"Violence"
Cover art for later editions
Single by Grimes and I_o
from the album Miss Anthropocene
ReleasedSeptember 5, 2019 (2019-09-05)
Genre
Length3:40 (original mix)
4:12 (club mix)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Grimes
  • I_o
Grimes singles chronology
"Pretty Dark"
(2019)		 "Violence"
(2019)		 "So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth"
(2019)
I_o singles chronology
"Fatal Error"
(2018)		 "Violence"
(2019)		 "Annihilation"
(2020)
Music video
"Violence" on YouTube

"Violence" is a song by Canadian musician Grimes and the late American DJ I_o. It was released on September 5, 2019, as the lead single from her fifth studio album Miss Anthropocene.[1]

Background

On September 3, 2019, the singer teased the release by posting a painting of an angelic figure whose hands touch a sword pierced into a planet resembling earth.[2] She also blanked the remainder of her Instagram page.[3] The post was accompanied by the caption "A new way to die! 2 days." which led publications to believe it would be the name of the song.[1] However, she clarified the actual song title a day later.[4] Another post in anticipation of the release read "There were Humans and Gods and nothing but Angels in between."[5]

Critical reception

Selim Bulut of Dazed Digital described the track as "a more ethereal piece of electro-pop, driven by a thumping kickdrum and synth arp bassline".[6] Jem Aswad at Variety spoke of the song as a "synth-driven, soft-focus collaboration with DJ i_o".[5] Writing for Uproxx, Derrick Rossignol noted that "it's an engaging piece of atmospheric but dance-ready electronic pop" and compared it to some of her previous works.[7] In his review of Grimes' album, Miss Anthropocene, Anna Richmond described "Violence" as a song about "an abusive relationship, [...] only understood as being sung by the actual Earth to the very crisis of climate change" and, sonically, "four-to-the-floor trance with a Madonna-esque vocal melody".[8] Rhian Daly of NME described the song as "pulsating, intergalactic rave-pop".[9] The song appeared on Paper Mag's list of the "10 Songs You Need To Start Your Weekend Right", where the writer, Michael Love Michael, described it as "a bouncy synthpop track that feels like equal parts Britney Spears club hit and PSA for toxic relationships and/or climate change".[10]

Music video

The music video for "Violence" was released through Grimes' YouTube channel alongside the song's official release on September 5, 2019.[11] It was directed by Grimes herself. The video begins with the singer reading The Art of War by Sun Tzu which would predict the outcome of the video.[12][13] Later on March 15, 2020, the cover of the book got censored due to copyright claims made by that specific edition publishing company. After reading the book, Grimes is then seen performing dances among a group of female warriors whose movements mimic war combats;[14] all of them are wearing facemasks to obscure their features. Grimes is also seen in the area where she read the book, dancing, and singing. Grimes wears a simple black outfit while with the dancers, and while on her own she is dressed in a "silver, futuristic dress" from Iris Van Herpen's fall 2019 couture collection.[12] Variety compared the visuals to a "a supermodel session in the 1990s".[5] The video features choreography inspired by TikTok user Cindy,[15] and was filmed inside the Vibiana Cathedral.[16]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[17]

Charts

Chart (2019–2020) Peak
position
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[18] 31
US Dance/Electronic Digital Songs (Billboard)[19] 5
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[20] 19

References

  1. 1 2 Reilly, Nick (September 3, 2019). "Grimes confirms new single 'A New Day To Die' will arrive this week". NME. Archived from the original on September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  2. ↑ Kaufman, Gil (September 3, 2019). "Grimes Teases 'A New Way to Die' Single". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  3. ↑ Panzer, Natalia (September 3, 2019). "Grimes to release new music this Thursday". Fact Magazine. Archived from the original on September 4, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Official press release for Violence - dropping tonight at midnight ! ⏰". Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2019 – via Instagram.
  5. 1 2 3 Aswad, Jem (September 5, 2019). "Grimes Drops New Single and Video, 'Violence'". Variety. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  6. ↑ Bulut, Selim (September 5, 2019). "Grimes returns with a new single, 'Violence'". Dazed. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  7. ↑ Rossignol, Derrick (September 5, 2019). "Grimes Sets War To Thumping Electronic Pop In Her New 'Violence' Video". Uproxx. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  8. ↑ Richmond, Anna (February 22, 2020). "Review: Grimes' Miss Anthropocene Feels Both Deeply Personal and Communal". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  9. ↑ Daly, Rhian (February 20, 2020). "Grimes - 'Miss Anthropocene' review: an iconoclast continues to march to the beat of her own drum". NME. Archived from the original on April 23, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  10. ↑ Michael Love Michael (September 6, 2019). "Bops Only: 10 Songs You Need to Start Your Weekend Right". Paper. Archived from the original on April 23, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  11. ↑ Yoo, Noah (September 5, 2019). "Watch Grimes' Video for New Song "Violence"". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  12. 1 2 Alston, Trey (September 5, 2019). "Grimes Commands a Legion of Ninjas in 'Violence'". MTV. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  13. ↑ Lorusso, Marissa (September 5, 2019). "Watch The Video For Grimes' New Song 'Violence'". NPR. Archived from the original on September 6, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  14. ↑ Shaffer, Claire; Legaspi, Althea; Zemler, Emily (September 5, 2019). "Watch Grimes Learn the Art of War in 'Violence' Music Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  15. ↑ Sanchez, Chelsey (February 21, 2020). "Grimes's Dance for the "Violence" Music Video Was Inspired by This TikTok". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Grimes Talks "Violence" Music Video and Taking Inspiration From Bollywood and TikTok | Playback". YouTube. February 20, 2020. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Violence / Grimes and i_o". Tidal. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  18. ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 16, 2019. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Grimes (chart history, Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Grimes Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
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