Unlock It

XCX scrapped her planned third studio album, christened XCX World by fans, after it was leaked.{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Will |date=2019-10-17 |title=Lost albums of the 2010s – what became of the albums we were promised but that never arrived? |url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/gone-wind-memory-unreleased-2010s-albums-never-arrived-2557311 |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} She first mentioned the idea of making Pop 2 to A. G. Cook in late September 2017 while he was in New York. The pair started work once Cook was back in London and recorded the body of it at Oven Studios, with the whole mixtape taking two months.{{Cite web |title=Charli XCX and A. G. Cook explain the secrets of her ambitious new mixtape |url=https://www.thefader.com/2017/12/15/charli-xcx-a-g-cook-pop-2-interview |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=The FADER |language=en}} After implying that she had recorded a mixtape with Kim Petras, Jay Park, Carly Rae Jepsen, Tove Lo, Dorian Electra, Alma, Mykki Blanco, Cupcakke, Tommy Cash, Brooke Candy, Caroline Polachek, Pabllo Vittar, MØ, and A. G. Cook,{{Cite web |date=2017-12-04 |title=Charli XCX hints at new mixtape featuring MØ, Carly Rae Jepsen, and more |url=https://diymag.com/news/charli-xcx-hints-at-new-mixtape-featuring-mo-carly-rae-jepsen-and-more |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=DIY |language=en}} she announced the mixtape on 8 December 2017 and released its lead single, "Out of My Head" featuring Tove Lo and Alma.{{Cite web |date=2017-12-08 |title=Charli XCX confirms 'Pop 2' mixtape featuring Carly Rae Jepsen, Tove Lo, MØ and more |url=https://diymag.com/news/charli-xcx-pop-2-mixtape-carly-rae-jepsen-tove-lo-mo-and-more |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=DIY |language=en}}

On 11 December, XCX followed this with "Unlock It",{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/charli-xcx-unlock-it-kim-petras-jay-park-new-song-8063612/|title=Charli XCX Shares 'Unlock It' Feat. Kim Petras and Jay Park|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=23 May 2023}} which premiered on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show that day.{{Cite web |title=Charli XCX shares new single "Unlock It" featuring Kim Petras and Jay Park |url=https://www.thefader.com/2017/12/11/charli-xcx-unlock-it-kim-petras-jay-park-pop-2 |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=The FADER |language=en}} The song featured Petras, who XCX had met at a Sophie concert, and Park, who had previously featured in the music video for her earlier track "Boys".{{Cite web |title=Charli XCX Drops New Banger 'Unlock It' With Kim Petras and Jay Park |url=https://www.mtv.co.uk/news/dv6cd9/charli-xcx-drops-new-banger-unlock-it-with-kim-petras-and-jay-park |url-status= |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=MTV News}} XCX used her Beats 1 interview to state that she had hired Park on the basis of how well he had gone down when the "Boys" video was published.{{Cite web |title=Charli XCX on "Unlock It" on Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/us/post/1324024363 |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Apple Music - Web Player |language=en-US}} XCX wrote her contribution about her experiences of driving in New Jersey around the time she was supporting Halsey on her Hopeless Fountain Kingdom Tour{{Cite web |last=Seidita |first=Nico |date=2018-01-02 |title=Charli XCX's Closes 2017 With New, Futuristic Mixtape, Pop 2 |url=https://www.euphoriazine.com/blog/2018/01/music/albums-charli-xcxs-closes-2017-new-futuristic-mixtape-pop-2/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=EUPHORIA. |language=en-US}} and its lyrics invite the listener to fall in love.{{Cite web |date=2017-12-11 |title=Charli XCX wants you to "Unlock It" on new song: Stream |url=https://consequence.net/2017/12/charli-xcx-wants-you-to-unlock-it-on-new-song-stream/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Consequence |language=en}} Produced by Cook and Life Sim,{{cite web |title=Charli XCX shares sublimely synthy slow jam "Unlock It" featuring Kim Petras and Jay Park |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/charli-xcx-unlock-it |accessdate=22 May 2023 |website=The Line of Best Fit}} the song features a spoken word chorus{{cite web |date=14 November 2022 |title=Track Review: Unlock It // piri & tommy |url=https://www.indiependent.co.uk/track-review-unlock-it-piri-tommy/?amp=1 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304142037/https://www.indiependent.co.uk/track-review-unlock-it-piri-tommy/?amp=1 |archive-date=4 March 2023 |accessdate=4 March 2023 |website=Indiependent.co.uk}} that contains the phrase "Unlock It" 18 times and samples Cook's earlier track "Beautiful" as he felt the song was missing something.

Megan Burger of Pitchfork described the track as "art-pop at its finest, just shy of parody but hyper-aware of contemporary trends", and its lyrics as "over-the-top and blissfully artificial".{{Cite web |last=Buerger |first=Megan |title=Charli XCX: "Unlock It" [ft. Kim Petras and Jay Park] |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/charli-xcx-unlock-it-ft-kim-petras-and-jay-park/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} Ross McNeilage of MTV News wrote that "If you want my love / Twerk to unlock it!" was one of the best lyrics of 2017. The song was released two days before "I Got It" featuring Cupcakke, Brooke Candy, and Pabllo Vittar{{Cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Lauren |date=2017-12-13 |title=Charli XCX Teams Back Up with CupcakKe on "I Got It" |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/charli-xcx-teams-back-up-with-cupcakke-on-i-got-it/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=VICE |language=en-US}} and four days before the release of its parent mixtape Pop 2.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/charli-xcx-new-song-unlock-it-jay-park-pop-2-2170493|title=Charli XCX reveals brand new single 'Unlock It'|website=NME|date=11 December 2017 |accessdate=22 May 2023}} A mashup of the song with Tinashe's "Superlove" by Jeff Prior, a resident DJ at queer dance party Ctrl, went viral on TikTok in 2021 after being used in an accompanying dance on TikTok, eventually soundtracking 2,400,000 videos.{{Cite web |last=Dazed |date=6 April 2021 |title=We give thanks for the TikTok resurrection of Charli XCX's 'Unlock It' |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/52402/1/tiktok-resurrection-of-charli-xcx-s-unlock-it-challenge-addison-rae-pop-2 |access-date=19 June 2023 |website=Dazed |language=en}} By 6 April, the track had been streamed 20,000,000 times and had been added to Spotify's Viral Hits playlist.

On 2 May 2021, she updated the song's title to streaming platforms to "Unlock It (Lock It)"; after being criticised for this, she took to Twitter to opine that her audience should be intelligent enough to be challenged.{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/charli-xcx-discusses-artist-fan-relationshup-after-updating-unlock-it-title|title=Charli XCX discusses relationship between artists and fans after updating "Unlock it" title|website=The Line of Best Fit|accessdate=22 May 2023}} The following year, Clash described the song as one of XCX's best 17 songs, wrote that the song had a "power chorus, pure electronic happiness, bold, computerized melodies, and lyrics that offer cosmic escapism", and offered particular praise for the line "cosmic kiss, tastes like cherry maraschino", calling it "sweetly satisfying".{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/features/charli-xcx-her-17-best-songs/|title=Charli XCX: Her 17 Best Songs|work=Clash Magazine|date=15 April 2022 |accessdate=23 May 2023}} In 2024, Adam Graham of The Detroit News described the song as "an annoyingly catchy earworm that latches onto your brain and refuses to let go".{{Cite web |last=Graham |first=Adam |title=Before 'Brat': Charli xcx and the rise of pop music's Number 1 Angel |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/music/2024/09/11/before-brat-charli-xcx-and-the-rise-of-pop-musics-number-1-angel/75156672007/ |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=The Detroit News |language=en-US}}

Musicians

• Charli XCX – lead vocals
• Kim Petras – lead vocals
• Jay Park – lead vocals
• A. G. Cook – programming
• Aaron Aguilar – composer
• Life Sim – synthesizer

Production

• A. G. Cook – producer, engineer
• Life Sim – producer
• Stuart Hawkes – mastering engineer
• Geoff Swan – mixer
• Brendan Morawski – engineer{{Cite web |title=Credits / Unlock It (Lock It) [feat. Kim Petras and Jay Park] / Charli XCX |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/82035223/credits |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Music on TIDAL |language=en}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Unlock It

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Piri & Tommy

| album =

| B-side =

| released = 11 November 2022

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre =

• Bubblegum pop
• drum and bass

| length = 3:13

| label = Polydor

| writer = * Charlotte Aitchison

• Aaron Aguilar
• Alexander Guy Cook
• Kim Petras
• Jay Park

| producer = * A. G. Cook

• Life Sim

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|sKNZ9HCnnkw|"Unlock It"}}|header=Audio video}}

}}

Piri & Tommy, who had previously opened for Charli XCX at a Brighton concert,{{cite news |date=8 September 2022 |title=Charli XCX plays intimate Brighton concert |url=https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2022/09/08/charli-xcx-plays-intimate-brighton-concert/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213005149/https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2022/09/08/charli-xcx-plays-intimate-brighton-concert/ |archive-date=13 February 2023 |accessdate=13 February 2023 |newspaper=Brighton & Hove News}} released a cover version of the song on 11 November 2022.{{Cite web |last=Holden |first=Finlay |date=2022-11-11 |title=piri & tommy have released their cover of Charli XCX's 2017 hit, 'Unlock it' |url=https://readdork.com/news/piri-amp-tommy-have-released-their-cover-of-charli-xcxs-2017-hit-unlock-it/ |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Dork |language=en-US}} The track had been recorded and previously released for an Apple Home Music Session, in which artists make music at home. Aisha Sembhi of Indiependent.co.uk described the track as a "blend [of] bubblegum pop and drum & bass". Clash described the song as "reminiscent of the original [but] deliver[ing] a more laidback edge" and described Piri's vocals as "silky smooth, laced in AutoTune, [and] bathed in reverb and delay" and the track's production as "clean and polished" with lo-fi drums.{{cite web |date=14 November 2022 |title=piri & Tommy Share Charli XCX Cover 'Unlock It' |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/piri-tommy-share-charli-xcx-cover-unlock-it/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117123949/https://www.clashmusic.com/news/piri-tommy-share-charli-xcx-cover-unlock-it/ |archive-date=17 November 2022 |access-date=17 November 2022 |website=CLASH}} In addition, their version of the song was rated as the fourteenth best song of 2022 by Vice.{{cite magazine |title=The 50 Best Songs of 2022 |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7zgdd/the-50-best-songs-of-2022 |magazine=Vice |accessdate=18 May 2023}}

Apple Home Music Session{{cite web |title=Apple Music Home Session: piri & tommy by piri & tommy on Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/apple-music-home-session-piri-tommy/1643725538 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301171534/https://music.apple.com/gb/album/apple-music-home-session-piri-tommy/1643725538 |archive-date=1 March 2023 |accessdate=1 March 2023 |publisher=Apple Music}}

1. "On & On" (acoustic version) – 2:24
2. "Unlock It" – 3:13

Single version{{cite web |title=piri Singles and EPs discography |url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/4DpmPt7gfAAq7WEx0E1X8s/discography/single |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204123745/https://open.spotify.com/artist/4DpmPt7gfAAq7WEx0E1X8s/discography/single |archive-date=4 February 2023 |accessdate=4 February 2023 |publisher=Spotify}}

1. "Unlock It" – 3:13

• Piri – lead vocals
• Tommy Villiers – mastering, producer

{{reflist}}

{{Charli XCX}}

{{Kim Petras}}

{{Jay Park}}

{{Piri}}

Category:2017 songs

Category:2022 singles

Category:Charli XCX songs

Category:Kim Petras songs

Category:Jay Park songs

Category:Piri & Tommy songs

Category:Songs written by Charli XCX

Category:Songs written by A. G. Cook

Category:Songs written by Kim Petras