Wasabi (Little Mix song)

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"Wasabi"
Song by Little Mix
from the album LM5
Released16 November 2018
GenrePop
Length2:34
LabelSyco
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Music video
"Wasabi" on YouTube

"Wasabi" is a song recorded by British girl group Little Mix. It appears as the tenth track on their fifth studio album LM5 (2018). The song was released alongside the album on 16 November 2018. The song was written by band member Jade Thirlwall, together with MNEK, Mike Sabath, and Shungudzo, with the production handled by Sabath, John Hill, and Joe Kearns.

A music video for the song was released on 12 March 2020. In 2021, the song was certified silver in the United Kingdom in by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and was certified gold in Brazil.

Background and release[]

The song became viral on the video-sharing social platform, Tiktok, on July 2019.[1] After the song became viral, the group released a lyric video of the song on the group's YouTube channel consisting of viral videos using the song on 26 July 2019. [2] A music video was also released on 12 March 2020, which was filmed during their LM5: The Tour, and includes behind-the-scenes footage from their tour bus, back stage, and different tour venues.[3][4][5] However , the group had other plans regarding the concept of the music video for "Wasabi". In an interview with PopBuzz, Little Mix revealed that they wished to release the song as a single, and said that they had a music video concept for the song "ready to go" as well. Although, the group didn't specify the exact concept, instead, Thirlwall went on to say, "We weren't afraid to say how we felt about certain people but we kind of did that on tour anyway for 'Wasabi'".[6]

Composition and lyrics[]

Jade Thirlwall drew inspiration to write the song after she saw Shungudzo (right) eating sushi and shovelling wasabi (left) in her mouth.

"Wasabi" is a pop song and influenced with minimal electronic and contemporary club beats.[7][8] The song runs for a total length of 2 minutes and 34 seconds.[9] Lyrically, the song discusses about ignoring the haters and the negative things that the media write about the band. Pop Matters went on to call the song as a 'reminder to ignore the critics and strive towards authenticity'.[8] Thirlwall described the song as "a sassy song about being talked about all the time, good and bad".[10] The song also contains lyrics of the common things people say about them with the quotes, "She ain't wearing no clothes", "When she goin' solo?", and "I bet they're gonna break up" included in the song.

According to an interview with Coup De Main magazine, co-writer and band member, Jade Thirlwall, drew inspiration to write the song after seeing Shungudzo, who also co-wrote the song, eating sushi and "shovelling wasabi in her mouth". Thirlwall asked her "How are you eating that?", and added "If that was me, I would just spit it out". She then continued by saying "Wait a minute! There's a song in that!".[10]

Critical reception[]

The "Wasabi" intro video features Piers Morgan (pictured) on the group's LM5 Tour performance as way of "clapping back" for his "slut-shaming" remarks towards them.[11]

BuzzFeed's Matt Stopera, named the song "the best song they've ever recorded". He also said that the song is like a "big f*ck you to haters and people who suck".[12] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian stated, "The vocals on Wasabi, meanwhile, are similarly daft but it’s still thrilling, jolting you from minimal electronics to an explosive, distorted guitar-driven middle-eight".[13] Ross McNeilage MTV UK wrote that the song is "essentially 'Move's older, death-dropping sister".[14]

Elisabeth Woronzoff of PopMatters said that "they have always advocated for combining empowerment and fun — an this is certainly where "Wasabi" finds it's allure".[15] Writing for Idolator, Mike Nied stated that the song "hits back at haters over a frenetic, constantly evolving production" while also describing it as an "unhinged bop".[16]

Live performances[]

Little Mix performed "Wasabi" for the first time as a part of the setlist of their sixth concert tour, LM5: The Tour, in 2019.[17] Before the song was performed on tour, a mash-up of videos by YouTubers and celebrities praising the group for using their platform to promote body positivity and female empowerment, served as an opener as they transition to the second segment of the show. A clip of Piers Morgan, a Good Morning Britain presenter, appeared amongst the videos with him asking the group to make a "public apology", after member Jesy Nelson called him a "silly twat" for slut-shaming the group. The group then rose to the stage via stage lift, and proceeded to the performance proper.[6] They also performed the song on their GRLS Festival setlist, where they headlined the event on 7 March 2020 in Brazil.[18]

Credits and personnel[]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[19]

Charts[]

Chart (2018-2019) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[20] 85
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[21] 19

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[22] Gold 20,000double-dagger
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Silver 200,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[]

  1. ^ "Viral on TikTok, Little Mix releases music for the song "Wasabi"". Portalitpop. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Little Mix on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Little Mix - Wasabi (Official Video)". Youtube. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Little Mix release music video for fan favorite track 'Wasabi'". Celeb Mix. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  5. ^ Riddell, Rose (2020-03-13). "Little Mix - 'Wasabi' music video". Coup De Main Magazine. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "Little Mix reveal they planned a Piers Morgan inspired Wasabi video | PopBuzz Meets". PopBuzz. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  7. ^ "Little Mix – 'LM5' review". NME. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "Little Mix - "Wasabi" (Singles Going Steady)". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  9. ^ "LM5 by Little Mix". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 17 December 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Horne, Rory (2018-11-16). "Interview: Little Mix on their new album 'LM5'". Coup De Main Magazine. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  11. ^ "Little Mix drag Piers Morgan with iconic Wasabi intro video on their LM5 Tour". PopBuzz. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  12. ^ "Little Mix Just Released The Best Song Of Their Career And Only A Handful Of Homosexuals Are Talking About It". Buzz Feed. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  13. ^ "LM5 review – pop's unlikely survivors are American dreaming". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Little Mix - LM5 Review". MTV UK. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Little Mix – "Wasabi" (Singles Going Steady)". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
  16. ^ "Album Review: Little Mix Celebrates Womanhood On 'LM5'". idolator. 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2021-08-21.
  17. ^ Reporter, Staff (2019-09-17). "Little Mix LM5 tour set list revealed as group perform first live show in Madrid". TellyMix. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  18. ^ "Kylie Minogue, Tierra Whack, Little Mix Set For Brazil's All-Female GRLS! Festival". Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  19. ^ "LM5 Album Credits". Tidal. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  20. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on 17 April 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  21. ^ "Wasabi at number 19 on the NZ Hot 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 12 November 2018. Archived from the original on 20 January 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  22. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Little Mix – Wasabi" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  23. ^ "British single certifications – Little Mix – Wasabi". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 May 2021.Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Wasabi in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.

External links[]

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