Freak (Estelle song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Freak

| cover = Estelle Freak.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Estelle featuring Kardinal Offishall

| album = Step Up 3D, One More Love and All of Me

| released = 26 February 2010

| recorded = Gum Studios, Paris
Circle House Studios, Miami
CMS Studios, Toronto

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Electrohop[https://web.archive.org/web/20100507123507/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/singlesreviews/a218078/estelle-ft-kardinal-offishall-freak.html] |Baltimore club}}

| length = 3:41 (radio edit/album version)
4:52 (extended version)

| label = Atlantic, Homeschool

| writer =

Estelle Swaray
Jason Harrow
David Guetta
Nick Van De Wall
Ruben Fernhout
Beresford Romeo

| producer =

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

| misc = {{Extra chronology

| artist = Estelle

| type = single

| prev_title = One Love

| prev_year = 2009

| title = Freak

| year = 2010

| next_title = Fall in Love

| next_year = 2010

}}{{Extra chronology

| artist = Kardinal Offishall

| type = single

| prev_title = Milkshakes & Razorblades

| prev_year = 2010

| title = Freak

| year = 2010

| next_title = Body Bounce

| next_year = 2010

}}

"Freak" is a single by British musician Estelle. The song, which features Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall, was produced by French DJ David Guetta. It contains an interpolation of "Back to Life" by music group Soul II Soul in the chorus. "Freak" was featured on the soundtrack to Step Up 3D and the reissue of David Guetta's album One Love, entitled One More Love.

The single was released in North America on 26 February 2010, and in the UK on 3 May 2010 as a buzz single after the song failed to chart in the Top 100.{{Cite web |url=http://www.radio1.gr/music/forthcoming_uk_singles.htm |title=Radio1 Rodos Greece ::: UK Forthcoming Singles ::: Charts, DJ Promos, Dance, Lyrics, Free Mp3 Samples Downloads |access-date=2010-04-25 |archive-date=2012-12-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221101934/http://radio1.gr/music/forthcoming_uk_singles.htm |url-status=dead }} The song was released as her third international single, after "American Boy" and "Come Over" and received positive reaction from most music critics. The song was used as one of the songs of the São Paulo Fashion Week 2010, during the parade of Colcci and in the movie Step Up 3D in 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1678063/|title=Estelle|website=IMDb|accessdate=22 May 2023}} "Freak" was due to be released as the first single from her third studio album All of Me but was instead included as a US bonus track.{{Cite web|url=http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/8922097/-/Product.html|title=Play.com - Buy Estelle - All Of Me online|publisher=Play.com|access-date=February 8, 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810180350/http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/8922097/-/Product.html|archive-date=August 10, 2014}}

Reception

The song received a positive review from Billboard's Melanie Bertoldi. She described the song as "wilder and freakier, and ultimately appealing," she went on to comment on Offishall's verse, stating "Kardinal Offishall jumps in for a silly verse that adds to the free-form fun." She finished the review positively, stating "the song's bridge ("I wanna hear you say," she coos) serve as the cherry atop this club-worthy treat."{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/estelle-featuring-kardinal-offishall-freak-1069568/|title=Estelle featuring Kardinal Offishall, “Freak”|website=Billboard.com|date=26 March 2010|access-date=22 May 2023}} Dirrtyinc.com gave a positive review of the song, calling it "A fun song to sing along, Estelle definitely doesn’t disappointment {{sic}}."{{Cite web |url=http://www.dirrtyinc.com/2010/02/28/single-review-estelle-freak-feat-kardinal-offishall |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-01-27 |archive-date=2010-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504151314/http://www.dirrtyinc.com/2010/02/28/single-review-estelle-freak-feat-kardinal-offishall |url-status=dead }} Nick Levine from Digital Spy rated it 4 stars and said, positively, that: "Fortunately, the track itself is almost as ear-snagging as the lyrics. Produced by David Guetta - has he had a day off in the last 12 months? - this 'Freak' is a rubbery, club-ready electro-hop tune that lifts the chorus from Soul II Soul's "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" and turns it into a sexual invitation. So, however do we want it? Well, however Estelle wants to give it to us, to be honest".Levine, Nick (May 10, 2010). [http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/singlesreviews/a218078/estelle-ft-kardinal-offishall-freak.html Music - Singles Review - Estelle ft. Kardinal Offishall: 'Freak' - Digital Spy'] Copyright © 1999-2011 Digital Spy Limited. All Rights Reserved. "Digital Spy" is the Registered Trade Mark of Digital Spy Limited. Retrieved 2011-03-05

Music video

The music video was released on Estelle's website on 26 February 2010.

= Controversy =

On 2 March 2010 it was reported on British entertainment website Digital Spy that Estelle's latest video had been criticised online for apparently 'blacking up'.{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a206259/estelle-stands-by-blacked-up-video.html|title = Estelle stands by 'blacked up' video|website = Digital Spy|date = 2 March 2010}} She was accused of 'blacking up' because of her decision to wear black make-up in the "Freak" video. When asked about the decision to wear black make-up she responded in saying "I think [people] need to wait to see the clip. I could defend myself, but it's just silly. I'm black, so how do I do blackface?" She went on to compare her video to Missy Elliott's video for her 1999 single "She's a Bitch" by saying that "Missy [Elliott] did the same thing [with her video] 'She's a Bitch'."

Track listings

US digital single[https://web.archive.org/web/20241201220801/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BNG2K0]

"Freak" (album version) – 3:41

US & UK "Remixes" digital EP{{Cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003K54SBE |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-08-31 |archive-date=2012-07-30 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730095415/http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003K54SBE |url-status=dead }}

"Freak" (Riva Starr Extended Vocal Mix) – 6:16
"Freak" (Riva Starr Dub) – 6:17
"Freak" (Riva Starr Extended Instrumental) – 6:16
"Freak" (Michael Woods Remix) – 7:01
"Freak" (Plastik Funk Remix) – 5:54
"Freak" (Plastik Funk's Listen & Repeat Mix) – 6:24
"Freak" (extended version) – 4:52

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+Chart performance for "Freak" !scope="col"\|Chart (2010) !scope="col"\|Peak position
scope="row"\|Canadian Hot 100{{Cite magazine\|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2010-04-10/canadian-hot-100?order=gainer\|title=Billboard Canadian Hot 100 Chart\|magazine=Billboard\|date=2 January 2013}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|83
scope="row"\| German Black Chart{{cite web \|url=http://www.mtv.de/charts/black \|title=:: mtv.de {{!}} charts \|website=Mtv.de \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229132028/http://www.mtv.de/charts/black \|archive-date=2007-12-29}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|5
scope="row"\|UK Singles Chart{{cite web\|url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/100515cluk.txt\|format=TXT\|title=Chart Log\|website=Zobbel.de\|access-date=22 May 2023}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|103
{{single chart\|UKdance\|13\|date=20100515\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|US Hot Dance Club Play{{cite magazine\|url=http://www.billboard.com/#/column/chartbeat/chart-highlights-pop-country-latin-songs-1004086444.story?tag=hpfeed\|title=Chart Highlights: Pop, Country, Latin Songs & More\|magazine=Billboard\|date=2010-04-26\|access-date=2010-04-26}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|27

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+Chart performance for "Freak"

!scope="col"|Chart (2010)

!scope="col"|Peak
position

scope="row"|Canadian Hot 100{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2010-04-10/canadian-hot-100?order=gainer|title=Billboard Canadian Hot 100 Chart|magazine=Billboard|date=2 January 2013}}

| style="text-align:center;"|83

scope="row"| German Black Chart{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.de/charts/black |title=:: mtv.de {{!}} charts |website=Mtv.de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229132028/http://www.mtv.de/charts/black |archive-date=2007-12-29}}

| style="text-align:center;"|5

scope="row"|UK Singles Chart{{cite web|url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/100515cluk.txt|format=TXT|title=Chart Log|website=Zobbel.de|access-date=22 May 2023}}

| style="text-align:center;"|103

scope="row"|US Hot Dance Club Play{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/#/column/chartbeat/chart-highlights-pop-country-latin-songs-1004086444.story?tag=hpfeed|title=Chart Highlights: Pop, Country, Latin Songs & More|magazine=Billboard|date=2010-04-26|access-date=2010-04-26}}

| style="text-align:center;"|27

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" \|+Release history and format for "Freak" ! scope="col"\| Region ! scope="col"\| Date ! scope="col"\| Format ! scope="col"\| Label
scope="row"\|United States \| rowspan=2\|26 February 2010 \| rowspan=3\|Digital download \| rowspan=3\|Atlantic, Homeschool
scope="row"\|Canada
scope="row"\|United Kingdom \| 3 May 2010

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+Release history and format for "Freak"

! scope="col"| Region

! scope="col"| Date

! scope="col"| Format

! scope="col"| Label

scope="row"|United States

| rowspan=2|26 February 2010

| rowspan=3|Digital download

| rowspan=3|Atlantic, Homeschool

scope="row"|Canada

scope="row"|United Kingdom