*** Welcome to piglix ***

Who You Are (Jessie J song)

"Who You Are"
Jessie J - Who You Are (Single).jpg
Single by Jessie J
from the album Who You Are
Released 13 November 2011
Format Digital download
Recorded 2009
Length 3:50
Label Lava, Island
Writer(s) Jessica Cornish, Toby Gad, Shelly Peiken
Producer(s) Toby Gad
Jessie J singles chronology
"Domino"
(2011)
"Who You Are"
(2011)
"Up"
(2011)
Music video
"Who You Are" on YouTube

"Who You Are" is a song by British singer-songwriter Jessie J, released as the sixth overall single from her debut studio album of the same name. The song was written by Jessica Cornish (Jessie J), Toby Gad and Shelly Peiken, while the production was handled by Gad. The single was released via digital download on 13 November 2011. The song's lyrics address the importance of staying true to one's identity. According to Cornish, she wrote the song after a three-month lonely trip. The song received very positive reviews from music critics, who complimented her strong vocals in the song and considered a highlight on the album.

"The other day I had a girl message me saying 'I was ready to take my life and then I heard "Who You Are"'. That pressure is beautiful but scary at the same time. I want to be a positive role model for young people. I always say that I'm half-artist, half-therapist. I'm very much someone that lives to be happy. It's not just about the parties and I know so-and-so – I'm not that girl. So I looked in the mirror and started to cry and said 'who am I?' Music is my therapy."

Cornish named her first studio album Who You Are after the track of the same name, revealing that she is proudest of that song. She wrote "Who You Are" at the end of a lonely three-month trip to Los Angeles when she was 20, having been shunted from studio to studio with various producers. During an intimate show at The Sofitel's Stone Rose on 2 November 2010, the singer explained the meaning of the recording, "I kind of lost myself. It's very personal. It's about being true to yourself. Don't lose yourself in any situation you're put in, and do the dew." She further explained to The Sun, "This song saved my life musically. The day before I wrote this song I was ready to give up music. It's amazing how three-and-a-half minutes of melody and lyrics can change your life and I'm so happy that not only has it saved my life but it's saving other people's. That's why my debut album is called Who You Are." According to The Independent, "Who You Are" is the song that draws the most messages from fans on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. Before being released as a stand-alone single, "Who You Are" was distributed as a promotional single first.

The song received positive reviews from music critics. Mike Diver from BBC Music wrote that the song returns Jessie J "to an acoustic accompaniment, and makes for a fine closer – it's her Hometown Glory, without the raw emotion but touching nonetheless." Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian wrote that the song is a "self-empowerment dirge" and compared its theme with Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" (2011).


...
Wikipedia

...