Updown
| "Updown" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Piri & Tommy Villiers | ||||
| Released | 17 February 2023 | |||
| Genre | Hyperpop | |||
| Length | 2:45 | |||
| Label | Polydor | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Piri & Tommy Villiers singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Updown" (official video) on YouTube | ||||
"Updown" (stylised in lowercase) is a hyperpop song single by Piri & Tommy Villiers. Released on 17 February 2023 on Polydor Records, the song was written about cowgirl sex and was performed during live sets prior to release. Upon release, the song received airplay from BBC Radio 1 and Capital Dance and was reviewed by reviewers from Impact, Dancing Bears, and Clash. A music video was released on 2 March.
Background
[edit]In 2020, just before the second United Kingdom COVID-19 lockdown,[1] Piri matched on Tinder with Tommy Villiers.[2] A couple of weeks later, one of the band's photographers retweeted one of their photo shoots, prompting her to find his Instagram account and ask him out.[3]: 38:07 They released the mixtape Froge.mp3 in October 2022, which they promoted the following month with Froge.tour.[4] A week after that, they split up and did not talk to each other for several months, reuniting as friends in April 2023.[5]: 44:25
Recording and release
[edit]The band recorded "Updown" in early 2022.[6] A hyperpop song,[7] Piri wrote the song about having cowgirl sex with Villiers[8] and made part of the song's chorus, "I take it updown updown updown updown", after accidentally copying and pasting her vocals.[9] Villiers added a drop to the track during preparation for Piri & Tommy live sets.[10] The band released the song on 17 February 2023,[11] upon which BBC Radio 1 announced it as that day's "Hottest Record"[12] and Capital Dance added it to its playlist.[13] On 2 March 2023,[14] the band released a video directed by Ayla Spaans.[15]
Reception
[edit]Izzy Morris reviewed the song twice. Reviewing a Froge.tour concert for LeftLion, she complimented Piri's "exploration of her 'hyperpop era'".[16] However, when she reviewed the single for Impact, she opined that while the track was "perfectly built for a dancefloor", she found Piri's comparison to other women misogynistic and gave the song 2.5 stars out of 5.[17] Simon Meyer-Horn of Dancing Bears felt that the song's drop was the best bit of the song, though felt that it was "just a little too light to really get us excited" and opined that Piri's "monotonous vocals" contributed little to the track's "very bland" instrumental.[18] A more positive review, however, came from Robin Murray of Clash, who described it as "a dose of rave-fuelled female empowerment" and complimented Piri's "biting vocal" and the track's "daring production elements".[7]
Personnel
[edit]Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Version | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 17 February 2023 | Polydor | [20] |
References
[edit]- ^ J, Trixie (4 April 2023). "Piri and Tommy Rose from Viral Rookies to UK Dance's Next Big Ace". Nexus Radio. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
- ^ Helm, Jake. "Piri and Tommy: meet the rising stars of pop". The Times. Archived from the original on 8 November 2022.
- ^ "The Daisy Adams Show w/ Piri and Tommy Villiers 27th October 2021". Reform Radio. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "piri & tommy have announced their debut project, 'froge.mp3'". Dork. 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 4 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ "Piri – Going Viral, Sustaining A Career in Music and Making OnlyFans Content". Utopia Talks. 20 September 2023. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- ^ "Radio 1's Dance Party with Danny Howard". BBC Sounds. Archived from the original on 17 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
- ^ a b "piri & Tommy Share Ecstatic New Blaster 'updown'". Clash Music. 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ "Pole Dancing to 170BPM: piri is Reimagining the Rave". Gauchoworld (4): 67.
- ^ Taylor, Tinea (5 April 2023). "Tinea". Kiss. Retrieved 5 April 2023.[dead link]
- ^ "Capital Dance on X: ". @piri_io_ on THAT drop 🐸 @VilliersTommy"". X. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ "piri & Tommy Villiers premiere new single 'updown' • WithGuitars". www.withguitars.com. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Dance Party with Danny Howard, Ella Toone House Party Playlist". BBC. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ "Capital Dance on X: "🆕 playlist's looking bangin' with new music from @Borai_Music @buntmusic_ @CamdenCoxMusic @EmpireOfTheSun @Ritontime @Blessed_Madonna @piri_io_ @VilliersTommy @morgancoledj @DenhamAudio plus our JAM HOT 'What You Say' by Young Marco 🫶"". X. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ Taylor, Sam (2 March 2023). "piri & Tommy Villiers have shared a new video for their latest track, 'updown'". Dork. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "piri & Tommy Villiers unveil video for latest single 'updown' • WithGuitars". www.withguitars.com. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Gig Review: piri & tommy at The Bodega". LeftLion. Archived from the original on 5 February 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ "New Releases Roundup: Singles". Impact Nottingham. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ Meyer-Horn, Simon (17 February 2023). "Nieuwe single piri & tommy - "updown"". Dansende Beren (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "Updown – Credits". Tidal. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ "piri Singles and EPs discography". Spotify. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.