Us (James Bay song) explained

Us
Cover:Us by James Bay and Alicia Keys.jpg
Caption:Duet single cover
Type:single
Artist:James Bay
Album:Electric Light
Genre: [1]
Label:Republic
Chronology:James Bay
Prev Title:Pink Lemonade
Prev Year:2018
Next Title:Just for Tonight
Next Year:2018

"Us" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter James Bay, from his second studio album, Electric Light (2018). The song was released by Republic Records on 30 March 2018 as the third single off the album.

Background and release

Bay told Entertainment Weekly: "I've been lucky enough to meet people all over the world and witness the phenomenal strength of crowds. I wrote this song to explore unity and inclusion. Looking through the lens of my own personal relationships, this song turned out to be a particularly important moment on the album for me."

The song was re-released as a duet with Alicia Keys on 22 May 2018.[2] [3] [4] [5]

Music video

The official music video to accompany the release of "Us" was directed by Bryan Schlam and first released on YouTube on 18 April 2018, through James Bay's official YouTube account.[6]

Throughout the clip, Bay plays piano in an empty room. The visuals cycle through intimate shots of ordinary life: one person stares into a bathroom mirror, another reclines in the grass next to sprinklers, eats at a diner, daydreams in church. The video ends with the diverse cast united for the camera, emphasizing the title "Us" with the words "me", "you", "them", "him" and "her" crossed out.[7]

Reception

Ruth Kiane from Entertainment Weekly said: "The guitar-led track is more mellow than up-tempo second single "Pink Lemonade" and electro-inspired album lead "Wild Love" its smooth lyrics and sultry notes fit well into the singer's oeuvre. "I believe in something, I believe in us," sings Bay, which is reminiscent of his work on his debut Chaos and the Calm.

Live performances

Release history

CountryDateFormatVersionLabel
Various30 March 2018OriginalRepublic[8]
27 April 2018Acoustic
Various22 May 2018DuetRepublic

Notes and References

  1. Web site: James Bay - Us Lyrics. Genius.
  2. Web site: Us – Single by James Bay & Alicia Keys on iTunes. iTunes Store (US). 22 May 2018. 17 June 2018.
  3. Web site: Alicia Keys joins James Bay for surprise performance of 'Us' on the Voice finale.
  4. Web site: 'The Voice': See Alicia Keys Surprise James Bay With 'Us' Duet During Finale. Ryan. Reed. May 23, 2018. Rolling Stone.
  5. James Bay and Alicia Keys Release 'Us' After Teaming Up For 'Voice' Performance: Listen. Morgan. Enos. May 23, 2018. Billboard.
  6. Web site: James Bay - Us. YouTube. 18 April 2018. 5 July 2018.
  7. James Bay Reflects on Power of Personal Connection in New 'Us' Video. Rolling Stone. 18 April 2018. 6 July 2018.
  8. James Bay performs acoustic version of 'Us' before its release. Entertainment Weekly. Kinane. Ruth. 29 March 2018. 5 July 2018.