Glimpse of Us
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Glimpse of Us
| cover = Joji - Glimpse of Us.png
| alt = Textless Cover art for "Glimpse of Us", which shows an eye of a reptile
| type = single
| artist = Joji
| album = Smithereens
| released = {{start date|2022|06|10|df=y}}
| genre = Pop
| length = 3:53
| label = {{hlist|88rising|Warner}}
| writer = * Alexis Kesselman
- Castle
- Connor McDonough
- Riley McDonough
| producer = Connor McDonough
| prev_title = Thinking Bout You
| prev_year = 2022
| next_title = Yukon (Interlude)
| next_year = 2022
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|NgsWGfUlwJI|"Glimpse of Us"}}}}
}}
"Glimpse of Us" is a song by Japanese-Australian singer Joji, released as the lead single from his third studio album Smithereens on 10 June 2022 through 88rising and Warner Records.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2022/06/10/joji-north-american-tour-glimpse-of-us|title=Joji announces North American tour, shares 'Glimpse of Us'|work=The Fader|last=Helfand|first=Raphael|date=10 June 2022|access-date=19 June 2022}} It was written by Alexis Kesselman, Castle, Riley McDonough, and producer Connor McDonough. The song became Joji's most successful hit single to date, having peaked at number one in Australia, Indonesia, Lithuania, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Singapore, number two on the Global 200, and within the top 10 in Canada, Ireland, Norway, the United States, and Vietnam.
Following its release, "Glimpse of Us" broke a series of records. It became the first song by an Asian artist to reach number one on Spotify's Global chart, remaining there for 10 consecutive days. With the song's debut in tenth place on the Billboard Hot 100, it became the second song by a Japanese artist to reach the top 10 after Kyu Sakamoto's "Sukiyaki" in 1963.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/10-cool-new-pop-songs-role-model-joji-raye-1235132617/|title=Joji Enters the Billboard 100, Earns Highest Entry for a Solo Asian Act|magazine=Billboard|last=Lipshutz |first=Jason|date=12 October 2022|access-date=12 October 2022}} It also marked the first debut of an Asian soloist directly in the top 10, as well as his fifth entry on the chart. The song also topped the New Zealand and Australian singles, becoming Joji's first number-one single. The song received a nomination for Song of the Year at the ARIA Awards 2022 in Australia, due to Joji being half Australian on his father's side.{{cite web|url=https://themusicnetwork.com/2022-aria-awards-nominees/|title=Rüfüs Du Sol Leads 2022 ARIA Awards Nominees (Full List)|website=The Music Network|last=Brandle|first=Lars|date=12 October 2022|access-date=12 October 2022}}
Background
The murder of the American singer Christina Grimmie in 2016 had a severe impact on one of the song's writers close to Grimmie, Riley McDonough. The idea of "Glimpse of Us" was first concepted on 14 June 2019, where he was struggling and to him, "life just didn't make any sense." He then made a voice memo, stating that he "[called] out to God, [asking], "If I could only catch a glimpse of you." " During a writing session with Connor McDonough, Castle, and Alexis Kesselman, he found the voice memo titled "Glimpse", and the song was written that day. Two years later, Joji heard the song, and made his own changes before the song's final version.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CtUpeRFxgRf/?hl=en |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=www.instagram.com}}
While on tour, Charlie Puth was sent the song, and had planned on returning to it, but the final version by Joji had been released two weeks later.{{cite magazine|last=Galindo|first=Thomas|url=https://americansongwriter.com/did-you-know-jojis-glimpse-of-us-was-written-for-charlie-puth/|title=Did You Know? Joji's "Glimpse of Us" Was Written for Charlie Puth|magazine=American Songwriter|date=3 June 2023|access-date=29 February 2024}}
Composition and lyrics
The sheet music, published by Kobalt Music Publishing on Musicnotes.com, shows that the song is written in the key of A-flat major, with a tempo of 57 beats per minute. Joji's vocals in the song span from the low note of B{{music|flat}}2 to the high note of A{{music|flat}}4.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0257421|title=Glimpse of Us|website=Musicnotes.com|date=15 June 2022 |access-date=29 February 2024}}
The song's lyrics express the conflict of Joji's longing for his ex-lover, even though he is in a relationship with another woman, who has shown tons of affection to him, and is "perfect".{{cite web|last=Degrazia|first=Leah|url=https://genius.com/a/joji-still-thinks-about-his-ex-on-new-song-glimpse-of-us|title=Joji Still Thinks About His Ex On New Song "Glimpse Of Us"|website=Genius|date=13 June 2022|access-date=1 March 2024}}
Critical reception
The song received widespread acclaim, with critics praising its simplicity, lyrics, and Joji's emotional vocals. Brenton Blanchet of Complex described the song as a "chilling piano ballad",{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/joji-new-single-glimpse-of-you|title=Joji Releases New Single "Glimpse Of Us," Announces Tour|website=Complex|last=Blanchet|first=Brenton|date=12 June 2022|access-date=19 June 2022}} while Jon Caramanica of The New York Times considered it "splendid and striking".{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/10/arts/music/playlist-sza-demi-lovato-lizzo.html|title=SZA's 'Ctrl' Bonus, and 8 More New Songs|website=The New York Times|last1=Parales|first1=Jon|last2=Caramanica|first2=Jon|last3=Russonello|first3=Giovanni|last4=Zoladz|first4=Lindsay|date=10 June 2022|access-date=21 June 2022}} Andrea See of Bandwagon Asia felt that the "stripped-down" sound of the song "foreshadows Joji's more mature sonic territory" in contrast to his previous electronic material.{{cite web|url=https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/joji-glimpse-of-us-listen--coachella-88rising-head-in-the-clouds-nectar-music-video-june-2022|title=Joji drops long-awaited music video for 'Glimpse Of Us' — listen|website=Bandwagon Asia|last=See|first=Andrea|date=10 June 2022|access-date=19 June 2022}}
Music video
The song was accompanied by its music video, directed by Dan Streit. The video contains various scenes of destructive antics committed by "anonymous protagonists," including in race cars. Clips from the video became popular on TikTok, leading the music video to gain tens of millions of views. The video was shot on a Sony DCR-HC32 miniDV and consisted of 15 hours of raw footage before editing. The video was primarily shot in Atlanta, with additional scenes shot in Tennessee, Alabama, Los Angeles, and New York.{{cite magazine | last = Scarano | first = Ross | date = 28 June 2022 | title = 'Do You Have Any Footage From Something Crazy?': How Director Dan Streit Made Joji's Chaotic 'Glimpse of Us' Video | magazine = Billboard | url = https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/joji-glimpse-of-us-video-director-interview-1235107619/ | access-date = 28 July 2022}}
Commercial performance
"Glimpse of Us" became Joji's highest-charting single upon its debut in various countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the UK.{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/news/kate-bush-holds-1-with-running-up-the-hill-deal-with-god|title=Kate Bush holds #1 with 'Running Up The Hill (Deal With God)|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|date=17 June 2022|access-date=19 June 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Joji|title=Discography Joji|website=charts.nz|access-date=19 June 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/kate-bushs-running-up-that-hill-is-official-charts-number-1-single-singer-becomes-3-x-official-charts-record-breaker-with-stranger-things-success__36605/|title=Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill is Official Charts Number 1 Single: Singer becomes 3 x Official Charts Record Breaker with Stranger Things success|publisher=Official Charts Company|last=Smith|first=Carl|date=18 June 2022|access-date=19 June 2022}} It debuted at number ten on the US Billboard Hot 100, marking Joji's first top-ten single in the country. For the chart dated 2 July 2022, the song peaked at number eight.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/drake-21-savage-jimmy-cooks-number-1-hot-100-1235106933/|title=Drake & 21 Savage's 'Jimmy Cooks' Soars in at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100|last=Trust|first=Gary|magazine=Billboard|date=27 June 2022|access-date=27 June 2022}}
With "Glimpse of Us", Joji became the second Japanese artist to have a number one single on the Australian singles chart, and first since Kyu Sakamoto's "Sukiyaki" in 1963.{{Cite web|url=https://themusic.com.au/news/aria-singles-chart-june-27/Ye15dXR3dnk/27-06-22|title=Joji Ends Nearly 60-Year Drought On Aussie Chart|website=The Music|date=27 June 2022|access-date=6 July 2022}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+2023 year-end chart performance for "Glimpse of Us" ! scope="col"| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"| Position |
scope="row"| Global 200 (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2023/billboard-global-200/|title=Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2023|magazine=Billboard|access-date=22 November 2023}}
| 192 |
---|
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Glimpse of Us"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|certyear=2022|access-date=6 December 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|access-date=24 January 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|award=Platinum|number=2|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2022|access-date=31 October 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|id=12094|access-date=7 February 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|award=Platinum|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2025|access-date=4 February 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|award=Platinum|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2024|id=13062|access-date=21 August 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|relyear=2022|source=radioscope|access-date=31 December 2024|certyear=2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|access-date=20 September 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Portugal|award=Platinum|number=3|type=single|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|id=file_2023-07-03-11-38-06.pdf|access-date=4 July 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|award=Platinum|type=single|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|relyear=2022|certyear=2024|id=joji-glimpse-of-us|access-date=23 April 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|award=Platinum|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|access-date=17 August 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|relyear=2022|certyear=2024|title=Glimpse of Us|artist=Joji|type=single|award=Platinum|id=18337-5203-1|access-date=30 August 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=2|artist=Joji|title=Glimpse of Us|type=single|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|access-date=25 August 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Joji (musician)}}
Category:Joji (musician) songs
Category:Alternative pop songs
Category:Number-one singles in Australia
Category:Number-one singles in Indonesia
Category:Number-one singles in Malaysia
Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand
Category:Number-one singles in the Philippines
Category:Number-one singles in Singapore