| "Sex with Me" | |
|---|---|
| Promotional single byRihanna | |
| from the albumAnti | |
| Released | February 3, 2017 (2017-02-03) (RemixEP) |
| Studio | Westlake Beverly Recording Studios |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:26 |
| Label |
|
| Songwriters | |
| Producer | Boi-1da |
"Sex with Me" is a song recorded by Barbadian singerRihanna for her eighth studio album,Anti (2016); it is one of three bonus tracks included on the deluxe edition. She wrote the song in collaboration withPartyNextDoor,Chester Hansen,Boi-1da,Frank Dukes andVinylz, and it was produced by the latter three.Kuk Harrell was also enlisted as Rihanna's vocal producer. On February 3, 2017, Rihanna released a five-trackEP which included remixes of "Sex with Me" byMK,Salva, John Blake, Addal and DEVAULT.
"Sex with Me" received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its confidence and female empowering tones. The song was also included inVice's "100 Best Songs of 2016" where it ranked at number two. Commercially the song performed moderately despite not being an official single. "Sex with Me" peaked at number eighty-three on the USBillboard Hot 100, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song also became Rihanna's twenty-ninth number-one on the US Dance Club Songs. "Sex with Me" was featured on the set list of Rihanna's 2016Anti World Tour and was unofficially remixed by various artist includingFabolous andTrey Songz.[citation needed]
In mid-2015, Rihanna held a writing camp at her home in Malibu, one of the writers invited was singer-songwriter Jahron Braithwaite, also known asPartyNextDoor. During his initial arrival, Braithwaite did not understand why he was asked to be there as numerous other writers had already made "hits" for Rihanna. Braithwaite went on to try and create more "streamlined songs" and moved away from his usual "looser, more experimental at-home productions". During the sessions, Braithwaite wrote two songs—the album's lead single "Work" and "Sex with Me".[1]
"Sex with Me" is anR&B song[2] that was written by Braithwaite,Matthew Samuels,Adam Feeney,Anderson Hernandez, Chester Hansen and Rihanna. It was produced by Boi-1da, whilst co-production was handled byFrank Dukes, with additional and vocal production being carried out byVinylz andKuk Harrell respectively.[3] The song was recorded atWestlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. The vocal recording was done by producerKuk Harrell and Marcos Tovar, while Blake Mares served as a recording and production assistant. "Sex with Me" was mixed by Manny Marroquin at Larrabee Studios inUniversal City, California and was assisted by Chris Galland and Ike Schultz. The song wasmastered by Chris Gehringer at the Sterling Sound Studios in New York City.[3]
Several artists have remixed the song, including Amorphous andMaino.[4][5] On August 31, 2016,Fabolous andTrey Songz released a remix of the song. The remix featured a "slightly tweaked instrumental" and lyrics that boasted about their bedroom abilities.[6] On September 3, singer-songwriterTinashe released a remix, which featured different lyrics to the original.[7][8][9]Nick Cannon recorded a version of the song, called "Sex with Me Is Ncredible", which was released on January 10, 2017.[10] On February 3, 2017, Rihanna released "Sex with Me (Dance Remixes) – EP" to iTunes, the extended play featured five remixes of the original tracks.[11] One of the tracks included a remix byMarc Kinchen and was described as a "standout" and featured a house rework.[12]
The song received generally favorable reviews from critics. Julianne Escobedo Shepherd ofBillboard called it "the perfect denouement" of the album, stating that "Sex With Me" was the album's "most instructive track" that combatted the "misconceptions of the world's most desirably flawed Bajan badass."[13] Jeff Benjamin ofFuse noted the song's "trippy blend of woozy vocals" and that it "appropriately ending the deluxe version ofAnti in an experimental mode".[14] Kathleen Wong fromMic called the song a "hedonistic but also girl power-inducing bass-heavy track that will easily fit in as a 2016 party staple". Wong, also compared the song toAnti's single "Needed Me", stating that like the latter Rihanna "emphasizes not only her independence from and lack of commitment to her current suitor but also her confidence in herself, making it another empowering girl tune."[15]
Vice magazine placed the song at number two on their list of "100 Best Songs of 2016". According to the Jabbari Weekes, "Sex with Me" was an "explicit decree of Rihanna's fleshly beauty and sensual greatness, as she proclaims in its opening line from on high, 'Sex with me, so amazing!'" Weekes stated that the song differed from Rihanna's usual "aggressive tenor, instead relishing in pure elation and delight" and went on to praise the songs themes of "self love".[16] In February 2017, "Sex with Me" was the top choice for Valentine's Day playlists on music streaming serviceSpotify.[17]
Following the album's release, "Sex with Me" appeared on the USBubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, which lists the top singles that have not yet charted on the mainBillboard Hot 100. After spending fourteen weeks on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, the song debuted on the USBillboard Hot 100 at ninety-seven.[18] In doing so the song became Rihanna's fifty-seventh track to chart on the Hot 100, tying her withMadonna as the female with the fourth most entries on the chart.[19] In November 2016, the song re-appeared on theBillboard Hot 100 at a peak position of ninety-two.[20] The song eventually peaked at eighty-three on the USBillboard Hot 100, and was certified two-times platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of two million.[21]
Following the release of the remixes produced by MK, John Blake and Ray Rhodes, "Sex with Me" became Rihanna's twenty-ninth number-one on the USDance Club Songs chart in the chart issue dated April 8, 2017, remaining second to Madonna with 46.[22][23] It is also the fifth song fromAnti to reach number-one, making it the first album to produce as many sinceKaty Perry's albumPrism did so throughout 2013–14.[23] Between "Work" and "Sex with Me", Rihanna had achieved six number-one songs while no other artist had garnered more than two in the same time span.[23]
"Sex with Me" was featured on the set list of Rihanna's 2016Anti World Tour.[24] During the performance a transparent plank, was hoisted mid air from one stage to another, Kitty Empire ofThe Guardian, stated that during the performance Rihanna simulated sex and compared the performance to that ofAC/DC.[25]
Digital download – Deluxe album version[26]
Digital download – Remixes (Explicit)[27] | Digital download – Remixes (Clean)[28]
|
The following credits were adapted from the liner notes ofAnti, Westbury Road/Roc Nation.[3]
Publishing
Recording
Personnel
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[40] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[41] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| France (SNEP)[42] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[43] | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[44] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[45] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000‡ |
| Summaries | ||
| Worldwide | — | 4,500,000‡[46] |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide (Remixes)[27] | February 3, 2017 | Digital download |
|
