"Celebrity" is a song by South Korean singer-songwriterIU. It was released on January 27, 2021, through EDAM Entertainment viaKakao M, and serves as the lead single from her fifth Korean-language studio album,Lilac. A dance-pop and electropop track, "Celebrity" was written by IU, with additional composition byChloe Latimer and Celine Svanback, andRyan S. Jhun, Jeppe London Bilsby, Lauritz Emil Christiansen, —the last three also handled arrangement.
IU first teased that a new single was in the works while onstage at the35th Golden Disc Awards on January 9, 2021. As she accepted the Digital Daesang award for "Blueming", she stated that the new song would be "refreshing" and "gives people strength".[1] On January 11, her label, Edam Entertainment, announced that she would return with a pre-release single titled "Celebrity" on January 27, 2021. The label hinted that the new song would be a cheerful pop sound with energetic music genre.[2]
"Celebrity" was subsequently released on January 27 fordigital download andstreaming as the lead single off of IU's fifth Korean-language studio album,Lilac. The single marked her first offering following the release of the chart-topping single "Eight"—a collaboration with BTS'Suga—in May 2020.[3] The track was written and composed by IU, Ryan S. Jhun, Jeppe London Bilsby, Lauritz Emil Christiansen,Chloe Latimer and Celine Svanback, with arrangement conducted by Bilsby, Christiansen and Jhun.[4]
Musically, "Celebrity" is described as adance-pop track that incorporates a variety of genres, includingpop,electronic music andtropical house, and signals a shift from much of IU's previous discography.[4] Regarding the musicality of the single, EDAM Entertainment stated that "the song has a bright and cheerful pop sound that can energize those listening to it. It's a genre of music that IU is trying for the first time". Furthermore, the agency commented about the upcoming album's musical direction, saying "it will be her venture into more energetic and pop beat genres".[5] Lyrically, the song explores the themes of fame, identity, insecurities, loss and the notion of living as a celebrity.[6] The song was composed in the key of A major with a tempo of 100 beats per minute, and run for 3 minutes and 16 seconds.[7]
Upon release, "Celebrity" debuted atop theGaon Digital Chart,[8] becoming IU's 17th number one single and 25th number-one overall when including featured appearances and OSTs. The song remained atop the chart for six consecutive weeks, becoming one of the longest songs in the chart's history to remain at number one.[9] Internationally, "Celebrity" debuted and peaked at number 2 and number 13 in Singapore and New Zealand respectively. The song placed at number 3 in its opening week on theWorld Digital Song Sales chart, where it peaked.[10] On theBillboard Global Excl. US chart, the song debuted at number 190 before entering at number 78 on the standardBillboard Global 200 the following week, marking her first appearance on the global chart.[11]
On January 25, 2021, a music video teaser for "Celebrity" was released on Kakao M's official YouTube channel.[12] The music video, directed by Paranoid Paradigm and produced by VM Project Architecture,[13] was subsequently uploaded on January 27, in conjunction with the release of the single.[14]
^ab2021년 05주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart – Week 5 of 2021].Gaon Music Chart (in Korean).Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. RetrievedJanuary 7, 2022.
^Kim, So-ra (February 7, 2022)."2021년을 빛낸 아이유 'Celebrity' 2관왕…방탄소년단, 임영웅 연간 가온차트 1위에 이름 올려" [IU's 'Celebrity', which shines in 2021, wins 2 crowns... BTS, Lim Young-woong topped the annual Gaon Chart].Star one (in Korean). RetrievedOctober 20, 2022.
^Yoon, Ki-baek (January 27, 2022)."BTS 8관왕·아이유 5관왕… 가온차트 최고의 별 [종합]" [BTS 8 wins, IU 5 wins...Gaon Chart's Best Star [Overall]] (in Korean). E Daily.Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. RetrievedJanuary 27, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim, Ji-hye (January 8, 2022)."[골든디스크]방탄소년단·아이유, 음반·음원 부문 대상 영예..NCT 127→세븐틴 본상(종합)" [[Golden Disc] BTS, IU, the grand prize in the album and music category...NCT 127 → Seventeen Bonsang (comprehensive)] (in Korean).Herald Pop.Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. RetrievedJanuary 8, 2022 – via Naver.
^Hwang, Hye-jin (February 21, 2021).'인기가요' 아이유 출연없이 1위, 강다니엘·청하·루시 컴백(종합) ['Inkigayo' IU wins 1st place without any appearance, Kang Daniel, Chungha and Lucy comeback [Overall]].Newsen (in Korean).Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. RetrievedJune 27, 2021.
^Kim, Myung-mi (February 28, 2021).아이유 '인기가요' 1위, 민혁-나은-재현 눈물의 막방 "감사합니다" [IU ranked 1st on Inkigayo, Minhyuk-Jaehyun-Na-eun's last tearful broadcast "Thank you"].Newsen (in Korean).Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 28, 2021.
^Bae, Hyo-joo (February 5, 2021).'뮤직뱅크' 아이유 '셀러브리티' 위엄, 방송출연 없이 1위 등극 ['Music Bank' IU 'Celebrity', ranked 1st with no TV appearance].Newsen (in Korean).Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 5, 2021.
^2월 2주순위 <k-차트> 순위 [Music Bank ranking for the second week of February].KBS Music Bank (in Korean). February 16, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 16, 2021.
^Jin, Ju-hee (March 13, 2021).'뮤직뱅크' 아이유, 방송 출연 없이 BTS 제치고 1위 ['Music Bank' IU, ranked 1st with no TV appearance].MK Sports (in Korean).Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. RetrievedMarch 12, 2021.
^Park, Soo-in (April 2, 2021).'뮤직뱅크' 아이유, 브레이브걸스 제치고 출연없이 1위 ['Music Bank' IU beating Brave Girls to No. 1 without appearing].My Daily (in Korean). RetrievedApril 2, 2021 – via Naver.
^Lee, Ha-na (February 6, 2021).'음악중심' 아이유 '셀러브리티'의 힘, 출연없이 1위‥김우석·CIX 컴백(종합) ['Music Core' IU's "Celebrity" power, 1st place without any appearance, Kim Woo-suk and CIX comeback [Overall]].Newsen (in Korean).Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 14, 2021.
^Lee, Ha-na (February 6, 2021).'음악중심' 아이유 '셀러브리티'의 힘, 출연없이 1위‥김우석·CIX 컴백(종합) ['Music Core' IU's "Celebrity" power, 1st place without any appearance, Kim Woo-suk and CIX comeback [Overall]].Newsen (in Korean).Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. RetrievedFebruary 21, 2021.
^Lee, Ji-sun (March 13, 2021).[종합]'음악중심' 아이유, 출연없이 1위…CRAVITY·GHOST9·영지 컴백 [[General] 'Music Core' IU, No. 1, without appearing ... CRAVITY·GHOST9·Youngji Comeback].Herald Pop (in Korean).Archived from the original on March 13, 2021. RetrievedMarch 13, 2021 – via Naver.
^"2021년 02월 Digital Chart" [February 2021 Digital Chart].Gaon Music Chart (in Korean).Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. RetrievedMay 11, 2021.
