Love 'Em All Explained

Love 'Em All
Cover:KMichelleLoveEmAll.jpg
Alt:An image of a white mannequin wearing a crown sits on a throne while surrounded by a group of black, headless mannequins.
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:K. Michelle
Album:Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart?
Released:September 16, 2014
Label:Atlantic
Lyricist:
Composer:
Producer:
  • Shea Taylor
Prev Title:Can't Raise a Man
Prev Year:2014
Next Title:Maybe I Should Call
Next Year:2014

"Love 'Em All" is a song recorded by American singer K. Michelle from the second studio album Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? (2014). It was released as the lead single from the record on September 16, 2014, through Atlantic. "Love 'Em All" was written by Michelle and Bianca Atterberry and composed by B.A.M., Lil' Ronnie and Shea Taylor. Taylor co-produced the single with Lil' Ronnie and B.A.M. A pop rock and R&B ballad, its lyrics are about sexuality and a woman pursuing multiple relationships. Michelle said that "Love 'Em All" is a response to Chris Brown's 2013 single "Loyal".

Critics responded positively to "Love 'Em All", and it peaked at numbers 26 and 35 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard charts, respectively. An accompanying video, released on November 3, 2014, features Michelle dancing with a chair and singing on a throne. Michelle also promoted "Love 'Em All" through live performances. Atlantic also released remixes of the single, including one featuring American rapper Jeezy.

Recording and release

"Love 'Em All" was written by Kimberly Michelle Pate, and Bianca Atterberry. It was composed by B.A.M., Lil' Ronnie and Shea Taylor. Taylor co-produced the single with Lil' Ronnie and B.A.M. and played the instruments. Atterberry produced the song's vocals, which were recorded by C Travis Kr8ts.[1] Atlantic released "Love 'Em All" on September 16, 2014 as the lead single from Michelle's second studio album Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? (2014).[2] To precede the song's release, Michelle held a livestream on Google Chat.[3] [4] Describing her debut album Rebellious Soul (2013) as "a glorified mixtape" due to her "angry and aggressive" approach, Michelle said that she recorded "Love 'Em All" to pursue a "new vibe" and act "innovative and progressive".[5] Prior to its release, she posted a preview on her Instagram account.[6]

A remix with an additional verse from Jeezy was released on SoundCloud.[7] Kevin Goddard of HotNewHipHop described the remix as "adding some hip-hop flavor to the grungy love ballad", and wrote that Jeezy rapped with "braggadocious rhymes and slick analogies for the streets". The remix was not included on the album.[8] On March 10, 2015, additional remixes by Redondo and Toyboy & Robin was made available on Apple Music.[9]

Composition and lyrics

"Love 'Em All" is a pop rock and R&B ballad that lasts four minutes and five seconds.[10] [11] [12] The instrumental includes "pounding drums", and Emily Tan of The Boombox interpreted the composition as containing a "driving beat".[13] BuzzFeed's Alex Naidus identified Michelle's vocals as "brassy [and] wailing".[14] With lyrics revolving around sexuality and a woman "playing the field",[15] "Love 'Em All" is a response to Chris Brown's 2013 single "Loyal".[16] [17] Michelle said that the single was based on the line "these bitches ain't loyal", and explained that she wanted to make "a record that basically said what most women do but they won’t say".

Music critics described "Love 'Em All" as a "heartbreaker anthem". The song opens with Michelle narrating: "They say I move too fast / Going man to man / Always holding a new hand.” She sings about her relationships in the chorus: 'Cause they think I love 'em / But I love 'em all / I need another one to get over the other one.” Other lyrics include: “I broke another heart today / And I didn’t care, I just walked away / ‘Cause they think I love ’em, but I love ’em all.”

Reception

"Love 'Em All" received primarily positive reviews from music critics. Mike Wass of Idolator praised it as a "killer lead single", and AllMusic's Andy Kellman selected it as one of the album's highlights. Kevin Apaza of Direct Lyrics felt that it would be successful on rhythmic radio, and commended it as "an anthem for many women". Vibe's Michael Arceneaux praised the single, along with the album track "Judge Me" as "the best introduction to the K. Michelle of 2014". Alex Naidus and DJ JusMusic of Singersroom included "Love 'Em All" on their lists of the best R&B releases of 2014.[18] In a more negative review, PopMatters' Devone Jones criticized the song as "good enough despite the boring lyrics". While he felt its opening set up an expectation for "a beautiful rock ballad", Jones wrote that it "just becomes another typical R&B song that isn’t a car crash".[19] Commercially, "Love 'Em All" peaked at 26 and 35 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Billboard charts, respectively.[20] [21]

Music video and promotion

On November 3, 2014, the single's accompanying music video debuted on VH1. It was shown after the debut of Michelle's reality television .[22] [23] It was uploaded on the singer's YouTube account on the same day.[24] Dressed in a sparkling leotard, Michelle dances with a chair; she appears alongside a group of back-up dancers in a room full of black mannequins.[25] The singer is also seen singing while sitting on a throne. A writer for Rap-Up praised it as "her fiercest video yet". Comparing Michelle's choreography to that in Britney Spears' music video for her 2000 single "Stronger", Kevin Apaza responded positively to the visual's "sexy treatment". As February 2, 2015, the video received over 7 million views on YouTube.[26]

Michelle also promoted "Love 'Em All" through live performances.[27] [28] On December 12, 2014, she performed it on Big Morning Buzz Live. Rahsheeda Ali responded positively to Michelle's performance, writing that she "sounded amazing". She sang "Love 'Em All" as part of her 2015 My Twisted Mind Tour.[29] The song was also included on the setlist for her 2016 Hello Kimberly Tour.[30] Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle praised her performance as "an early highlight" of the show, and described it as "a stunning display of poise and power".[31]

Credits and personnel

Credits were adapted from the liner notes from Anybody Wanna Buy A Heart?:

Charts

Chart (2015)Peak
position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)35
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)26

Release history

Region Format Date Label
United StatesDigital downloadSeptember 16, 2014Atlantic
Remix packageMarch 10, 2015

Notes and References

  1. Anybody Wanna Buy A Heart?. December 9, 2014. K. Michelle. Inlay cover. Atlantic.
  2. Love 'Em All. September 16, 2014. K. Michelle. Inlay cover. Atlantic.
  3. https://twitter.com/kmichelle/status/511209015339401217
  4. https://twitter.com/kmichelle/status/511696554227294208
  5. Web site: K. Michelle Spills The Beans On New Single "Love 'Em All", Her Country Duet & Sophomore Album: Idolator Interview. Wass. Mike. September 25, 2014. Idolator.
  6. Web site: K. Michelle Announces New Single 'Love 'Em All' (Preview). DJ JusMusic. September 8, 2014. Singersroom. https://web.archive.org/web/20140929195910/http://singersroom.com/content/2014-09-08/K-Michelle-Announces-New-Single-Love-Em-All/. September 29, 2014. live.
  7. Web site: K. Michelle ft Jeezy - Love Em' All. 2015. SoundCloud. May 30, 2018.
  8. Web site: K. Michelle - Love Em All (Remix) Feat. Jeezy. Goddard. Kevin. December 9, 2014. HotNewHipHop. May 30, 2018.
  9. Web site: Love 'Em All (Remixes) - Single. March 10, 2015. Apple Music. May 30, 2018.
  10. Web site: New Music: K. Michelle - 'Love 'Em All'. September 15, 2014. Rap-Up. https://web.archive.org/web/20150915070409/http://www.rap-up.com/2014/09/15/new-music-k-michelle-love-em-all/. September 15, 2015. live.
  11. Web site: AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman. Kellman. Andy. AllMusic. https://web.archive.org/web/20170527182524/http://www.allmusic.com/album/anybody-wanna-buy-a-heart-mw0002776004. May 27, 2017. live.
  12. Web site: Listen: K. Michelle Premieres Heartbreaker Anthem "Love 'Em All". Apaza. Kevin. September 16, 2014. Direct Lyrics. https://web.archive.org/web/20170712115540/https://www.directlyrics.com/listen-k-michelle-premieres-heartbreaker-anthem-love-em-all-news.html. July 12, 2017. live.
  13. Web site: K. Michelle Breaks Hearts in Sexy 'Love 'Em All' Video. Tan. Emily. November 4, 2014. The Boombox. https://web.archive.org/web/20151017013533/http://theboombox.com/k-michelle-love-em-all-video/. October 17, 2015. live.
  14. Web site: 54 Amazing R&B Songs From 2014 You Need In Your Life. Naidus. Alex. December 22, 2014. BuzzFeed. https://web.archive.org/web/20180530101925/https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexnaidus/r-n-b-2014?utm_term=.aylJpJa27N#.ck7Z2Zw1Mn. May 30, 2018. live.
  15. Web site: K.Michelle Loves Them And Leaves Them In 'Love 'Em All' Video. November 4, 2014. Vibe. https://web.archive.org/web/20160829172426/http://www.vibe.com/2014/11/love-em-all/. August 29, 2016. live.
  16. Web site: Q&A: K. Michelle Talks 'Love 'Em All,' The Truth About Idris Elba & Fake Butt Rumors. Platon. Adelle. September 17, 2014. Vibe. https://web.archive.org/web/20150812200222/http://www.vibe.com/2014/09/k-michelle-fake-butt-rumors-love-em-all-idris-elba-interview/. August 12, 2015. live.
  17. Web site: K. Michelle Trades Brashness for Subtlety on "Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart?". Arceneaux. Michael. December 11, 2014. Complex. May 31, 2018.
  18. Web site: The Scandal Edition: 10 New R&B Songs That Can Fix Your Broken Heart. DJ JusMusic. November 6, 2014. Singersroom. https://web.archive.org/web/20150703211527/http://singersroom.com/content/2014-11-06/The-Scandal-Edition-10-New-RB-Songs-That-Can-Fix-Your-Broken-Heart/. July 3, 2015. live.
  19. Web site: K. Michelle: Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart. Jones. Devone. January 5, 2015. PopMatters. https://web.archive.org/web/20180114025401/https://www.popmatters.com/k-michelle-anybody-wanna-buy-a-heart-2495576640.html. January 14, 2018. live.
  20. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Billboard. May 30, 2018.
  21. R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. Billboard. May 30, 2018.
  22. Web site: Video: K. Michelle - 'Love 'Em All'. November 4, 2014. Rap-Up. https://web.archive.org/web/20150909024055/http://www.rap-up.com/2014/11/04/video-k-michelle-love-em-all/. September 9, 2015. live.
  23. Web site: Premiere: Watch K. Michelle's New Video For 'Love 'Em All'. Cho. Diane. VH1. https://web.archive.org/web/20141105084508/http://www.vh1.com/music/tuner/2014-11-03/k-michelle-love-em-all-video-premiere/. November 5, 2014. dead.
  24. Web site: K. Michelle - Love 'Em All (Official Music Video). November 3, 2014. YouTube. https://web.archive.org/web/20180405122328/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTEqvYBbMc. April 5, 2018. live.
  25. Web site: K. Michelle Does Chair Routine In "Love 'Em All" Music Video. Apaza. Kevin. November 4, 2014. Direct Lyrics. https://web.archive.org/web/20141104210545/http://www.directlyrics.com/k-michelle-does-chair-routine-in-love-em-all-music-video-news.html. November 4, 2014. live.
  26. Web site: Mona Scott-Young Has Created a TV Empire by Keeping Things Real, and She's Not About to Start Faking It Now. Charlton. Lauretta. February 2, 2015. Complex. https://web.archive.org/web/20170923084322/http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2015/02/mona-scott-young-interview-2015. September 23, 2017. live.
  27. Web site: K.Michelle + More Chill In Big Morning Buzz Live's Gif Booth. Ali. Radsheeda. December 12, 2014. VH1. May 30, 2018.
  28. Web site: Live photos: K. Michelle, The Fillmore (2/26/2015). Hahne. Jeff. February 27, 2015. Creative Loafing. https://web.archive.org/web/20160707221108/http://clclt.com/vibes/archives/2015/02/27/live-photos-k-michelle-the-fillmore-2-26-2015. July 7, 2016. live.
  29. Web site: K. Michelle Announces 'My Twisted Mind Tour' Dates. Wass. Mike. January 8, 2015. Idolator.
  30. Web site: Super Jam holds its own at Scottrade Center with Fetty Wap, 2 Chainz, 50 Cent. Johnson. Kevin C.. July 17, 2016. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. https://web.archive.org/web/20171011235454/http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/music/kevin-johnson/super-jam-holds-its-own-at-scottrade-center-with-fetty/article_fd5cb860-a1b5-5da8-9778-105dbaac9c96.html. October 11, 2017. live.
  31. Web site: K. Michelle brings star power to Houston. Guerra. Joey. August 8, 2016. Houston Chronicle. https://web.archive.org/web/20180420042340/https://www.chron.com/entertainment/music/article/K-Michelle-9128435.php. April 20, 2018. live.

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