Love Faces
{{About||the upcoming film|Love Faces (film)}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Love Faces
| cover = TreySongzLoveFaces.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Trey Songz
| album = Passion, Pain & Pleasure
| released = January 11, 2011
| format =
| recorded = 2010
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = R&B
| length = 4:03
| label = Songbook, Atlantic
| writer = Tremaine Neverson, Troy Taylor, Edrick Miles, Tony Scales
| producer = Troy Taylor, Edrick Miles
| chronology = Trey Songz
| prev_title = Can't Be Friends
| prev_year = 2010
| next_title = Unusual
| next_year = 2011
}}
"Love Faces" is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz. It was released on January 11, 2011, as the third single from his fourth studio album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure (2010). Written by Songz with Tony Scales, Troy Taylor and Edrick Miles, and produced by the latter two, "Love Faces" is a mid-tempo ballad and uses the piano as its foundation. Beginning with a spoken introduction, the song discusses facial expressions during sexual intercourse.
"Love Faces" received a mixed response from critics, and reached number sixty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming Songz' tenth top-five hit on the latter chart.
An accompanying music video for the single was co-directed by Songz and Justin Francis, and follows Songz's girlfriend's art opening, where the two pretend not to know each other. Songz performed the track on The Wendy Williams Show and his Love Faces Tour.
Background and composition
{{Listen
| filename = Love Faces – Trey Songz.ogg
| title = "Love Faces"
| description = A sample of the song, demonstrating its piano foundation
}}
"Love Faces" was written by Trey Songz along with Tony Scales, Troy Taylor and Edrick Miles, while Taylor and Miles produced the track.{{allMusic|class=song|id=t21081766|accessdate=March 26, 2011}} Songz said of the tune's conception, "I'm sure any man can relate when you look at a beautiful woman and you imagine those things, and I'm sure [women] do those things too when they get into that mental frame when looking at someone. So I thought it would be a great concept: Beautiful women make beautiful faces when they making love." "Love Faces" revolves around facial expressions that people make when having sexual intercourse. The song is a mid-tempo slow jam piano-based ballad.{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2010/08/26/new-music-trey-songz-love-faces/ |title=New Music: Trey Songz – 'Love Faces' |work=Rap-Up |date=August 26, 2010 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2010/08/11/trey-songz-dresses-for-success/ |title=Trey Songz Dresses for Success |work=Rap-Up |date=August 11, 2010 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} It opens with Songz speaking, "When I met you woman, I couldn't help but notice a face so beautiful. I imagined the faces you would make if we ever made love."{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.mtv.com/2011/02/15/trey-songz-love-faces-video/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217000355/http://newsroom.mtv.com/2011/02/15/trey-songz-love-faces-video/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 17, 2011 |title=Trey Songz' 'Love Faces' Video: The Key Scene |first=Kyle |last=Anderson |publisher=MTV |date=February 15, 2011 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} Prior to the release of Passion, Pain & Pleasure in September 2010, "Love Faces" was leaked online.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1647106/trey-songz-plays-passion-pain-amp-pleasure-songs-on-ustream.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106221102/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1647106/trey-songz-plays-passion-pain-amp-pleasure-songs-on-ustream.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |title=Trey Songz Plays Passion, Pain & Pleasure Songs On Ustream |publisher=MTV News |first=Mawuse |last=Ziegbe |date=September 2, 2010 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}}
Release and reception
"Love Faces" was sent to urban radio on January 11, 2011,{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/music/columns/173432 |title=411 Music Buy Or Sell 02.08.11: We're Sorry For Party Rocking |first1=Aaron |last1=Titan |first2=David |last2=Hayter |publisher=411mania.com |date=February 8, 2011 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} as the third single from the album.{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2010/10/09/trey-songz-selects-third-singles/ |title=Trey Songz Selects Third Singles |work=Rap-Up |date=October 9, 2010 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} A writer for The Washington Post noted "Love Faces" as one of the best tracks from Passion, Pain & Pleasure.{{cite news|url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/clicktrack/2010/09/album_review_trey_songz_passio.html |title=Album review: Trey Songz, "Passion, Pain and Pleasure" |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 14, 2010 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} Kyle Jarmon from Parlé Magazine commended Songz' vocals and the tune's R. Kelly-reminiscent sound.{{cite web|url=http://www.parlemag.com/2010/09/passion-pain-and-pleasure-trey-songz-album-review/ |title=Passion, Pain & Pleasure... Trey Songz album review |work=Parlé Magazine |first=Kyle |last=Jarmon |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} Mark Edward Nero of About.com described "Love Faces" as a "bump-n-grind anthem", writing that Songz' lovemaking songs are his best work.{{cite web |url=http://randb.about.com/od/reviews/fr/TreySongzPassionPainPleasure.htm |title=Album Review: Trey Songz - 'Passion, Pain & Pleasure' |first=Mark Edward |last=Nero |publisher=About.com. The New York Times Company |accessdate=March 26, 2011 |archive-date=September 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918142858/http://randb.about.com/od/reviews/fr/TreySongzPassionPainPleasure.htm |url-status=dead }} Tyler Lewis of PopMatters was impressed by Songz' vocals on and the melody of "Love Faces".{{cite web |url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/133665-trey-songz-passion-pain-pleasure/ |title=Trey Songz: Passion, Pain & Pleasure |first=Tyler |last=Lewis |publisher=PopMatters |date=December 9, 2010 |accessdate=July 5, 2014}} BBC Music's Mike Diver praised the "silken" production on the tune,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/gr6m |title=Trey Songz Passion, Pain & Pleasure Review |first=Mike |last=Diver |publisher=BBC Music |date=December 8, 2010 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} however David Hayter of 411mania.com criticized the song's production for being too heavy and destroying the song's mood, while calling the backing vocals "laughable". Idolator's Becky Bain negatively reviewed "Love Faces", dubbing it a "supremely generic love track".{{cite web|url=http://idolator.com/5606822/trey-songz-gets-sexy-on-new-tracks-love-faces-and-freaky-dance |title=Trey Songz Gets Sexy On New Tracks 'Love Faces' And 'Freaky Dance' |first=Becky |last=Bain |publisher=Idolator |date=August 26, 2010 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}}
"Love Faces" debuted at number one hundred on the United States Billboard Hot 100 chart dated March 12, 2011,{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/473266/bruno-mars-holds-off-pnk-atop-hot-100 |title=Bruno Mars Holds Off P!nk Atop Hot 100 |first=Gary |last=Trust |location=New York |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |date=February 3, 2011 |accessdate=April 23, 2011}} and peaked at number sixty-three, spending fourteen weeks on the chart. On the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the song debuted at number seventy-nine on January 1, 2011,{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2011-01-01/r-b-hip-hop-songs?order=gainer |title=R&B/Hip-Hop Songs |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |date=January 1, 2011 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} and reached number three, becoming Songz' tenth song to reach the top five of that chart.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/472988/rbhip-hop-chart-juice-nicki-minajs-no-1-trifecta |title=R&B/Hip-Hop Chart Juice: Nicki Minaj's No. 1 Trifecta |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |first=Rauly |last=Ramirez |location=Los Angeles |date=February 17, 2011 |accessdate=March 27, 2011}} It spent a total of thirty-six weeks on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Music video
An accompanying music video for "Love Faces" was directed by Justin Francis and Songz and was shot in two days in Miami. The video premiered on MTV.com on February 14, 2011, after a preview was released on February 10. Songz said of the clip, "I love the treatment so much. I think it's gonna be a lot different than what people expect it to be and a lot of that is contributed to the narrative, and I want people to be surprised when they see it."{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657806/trey-songz-love-faces-video.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217005457/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657806/trey-songz-love-faces-video.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 17, 2011 |title=Trey Songz Wants To 'Surprise' Fans With 'Love Faces' Video |publisher=MTV News |first=Mawuse |last=Ziegbe |date=February 14, 2011 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} The video is in black-and-white, except for Songz' solo scenes and the art centrepiece. It opens with Songz and his girlfriend having a telephone conversation about her art show that evening. She requests that they arrive at the gallery separately,{{cite web|url=http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/02/14/trey-songz-love-faces-video/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218055627/http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/02/14/trey-songz-love-faces-video |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 18, 2011 |title=Video Premiere: Trey Songz, 'Love Faces' |first=Chris |last=Ryan |publisher=MTV |date=February 14, 2011 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} and pretend that they do not know each other so that she may be judged by her artistic work, not who she is dating. Songz drops her off in a convertible Mercedes-Benz before arriving himself later.{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2011/02/11/sneak-peek-trey-songz-love-faces/ |title=Sneak Peek: Trey Songz – 'Love Faces' |work=Rap-Up |date=February 11, 2011 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}} Songz inspects some paintings before being "introduced" to his girlfriend. The clip ends with Songz and his girlfriend placing their hand prints on the artwork. Chris Ryan from MTV lauded the "mood, feeling, vibe and atmosphere" of the music video.{{cite web|url=http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/02/10/trey-songz-love-faces-sneak-peek/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211202419/http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2011/02/10/trey-songz-love-faces-sneak-peek/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 11, 2011 |title=Video Sneak Peek: Trey Songz, 'Love Faces' |first=Chris |last=Ryan |publisher=MTV |date=February 10, 2011 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}}
Live performances
Songz and Drake performed at the Best Buy Theater, New York on October 5, 2010, to promote Kodak's "So Kodak" promotional campaign. Songz performed "I Invented Sex", "Say Aah", "Neighbors Know My Name", Can't Be Friends", "Bottoms Up" and "Love Faces".{{cite web |url=http://www.rap-up.com/2010/10/06/drake-and-trey-songz-seize-the-spotlight-at-so-kodak-launch/ |title=Drake and Trey Songz Seize the Spotlight at 'So Kodak' Launch |work=Rap-Up |date=October 6, 2010 |accessdate=April 23, 2011}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/954941/drake-trey-songz-celebrate-kodak-campaign-at-nyc-show |title=Drake, Trey Songz Celebrate 'Kodak' Campaign At NYC Show |first1=Mariel |last1=Concepcion |first2=Jason |last2=Lipshutz |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |location=New York |date=October 6, 2010 |accessdate=April 23, 2011}}
On February 10, 2011, Songz performed "Love Faces" on The Wendy Williams Show.{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/posts/trey-songz-shows-his-love-faces-wendy-williams |title=Trey Songz Shows His 'Love Faces' On Wendy Williams |work=Vibe |publisher=InterMedia Partners |date=February 10, 2011 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2011/02/10/video-trey-songz-serenades-wendy-williams/ |title=Video: Trey Songz Serenades Wendy Williams |work=Rap-Up |date=February 10, 2011 |accessdate=March 26, 2011}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2011)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|63|artist=Trey Songz|refname="hot100"|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|3|artist=Trey Songz|refname="rbhh"|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|34|artist=Trey Songz|rowheader=true}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2011)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2011/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2011|magazine=Billboard|access-date=March 18, 2021}}
| 14 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Neighbors Know My Name|artist=Trey Songz|type=single|award=Platinum|certyear=2014|digital=true}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true | noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{Trey Songz}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Contemporary R&B ballads