Like U Like
{{short description|2011 single by Aggro Santos}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Like U Like
| cover = Aggro-santos-like-u-like-official-single-cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Aggro Santos featuring Kimberley Walsh
| album = AggroSantos.com
| released = {{Start date|2011|01|17}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:26
| writer =
| producer = Steve Mac
| chronology = Aggro Santos
| prev_title = Saint or Sinner
| prev_year = 2010
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Kimberley Walsh
| type = singles
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| title = Like U Like
| year = 2011
| next_title = One Vision
| next_year = 2012
}}
}}
"Like U Like" is a song by British recording artist Aggro Santos featuring Girls Aloud member Kimberley Walsh. The song was written by Steve Mac, Wayne Hector, and Aggro Santos and produced by Mac for his first album, AggroSantos.com (2011). After Santos mentioned to Gary Barlow that he was interested in making a duet with Walsh, Barlow contacted her and arranged their duet. Originally, Walsh's part was sung by a male. The song uses synthesiser noises while Walsh's voice was described by reviewers as sultry and monotone.
The song received mixed reviews from critics complimenting the synthesiser noises but criticising Walsh's contribution to the song. An accompanying music video, directed by the Lennox Brothers, shows Santos trying to win Walsh's affections during speed dating. It was noted that Walsh looked like her bandmate Cheryl Cole. The single entered at number eight and thirteen on the UK Singles Chart and Irish Singles Chart, respectively.
Background and composition
In an interview with MTV United Kingdom, Santos said that Walsh replaced a male vocalist on the song. "I think it suits a girl's vocal more. It's more of a softer song and Kimberley did a great job on the vocals."{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/aggro-santos/news/253865-aggro-santos-girls-aloud-kimberley-walsh-like-u-like|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406100325/http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/aggro-santos/news/253865-aggro-santos-girls-aloud-kimberley-walsh-like-u-like|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 6, 2011|title=Aggro Santos: Gary Barlow Sorted Kimberley Duet|work=MTV UK|last=Dorken|first=Joanne|date=1 January 2011|accessdate=18 January 2011}} He also said that Gary Barlow had arranged the duet. "I was a big fan of Girls Aloud for years and I mentioned that to Gary Barlow who is a friend of Kim's. I said I would be up for working with her. He spoke to her and she was up for it, so we made 'Like U Like'."
"Like U Like" is a rap-electro song which uses "grinding synths", "techno bleeps" and "catchy hand-claps" with Walsh providing a sultry voice. The song was written by Mac, Hector and Santos. Santos said that "Like U Like" "[is] more pop, bubbly and commercial than my last track, 'Saint or Sinner'".{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/interviews/a297796/aggro-santos.html|title=Music - Singles Interview - Aggro Santos |work=Digital Spy |last=Copsey |first=Robert |date=13 January 2011 |accessdate=1 February 2011}}
Critical reception
"Like U Like" received mixed reviews from critics. Robert Copsey from Digital Spy wrote, "[Kimberley Walsh's] sultry tones garnishing 'Like U Like's spicy mix of grinding synths, techno bleeps and catchy hand-claps in oh-so tasty fashion."{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/singlesreviews/a297085/aggro-santos-ft-kimberley-walsh-like-u-like.htmll |title=Music - Singles Review - Aggro Santos ft. Kimberley Walsh: 'Like U Like' |work=Digital Spy|last=Copsey |first=Robert |date=11 January 2011 |accessdate=25 January 2011}} Leanne Rain of Hive Magazine praised the song. "[The] single has all the ingredients of a pop classic, and possesses one of the biggest pop hooks of the year."{{cite web|url=http://www.hivemag.com/watch-aggro-santos-ft-kimberley-walsh-like-u-like|title=Music Video: Like U Like by Aggro Santos feat. Kimberley Walsh|last=Raine|first=Leanne|date=22 November 2010|work=Hive Magazine|accessdate=9 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711171934/http://www.hivemag.com/watch-aggro-santos-ft-kimberley-walsh-like-u-like/|archivedate=11 July 2011|url-status=dead}} Other critics criticised Walsh's appearance. Jon O'Brien from AllMusic said, "[the song] won't exactly threaten Cheryl Cole's status as the band's chief success." He also described "Like U Like" as a "tuneless dirge".{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r2112971|pure_url=yes}} |title=Aggro Santos.com - Aggro Santos |accessdate=30 January 2011|work=AllMusic|last=O'Brien |date=28 July 2010|first=Jon|publisher=Rovi Corporation}} Rach Read from Teentoday also commented on Walsh's appearance. "Like U Like is a tacky trashtastic 'club banger' that would have completely slipped under our radar [if it] had it not featured Girls Aloud's most shapely member [...] That's in addition to looking extremely lovely, working some super-sexy moves and contributing some not terribly good vocals."{{cite web |url=http://www.teentoday.co.uk/aggro-santos-featuring-kimberley-walsh-like-you-like-video-shit-or-hit/|title=Aggro Santos featuring Kimberley Walsh – Like You Like video: shit or hit?|accessdate=1 March 2011|work=Teentoday|last=Read |date=20 November 2010|first=Rach}} Morwenna Ferrier from The Guardian wrote that Santos raps like he has chips stuffed in his cheeks.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jan/15/this-weeks-new-singles |title=This week's new singles |work=The Guardian |last=Ferrier |first=Morwenna |date=15 January 2011 |accessdate=13 February 2011}}
Music video
The music video for "Like U Like" was directed by the Lennox Brothers.{{cite web|url=http://www.promonews.tv/2010/12/03/aggro-santos%E2%80%99-like-u-like-featuring-kimberley-walsh-by-lennox-brothers/|title=Aggro Santos' Like U Like featuring Kimberley Walsh by Lennox Brothers|date=|publisher= |website=Promonews |accessdate=9 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221193305/http://www.promonews.tv/2010/12/03/aggro-santos%E2%80%99-like-u-like-featuring-kimberley-walsh-by-lennox-brothers/|archivedate=21 February 2011|url-status=dead}} The video has Santos adopting a variety of different looks to try to win the affections of Walsh during speed dating.{{cite web|url=http://www.4music.com/artist/aggro-santos/like-u-like-video-featuring-kimberley-walsh.html|title=Aggro Santos - Like U Like|date=23 November 2010|publisher= |website=4Music|accessdate=9 January 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120717233337/http://www.4music.com/artist/aggro-santos/like-u-like-video-featuring-kimberley-walsh.html|archivedate=17 July 2012}}
= Reception =
Rach Read from Teentoday described the speed dating as the "worst speed-dating session in the world" because "every other participant seems to be Aggro himself. Get your money back, love!" A reviewer from Sugar said that he loved the video particularly commenting on Kimberley's dance moves.{{cite web |url=http://www.sugarscape.com/main-topics/homepage/580363/kimberley-walsh-Aggro-Santos-video?page=1|title=Kimberley Walsh goes speed dating in new video|work=Sugar |date=27 November 2010 |accessdate=13 February 2011}}
Formats and track listings
- "Like U Like" (featuring Kimberley Walsh) - 3:25
Like U Like - EP{{cite web |url=https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/whos-that-chick-feat-rihanna/id402945679?i=402945740&ign-mpt=uo%3D4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110154651/https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/whos-that-chick-feat-rihanna/id402945679?i=402945740&ign-mpt=uo=4|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 10, 2012|title=Like U Like - EP by Aggro Santos & Kimberley Walsh|date=24 January 2011|publisher=iTunes Store |accessdate=24 January 2011}}
- "Like U Like" (featuring Kimberley Walsh) - 3:25
- "Like U Like" (Digital Dog Remix) - 6:09
- "Like U Like" (Instrumental) - 3:10
- Album Preview Mix - 5:23
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (2011) !Peak |
| {{singlechart|Ireland2|13|artist=Aggro Santos featuring Kimberley Walsh|song=Like U Like|accessdate=22 January 2020}} |
| {{singlechart|Scotland|7|artist=Aggro Santos ft. Kimberley Walsh|song=Like U Like|date=20110129}} |
| {{singlechart|UK|8|artist=Aggro Santos ft. Kimberley Walsh|song=Like U Like|date=20110129}} |
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Region
! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| Label |
|---|
| scope="row" rowspan="2"|United Kingdom
|January 14, 2011 |Digital download{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Like-U/dp/B004H9GK2W/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295881672&sr=301-1|title=Like U Like: Kimberley Walsh: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads|publisher=Amazon.co.uk |date=16 January 2011 |accessdate=24 January 2011}} |rowspan="2"|Mercury Records |
| rowspan="2"|January 16, 2011 |
| scope="row" | Ireland{{cite web|url=http://uk.7digital.com/artists/kimberley-walsh-aggro-santos/like-u-like/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110707070009/http://uk.7digital.com/artists/kimberley-walsh-aggro-santos/like-u-like/|url-status=dead|archivedate=7 July 2011|title=Kimberley Walsh / Aggro Santos - Like U Like MP3 Downloads - 7digital|publisher=Ie.7digital.com|date=16 January 2011|accessdate=24 January 2011}}
|rowspan="2"|Digital download |
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Aggro Santos}}
{{Kimberley Walsh}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Like U Like}}
Category:Kimberley Walsh songs
Category:Mercury Records singles
Category:Songs written by Steve Mac