thatPower

"#thatPower"
Will.i.am - "thatPOWER".jpg
Single by will.i.am featuring Justin Bieber
from the album #willpower
ReleasedMarch 18, 2013
RecordedFebruary 20, 2013
StudioMetropolis, London
Genre
Length4:39
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • will.i.am
  • Verrigni
  • Damien Leroy
will.i.am singles chronology
"Scream & Shout"
(2012)
"#thatPower"
(2013)
"Crazy Kids"
(2013)
Justin Bieber singles chronology
"All Around the World"
(2013)
"#thatPower"
(2013)
"Lolly"
(2013)
Music video
"#thatPower" ft. Justin Bieber on YouTube

"#thatPower" (stylized as "#thatPOWER") is a song by American recording artist will.i.am, taken from his fourth studio album, #willpower. The song features Canadian singer Justin Bieber, who wrote the song alongside will.i.am, Verrigni and Damien Leroy (DJ Ammo). The latter two also produced the song. "thatPOWER" was released in the United States and Canada on March 18, 2013, via Interscope Records, as the third single from the album. The song has since charted in several countries. A special version of the song is used for 2013 NBA Playoffs telecasts on ESPN and ABC and the last day of TV5's primetime sports block on IBC, AKTV.

Background

"#thatPower" was released on YouTube on March 15 and on iTunes on March 18. The song made its radio premiere on Capital FM in the United Kingdom on March 15. Will.i.am tweeted the cover art for the song on March 15. The song was recorded on February 20, 2013, at Metropolis, when Bieber and will.i.am were in London for the 2013 BRIT Awards. The song was released to American Contemporary radio on March 26, 2013.[citation needed] The single sold 108,000 digital downloads in its first week of release.

Composition

Will.i.am described "#thatPower" as up-tempo. MTV's Jocelyn Vena said the song had "lyrical swagger" and noted how "Bieber brings his sweet vocals to the chorus", with a vibe that "recalls Kanye West's 2010 hit, 'Power'". According to The Hollywood Reporter, the song is club-oriented.

Critical reception

"#thatPower" received mixed reviews from music critics. E.E. Bradman for Common Sense Media wrote, "This one's all about the club: With its uptempo four-on-the-floor bass and kick assault, repeated choruses, and surging synths, "#thatPower" sounds and feels more like a remix than the first iteration of a new song." Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone called the song "a wan melody warbled by Bieber over generic 4/4 beats" and gave it two out of five stars, ending his review with "#FAIL."

Music video

On March 21, will.i.am tweeted about how exhausting rehearsals for the video were. On March 25, Capital FM reported that will.i.am was seen taking part in the production of parts of the video for the song in Los Angeles. The official video premiered on April 19, 2013. An alternate "second screen" music video is available through an unlisted YouTube link when the song is tagged via Shazam. The alternate video does not contain audio and is meant to be viewed alongside the original music video in order to spot the differences between the two.

A special version was shot with National Basketball Association (NBA) players, including LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh, to be used as the opening theme introduction for the 2013 NBA Playoffs television broadcasts on ABC and ESPN. The video is also used at various commercial breaks throughout the broadcasts.

Live performances

will.i.am performed the track at Le Grand Journal on April 16, 2013, and it featured his backing dancers.[citation needed] Four days later, he performed the song on The Jonathan Ross Show, doing a similar performance.[citation needed] He performed the song on Dancing with the Stars results show on April 23, 2013, while Justin Bieber's solos played in the background in a video.[citation needed] On May 19, will.i.am and Bieber also performed the song live during the 2013 Billboard Music Awards, in Las Vegas.

Cover versions

A funk and soul-infused version of "#thatPower" was arranged, recorded and performed by Judith Hill, on the television singing competition show The Voice. The performance was held on May 27, 2013, and was broadcast live on NBC. The studio-recorded version was digitally released during the same period.

Track listing

Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."#thatPower" (featuring Justin Bieber)4:39
CD single
No.TitleLength
1."#thatPower" (featuring Justin Bieber) (radio edit)4:01
2."#thatPower" (instrumental)4:39

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) 2× Platinum 140,000^
Belgium (BEA) Gold 15,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)
Streaming
Platinum 1,800,000dagger
Germany (BVMI) Gold 150,000double-dagger
Italy (FIMI) Platinum 30,000*
Mexico (AMPROFON) Platinum 60,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ) Gold 7,500*
Sweden (GLF) Platinum 40,000double-dagger
United Kingdom (BPI) Gold 400,000double-dagger
United States 1,018,369

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
dagger Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Canada March 18, 2013 Digital download Universal Music
United States Interscope Records
March 26, 2013 Mainstream and rhythmic radio
Germany March 29, 2013 Digital download Universal Music
United Kingdom April 3, 2013 Mainstream radio Polydor Records
April 14, 2013 Digital download
Germany April 26, 2013 CD single Universal Music

This page was last updated at 2022-08-17 00:13 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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