Perfume (Pale Waves song)
| "Perfume" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Apple-shaped Blood Records bonus 7", featuring "Perfume" on the a-side | ||||
| Single by Pale Waves | ||||
| from the album Smitten | ||||
| Released | 12 June 2024 | |||
| Recorded | 2024 | |||
| Length |
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| Label | Dirty Hit | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Pale Waves singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Perfume" on YouTube | ||||
"Perfume" is a song by the English band Pale Waves, released on 12 June 2024 as the lead single from their album Smitten (2024). The song was written by Pale Waves's frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie and producer Simon Oscroft. A music video for the song, directed by Georgie Cowan-Turner was also released. The single later peaked at number 13 on Billboard Japan's "Hot Overseas" single chart.
Music and lyrics
[edit]"Perfume" explores the excitement of new love and the "complexity that comes with the beginning of a relationship".[1] Baron-Gracie initially worried the lyrics for "Perfume" were too simple, but she later embraced their catchiness, likening them to the lyrics of the Spice Girls.[2]
Prominently featuring "jangly, rhythmic guitar" and vocals "reminiscent of The Cranberries", "Perfume" sees "the band's gothic impulses coming to the fore".[3] Several publications – such as Atwood Magazine, NME, and Under the Radar – have further argued that the track evokes the retro-pop sound of the band's early releases.[1][4][5]
Music video
[edit]A video for "Perfume" was directed by Georgie Cowan-Turner and released on 12 June 2024.[6][7]
Release
[edit]On 24 May 2024, Pale Waves performed at the 100 Club in London under the pseudonym "Perfume" as part of Dork magazine's "Dork Night Out" event series; at this concert, they debuted the song of the same name.[8][9] "Perfume" was eventually released as the lead single for Smitten, debuting on BBC Radio 1 on 12 June 2024.[10] The decision to release "Perfume" as the album's lead single was, according to Baron-Gracie, because "it just was the star of the show from the get-go. Everyone kind of thought the same. Everyone responded so well to 'Perfume' [and it] just felt right.[11]
Upon its release, the single peaked at number 13 on Billboard Japan's Hot Overseas chart.[12] Blood Records later issued a limited-edition apple-shaped 7" record (bundled with a special variant of Smitten) that featured "Perfume" on the a-side.[13][14]
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from the Apple Music release.[15]
Pale Waves
- Heather Baron-Gracie – vocals, guitar
- Ciara Doran – drums, synths, programming
- Hugo Silvani – guitar
- Charlie Wood – bass guitar
Technical
- Simon Oscroft – production
- Ian Berryman – production
- Oli Jacobs – mixing
- Fraser Latimer – mixing assistance
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan)[12] | 13 |
Release history
[edit]| Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 12 June 2024 | Digital download, streaming | [16][15][17][14] | |
| 27 September 2024 | 7" LP |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Childfree, Aaron (19 June 2024). "'I wanna make you my world': Pale Waves Capture the Excitement of New Love on 'Perfume'". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
- ^ Mae, Keaton (20 August 2024). "Exclusive Interview: We're Smitten With Pale Waves, And You Should Be Too!". The Honey Pop. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ Murray, Robin (13 June 2024). "Pale Waves Announce New Album 'Smitten'". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ England, Adam (13 June 2024). "Pale Waves Announce New Album 'Smitten' with Dreamy Single 'Perfume'". NME. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Von Pip, Andy (13 June 2024). "Pale Waves Announce Their Fourth Album, Share New Single 'Perfume'". Under the Radar. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Rincon, Skyy (12 June 2024). "Pale Waves Announce New Album Smitten For September 2024 Release, Share New Single & Video 'Perfume'". music.mxdwn.com. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ Ulitski, Rob (19 June 2024). "Pale Waves 'Perfume' by Georgie Cowan-Turner". Promonewstv. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ "Who are 'Perfume'?". Dork. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- ^ Muir, Jamie (30 May 2024). "Pale Waves kick off a brand new era at Dork's Night Out at the 100 Club, London". Dork. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- ^ "Radio 1's New Music Show with Jack Saunders". BBC Radio 1. 12 June 2024. Archived from the original on 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ Young, Brigid (6 September 2024). "Pale Waves". 1883. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ Pale Waves (18 July 2024). "The limited edition @bloodrecs Smitten vinyl is available to pre-order now, featuring an exclusive apple shaped 7" with Perfume and the acoustic demo of Miss America 🍎". Retrieved 7 October 2024 – via Instagram.
- ^ a b "Pale Waves: Smitten". Blood Records. Archived from the original on 1 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Perfume – Song by Pale Waves". Apple Music. 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ Pale Waves (2024). "Perfume – Song by Pale Waves". Spotify. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ Pale Waves (2024). "Perfume". Bandcamp. Retrieved 8 November 2024.