"Boyfriend" is a song by English singer Mabel, released on 26 February 2020. The song is featured as a bonus track on the Digital & Streaming edition of Mabel's debut studio album ''

High Expectations ''High Expectations'' is the debut studio album by English singer and songwriter Mabel, released on 2 August 2019 by Polydor Records. Mabel worked with writers and producers such as Tre Jean-Marie, Steve Mac and MNEK to create the album, with ...

'' (2019). "Boyfriend" samples " Remember Me" (1997) by Blue Boy which in turn sampled "Woman of the Ghetto" (1969) by

Marlena Shaw Marlena Shaw (born Marlina Burgess, September 22, 1942) is an American jazz, blues and soul singer. Shaw began her singing career in the 1960s and is still singing today. Her music has often been sampled in hip hop music, and used in television ...

Background

Mabel announced the song's release on 21 February 2020. She described the song as "wanting someone in your life doesn't mean you can't still be dat bitchh".

Composition

Musically, "Boyfriend" is an empowering upbeat pop anthem with a bumping production. Lyrically, the song sees Mabel wanting a boyfriend, but saying how she doesn't necessarily need one "I want a boyfriend... Even though a man ain't something I need".

Music video

The song's accompanying music video was directed by

Isaac Rentz Isaac Rentz (born August 21, 1982) is an American feature film, music video, and commercial director. Biography Rentz was born in Japan, and was raised in Tempe, Arizona. He was signed to Draw Pictures for UK and US music video representati ...

and was released on 26 February 2020. According to Mabel the video for "Boyfriend" was inspired by late American singer Aaliyah. It sees Mabel make her ideal boyfriend in an underground computer laboratory. It is a gender-reverse flip of the 1985 film '' Weird Science''.

Track listing

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from

Tidal Tidal is the adjectival form of tide. Tidal may also refer to: * ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple * Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim * TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music * Tidal (servic ...

. * Mabel – songwriting, vocals * Steve Mac –

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

, songwriting, keyboards *

Camille Purcell Camille Angelina Purcell, known professionally as Kamille (stylised KAMILLE), is an English singer, songwriter, producer and record label owner. Personal life and career beginnings Camille took part in many school productions and plays and st ...

– songwriting, backing vocals *

– songwriting * Richard Evans – songwriting * Robert Miller – songwriting * Chris Laws –

drum programming Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices and computer software, such as sequencers and workstations or hardware synthesizers, sampler and sequencers, to generate sounds of musical instruments. These ...

recording A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, r ...

, studio personnel * Bill Zimmerman –

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

, studio personnel *

Phil Tan Phil Tan is a Malaysian-American music and audio engineer. Early life and education Tan was born in Malaysia. He attended Full Sail University in Florida in the U.S., where he attained a degree in Recording Arts in 1990. Afterwards he moved to Atla ...

– mixing, studio personnel *

Dann Pursey Globus is a Santa Monica-based movie trailer music-inspired band consisting of a mix of producers, musicians, and vocalists. The band is led by composer and producer Yoav Goren. History Foundation Globus was founded as a result of increasi ...

–

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

, recording, studio personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{authority control 2020 singles 2020 songs Mabel (singer) songs Polydor Records singles Song recordings produced by Steve Mac Songs written by Kamille (musician) Songs written by Steve Mac Songs written by Mabel (singer)