"Waiting for the Night" is a song recorded by Canadian recording artist
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (; ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists.
She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired deb ...
. It was written by Furtado and co-written and produced by
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists.
Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
for her fifth studio album, ''
The Spirit Indestructible
''The Spirit Indestructible'' is the fifth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. The album was released on 14 September 2012. Furtado served as the executive producer for the album as well as a principal writer. Further produ ...
''. Lyrically, the song is about Furtado having a crush on a boy and was inspired by a diary she kept as a sixteen-year-old on a summer vacation on
São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island (; Portuguese language, Portuguese for "Saint Michael"), nicknamed "The Green Island" (''Ilha Verde''), is the largest and most populous island in the Portugal, Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The island covers and has a ...
, Portugal.
"Waiting for the Night" received generally favorable reviews. Music critics praised the song for being catchy and having a memorable chorus. Some even noted similarities to
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
's single of
almost the same name. Upon release, the song charted in some
European countries
The list below includes all entities falling even partially under any of the various common definitions of Europe, geographical or political. Fifty generally recognised sovereign states, Kosovo with limited, but substantial, international reco ...
, such as Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Furtado promoted the song on ''NRJ Stars for Free'' and on ''
The Voice of Germany
''The Voice of Germany'' is a German reality television, reality talent show created by John de Mol, based on the concept ''The Voice of Holland'' and its The Voice (franchise), international series. It began airing on ProSieben and Sat.1 on 24 ...
''. A music video for the song was released on January 8, 2013. It features Furtado in half-face makeup, doing sultry noirish swaying with zombie dancers.
Background and writing
"Waiting For The Night" was written by Furtado and co-written and produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, who also produced her previous singles, "
Parking Lot
A parking lot (American English) or car park (British English), also known as a car lot, is a cleared area intended for parking vehicles. The term usually refers to an area dedicated only for parking, with a durable or semi-durable surface ...
", "
Spirit Indestructible
"Spirit Indestructible" is a song by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado. The song was released on July 31, 2012 as the second single from her fifth studio album, ''The Spirit Indestructible''. The song was written by Furtado and co-written a ...
", and "
Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)
"Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" is a song by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado, taken from her fifth studio album, ''The Spirit Indestructible''. It was released on April 16, 2012, through Interscope Records, as the lead single from the al ...
".
It was released as the third European single, on December 14, 2012, in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and later in the rest of Europe and Canada.
It is a
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
and
electropop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
song with elements of
Latin pop
Latin pop (in Spanish and in Portuguese: Pop latino) is a pop music subgenre that is a fusion of US–style music production with Latin music genres from anywhere in Latin America and Spain. Originating in Spanish-speaking musicians, Latin po ...
,
house music
House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...
,
R&B, and
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fol ...
featuring
accordion
Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...
and
bagpipes
Bagpipes are a woodwind instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Great Highland bagpipes are well known, but people have played bagpipes for centuries throughout large parts of Europe, No ...
.
[ The song begins with a diary entry written by Furtado to introduce the song, featuring ]harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...
, bagpipes
Bagpipes are a woodwind instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Great Highland bagpipes are well known, but people have played bagpipes for centuries throughout large parts of Europe, No ...
, sounds of waves and sea gulls. In the chorus she sings: "Day and night / Day and night / You blow my mind / Blow my mind."[ The songs ends with her father, ''Antonio Jose Furtado'', saying, "Oh, man, that's so rock'n'roll".][ According to Furtado, it was inspired by a diary she kept as a smitten sixteen-year-old on a summer vacation in ]São Miguel Island
São Miguel Island (; Portuguese language, Portuguese for "Saint Michael"), nicknamed "The Green Island" (''Ilha Verde''), is the largest and most populous island in the Portugal, Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The island covers and has a ...
, Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, her parent's birthplace.[
Furtado commented about working with "Darkchild" on the album, stating:
]
Rodney "Darkchild" did eight tracks on my album and we hit it off really big, like it was a real epic moment meeting him, for me. And we were like kids just hanging out in the playground, you know? We really bring out each other's musicality, which I think was key and we were able to explore and be experimental, which I think is really imperative if you want to make a good pop album.
Reception
Critical reception
The song received generally favorable reviews from music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. Eric Henderson of ''Slant Magazine'' gave a positive review, writing that "On 'Waiting for the Night,' she snatches the beyond-played-out thrash-dance template (the song's melody and production both recall Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
's 'On the Floor
"On the Floor" is a song recorded by American singer Jennifer Lopez for her seventh studio album, ''Love?'' (2011). Featuring American rapper Pitbull (rapper), Pitbull, it was released by Island Records on February 8, 2011, as the lead single ...
') and makes it sound, if not fresh, then at least palpably urgent—that is, until it tags out on a wonky accordion riff." Robert Copsey of Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
wrote that the song "features the best use of an accordion in pop music since The Wanted
The Wanted are a British-Irish boy band consisting of group members Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness and Nathan Sykes and, until his death in 2022, Tom Parker (singer), Tom Parker. The group was formed in 2009 and signed a worldw ...
's 'Glad You Came
"Glad You Came", also known as "I'm Glad You Came", is a song by British-Irish boy band the Wanted, released on 10 July 2011 as the second single from their second studio album, '' Battleground''. The song was written by Steve Mac, Wayne Hecto ...
'." For Colin McGuire of PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
, "Waiting For the Night" "sounds a lot like you may think a song named 'Waiting For the Night' may sound. The tribal groove echoes a 10-year-old Jennifer Lopez hit, though because of how outdated such a formula is in today’s EDM
EDM or E-DM may refer to:
Music
* Electronic dance music
* Early Day Miners, American band
Science and technology
* Electric dipole moment
* Electrical discharge machining
* Electronic distance measurement
*Entry, Descent, and landing demonstrat ...
-filled universe, the whole thing never crosses into the accessibly endearing Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
orbit for which it longs." Alexandra Capotorto of ''Pop Crush'' called it "perhaps the catchiest single to come off the album, and with an easily memorable chorus."[
]
Commercial performance
"Waiting For the Night" charted in some European countries
The list below includes all entities falling even partially under any of the various common definitions of Europe, geographical or political. Fifty generally recognised sovereign states, Kosovo with limited, but substantial, international reco ...
. In Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, the song peaked at number twenty-nine on the Schweizer Hitparade
The Swiss Hitparade (german: link=no, Schweizer Hitparade) is 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 7 ...
, becoming the highest-charting single of the album, surpassing "Spirit Indestructible
"Spirit Indestructible" is a song by Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado. The song was released on July 31, 2012 as the second single from her fifth studio album, ''The Spirit Indestructible''. The song was written by Furtado and co-written a ...
", which peaked at number thirty-two.[ In ]Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, the song peaked at number twenty-six. In Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, it charted at number seventy-three on the Ö3 Austria Top 40
Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Tuesdays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as ...
chart.[
]
Music video
On December 12, 2012, Furtado posted a picture of herself on the set of the video. Directed by The Seed Collective, the video was released via her official YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel on January 8, 2013, at a total length of four minutes and thirty-one seconds. The video features Furtado performing the song in an underground club, while a group of foreign dancers perform the song around her. It first features Furtado in a white belly baring tank and pants, sporting what appears to be Día de los Muertos
The Day of the Dead ( es, Día de Muertos or ''Día de los Muertos'') is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely obser ...
inspired makeup on only half of her face. The camera then pans to a number of dancers in the same style—only this time, they’re clad in white dresses and doing a choreography. Later, Furtado is dressed up and ready to tango
Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
. The video features So You Think You Can Dance Canada
''So You Think You Can Dance Canada'' is a dance competition and reality show that aired on CTV.
Based on the original American TV show ''So You Think You Can Dance'', the Canadian series showcased the best in Canadian dancing talent. Each seas ...
Season 4 Season 4 may refer to:
* "Season 4" (''30 Rock'' episode), an episode of ''30 Rock''
See also
*
* Season One (disambiguation) Season One may refer to:
Albums
* ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004
* ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughte ...
winner Jordan Clark and runner-up Melissa Mitro as dancers.
Live performances
Furtado performed the song on ''NRJ Stars For Free'', in Zurich, Switzerland, on November 24, 2012. She performed the song on ''The Voice of Germany
''The Voice of Germany'' is a German reality television, reality talent show created by John de Mol, based on the concept ''The Voice of Holland'' and its The Voice (franchise), international series. It began airing on ProSieben and Sat.1 on 24 ...
'', as a duet with contestant James Borges, as well on La Voix (Québec) with singer songwriter Ariane Moffatt
Ariane Moffatt (born 26 April 1979) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Known for working across multiple musical genres, Moffatt's music combines elements of electronica, jazz, folk, and pop. A francophone, she is bilingual and has recorded track ...
.
Track listing
* Germany digital download[
# "Waiting for the Night" – 4:29
# "Waiting for the Night" (Live Version) – 3:22
# "Big Hoops (Bigger The Better)" (Demolition Crew Remix) – 6:27
# "Parking Lot" (Tiësto Remix) – 4:40
]
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from ''The Spirit Indestructible'' album liner notes.['']The Spirit Indestructible
''The Spirit Indestructible'' is the fifth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. The album was released on 14 September 2012. Furtado served as the executive producer for the album as well as a principal writer. Further produ ...
'' (liner notes). Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (; ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists.
She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired deb ...
. 2012 Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
/ Mosley Music Group
Mosley Music Group (MMG) is a record label founded and formed by producer Tim "Timbaland" Mosley. Founded in 2006, the imprint is distributed exclusively by Interscope Records and Def Jam Recordings.
History
The label was created after Timbala ...
, LLC.
;Technical
*Recorded and mixed at 2nd Floor Studios, Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
, California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
;Personnel
*Nelly Furtado—lyrics, lead and background vocals, vocal production, mixing
*Antonio Jose Furtado—vocals
*Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists.
Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
—music, production, vocal production, mixing
*Roy Bittan
Roy J. Bittan (born July 2, 1949) is an American musician best known as a long-time member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. Nicknamed "The Professor", Bittan joined the E Street Band in 1974. He plays the piano, organ, accordion and synthe ...
—accordion
Accordions (from 19th-century German ''Akkordeon'', from ''Akkord''—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a reed ...
*Matt Champlin—recording, mixing
*Orlando Vitto—recording
*Greg Morgan—sound design
*Brandon N. Caddell—engineering assistance
*Karl Campbell—additional claps
Charts
Weekly charts
End-Year charts
Release history
References
External links
*
{{Nelly Furtado singles
Nelly Furtado songs
2012 singles
Songs written by Nelly Furtado
Song recordings produced by Rodney Jerkins
Songs written by Rodney Jerkins
2012 songs
Interscope Records singles
Black-and-white music videos
Electropop songs