Te Amo (Rihanna song)
Encyclopedia
"Te Amo" is a song by Barbadian
recording artist Rihanna
from her fourth studio album, Rated R
(2009). The song was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen
, James Fauntleroy II
and Rihanna, with production helmed by Eriksen and Hermansen under their production name, Stargate. "Te Amo" impacted radio in Canada on June 7, 2010, and was made available to download on June 8, 2010, in Australia, Italy and New Zealand, as the albums third international and fifth overall single. "Te Amo" incorporates elements of Latin American music
and conveys Rihanna's struggles as the object of another woman's desires. Music critics
praised the song for its lyrics and for a less futuristic sound than other songs on Rated R.
"Te Amo" peaked inside the top ten of national charts, including the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The song managed to attain top forty positions in Australia, The Netherlands and Slovakia. "Te Amo" was certified gold in four countries. The song's accompanying music was directed by long time collaborator Anthony Mandler
and features French supermodel Laetitia Casta
, who tries to seduce Rihanna and eventually succeeds. Rihanna performed the song live at Radio 1's Big Weekend 2010 on May 23, 2010 in Bangor
, Wales
. "Te Amo" was also included on the set list
of Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour
.
, James Fauntleroy II
and Rihanna, with production helmed by Eriksen and Hermansen under their production name, Stargate
. The song was sent for mainstream
airplay in Canada on June 7, 2010, and released via digital download
in Australia, Italy and New Zealand one day later, through Universal Music
. In Germany, "Te Amo" was released as a CD single on June 11, 2010. Musically, "Te Amo" draws influence from Latin American music
genres and is set in common time
with a tempo of 172 beats per minute. The song is written in the key
of G-sharp minor with Rihanna's vocal range
spanning from the low note of F♯3 to the high note of C♯5. Lyrically, "Te Amo" tells of a relationship between two women, with one realizing that she is falling in love with Rihanna, proclaiming 'Te amo' throughout the song. As Rihanna realizes that the other woman is falling in love with her, Rihanna sings "I feel love but I don't feel that way", meaning that she knows her suitor loves her, but does not want to become romantically involved with her. Ailbhe Malone of NME
described the meaning of the lyrics in her review of Rated R, explaining that Rihanna sings from a male perspective as she portrays a man who cannot commit, rather than a woman who is "clinging to an unrealistic ideal".
noted that "Te Amo" and "Rockstar 101
" were the less futuristic tracks on the album as they do not feature the heavy electronic influences, which are present on songs such as "Hard
" and "G4L". Robert Copsey of Digital Spy
awarded the song a rating of four out of five stars and noted that Rihanna had progressed from singing about a male interest in one of her previous singles, "Rude Boy
", to fantasizing about women, writing "After the rather explicit 'Rude Boy' campaign, Rihanna's taking a well-deserved break from titillating the blokes here – only to find herself the object of another lady's affections. One of her Rated R LP's less menacing moments, 'Te Amo' finds La Fenty grappling with her sexuality over some irresistible, Latin-infused Stargate beats." Fraser McAlpine of BBC Music awarded the song four out of five stars and commented on the theme of lesbianism, writing "It's that old, old story: Girl meets girl. Girl speaks different language to girl. Girl loves girl. Girl doesn't love girl. Girl sad. We’ve all been there, right? And Rihanna’s captured that feeling beautifully (she actually has, even though I sound incredibly insincere about it)."
on December 4, 2009, and stayed on the chart for one week. After being released as a promotional CD in Sweden on May 5, 2010, the song re-entered the chart at number fifty-three on July 7, 2010 and reached its peak of number 48 two weeks later on July 30, spending a total of six non-consecutive weeks on the chart. As the song was officially released in the United Kingdom, the song entered the UK Top 40 UK R&B Chart
at number 29 on April 24, 2010, and peaked at number five weeks a month lateron May 29. The song also entered UK Top 40 UK Singles Chart
at number thirty on May 15, 2010, and peaked at number 14 two weeks later on May 29. On May 23, 2010, the song entered the Australian Singles Chart
and Swiss Singles Chart
at numbers 35 and 58, respectively. The song peaked at number 22 in its sixth week in Australia, but was more successful in Switzerland, where it peaked inside the top ten at number nine for one week. "Te Amo" debuted and peaked at number 11 in Austria on June 25, 2010, falling to number 15 on July 2, and re-peaking at number 11 again on July 9. The song spent a total of eighteen weeks on the chart. In the Flanders and Wallonia regions of Beligum, the song debuted on both charts on the same week and both spent a total of thirteen weeks on both charts; the song debuted in both regions on June 19, 2010, at numbers 29 and 28, respectively. In the Flanders region, the song peaked at number 14 for one week, while the song was more successful in the Wallonia region, peaking at number 10 for one week.
Elsewhere in Europe, the song debuted on the Italian Singles Chart
on July 15, 2010 at number nine and peaked at number seven for two weeks, however the song was less successful in Denmark, Finland and Norway, peaking at numbers 22, 14 and 12, respectively. In Germany, "Te Amo" became Rihanna's first song since "Hate That I Love You
" in 2007 not to reach the top ten, and debuted on the German Singles Chart at number 13 on July 26, 2010, and fluctuated in the top twenty before reaching its peak of 11 on July 24, 2010. On the European Hot 100 chart, "Te Amo" debuted at number forty-eight on May 29, 2010 and reached a peak at number eighteen on July 17, 2010. The song made its debut on the Canadian Hot 100
for the week ending July 3, 2010 at number 98, despite not being officially released as a single, and reached a peak of number 66 on July 17, 2010.
for "Te Amo" was shot over two days on April 29 and 30, 2010, in Vigny
, France
and was directed by long time collaborator Anthony Mandler
, who had previously directed "Wait Your Turn" and "Russian Roulette". Whilst on set for the video, photographs were released which featured Rihanna wearing a vibrant Mara Hoffman maxi dress, which cost over $1,000. French supermodel Laetitia Casta
played the role of a femme fatale
and the apparent love interest of Rihanna.
In the video, Rihanna plays Casta's lesbian love interest. Casta arrives at the castle in a car, and steps out with a very provocative outfit, and meets Rihanna who is waiting inside. Throughout all of the video, Casta tries to seduce Rihanna whilst Rihanna initially resists, but eventually gives in to Casta's charm. First, she meets Rihanna in the living room and catches her eye. In the next scene, the couple are shown on top of a table with ultraviolet
lighting and Casta rubs her head on Rihanna's legs. They are then shown outside the castle and Rihanna falls to the ground in despair while Casta looks on. Soon, they are shown in a room full of male dancers and Rihanna begins to feel more comfortable around her admirer. The last two scenes are Rihanna and Casta in PVC bondage outfits kissing on a bed in a darkened room, and then at a burning table, looking away from each other. Billboards music video reviewer, Monica Herrera, spoke of the video saying, "Rihanna saved a far sexier clip than 'Rockstar 101
' for fans abroad." She described the video's various scenes as "Rihanna getting frisky in a bedroom and setting a fire with a sultry female companion."
, Wales
, where she performed "Te Amo" as part of a set list, along with "Madhouse", "Hard
", "Disturbia
", "Rude Boy
", "Russian Roulette", "Don't Stop the Music
", "SOS
" and "Umbrella
". The performance featured Rihanna wearing "fishnets, boots and a reggae-inspired leather playsuit with go faster stripes in red, green and yellow and a hood." The song was also included on the set list of the Last Girl on Earth Tour
.
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Rated R.
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 fourth studio album, Rated R
Rated R (Rihanna album)
Rated R is the fourth studio album by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, first released November 20, 2009, on Def Jam Recordings. The album is a musical distance from her previous effort Good Girl Gone Bad , which contained up-tempo and ballad-oriented songs, and it heavily incorporated pop and...
(2009). The song was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
, James Fauntleroy II
James Fauntleroy II
James Edward Fauntleroy II is an American R&B singer-songwriter signed to Roc Nation. Formerly a member of The Underdogs, Fauntleroy currently works with the production group The Y's, and is the acting president of entertainment conglomerate "1500 Or Nothin"...
and Rihanna, with production helmed by Eriksen and Hermansen under their production name, Stargate. "Te Amo" impacted radio in Canada on June 7, 2010, and was made available to download on June 8, 2010, in Australia, Italy and New Zealand, as the albums third international and fifth overall single. "Te Amo" incorporates elements of Latin American music
Latin American music
Latin American music, found within Central and South America, is a series of musical styles and genres that mixes influences from Spanish, African and indigenous sources, that has recently become very famous in the US.-Argentina:...
and conveys Rihanna's struggles as the object of another woman's desires. Music critics
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
praised the song for its lyrics and for a less futuristic sound than other songs on Rated R.
"Te Amo" peaked inside the top ten of national charts, including the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The song managed to attain top forty positions in Australia, The Netherlands and Slovakia. "Te Amo" was certified gold in four countries. The song's accompanying music was directed by long time collaborator Anthony Mandler
Anthony Mandler
Anthony Mandler is a commercial and music video director, who has written and directed music videos for several artists. His most notable and frequent collaborator is Rihanna...
and features French supermodel Laetitia Casta
Laetitia Casta
Laetitia Marie Laure Casta is a French model and actress.-Early life:Laetitia Casta was born in Pont-Audemer, Normandy, France. Her mother, Line Blin, is from Normandy. Her father, Dominique Casta, is from Corsica. She has an older brother, Jean-Baptiste, and a younger sister, Marie-Ange...
, who tries to seduce Rihanna and eventually succeeds. Rihanna performed the song live at Radio 1's Big Weekend 2010 on May 23, 2010 in Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. "Te Amo" was also 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 Rihanna's Last Girl on Earth Tour
Last 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...
.
Background and composition
"Te Amo" was released as the third international and fifth overal singles from Rihanna's fourth studio album, Rated R. The song was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik HermansenStargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
, James Fauntleroy II
James Fauntleroy II
James Edward Fauntleroy II is an American R&B singer-songwriter signed to Roc Nation. Formerly a member of The Underdogs, Fauntleroy currently works with the production group The Y's, and is the acting president of entertainment conglomerate "1500 Or Nothin"...
and Rihanna, with production helmed by Eriksen and Hermansen under their production name, Stargate
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
. The song was sent for mainstream
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
airplay in Canada on June 7, 2010, and released via digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
in Australia, Italy and New Zealand one day later, through Universal Music
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
. In Germany, "Te Amo" was released as a CD single on June 11, 2010. Musically, "Te Amo" draws influence from Latin American music
Latin American music
Latin American music, found within Central and South America, is a series of musical styles and genres that mixes influences from Spanish, African and indigenous sources, that has recently become very famous in the US.-Argentina:...
genres 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 tempo of 172 beats per minute. The song is written in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of G-sharp minor with Rihanna's vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
spanning from the low note of F♯3 to the high note of C♯5. Lyrically, "Te Amo" tells of a relationship between two women, with one realizing that she is falling in love with Rihanna, proclaiming 'Te amo' throughout the song. As Rihanna realizes that the other woman is falling in love with her, Rihanna sings "I feel love but I don't feel that way", meaning that she knows her suitor loves her, but does not want to become romantically involved with her. Ailbhe Malone 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...
described the meaning of the lyrics in her review of Rated R, explaining that Rihanna sings from a male perspective as she portrays a man who cannot commit, rather than a woman who is "clinging to an unrealistic ideal".
Critical response
"Te Amo" was met with a positive response from music critics. As part of his review for Rated R, Jude Rogers of BBC MusicBBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
noted that "Te Amo" and "Rockstar 101
Rockstar 101
"Rockstar 101" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was released as the album's fourth overall single on June 2, 2010 through Def Jam. "Rockstar 101" was written by Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Rihanna,...
" were the less futuristic tracks on the album as they do not feature the heavy electronic influences, which are present on songs such as "Hard
Hard (song)
"Hard" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fourth studio album, Rated R . It was written by Terius Nash, Christopher Stewart, Rihanna and American rapper Jeezy, who also provides featured vocals. Nash and Stewart produced the song under their respective stage names The-Dream...
" and "G4L". Robert Copsey of Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
awarded the song a rating of four out of five stars and noted that Rihanna had progressed from singing about a male interest in one of her previous singles, "Rude Boy
Rude Boy (song)
"Rude Boy" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was released as the third single from the album on February 19, 2010, through Def Jam. It was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Ester Dean, Makeba Riddick, Rob Swire...
", to fantasizing about women, writing "After the rather explicit 'Rude Boy' campaign, Rihanna's taking a well-deserved break from titillating the blokes here – only to find herself the object of another lady's affections. One of her Rated R LP's less menacing moments, 'Te Amo' finds La Fenty grappling with her sexuality over some irresistible, Latin-infused Stargate beats." Fraser McAlpine of BBC Music awarded the song four out of five stars and commented on the theme of lesbianism, writing "It's that old, old story: Girl meets girl. Girl speaks different language to girl. Girl loves girl. Girl doesn't love girl. Girl sad. We’ve all been there, right? And Rihanna’s captured that feeling beautifully (she actually has, even though I sound incredibly insincere about it)."
Chart performance
Upon the release of the album, "Te Amo" made its first chart appearance in Sweden, debuting at number 52 on the Swedish Singles ChartSverigetopplistan
Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association ....
on December 4, 2009, and stayed on the chart for one week. After being released as a promotional CD in Sweden on May 5, 2010, the song re-entered the chart at number fifty-three on July 7, 2010 and reached its peak of number 48 two weeks later on July 30, spending a total of six non-consecutive weeks on the chart. As the song was officially released in the United Kingdom, the song entered the UK Top 40 UK R&B Chart
UK R&B Chart
The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...
at number 29 on April 24, 2010, and peaked at number five weeks a month lateron May 29. The song also entered UK Top 40 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 thirty on May 15, 2010, and peaked at number 14 two weeks later on May 29. On May 23, 2010, the song entered the Australian Singles Chart
ARIA 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...
and Swiss Singles Chart
Swiss Music Charts
The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75...
at numbers 35 and 58, respectively. The song peaked at number 22 in its sixth week in Australia, but was more successful in Switzerland, where it peaked inside the top ten at number nine for one week. "Te Amo" debuted and peaked at number 11 in Austria on June 25, 2010, falling to number 15 on July 2, and re-peaking at number 11 again on July 9. The song spent a total of eighteen weeks on the chart. In the Flanders and Wallonia regions of Beligum, the song debuted on both charts on the same week and both spent a total of thirteen weeks on both charts; the song debuted in both regions on June 19, 2010, at numbers 29 and 28, respectively. In the Flanders region, the song peaked at number 14 for one week, while the song was more successful in the Wallonia region, peaking at number 10 for one week.
Elsewhere in Europe, the song debuted on the Italian Singles Chart
Federation of the Italian Music Industry
The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy....
on July 15, 2010 at number nine and peaked at number seven for two weeks, however the song was less successful in Denmark, Finland and Norway, peaking at numbers 22, 14 and 12, respectively. In Germany, "Te Amo" became Rihanna's first song since "Hate That I Love You
Hate That I Love You
"Hate That I Love You" is a song by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna, released as the third single from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad on August 21, 2007. It features R&B singer Ne-Yo, who had worked with Rihanna previously, contributing to her 2006 hit "Unfaithful". The song was produced...
" in 2007 not to reach the top ten, and debuted on the German Singles Chart at number 13 on July 26, 2010, and fluctuated in the top twenty before reaching its peak of 11 on July 24, 2010. On the European Hot 100 chart, "Te Amo" debuted at number forty-eight on May 29, 2010 and reached a peak at number eighteen on July 17, 2010. The song made its debut on the 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...
for the week ending July 3, 2010 at number 98, despite not being officially released as a single, and reached a peak of number 66 on July 17, 2010.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Te Amo" was shot over two days on April 29 and 30, 2010, in Vigny
Vigny, Val-d'Oise
Vigny is a commune in the Val-d'Oise department in Île-de-France in northern France.R&B singer Rihanna shot her music video for "Te Amo" at the castle of Vigny in 2010.-References:** -External links:* *...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was directed by long time collaborator Anthony Mandler
Anthony Mandler
Anthony Mandler is a commercial and music video director, who has written and directed music videos for several artists. His most notable and frequent collaborator is Rihanna...
, who had previously directed "Wait Your Turn" and "Russian Roulette". Whilst on set for the video, photographs were released which featured Rihanna wearing a vibrant Mara Hoffman maxi dress, which cost over $1,000. French supermodel Laetitia Casta
Laetitia Casta
Laetitia Marie Laure Casta is a French model and actress.-Early life:Laetitia Casta was born in Pont-Audemer, Normandy, France. Her mother, Line Blin, is from Normandy. Her father, Dominique Casta, is from Corsica. She has an older brother, Jean-Baptiste, and a younger sister, Marie-Ange...
played the role of a femme fatale
Femme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
and the apparent love interest of Rihanna.
In the video, Rihanna plays Casta's lesbian love interest. Casta arrives at the castle in a car, and steps out with a very provocative outfit, and meets Rihanna who is waiting inside. Throughout all of the video, Casta tries to seduce Rihanna whilst Rihanna initially resists, but eventually gives in to Casta's charm. First, she meets Rihanna in the living room and catches her eye. In the next scene, the couple are shown on top of a table with ultraviolet
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
lighting and Casta rubs her head on Rihanna's legs. They are then shown outside the castle and Rihanna falls to the ground in despair while Casta looks on. Soon, they are shown in a room full of male dancers and Rihanna begins to feel more comfortable around her admirer. The last two scenes are Rihanna and Casta in PVC bondage outfits kissing on a bed in a darkened room, and then at a burning table, looking away from each other. Billboards music video reviewer, Monica Herrera, spoke of the video saying, "Rihanna saved a far sexier clip than 'Rockstar 101
Rockstar 101
"Rockstar 101" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was released as the album's fourth overall single on June 2, 2010 through Def Jam. "Rockstar 101" was written by Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Rihanna,...
' for fans abroad." She described the video's various scenes as "Rihanna getting frisky in a bedroom and setting a fire with a sultry female companion."
Live performances
Rihanna performed the song for the first and only time live at Radio 1's Big Weekend 2010 on May 23, 2010 in BangorBangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, where she performed "Te Amo" as part of a set list, along with "Madhouse", "Hard
Hard (song)
"Hard" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fourth studio album, Rated R . It was written by Terius Nash, Christopher Stewart, Rihanna and American rapper Jeezy, who also provides featured vocals. Nash and Stewart produced the song under their respective stage names The-Dream...
", "Disturbia
Disturbia (song)
"Disturbia" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded , of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . The song was released as the third single from the reloaded edition of the album, and seventh overall...
", "Rude Boy
Rude Boy (song)
"Rude Boy" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from her fourth studio album, Rated R . The song was released as the third single from the album on February 19, 2010, through Def Jam. It was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Ester Dean, Makeba Riddick, Rob Swire...
", "Russian Roulette", "Don't Stop the Music
Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna song)
"Don't Stop the Music" is a dance-pop song performed by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad. It was the third single from the album in most of Europe, the second single in Germany and Spain and the fourth single in the rest of the world...
", "SOS
SOS (Rihanna song)
"SOS" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her second studio album, A Girl like Me. The song was produced by J. R. Rotem and written by Rotem and Evan "Kidd" Bogart. It was released as the lead single from the album...
" and "Umbrella
Umbrella (song)
"Umbrella" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna, featuring a rap verse by Jay-Z. The song was written by The-Dream, Christopher Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Jay-Z, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream for Rihanna's third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad...
". The performance featured Rihanna wearing "fishnets, boots and a reggae-inspired leather playsuit with go faster stripes in red, green and yellow and a hood." The song was also included on the set list of the Last Girl on Earth Tour
Last 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...
.
Credits and personnel
- RihannaRihannaRobyn 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...
– 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...
, vocals - StargateStargate (production team)This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
– songwriting, productionRecord 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...
, InstrumentationInstrumentation (music)In music, instrumentation refers to the particular combination of musical instruments employed in a composition, and to the properties of those instruments individually...
, Vocal production - James Fauntleroy IIJames Fauntleroy IIJames Edward Fauntleroy II is an American R&B singer-songwriter signed to Roc Nation. Formerly a member of The Underdogs, Fauntleroy currently works with the production group The Y's, and is the acting president of entertainment conglomerate "1500 Or Nothin"...
– songwriting - Anthony Palazzole – Assistant MixerAudio 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...
- Bernt Rune Stray – GuitarGuitarThe 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...
- Kevin "KD" Davis at Chung King Studios, New York CityNew York CityNew 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...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
– 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... - Marcos Tovar at Metropolis StudiosMetropolis GroupMetropolis Group is a music production and entertainment industry company established in 1989 by Gary Langan, Carey Taylor and Karin Clayton. It is located in The Power House, a Grade II listed building, at 70 Chiswick High Road in Chiswick, London, England. Metropolis Group is considered one of...
, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
– 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...
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Rated R.
Tracklist
- Digital Single
- "Te Amo" (Album Version) - 3:28
- "Rude Boy" (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...
Stadium Radio Mix) - 3:16
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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... ) |
22 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... ) |
11 |
| Belgium (Ultratop Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... Flanders) |
14 |
| Belgium (Ultratop Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... Wallonia) |
10 |
| 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... ) |
66 |
| Denmark (Tracklisten Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... ) |
22 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 18 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) | 14 |
| Germany (Media Control Charts Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
11 |
| Italy (FIMI Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... ) |
7 |
| Norway (VG-lista VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... ) |
12 |
| Poland (ZPAV) | 2 |
| Scotland (The Official Charts Company) | 21 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... ) |
48 |
| Switzerland (Swiss Music Charts Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... ) |
9 |
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) | 14 |
| UK R&B (The Official Charts Company) | 5 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart (Ö3 Austria Top 75) | 61 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 81 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 36 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 43 |
Certifications
| Region(provider) | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA ARIA 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... ) |
Gold |
| Italy (FIMI Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... ) |
Gold |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | Gold |
| Switzerland (Swiss Music Charts Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... ) |
Gold |
Radio add dates
| Country | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | June 7, 2010 | Mainstream |
Release history
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | June 8, 2010 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
| Italy | |||
| New Zealand | |||
| Germany | June 11, 2010 | CD single |