Wherever I Go (OneRepublic song)
{{short description|2016 single by OneRepublic}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Wherever I Go
| cover = OneRepublic - Wherever I Go.png
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = OneRepublic
| album = Oh My My
| released = {{Start date|2016|05|13}}
| recorded = 2015
| studio =
- Revolution Studio (Toronto, Ontario)
- Ritz-Carlton Moscow (Russia)
| genre =
| length = 2:49
| label =
| writer =
| producer =
- Tedder
- Kutzle
- Zancanella
| prev_title = I Lived
| prev_year = 2014
| next_title = Kids
| next_year = 2016
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|OXWrjWDQh7Q|"Wherever I Go"}}}}
}}
"Wherever I Go" is a song recorded by American pop rock band OneRepublic. It was released on May 13, 2016 through Mosley Music Group and Interscope Records as OneRepublic's first single after a long period of focus on the band's Native Tour, which had been extended in May 2014, resulting in the band's longest period between new releases. The song was revealed and released at the end of a week of teasers, as the lead single from the band's fourth studio album Oh My My (2016). It was written and produced by lead singer Ryan Tedder, bassist/cellist Brent Kutzle and producer Noel Zancanella. The song was recorded at Revolution Studio, Toronto, Ontario, and Ritz-Carlton, Moscow, Russia, with additional recording at Neptune Valley and Waterloo Studios, Los Angeles in 2015. "Wherever I Go" is a funk rock, synth-pop and new wave music, featuring piano lines and a funk-driven rhythm, with lyrics on obsessive love.
The single debuted at number 67 on the US Billboard Hot 100, before climbing several positions to its peak at number 55, marking the second time that a lead single from the band has not reached the top twenty on the Billboard charts. The song reached the top twenty in several other countries. Upon release, the song received universal acclaim from music critics, being praised for its bold production, danceable beats, unconventional instrumentation and Tedder's vocals. "Wherever I Go" has sold 3 million downloads and was certified double-platinum by the Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana for selling over 100,000 copies in Italy and certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry for selling over 400,000 copies in the UK. At the 2016 Teen Choice Awards, the song was nominated in the Choice Rock Song category.
The "Wherever I Go" music video, directed by Joseph Kahn accompanied the song's release. Following the aesthetic presented on the cover of the single, created by Brazilian street artist Speto, the video's theme is based on a quote from Henry David Thoreau's 1854 book Walden: "The mass of mankind lead lives of quiet desperation", and focuses on a day in the life of a Korean businessman (Kenneth Choi), stuck in his daily routine. The video scored several accolades; was nominated in the EMA's Best World Stage Performance category at the 2016 MTV Europe Music Awards and the Los 40 International Video of the Year category at the LOS40 Music Awards 2016.
Background and release
The single's promotional campaign began in April 2016, when OneRepublic published several easter egg postcards involving the first single from their upcoming fourth album, Oh My My.{{cite web|url=https://www.idolator.com/7631943/onerepublic-new-single-wherever-i-go?chrome=1|website=Idolator|date=May 2, 2016|access-date=April 18, 2022|title=It Looks Like OneRepublic Have A New Single Called "Wherever I Go" On The Way}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-39744311|title=OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder was 'on verge of a mental breakdown' after anxiety battle|website=BBC News|access-date=April 18, 2022|date=April 28, 2017}} On May 2, 2016, all the teasers were completed, and with that fans discovered the name of the song that would serve as the first single from OneRepublic's new album.{{cite web|url=https://www.idolator.com/7631943/onerepublic-new-single-wherever-i-go|title=It Looks Like OneRepublic Have A New Single Called "Wherever I Go" On The Way|website=Idolator|date=May 2, 2016|access-date=April 18, 2022}} Two days later, on Instagram, the band posted the single's working artwork, confirming "Wherever I Go" as the band's entry into their new era.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BFAQgTWAIlx/|title=In the making ... Wherever I Go|website=Instagram|date=May 2, 2016|access-date=April 18, 2022}} The song was released to streaming services on May 13, with a premiere via iHeartRadio on May 12.{{cite web|url=https://all-noise.co.uk/wherever-i-go-by-onerepublic/12291/|title=New Single Review: "Wherever I Go" by OneRepublic|website=All Noise|date=May 12, 2016|access-date=April 18, 2022}}
Composition and lyrics
"Wherever I Go" was written and produced by Tedder, Kutzle and Zancanell, and runs for 2 minutes and 49 seconds, the shortest single OneRepublic had released at that point.{{cite web|url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/onerepublic/wherever-i-go|title=Wherever I Go by OneRepublic |website=Song Facts|access-date=April 17, 2022}} The song features piano lines and a funk-driven rhythm, marking a new style for the band. Explaining why it was important the lead single be different from the rest of the new album, Ryan Tedder said to Wonderland, "I think it’s gonna be shocking, kind of the first response anyone has is their eyes are kind of spread open like ‘Oh my god’. It's not indicative of the entire album but it's kind of like if you go have dinner, you don't order steak for an appetizer and steak for dinner. You split it up, and you have different things. So the first single... it's definitely an appetizer, I think it's the best appetizer we could come up with."{{Cite web|title=OneRepublic Releases New Single "Wherever I Go" - Music News - ABC News Radio|url=http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2016/5/13/onerepublic-releases-new-single-wherever-i-go.html|access-date=September 9, 2021|date=May 13, 2016|website=ABC News Radio|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2016/05/04/profile-ryan-tedder/|title=Wonderland gets a sneak peek into OneRepublic's new record with musical power house and frontman, Ryan Tedder|date=May 4, 2016|access-date=April 17, 2022|website=Wonderland}}
Tedder sings here of not being able to find a love to match one that he once had. This previous relationship will always remain a "ghost in the room," whenever he gets together with a new girl. Tedder explained the song is about "obsession, and almost an unnatural, unhealthy level of obsession."
Speaking on BBC Radio 1, Tedder discussed how hard OneRepublic worked to make the song sound fresh and current, but still organic. "It's hard as an actual band to evolve and still keep the humanity in the instruments," he said. "So it's tricky. You wanna hear the bass player, you wanna hear the drummer, but you want it to sound modern at the same time. So it took...ages to crack that code." Speaking to NME, Ryan Tedder explained the background to the song's different sound: "We were listening to a lot of late '90s French and Italian disco records - stuff like Daft Punk, Cassius, Justice," he said. "We were also listening to a lot of Miike Snow and Mew and I became obsessed with the shape of those Scandinavian melodies, because they're so different to American gospel and other things that we've done. And so it was a combination of chasing those records with songs that are very bass and riff-driven that led us to 'Wherever I Go.'"{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/onerepublics-ryan-tedder-on-making-hits-with-adele-the-killers-and-u2-7896|title=OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder On Working With The Killers And U2 And Ed Sheeran And Adele And Sam Smith And…|website=NME|date=May 26, 2016|access-date=April 17, 2022}}
{{Blockquote|quote=It felt like the first single because it's a more digestible version of some of the other stuff we've done for the album," Tedder added. "We could have put out other songs first that would have scared off a lot of our fans.|source= Tedder talking about "Wherever I Go"}}
In a Twitter Q&A with fans about the band's new album, Tedder said that "Wherever I Go" was the hardest song to write and took the longest to finish for Oh My My.{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/Onerepublic-wherever-i-go-lyrics|title=Wherever I Go by OneRepublic (About the Song)|website=Genius|access-date=April 18, 2022}}
Critical reception
Upon release, "Wherever I Go" received universal acclaim from music critics. NME{{'}}s Nick Levine called it "their slinkiest, funkiest single ever. With this song, Tedder sits like a genuine contender for the title of 'Most In Demand Man In Music'". Dana Getz of Entertainment Weekly wrote that "Wherever I Go" is "a powerful funk-punctuated blast of a track with steam kettle squeals and a come-to-Jesus hook".{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/05/13/onerepublic-wherever-i-go/|title=OneRepublic release Wherever I Go|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=May 13, 2016|access-date=April 18, 2022}} Idolator writer Robbie Daw's first impressions were "The first word that comes into mind while listening is “dramatic.” And then, right when the song builds up to its booming climax, it ends".{{cite web|url=https://www.idolator.com/7632872/onerepublic-new-single-wherever-i-go-release-date|title=OneRepublic's New Single "Wherever I Go" Officially Announced, Out This Week|website=Idolator|date=May 9, 2016|access-date=April 19, 2022}} David Watt of All-Noise praised the band's eclecticness in totally changing its characteristic sound and bringing something unique to the song, saying "although OneRepublic has recorded a lot of music, they have never recorded anything like this before. Ryan has also done a great job with vocals, making “Wherever I Go” nearly perfect", also highlighting the different vocals and production than usual, "the production is EVERYTHING – it’s fresh, and it’s exciting. And THAT combined with Ryan’s perfect, on-the-money vocals offers a killer equation".
Lewis Corner from Digital Spy called the song "an anthem", and saying "everything just seems, well, bigger. The taut guitar lines are aching for a stadium outing, the thudding kick beat will make your feet twitch, and the pounding piano line is Ryan Tedder on fine form. While past OneRepublic songs have been polished up to a gleam, here the separate strands feel a little unruly. The band's aim to sound more live is effective, and the build up almost mirrors the energy of an EDM banger, but without coming across as synthetic".{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/music/a793022/onerepublic-new-single-wherever-i-go-review-first-listen/|title=OneRepublic sound re-energised on their most ambitious single yet - first listen review|website=Digital Spy|date=May 5, 2016|access-date=April 19, 2022}} Rob Copsey from Official Charts said the song is a "stadium pop-rock stomper", writing "the track has many of the hallmarks of a OneRepublic hit".{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/onerepublic-return-with-new-single-wherever-i-go-first-listen-review__14815/|title=OneRepublic return with new single Wherever I Go: First listen review|website=Official Charts Company|date=May 5, 2016|access-date=April 19, 2022}}
Commercial performance
{{Empty section|date=April 2022}}
Music video
The music video premiered on May 17, 2016, directed by Joseph Kahn and produced by Jil Hardin. Within the video, actor Kenneth Choi plays a businessman who faces an uneventful, colorless world of black, white and gray on a daily basis. However, upon meeting a woman, played by actress Yvonne Lu,{{IMDb name | 5875690 | Yvonne Lu}} whom he presumably falls in love with, he subsequently puts down his briefcase, symbolising the idea of him leaving his regular, insipid characteristics behind him. He begins to elaborately dance, an action usually not associated with business. His coworkers look at him aghast before also joining in. Still, he cannot woo over the woman he is interested in. It takes discovering a secret passageway containing the band performing to transform his life into color. When he steps back into the office after watching the band sing, everything becomes vivid and colorful, with the office transformed to a 1970s motif. In the end, it is shown that it was all just a daydream, with him still in the lift, staring at the woman he wants. The music video currently has 111 million views.{{cite AV media|url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=OXWrjWDQh7Q|title=OneRepublic – Wherever I Go (Official Video)|date=17 May 2016|work=YouTube|accessdate=23 October 2021|last=|first=|language=|type=}}
Incidentally, the video features Three-time National YoYo Champion Alex Hattori.{{cite web|url=http://yoyonews.com/2016/05/18/onerepublic-wherever-go/|title=Alex Hattori in OneRepublic "Wherever I Go" Video|work=YoYoNews.com|date=18 May 2016 }}
Live performances
The day before the premiere of "Wherever I Go", OneRepublic performed the song on the tenth season of The Voice.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWx_QsgFjCE|title=Wherever I Go - OneRepublic - World TV Premiere|via=YouTube|date=May 17, 2016}} The band performed the song live for the first time after its release on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 19, 2016, in Rockefeller Center, New York City.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_ClNDJYkow|title=OneRepublic - Wherever I Go (Live On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)|last=OneRepublicVEVO|date=May 19, 2016|via=YouTube}} Five days later, the band returned to the stage to perform the song on season 10 of Britain's Got Talent.{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/britainsgottalent/insider/bgt-semi-finals-guest-performers-fifth-harmony-nick-jonas-jules-matisse-motown-onerepublic|title=BGT Semi-Final guest performers revealed! |date=12 May 2016|publisher=ITV|access-date=22 May 2016}} Six days later, the band returned to the stage to perform the song again as part of BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se1Jgr0Aasg|title=OneRepublic - Wherever I Go (Radio 1's Big Weekend 2016)|via=YouTube|date=May 29, 2016}}
Track listing
- Digital download{{cite web|title=ONEREPUBLIC|url=https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/wherever-i-go-single/id1112318393|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519114255/https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/wherever-i-go-single/id1112318393|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 19, 2016|publisher=iTunes|accessdate=17 May 2016}}
- "Wherever I Go" – 2:49
- Digital download — remix{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/wherever-i-go-danny-dove-club/1132372194|title=Wherever I Go (Danny Dove Club Edit) - Single by OneRepublic on Apple Music|website=iTunes|date=15 July 2016|publisher=}}
- "Wherever I Go" (Danny Dove club edit) – 4:57
- "Wherever I Go" – 2:49
- "Wherever I Go" (Instrumental) – 2:49
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from CD single liner notes.{{cite AV media notes |title=Wherever I Go |others=OneRepublic |date=2016 |type=liner notes |publisher=Mosley Music Group, Interscope Records |id=0602547950253}}
Personnel
- Ryan Tedder – songwriter, producer
- Brent Kutzle – songwriter, producer
- Noel Zancanella – songwriter, producer
- Rich Rich – engineer
- Steve Wilmot – engineer
- Matthew Tryba – assistant engineer
- Mark "Spike" Stent – mixer
- Matty Green – assistant engineer for mix
- Geoff Swan – assistant engineer for mix
- Chris Gehringer – mastering
Recording
- Recorded at Revolution Studio, Toronto, Ontario; and Ritz-Carlton, Moscow, Russia
- Additional recording at Neptune Valley and Waterloo Studios, Los Angeles, California
- Mixed at Mixsuite, United Kingdom
- Mastered at Sterling Sound, New York City
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
= Weekly charts =
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2016–2017)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Australia|32|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=July 2, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Austria|29|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=August 4, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders Tip|16|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=September 2, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Wallonia|45|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=August 26, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcanadaac|5|artist=OneRepublic|rowheader=true|access-date=April 16, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Canada|38|artist=OneRepublic|rowheader=true|access-date=August 2, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcanadachrtop40|38|artist=OneRepublic|rowheader=true|access-date=April 16, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcanadahotac|7|artist=OneRepublic|rowheader=true|access-date=April 16, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Czech Republic|22|year=2016|week=34|rowheader=true|access-date=August 29, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Czechdigital|17|year=2016|week=31|rowheader=true|access-date=August 9, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Denmark Airplay|3|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|year=2016|week=29|rowheader=true|access-date=August 1, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|France|78|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=July 16, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|33|songid=1550670|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=August 5, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Hungaryradio|23|year=2016|week=37|rowheader=true|access-date=September 26, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Hungarysingle|29|year=2016|week=34|rowheader=true|access-date=September 3, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland|39|year=2016|week=31|rowheader=true|access-date=August 5, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Italy|17|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=July 22, 2016}} |
| scope="row"| Latvia (Latvijas Top 40){{cite web|url=http://www.pieci.lv/lv/top-40/|title=Latvijas Top 40|publisher=Latvijas Radio|date=June 12, 2016|access-date=June 12, 2016}}
| 6 |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|28|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=July 15, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|39|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=August 5, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|34|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=July 22, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Poland|22|chartid=2034|year=2016|access-date=July 18, 2016|rowheader=true}} |
| {{single chart|Portugal|38|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=August 18, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Scotland|16|date=20160610|rowheader=true|access-date=June 11, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Slovakia|28|year=2016|week=31|rowheader=true|access-date=August 9, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Slovakdigital|21|year=2016|week=25|rowheader=true|access-date=August 1, 2016}} |
| scope="row"| Slovenia (SloTop50){{cite web|url=https://www.slotop50.si/Glasbene-lestvice/Tedenske-lestvice/?year=2016&week=26|title=SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart|publisher=slotop50.si|access-date=26 August 2018}}
| 28 |
| scope="row"| Spain (PROMUSICAE){{cite web|url=https://spanishcharts.com/weekchart.asp?year=2016&date=20160731&cat=s|title=spanishcharts.com - Spanish charts portal|publisher=spanishcharts.com|access-date=6 September 2019}}
| 69 |
| scope="row"| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web|url=http://www.sverigetopplistan.se/|title=Sverigetopplistan - Sveriges Officiella Topplista|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|access-date=August 19, 2016}}
| 29 |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|29|artist=OneRepublic|song=Wherever I Go|rowheader=true|access-date=August 8, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|UK|29|date=20160617|rowheader=true|access-date=June 18, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|55|artist=OneRepublic|rowheader=true|access-date=July 19, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|19|artist=OneRepublic|rowheader=true|access-date=June 20, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|11|artist=OneRepublic|rowheader=true|access-date=June 20, 2016}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|25|artist=OneRepublic|rowheader=true|access-date=June 20, 2016}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=OneRepublic|certyear=2023|access-date=April 6, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2024|access-date=September 14, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=OneRepublic|relyear=2016|relmonth=5|certyear=2024|access-date=March 14, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2016|certmonth=9|certday=12|access-date=September 19, 2016}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Platinum|relyear=2016|certyear=2024|id=14284|access-date=August 21, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2017|access-date=July 26, 2017}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2018|access-date=April 29, 2018}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2016|certyear=2016|certweek=51|id=4006|access-date=December 12, 2016}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Platinum|relyear=2016|certyear=2020|source=radioscope|access-date=February 22, 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2016|certyear=2024|access-date=March 20, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Portugal|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2022|id=file_2022-05-13-15-04-29.pdf|access-date=May 23, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2024|id=onerepublic-wherever-i-go|access-date=February 24, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|award=Platinum|relyear=2016|certyear=2016|certweek=39|position=91|access-date=July 26, 2017}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=OneRepublic|title=Wherever I Go|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2021|id=13878-3404-1|access-date=December 10, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Summary}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|nocert=yes|salesamount=3,000,000|salesref={{cite web|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/ryan-tedder-onerepublic-new-album-oh-my-my/|title=Ryan Tedder on OneRepublic's New Album and Embracing the Unexpected|website=Vogue|date=October 5, 2016|access-date=April 20, 2022}}}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|streaming=true|nosales=true}}
Release history
| class=wikitable |
| Region
!Date !Format !Label |
|---|
| rowspan="2"| Worldwide
| 13 May 2016 | rowspan="2"| {{hlist|Mosley Music Group|Interscope Records}} |
| 27 May 2016
| CD maxi single{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wherever-I-Go-2-Track-Onerepublic/dp/B01FGOH2V4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464291750&sr=8-1&keywords=wherever%20i%20go%20one%20republic|title=Wherever I Go|date=27 May 2016|publisher=|via=Amazon}} |
Footnotes
{{NoteFoot}}