Look at Us (Sarina Paris song)

Sarina Paris first came to attention in dance clubs with her 1995 single "Mystery Man", but mainstream success failed to follow. In 1999, while performing in Italy, A&R executive Nico Spinosa recruited Paris and signed her to a record deal, allowing her to record "Look at Us". Following its European release the same year, it became a club hit in Europe and the United States.{{cite magazine|title=Dance Single's Success Brings Sarina Paris Her Priority Debut|last=Housman|first=Steven|magazine=Billboard|volume=113|issue=21|page=10|date=21 April 2001}} In July 2000, the song was serviced to US radio, but it failed to make an impact. However, when the music director of San Francisco's KYLD radio station, "Jazzy" Jim Archer, began to air the song in September, the 18–25 female demographic began requesting the song frequently, allowing the song to spread to other stations.{{cite magazine|title=Dance Trax|last=Paoletta|first=Michael|magazine=Billboard|volume=113|issue=20|page=43|date=19 May 2001}}

By May 2001, 116 stations nationwide had playlisted the track. As a result, Paris recorded her self-titled debut album, which she finished in January 2001. In addition, Priority Records sent out promotional copies of Paris's next single, "Just About Enough", to dance clubs and mix-show DJs and sent Paris on tour. "Look at Us" was issued as a maxi-CD single in the US in March 2001 and was included as the opening track on Sarina Paris, which was released on 22 May 2001.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sarina-paris-mw0000003322|title=Sarina Paris: Sarina Paris|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=25 March 2025}} In Australia, a CD single containing various remixes of "Look at Us" was issued on 8 July 2001. A music video was filmed to promote the single and was aired on MTV, MTV2, and Disney Channel. Paris also performed the song during the NBA All-Star weekend pre-game in February 2001 to a positive response.{{cite web|url=http://www.sarinaparis.com/|title=Sarina Paris|website=sarinaparis.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010516205253/http://www.sarinaparis.com/|archive-date=16 May 2001|access-date=25 March 2025}}

Critically, Liana Jonas of AllMusic called Paris's vocal performance "innocent and flavored with an electronica sensibility" but noted that the song's lyrics could easily be pasted over every other track on Sarina Paris. In 2001, the song was nominated for a Juno Award for Best Dance Recording at the 2001 ceremony, losing to Love Inc.'s "Into the Night".{{cite web|url=https://junoawards.ca/awards/past-winners-nominees/?search_year_val1=2001&search_year_val2=2001&search_category_val=140&search_wins_val=no&tag_search_val=&submit=submit|title=Past Nominees + Winners|publisher=Juno Awards|access-date=25 March 2025}} Commercially, "Look at Us" became a hit in several countries. In Canada, it reached number 19 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart in July 2000. In the United States, it peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 29 on the Top 40 Tracks chart, and number eight on the Maxi-Singles Sales chart. According to Billboard, "Look at Us" was the 43rd-highest-selling physical single of the US in 2001.{{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music 2001: Hot 100 Singles Sales|magazine=Billboard|volume=113|issue=52|page=YE-41|date=29 December 2001}} On Australia's ARIA Singles Chart, the song debuted at number 39, its peak, on the week dated 22 July 2001 and spent five weeks within the top 50.

European CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Look at Us|year=1999|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=HQ Records, EMI Records, CX Records|id=7243 8 79418 2 3}}

1. "Look at Us" (radio edit) – 3:28
2. "Look at Us" (extended version) – 5:20

European maxi-CD single and Italian 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Look at Us|year=1999|type=European maxi-CD single liner notes|publisher=HQ Records, EMI Records, CX Records|id=7243 8 88312 2 2}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Look at Us|year=1999|type=Italian 12-inch single sleeve|publisher=HQ Records, EMI Records, CX Records|id=7243 8 88312 6 0}}

1. "Look at Us" (extended version) – 5:20
2. "Look at Us" (radio edit) – 3:28
3. "Look at Us" (A Little Bit Faster version) – 4:32
4. "Look at Us" (A Little Bit Faster edit) – 3:20

US maxi-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Look at Us|year=2001|type=US maxi-CD single liner notes|publisher=Priority Records, Playland Records|id=PCDS-50193}}

1. "Look at Us" (original radio edit) – 3:28
2. "Look at Us" (Beam & Yanou radio edit) – 3:38
3. "Look at Us" (Beam & Yanou club mix) – 5:43
4. "Look at Us" (Almighty remix) – 7:22
5. "Look at Us" (Chris "The Greek" Club Anthem) – 8:03

Australian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Look at Us|year=2001|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=EMI Records, Dance Factory|id=8796092}}

1. "Look at Us" (radio edit) – 3:20
2. "Look at Us" (Beam & Yanou club mix) – 5:42
3. "Look at Us" (Almighty remix) – 7:22
4. "Look at Us" (Chris "The Greek" Club Anthem) – 8:23

Credits are lifted from the Sarina Paris album booklet.{{cite AV media notes|title=Sarina Paris|title-link=Sarina Paris (album)|year=2001|type=US CD album booklet|publisher=Priority Records, Playland Records|id=P2 50175}}

Studios

• Recorded and mixed at CX Studios (Milan, Italy) with MOTU digital audio equipment
• Mastered at Master Cutting Room (New York City)

Personnel

• Charlie Marchino – writing, production
• Rosaria Parisi – writing
• Andrea Negrinelli – recording, mixing
• Paolo Gozzetti – mixing
• Rick Essig – mastering

{{Reflist}}

Category:1999 singles

Category:1999 songs

Category:Canadian dance-pop songs

Category:EMI Records singles

Category:Italian dance-pop songs

Category:Priority Records singles