Perfect (Rob Cantor song)

After the indefinite hiatus of Tally Hall in 2011, co-lead vocalist and guitarist Rob Cantor began producing solo work.{{cite web |last=Paltrowitz|first=Darren|url=http://www.theimproper.com/music/11848/rob-cantor-trampoline-career/|title=Rob Cantor Is Not A Trampoline, Even If His Career Seems Like One|website=TheImproper|date=April 7, 2014|access-date=June 24, 2024|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150806120802/http://www.theimproper.com:80/music/11848/rob-cantor-trampoline-career|archive-date=August 6, 2015}} He first released the viral song "Shia LaBeouf" in 2012, followed by his solo debut album Not a Trampoline in 2014.{{cite web |author=BMI|url=https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/indie_spotlightrob_cantor|title=Indie Spotlight: Rob Cantor|website=Broadcast Music, Inc.|language=en|date=June 23, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}} The album features "Perfect", co-written by Cantor with former bandmate and keyboardist Andrew Horowitz. The latter reunited with the former in Los Angeles six months after Tally Hall's hiatus, spending time together before writing "Perfect" between 11 PM and 5 AM the same day.{{cite web |last=Florino|first=Rick|url=https://www.artistdirect.com/rob-cantor/interviews/interview-rob-cantor/3471|title=Interview: Rob Cantor|website=Artistdirect|language=en|date=June 2, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129023901/https://www.artistdirect.com/rob-cantor/interviews/interview-rob-cantor/3471|archive-date=November 29, 2022|accessdate=June 24, 2024}}

On July 1, 2014, Cantor published the video "29 Celebrity Impressions, 1 Original Song" to his YouTube channel.{{cite web |last=Kristobak|first=Ryan|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/29-celebrity-impressions-song_n_5548999|title=This Guy Perfectly Impersonates 29 Celebrities While Performing An Original Song|website=HuffPost|language=en|date=July 1, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}}{{cite web |last=Crugnale|first=James|url=https://www.thewrap.com/29-famous-hollywood-impressions-performed-by-one-guy-in-one-song-video/|title=29 Famous Hollywood Impressions Performed by One Guy in One Song (Video)|website=TheWrap|language=en|date=July 2, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}} Accompanied by Horowitz on the piano, Cantor appears to sing 28 impressions of various celebrities and one of himself.{{cite web |last=Dawn|first=Randee|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/singer-rob-cantor-does-28-spot-celebrity-impressions-viral-video-1d79878627|title=Singer Rob Cantor does 28 spot-on celebrity impressions in viral video|website=Today|language=en|date=July 2, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}} It received over 740 thousand views within its first day,{{cite web |last=Blum|first=Haley|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2014/07/02/celebrity-impression-song-rob-cantor-perfect/77339184/|title=This guy nails 28 celebrity impressions while singing an original song|website=USA Today|language=en|date=July 2, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}} amassing 6.5 million total views throughout the week.{{cite web |last=McKee|first=Jenn|url=https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/ann-arbor/2014/07/tally_halls_rob_cantor_has_a_v.html|title=Tally Hall's Rob Cantor has a video that's gone viral|website=MLive Media Group|language=en|date=July 8, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}} The video received particular attention for the bizarreness of being able to perform several female impressions as a male singer.{{cite web |author=Washington Examiner|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/red-alert-politics/783556/this-guy-sounds-more-like-britney-spears-than-britney-spears-does/|title=This guy sounds more like Britney Spears than Britney Spears does|website=Washington Examiner|language=en|date=July 2, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}} Cantor expressed happiness with the song's spread as a viral video, stating "I'm so glad people enjoy the clip, and I'm even happier they seem to dig the song!" to Today.

The video includes impressions of Randy Newman, Jack Black, Kermit the Frog, Louis Armstrong, Christopher Lloyd, Willie Nelson, Bono, Gollum, Steve Buscemi, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Peter Griffin, Gilbert Gottfried, Ray Romano, Adam Sandler, Gwen Stefani, Patrick Warburton, Ian McKellen, Shakira, Britney Spears, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Walken, Jon Lovitz, Christina Aguilera, Cher, Flipper, Björk, and Bob Dylan. Cantor additionally whistles, imitates a trumpet, and does a "self-impression".{{cite web |author=ABC News|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/watch-singer-28-celebrity-impressions-song/story?id=24458648|title=Watch Singer do 28 Celebrity Impressions in One Song|website=ABC News|language=en|date=July 7, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}}

On July 9, a making-of video was published, revealing that the music video's impressions were lip synced by Cantor over dubbed audio of 11 other impressionists.{{cite web |last=Bishop|first=Rollin|url=https://laughingsquid.com/musician-rob-cantor-reveals-how-he-faked-his-song-featuring-29-impressive-celebrity-impressions/|title=Musician Rob Cantor Reveals How He Faked His Song Featuring 29 Impressive Celebrity Impressions|website=Laughing Squid|language=en|date=July 9, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}}{{cite web |last=McKee|first=Jenn|url=https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/ann-arbor/2014/07/tally_halls_rob_cantor_reveals.html|title=Tally Hall's Rob Cantor reveals his impression-packed viral video was faked|website=MLive Media Group|language=en|date=July 10, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}} Recorded in 39 takes, the video was recorded and edited in the style of a home movie to generate believability in the hoax.{{cite web |last=Sneider|first=Jeff|url=https://www.thewrap.com/29-celebrity-impressions-music-video-was-a-hoax-singer-reveals-making-of-video/|title=29 Celebrity Impressions Music Video Was a Hoax; Singer Reveals 'Making Of' Video|website=TheWrap|language=en|date=July 9, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}} A representative of Cantor described the video as "a carefully orchestrated effort",{{cite web |last=Dawn|first=Randee|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/28-impressions-viral-video-singer-rob-cantor-reveals-hoax-1d79909602|title=28 celebrity impressions viral video revealed to be a hoax by singer|website=Today|language=en|date=July 10, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}} successfully promoting Not a Trampoline through the video's popularity.{{cite web |last=Berkowitz|first=Joe|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3032900/nothing-is-real-guy-reveals-29-celebrity-impressions-1-original-song-is-a-hoax-in-most-charm|title=Nothing Is Real: Guy Reveals "29 Celebrity Impressions, 1 Original Song" Is a Hoax In Most Charming Way Possible|website=Fast Company|language=en|date=July 10, 2014|accessdate=June 24, 2024}}

"Perfect"

{{div col}}

• Rob Cantor – lead vocals, instruments
• Gregtonic – production, mixing engineer
• Andrew Horowitz – production
• Bora Karaca – engineer
• Dave Cooley – mastering

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"29 Celebrity Impressions, 1 Original Song"

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• Rob Cantor – miming, direction
• Andrew Horowitz – piano, backing vocals
• Brock Baker – vocals
• Gilbert Gauthier – vocals
• Amanda Gari – vocals
• Reagan James – vocals
• Andrew Laurich – vocals
• Andy McCloud – vocals
• Piotr Michael – vocals
• Missy Modell – vocals
• Mark Sipka – vocals
• Melissa Villaseñor – vocals
• Bora Karaca – whistling
• Gabe Steiner – trumpet
• Lindsey Alvarez – sound design, mixing engineer

{{div col end}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://robcantormusic.bandcamp.com/track/perfect "Perfect"] on Bandcamp

{{Rob Cantor}}

Category:2014 songs

Category:Rob Cantor songs

Category:Songs written by Andrew Horowitz

Category:Songs written by Rob Cantor

Category:Viral videos