"Venus Fly Trap"
Single by Marina
from the album Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land
Released9 June 2021 (2021-06-09)
GenrePop
Length2:38
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Marina Diamandis
Producer(s)
Marina singles chronology
"Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land"
(2021)		 "Venus Fly Trap"
(2021)
Music video
"Venus Fly Trap" on YouTube

"Venus Fly Trap" is a song written and recorded by Welsh singer-songwriter Marina for her fifth studio album, Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land (2021). It was released as the project's fourth single on 9 June 2021, through Atlantic Records, and was produced by Marina and James Flannigan. A Kito remix featuring Tove Lo was released on 16 July.

Background and release

"Venus Fly Trap" was released for digital download and streaming on 9 June 2021, as the parent album's fourth single.[1] It was the final song to premiere ahead of the album's release, and was originally teased one month prior with previous single "Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land".[2][3] Marina is the sole songwriter of "Venus Fly Trap", and produced it with James Flannigan.[4] The music video for "Venus Fly Trap" debuted alongside the single, and was directed by Weird Life Films.[5]

On 16 July 2021, a remix by Australian producer and DJ Kito featuring Swedish singer-songwriter Tove Lo was released. Additional writing was handled by Lo.[6]

Composition and lyrics

"Venus Fly Trap" is a funk-influenced pop song.[5][7] The chorus consists of Marina asking: "Why be a wallflower when you can be a Venus fly trap?"[8] Other lyrics in the song are "unexpectedly" personal, particularly "I know that money ain't important, and it don't mean you're the best / But I earned it all myself, and I'm a millionairess", according to NME's Nick Levine.[5] He also summarized the message as a "tongue-in-cheek self empowerment banger" that makes reference to her second studio album, Electra Heart (2012).[9] Clash's Jessica Fynn shared a similar view, opining that Marina "lyrically revive[d]" herself from the era.[10] Feeling it was reminiscent of "Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land", Red Dziri from The Line of Best Fit said "Venus Fly Trap" shared the same energy, but that it was "more hectic" and sassy.[11]

Reception

According to the Official Charts Company, "Venus Fly Trap" peaked at number 31 on the Singles Sales chart, which ranks the best-selling songs of the week.[12] It also reached number 3 on the Physical Singles chart, and was the highest-performing Vinyl Singles entry for the week of 20 May 2022, becoming her second number one on the chart following "Purge the Poison".[13][14] In the US, the song entered two Billboard radio charts. It debuted on the Rock Airplay chart at number 38 on the publication dated 10 July 2021.[15] On the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, a component chart of Rock Airplay, the song reached a slightly higher peak at number 34.[16]

Live performances

MARINA first performed the "Venus Fly Trap" as part of the setlist of Ancient Dreams: Live from the Desert, a virtual concert broadcast a day after the album's release.[17] She also performed the song on Late Night with Seth Meyers on 14 June 2021.[18]

Track listing

  • Digital download
  1. "Venus Fly Trap" – 2:38
  • Blossom Remix
  1. "Venus Fly Trap" (Blossom Remix) – 3:28
  1. "Venus Fly Trap" (Kito Remix) [featuring Tove Lo] – 2:43

Charts

Chart performance for "Venus Fly Trap"
Chart (2021-2022) Peak
position
UK Singles Sales (OCC)[12] 31
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[15] 38

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Venus Fly Trap"
Region Date Format(s) Version Label Ref.
Various 9 June 2021 Original Atlantic [1]
30 June 2021 Blossom remix [19]
16 July 2021 Kito remix [20]

References

  1. ↑ Kenneally, Cerys (7 June 2021). "Marina to release 'Venus Fly Trap' this week". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  2. ↑ Kenneally, Cerys (12 May 2021). "Marina teases new track and confirms two singles will be released 'in the next month'". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  3. ↑ @marinadiamandis (9 June 2021). "'Venus Fly Trap'" – via Instagram.
  4. 1 2 3 Reilly, Nick (10 June 2021). "Marina shares 'Venus Fly Trap' from new album 'Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land'". NME. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  5. ↑ Kenneally, Cerys (16 July 2021). "Tove Lo hops on Kito remix of MARINA's "Venus Fly Trap"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  6. ↑ Firth, Abigail (9 June 2021). "Marina – Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land". Dork. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  7. ↑ Graves, Shahlin (10 June 2021). "Marina shares new song 'Venus Fly Trap'". Coup de Main. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  8. ↑ Levine, Nick (10 June 2021). "Marina – 'Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land' review: serves aplenty from pop royalty". NME. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  9. ↑ Fynn, Jessica (8 June 2021). "Marina – Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land". Clash. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  10. ↑ Dziri, Red (8 June 2021). "Marina soars on the multi-threaded Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  12. ↑ "Official Physical Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "Official Vinyl Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Rock & Alternative Airplay: The week of July 10, 2021". Billboard. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  15. ↑ "Alternative Airplay: The week of July 10, 2021". Billboard. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  16. ↑ Marina on Twitter
  17. ↑ .MARINA Scheduled To Perform "Venus Fly Trap" On June 14 "Late Night With Seth Meyers"
  18. ↑ "Venus Fly Trap (Blossom Remix) by Marina". Apple Music (UK). Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  19. ↑ "Venus Fly Trap (Kito Remix) [feat. Tove Lo] by Marina". Apple Music (NZ). Retrieved 16 July 2021.
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