:Sade was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria...
s "No Ordinary Love
No Ordinary Love
"No Ordinary Love" is the lead single from the English artist Sade's fourth studio album, Love Deluxe . Released in 1992 on Epic Records, it peaked at number 26 in the UK when originally released in October 1992, but reached number 14 when re-released in June 1993.-Awards:The song won a Grammy...
" for the song's sensual content, but noted that Adu's song is not as lyrically graphic as "Skin". Jon Pareles of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
commented that Rihanna's sensuality in the song is evoked though her use of sexually suggestive moaning and heavy breathing, adding to the "slow, torrid buildup". Colin Gentry of 4Music
4Music
4Music is a music and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and available on some digital television providers in the Republic of Ireland - its web component can be found at with its own and pages. It is the only channel within the Box Television Network to be branded under Channel 4 and...
noted that Rihanna appears to be transitioning from singing songs about partying and dancing in clubs to singing about her sexual fantasies and desires, writing "Rihanna swaggers through the album as a woman on the prowl, taking her conquests from the clubs to the bedroom. Demanding to know 'why are you standing over there with your clothes on?' on sultry track Skin, the Barbadian clearly means business." Ryan Dombell of Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
concurred with Stern with regard to "Skin" being the singer's most mature song to date, writing "Skin' is her sexiest song yet, a haunted, near-dubstep stunner that wouldn't sound totally out of place on Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
's Mezzanine
Mezzanine (album)
Mezzanine is the third studio album by English trip hop group Massive Attack, released on 20 April 1998. It was produced by Neil Davidge along with the group. The album was released on Virgin Records....
."
Ryan Burleson of Consequence of Sound
Consequence of Sound
Consequence of Sound, also known often as CoS, is a Chicago-based music website featuring news, album and concert reviews, and editorials. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook micro-site, which serves as an on-line database for music festival news and rumors...
commented that Rihanna's combines different emotions in the song to increase the level of provocativeness, writing "For its part, the Soundz-produced 'Skin' combines these emotions into a five-minute space-hop excursion into the boudoir, driving deep into the id with an austere, though undeniably potent amount of minor chords and bass." Andy Kellman of Allmusic chose "Skin" as one of the highlights on Loud, writing, "One song that sounds nothing like anything else in Rihanna’s past is 'Skin,' a contender for anti-gravity slow jam of 2010 – a match for Trey Songz
Trey Songz
Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...
's 'Red Lipstick' and Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
's 'Mars vs Venus. USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
s Steve Jones also put the song in his list of tracks from Loud to consider downloading. Jerry Shriver of the same publication found "down-and-dirty-ness" in the chorus of the song. James Skinner of BBC Online said that the line "I like it rough" was a little "uncomfortable in the light of her personal history". Thomas Conner of Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
commented on Rihanna's sex appeal in the song, writing "the art of her seduction is oh-so slow and merciless".
Armani Jeans campaign
The song was also used in Rihanna's advertisement campaign for Armani JeansArmani Jeans
Armani Jeans may refer to:*Armani#Armani_Jeans*Olimpia Milano, an Italian basketball club currently named Armani Jeans Milano...
and Emporio Armani Underwear. The advert, which launched the brand's Fall 2011 line, was directed by Johan Renck
Johan Renck
Bo Johan Renck is a Swedish director of music videos, TV and film. He is an occasional recording artist using the moniker Stakka Bo.-Music videos:...
and photographed by Steven Klein
Steven Klein
Steven Klein is an American photographer based in New York.-History:After studying painting at the Rhode Island School of Design, he moved into the field of photography...
. In the advert, "Rihanna wears a short blonde wig and enters a vintage car with a bag of clothing, changing in the car and visible in her underwear while a bodyguard keeps watch. She then leaves the car wearing a dark leather jacket and Armani jeans and takes an elevator out of the underground parking lot to meet her partner-in-crime or love interest". Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani is an Italian fashion designer, particularly noted for his menswear. He is known today for his clean, tailored lines. He formed his company, Armani, in 1975, and by 2001 was acclaimed as the most successful designer to come out of Italy, with an annual turnover of $1.6 billion and a...
said that Rihanna was a "pleasure to work with" and said that she "perfectly embodies" the spirit of his company. The advert, which was filmed in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and shot in monochrome
Monochrome
Monochrome describes paintings, drawings, design, or photographs in one color or shades of one color. A monochromatic object or image has colors in shades of limited colors or hues. Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale or black-and-white...
, was also used to launch Armanis e-commerce site.
The advertisement received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, with The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
claiming that it was "sizzling". The magazine Stylist
Stylist (magazine)
Stylist is the title of a free weekly magazine for women that is published in the United Kingdom which launched on 7 October 2009.Mike Soutar, former editor-in-chief of FHM and editorial director at IPC, is CEO. Phil Hilton is Editorial Director, Lisa Smosarski is Editor and Glenda Marchant is...
called the advert "saucy" and praised the fact that it "combines traces of metropolitan storytelling, cops ‘n robbers movies with an ode to film noir, but with a lighter and ironic touch". Claiming that Rihanna is "at her steamy-best" in the "sultry" piece, the Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
said that the piece "is a must-watch, not just for it's steam factor but for its visual and aesthetic sense too". Grazia
Grazia
Grazia is an Italian weekly women's fashion and celebrity gossip magazine, with international editions printed in France, Serbia, Australia, United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal, Japan, the Netherlands, India, Bulgaria and Germany....
also gave a positive review by saying that the advert was, among other things, "saucy" and "exciting".
Live performances
Though the song has never been performed live as part of a televised performance, the song is featured on the set list of the Loud TourLoud Tour
The Loud Tour is the fourth concert tour by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. Performing in over twenty countries in the Americas and Europe, the tour supports Rihanna’s fifth studio album, Loud...
. Before performing "Skin", Rihanna appeared on stage with a set similar to that of her performance of "S&M
S&M (song)
"S&M" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fifth studio album, Loud . The song was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Corey Jackson Carter, Sandy Wilhelm and Ester Dean, with production helmed by Eriksen and Hermansen of Stargate and Sandy Wilhelm under her...
" remix with Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards, wearing a black tuxedo and pink tie to perform a cover of Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
s "Darling Nikki
Darling Nikki
"Darling Nikki" is a song produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince and originally released on his Grammy Award-winning 1984 album, Purple Rain. Though the song was not released as a single, it gained wide notoriety for its sexual lyrics...
", before transitioning into "S&M". Whilst transitioning into "S&M", Rihanna removed her tuxedo to reveal a white PVC
Latex and PVC fetishism
Latex fetishism is the fetishistic attraction to people wearing latex clothing or, in certain cases, to the garments themselves. PVC fetishism and rubber fetishism are closely related to latex fetish, with the former referring to shiny clothes made of the synthetic plastic polyvinyl chloride and...
body suit. After performing "S&M", Rihanna performed "Skin" laying on raised platform, which at the end of the performance, the singer says "this is the part of the show when we like to have a little fun – who wants to come up here and get freaky with me?" and takes a man out of the audience and pins them down on the platform, where she provocatively and sexually gyrates and grinds
Grinding (dance)
Perreo is a Puerto Rican dance associated with reggaeton music, that focuses on grinding, with the man facing the back of the woman. The word 'perreo', meaning dancing doggystyle, derives from the Spanish word perro, meaning "dog". This is also known as "booty dancing" or "grinding" in the United...
the man, as they are lowered under the stage as the song's instrumental ends and the lights go out. Rihanna has caused controversy by occasionally opting to perform the act with a woman instead.
The sexually suggestive performances of "Skin" have been met with mixed reactions from critics. The Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
was critical of the routine; they branded it "lewd", compared the routine with Rihanna's previous sexual performances and voiced the belief that the singer had "outdone herself" with the "raunchy and overtly sexualised" routine. A few months later, the paper claimed that Rihanna had "pushed the boundaries" by lap dancing an older man at her show in Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
and a review for the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
voiced similar sentiments, arguing that Rihanna's "good girl gone bad image is getting tired". The Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
praised Rihanna's Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
performance but argued that the lap dance at the end of the "Skin" routine was "a move that had parents covering their children's eyes". Bernard Perusse of The Gazette
The Gazette (Montreal)
The Gazette, often called the Montreal Gazette to avoid ambiguity, is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with three other daily English newspapers all having shut down at different times during the second half of the 20th century.-History:In 1778,...
, however, criticized parents who attended with children knowing that the singer is known for performing sexually suggestive dance routines. He also stated that "Rihanna [walks] that always confusing line between sexual empowerment and objectification, gave the crowd an eyeful" and suggested that the "main concept seemed to be bumping, grinding, groping, straddling, black underwear and self-touching". Catriona Stewart Lotte Jeffs, editor of ES Magazine
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
was one of the audience members who received a lap dance from Rihanna and reacted positively, saying "[i]t was a night I will never forget".
Credits and personnel
- Robyn "Rihanna" Fenty – VocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Kenneth Coby and Ursula Yancy – SongwritingSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
- SoundzSoundzSoundz is a producer specialising in Hip-Hop and R&B genres. Soundz has produced many songs of these genres, including "Look at Her" by One Chance, and has produced a lot of content for artists Pitbull, Trina, Young Boss, Ciara, Brandy and Rihanna....
– ProducerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Makeba Riddick – Vocal production
- Kuk Harrel – Additional vocal production
- Rob Katz and Bobby Campbell – Assistant EngineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Mixed by Jayden Joshua at Larrabee Sound Studios, Los Angeles, California – MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Jesus Garnica – Assistant mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Chad "C Note" Roper at Westlake Recording Studios, Loas Angeles, CaliforniaLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
– Music recordingSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording... - Recorded by Kuk Harrel, Josh Gudwin and Marcus Tovar at Studio, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
– Vocal recordingRecordingRecording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording....
Credits and personnel adapted from the liner notes of Loud.