Climax (song)
"Climax" is a song by American singer-songwriter Usher. It was released on February 22, 2012, by RCA Records as the lead single from his 2012 studio album Looking 4 Myself. The song was written by Usher, Ariel Rechtshaid, Redd Stylez, and Diplo, who also produced the song. Usher and Diplo worked on the song for two months as part of their collaboration for the former's album. The song is a quiet storm slow jam with electronic influences, and lyrics about the turning point of a relationship. According to Usher, the song is primarily about the complications of a relationship, despite the lyrics' sexual overtones.
This article is about the song by Usher. For the song by Slum Village, see Fantastic, Vol. 2."Climax"
As a single, "Climax" debuted at number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100, with 31,000 digital units sold in its first week. It peaked at number 17 and charted for 20 weeks, and also reached number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming Usher's 12th number-one single on the chart. "Climax" was received with widespread critic acclaim, who commended its musical direction, lyrics, Usher's singing, and Diplo's production. Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly named it one of the best singles of 2012. In 2013, "Climax" won Usher a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance.
Music and lyrics[edit]
"Climax" is set in common time.[9] Diplo called the style "Radiohead quietstorm", and both Spin and Rolling Stone agreed that the song was a mix of quiet storm style, electronic music and alternative R&B.[10][11][12] It is written in the key of C minor, and Usher's voice ranges from B♭2 to D5.[9] The music is built around a haunting riff, complemented by sparse drum machine and some musical accompaniment.[13] Its varying soundscape incorporates electronic effects such as clicks, hisses, whooshes, and low-frequency synths,[10][14] as well as subtle strings and scattered piano notes.[11] Music writers have noted Diplo's production as uncharacteristically reserved and understated.[13][14][15][16]
The song's musical structure is characterized by intervals in which the music builds to a potential break, but softly decrescendos instead.[15] As each verse concludes, the song's snapping, electronic rhythm track gradually softens and rippling synth chords repeat throughout the song.[11] Marc Hogan of Spin writes that Diplo "teases us with the sort of wubba-wubba subwoofer noises that have become inescapable in the past year or so of pop radio. But he never actually gives in with the full dubstep drop ... the song keeps swelling to one big wave after another, without ever really reaching a single, song-stopping crescendo."[11] Hogan cites the bridge at around the three-minute mark as "the closest thing to a climax" on the song, "when the track gets as quiet as it ever has before becoming as lush as it ever gets."[11] Pitchfork Media's Carrie Battan calls the song "an exercise in the power of restraint", commenting that "Diplo shows uncharacteristic subtlety behind Usher's sentiment, with a beat that seems to hang suspended in midair."[15]
The song is a breakup lament dealing with the theme of commitment.[10][11] Its title refers to the turning point of a relationship.[10] The lyrics address a relationship in a state of tension and uncertainty: "We've reached the climax / We're together / Now we're undone / Won't commit so we choose to run away / Do we separate?"[15] Usher sings in a pleading falsetto and a plaintive tone on the song,[10][11] alternating restrained vocals and anguished howls.[15][16] In an interview for V-103, Usher stressed that "Climax" focuses more on the complication of relationships rather than sex, saying that "it's really about the ultimate experience or lack thereof. Or the finale of an experience of love and life. When you're in a relationship and it has kinda reached the climax of where it can go, you gotta let it go if you are not going to commit."[17] He viewed that his falsetto vocals and the song's tone give the song a sexual feel with music that works as a "double entendre".[17]
Release[edit]
The song was first released onto the internet on Valentine's Day 2012 through SoundCloud.[15] Upon its release, Diplo commented on Twitter: "Seriously the best record I've been part of ... I'm pretty sure in 9 months there are gonna be a lot of new babies that this song is responsible for".[3] It was released as the lead single for Usher's 2012 album Looking for Myself.[18]
"Climax" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 81, with 31,000 digital units sold in the week of March 10, 2012.[19] It peaked at number 17 and spent 20 weeks on the chart.[20] The song also reached number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, on which it charted for 33 weeks, and became Usher's 12th number-one single on the chart.[18] It peaked at number three on the Dance/Club Play Songs, on which it charted for 13 weeks.[20] In the United Kingdom, "Climax" debuted and peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart, selling 41,617 units.[21][22] It charted for seven weeks and peaked at number 29 in Australia.[23]
Music video[edit]
The music video for "Climax" was directed by Sam Pilling, filmed in Atlanta, and released on March 9, 2012. Director of photography was Adam Frisch. After filming, the video was given to the studio Surround for post-production, including editing its structure, title animation, and effects. The video shows Usher sitting in a car contemplating on whether to go inside his ex-girlfriend's home and rekindle their once-passionate love affair or leave and never return again. It shows different scenarios played out in Usher's mind, including him confronting his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend with a gun.[48]
In the video, Usher sits in a car outside a house where his ex-girlfriend is being intimate with another man. He pulls a gun out of his glove compartment and agonizes over whether or not to enter the house. After ruminating over the different scenarios, Usher drives off at the end of the video.[49] Jason Lipshut of Billboard found the "narrative arc" for the video to be "a bit perplexing".[50] Jeff Lapointe of MTV News viewed that it "depicts the darker side of human nature as Usher drives up to his girlfriend/ex-girlfriends house to discover another vehicle, another man, another side of his love. In the realization of fury and anger, images distort Usher's reality with thoughts of taking his gun and shooting the intruder. Thoughts of running away with the girl. Thoughts of driving off to never be seen."[51]
Live performances[edit]
Usher first performed the song on the show "Off-Broadway's 'Fuerza Bruta'". In the show, he entered from the dark in a white suit and black tie, and walked across a conveyor belt in beat to "Climax". As the song's tempo increased, he clutched his stomach as a gunshot fired and blood spread across his torso.[52] Usher appeared on Saturday Night Live on May 12, 2012, to perform "Scream" and "Climax".[53]