7. Januar 2009
Ne-Yo – Closer

Ein großer Erfolg von Ne-Yo war seine Single “Closer” aus seinem drittem Album “Year of the Gentleman” und verhalf dem Album zu Ne-Yo’s bisher größtem Album erfolg. Mit der Single schaffte er die Charts in den UK zu stürmen und kam dort auf Platz eins. In Deutschland schaffte es die Single immerhin bis auf Platz 4.

Ne-Yo – Closer
http://www.myvideo.de/movie/4040287

“Closer” is a song by American pop/R&B singer Ne-Yo. The song was produced by Stargate.

The song was released as the first single from his upcoming album Year of the Gentleman. It reached #1 in the UK and spent 11 weeks in the UK Top 10. “Closer” became the fifteenth biggest selling single in the UK in 2008 according to BBC Radio 1’s chart of the year.

The song and its music video are being used in a commercial for Overstock.com; the commercial is also used as promotional tool for Year of the Gentleman.

Song information

“Closer” marks a musical departure for Ne-Yo, taking on a dance pop style over the more rhythmic and urban sound his songs usually possess. In the song, Ne-Yo sings of having an urging attraction to a woman he sees, having the desire to “come closer” to her. His attraction to her becomes stronger, and almost hypnotic-like, as he sings “And I just can’t pull myself away, under a spell I can’t break/I just can’t stop.”

Awards and nominations

The song has been nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the 51st Grammy Awards, which will be held on February 8, 2009.

Music video

The video was filmed at Santa Clara Studios, California. It was directed by Melina Matsoukas who also directed his “Because of You” and “Do You” video. Ne-Yo wore a “gentleman-looking” suit dancing with a woman. Other shots also show him alone in the center of the spotlight being backed up with four dancers, or with a Matchless motorcycle. A number of on-set pictures from the video leaked over the Internet.

The video premiered on BET on April 25, playing every hour of the day with the last airing being at 7 PM. It features Ne-Yo performing dance moves, with lyrics from the song occasionally appearing on-screen.

The video has been nominated in the “Best Dancing In A Video” category at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, but it lost to Pussycat Dolls’s “When I Grow Up”.

Remixes and Other Versions

1. “Closer” (StoneBridge Club Remix) – 7:36
2. “Closer” (Subkulcha House Remix) – 7:22
3. “Closer” (Cotto’s Club Mix) – 7:56
4. “Closer” (Cotto’s Can’t Stop Remix) – 7:25
5. “Closer” (StoneBridge Dub) – 6:36
6. “Closer” (G Music Remix)
7. “Closer” (Tha Bizness)
8. “Closer” (X-Mix Remix)

Chart performance

“Closer” is Ne-Yo’s most successful single in Europe, and in general. It debuted at number twenty-two on the UK Singles Chart, and managed a peak of number one based on on downloads alone after seven weeks on the chart. Upon the release of the physical CD single, “Closer” climbed to number-one, becoming his second UK number one, following “So Sick”, “Closer” spent 11 weeks in the UK Top 10. In Ireland, “Closer” initially peaked at number-twelve for four weeks before jumping to number-three. It has peaked at number four on the German Singles Chart, becoming his highest charting single there. It recently debuted at #37 in Italy. In addition it has peaked in the top ten or top twenty in Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland.

In the United States “Closer” has so far peaked at number-seven, becoming his seventh top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100. While having a relatively weak peak on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs for a Ne-Yo song, peaking outside of the top twenty at #21, “Closer” has instead had surprising success on Top 40 radio. After losing it’s bullet and falling down the charts on CHR/Top 40, suddenly the track exploded and frequently had the biggest bullet on pop radio, at times with over +1000. It has become his biggest U.S. radio hit, despite the lack of Urban airplay, becoming his first song to top the Hot 100 Airplay chart.

The song jumped fifteen spots from number-twenty to number five on the New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart and has reached a peak of number-three, it has also been certified Gold with sales of over 7,500. In Australia, “Closer” debuted at number-seventeen on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart and has thus far peaked at 8, and is his second top ten single after “So Sick”.

On December 28, 2008, the UK Singles Chart listed this at #15 for the year end countdown.