Level Up (Ciara song)
"Level Up" is a song by American singer-songwriter Ciara released on July 17, 2018 by Beauty Marks Entertainment and Warner Bros. Records. The single artwork was shot by Haley Blavka.
"Level Up"
July 17, 2018
Neptune Valley (Los Angeles)
3:24
- Beauty Marks
- Warner Bros.
- Ciara
- Theron Thomas
- J.R. Rotem
- Telly Brown Jr.
- J.R. Rotem
Influenced by the Jersey club variety of electronic dance music,[1] the song was written by Ciara, J.R. Rotem, Theron Thomas, Telly Brown, Jr. and Theron Feemster, with production by J.R. Rotem and Nas Luke. It samples the Jersey Remix of "We Are Young" by Fun. that was also used in DJ Telly Tellz's 2017 viral hit "Fuck It Up Challenge".[2][3] Its music video was directed and choreographed by New Zealand dancer Parris Goebel, who also appears in the video alongside fellow New Zealanders ReQuest Dance Crew.
Reception to the music video was positive, with "Level Up" becoming the number one trending video on YouTube and spawning the #LevelUpChallenge on social media, featuring fans and celebrities recording their own version of the video's choreography. The official remix for "Level Up" was released a week later featuring additional vocals from Missy Elliott and Fatman Scoop. Chartwise, "Level Up" peaked within the upper half of the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the United States, top forty in Hungary and top sixty on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Composition[edit]
"Level Up" is a song about empowerment and growth.[3] The song's title directly references Ciara's controversial #LevelUp marriage tweet, which some felt blamed women for being single.[4] She later cleared up the message, explaining that she wanted to empower women as she felt her "lowest moment" as a solo parent before learning to love herself.[5][6] Some critics also believed parts of the song were aimed at ex-fiance, American rapper Future.[7]
Chart performance[edit]
In the United States, "Level Up" debuted at 77 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on July 31, 2018, for the chart week dated August 4, 2018; it ascended to number 59 the following week.[10] It debuted at number 10 on the US Digital Songs chart that same week, becoming Ciara's sixth top-ten hit on the chart and first since "Love Sex Magic" in March 2009.[11]
Live performances[edit]
Ciara has performed the song on the American Music Awards of 2018 and on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The song is also performed on Bruno Mars' 24K Magic World Tour, where Ciara serves as an opening act.