"I Like the Way You Kiss Me" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Artemas. It was released independently on 19 March 2024, as the first single from his debut mixtape ''Yustyna'' (2024). "I Like the Way You Kiss Me" peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. The song topped the charts in Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland, peaked within the top ten of the charts in various countries including Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand, and Norway, and the top 20 in Italy and the United States.

Background

Following the release of his debut mixtape ''Pretty'' in February 2024 and having hosted two shows at The Lower Third in London, Artemas returned to the recording studio and created "I Like the Way You Kiss Me". Artemas announced the single on 15 March on his social media.

Composition

Musically, "I Like the Way You Kiss Me" is a

darkwave Dark wave (also typeset as darkwave) is a music genre that emerged from the new wave and post-punk movement of the late 1970s. Dark wave compositions are largely based on minor key tonality and introspective lyrics and have been perceived as be ...

and alternative pop song, fueled by "moody 80s and pulsating synths" featuring a "dark, retro-futuristic sound collage". Artemas lends his "crooning, gloomy" vocals on the chorus as a counterpart to the "kinetic energy" of the whole track. For Allmusic, Marcy Donelson regarded the vocals as "shape-shifting" and "manipulated through either pitch-shifting or varied playback speed". Lyrically, he presents a story of a strained relationship, being unsure of where he and his partner stand. Eventually, he confesses that he favours sex over feelings "by pushing harder for the physicality".

Reception

Critical reception

''New Wave Magazine'' praised the song: "...it’s evident that Artemas has honed his sound, delivering sharp and infectious vocal performances that leave a lasting impression." For '' Clash'', Robin Murray was also laudatory: "Deeply catchy, ‘i like the way you kiss me’ bubbles with the coy thrills of attraction." Daniel Dylan Wray of '' The Guardian'' had a more mixed viewpoint, calling it "pulsating, icy synth-pop" but criticising the songwriting as "unabashed, unpolished lyricism".

Commercial performance

On 4 April 2024, "I Like the Way You Kiss Me" debuted on the UK Singles Chart at no. 13. On 25 April, the single peaked at no. 3 on the UK Singles Chart; as of the 8 August chart, the single has been on the UK Singles top 100 for 19 weeks. In the US, "I Like the Way You Kiss Me" entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at no. 70 on 6 April 2024. On 27 April, it peaked at no. 12. By the end of April 2024, "I Like the Way You Kiss Me" had nearly 2.5 billion views on TikTok and topped the Spotify "Daily Top Songs Global" and Billboard Global Excl. US charts.

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Certifications

References

{{reflist 2024 songs 2024 singles Artemas (musician) songs Billboard Global Excl. U.S. number-one singles Hyperpop songs Number-one singles in Austria Number-one singles in Germany Number-one singles in Latvia Number-one singles in Poland Number-one singles in Russia Number-one singles in Sweden Number-one singles in Switzerland Ultratop 50 Singles (Flanders) number-one singles