"I Want You to Know" is a song by Germanmusic producerZedd, featuring vocals from American singerSelena Gomez from the former's second studio album,True Colors (2015). It was written by Zedd,OneRepublic's frontmanRyan Tedder, andKDrew. "I Want You to Know" was released on 23 February 2015 as the album's lead single and debuted on Americancontemporary hit radio on 3 March 2015, receiving generally positive reviews frommusic critics. It charted within the top 10 in Finland, as well as the top 40 in fifteen additional countries. It has been certified platinum in the United States and Sweden. It won aLatin American Music Award for Favorite Dance Song in 2015. It is also featured in the video gamesGuitar Hero Live,Dance Dance Revolution A andNBA 2K16.
"I Want You to Know" is anEDM[1] andelectropop track[2] written by Zedd,Ryan Tedder, andKDrew.[3] Tedder and Zedd had previously worked together onClarity album track "Lost at Sea".[4] Tedder called Zedd when he had an idea of a track.[4] Zedd and Gomez first met by accident on 4 December 2014, with Zedd stating: "Our studios are right across the street from each other, and I just went to the bathroom and ran into her at the studio."[5] The following day, Gomez posted a picture online with Zedd although did not confirm they were working together.[6] Describing her featuring, he said: "We recorded her vocal and I loved it, and I never tried anyone else on [the song]."[5] Commenting on the song, Tedder said: "Zedd crushed it."[4]
Musically, according to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, "I Want You to Know" is written in the key ofA Minor with a tempo of 130 beats per minute. It follows a chord progression of Am-Em-F-Cadd9-C.[7]
The song has received generally positive reviews. Nolan Feeney ofTime applauded the collaboration between Zedd and Gomez saying they "make beautiful music together". He explained: "Zedd's futuristic synthesizers recall 'Break Free,' his literally-out-of-this-world collaboration withAriana Grande, but Gomez [...] keeps the track from becoming a lifeless carbon copy."[8] Jason Lipshutz ofBillboard wrote that Gomez "finally hit her mark" with the song. "Gomez has never been known as a vocal powerhouse, but she deftly handles patently overdramatic lines [...] with the proper amount of yearning and unflappability. When that first drop does arrive about 80 seconds in, Zedd provides a swiveling party scene with a whiff ofDaft Punk's maximalist disco thrown in for good measure."[9] Writing for the same publication, Dan Hyman awarded the song two stars out of a possible five, stating that it "never finds its footing, and never rises above the clichéd EDM formula it follows to a T".[10]
Music Times praised the song: "The duo's real life chemistry is present in "I Want You to Know," with Gomez's voice weaving perfectly through the beat, and it's a wonder why she hasn't ventured much into the world of EDM before."[11]Inquisitr called this song "underwhelming given all the hype."[1]Idolator also wrote a mixed opinion "Zedd borrows his tried-and-true EDM formula that doesn’t bring anything new to the genre, while Gomez’s vocals churn around the rhythms like clothes on auto-spin. It is not the most exciting track, but it will have people bopping at the nightclubs."[12]
Two days after its release, the song debuted at No. 6 on the USDance/Electronic Digital Songs chart and No. 9 on the full USDance/Electronic Songs chart.[13] On the chart dated 14 March 2015, "I Want You to Know" debuted at number 24 on the USMainstream Top 40 chart (the highest debut on the chart that week) and at number 22 on the USDance/Mix Show Airplay chart. On the week of 14 March, the song debuted at its peak position of number 17 on the USBillboard Hot 100.[14] It also peaked at number 14 in UK Singles Chart. As of July 2015, "I Want You To Know" has sold 511,000 copies in the US.[15] It has been certified 2x Platinum in the United States.
In France, although the song failed to enter into theFrench Singles Chart's top forty, it peaked at no. 12 at the French Airplay Chart.[16]
It has been certified Platinum in Sweden. It has also been certified Gold in Australia, Denmark and Italy.[citation needed]
The music video was released on 10 March 2015 onVevo. It was directed by Brent Bonacorso[17][18] and edited by Anthony Chirco.[19] Zedd said, "It's gonna be a sexy 70s video with a lot of very interesting effects. Really cool."[20] The video focuses on Gomez going to a party club and dancing while Zedd appears as a hologram. The disco scenes are intercut with scenes where Zedd and Gomez are together illuminated by strobe lights.
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 15. týden 2015 in the date selector. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 13. týden 2015 in the date selector. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: insert 201519 into search. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201514 into search. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
^"Top 40/M Future Releases". Archived from the original on 1 March 2015. Retrieved17 June 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
