Yalla (song)
{{good article}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Yalla
| cover = Yalla (cover).jpg
| alt = A photograph of Inna hiding half of her face behind a wall
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Inna
| album = Inna {{noitalic|and}} Body and the Sun
| released = 3 November 2015
| recorded =
| language = {{flatlist|
- English
- Arabic
}}
| genre = *Dance-pop
| length = 2:51
| label = *Empire
| writer = *Marcel Botezan
- Sebastian Barac
- Nadir Tamuz Augustin
- Elena Alexandra Apostoleanu
| producer = Play & Win
| prev_title = Bop Bop
| prev_year = 2015
| next_title = Rendez Vous
| next_year = 2016
}}
"Yalla" is a song recorded by Romanian singer Inna for her eponymous fourth studio album (2015) and its Japanese counterpart, Body and the Sun (2015). It was released on 3 November 2015 through Empire and Roton. The recording was written by Marcel Botezan, Sebastian Barac, Nadir Tamuz Augustin and Inna, while production was handled by the first two under the name of Play & Win. A dance-pop and Eurodance track, "Yalla" is sung by Inna in both English and Arabic.
Music critics were positive towards the song, commending its production and commercial appeal. An accompanying music video for "Yalla" (which received notable airplay in Romania) was shot by Barna Nemethi in Marrakesh, Morocco and premiered on YouTube on 12 November 2015. Featuring Inna chased by a man at a bazaar, it attracted multiple comments written in Arabic. To promote the single, Inna performed it at various concert venues. Commercially, "Yalla" peaked at number 13 in Romania and at number 18 on the Polish dance chart.
Composition and release
"Yalla" was written by Marcel Botezan, Sebastian Barac, Nadir Tamuz Augustin and Inna, while production was handled by the first two under the name of Play & Win. It is a dance-pop song performed in English and its refrain in Arabic.{{cite news|url=http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Inna/news-99760.html|title=Clip de "Yalla" : Inna, bombe sexy et séductrice, fait tourner les têtes à Marrakech|trans-title="Yalla" Music video : Sexy and seducing Inna turns heads in Marrakech|language=fr|date=22 November 2015|access-date=10 June 2017|publisher=Pure Charts|author=Ruelle, Johann}}{{cite news|url=http://www.hitfire.eu/blog/news/805/videopremiere-inna-mit-ihrer-neuen-single-yalla-aus-dem-album-inna/|title=Videopremiere: Inna mit ihrer neuen Single "Yalla" aus dem Album "Inna"|trans-title=Video premiere: Inna with her new single "Yalla" off her album "Inna"|language=de|date=16 November 2017|access-date=10 June 2017|publisher=Hitfire}} Italian publication RnB Junk's Daniele Traino wrote that the track combined Inna's "typical" Eurodance style with oriental sounds, comparing its vibe to Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" (1987).{{cite news|title=Inna – Yalla|url=http://www.rnbjunk.com/inna-yalla-video-teaser/|publisher=RnB Junk|author=Traini, Daniele|language=it|date=12 November 2015|access-date=10 June 2017|archive-date=13 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813224208/http://www.rnbjunk.com/inna-yalla-video-teaser/|url-status=dead}} German portal Hitfire likened the recording to Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring MØ's "Lean On" (2015), writing that the success of the latter possibly influenced the singer to release "Yalla" as a single. A digital remixes extended play of the song was released on 3 November 2015 by Empire and Roton.{{cite news|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/yalla-remixes-ep/1059325769|title=Yalla (Remixes) – EP by Inna on iTunes|publisher=iTunes Store|date=3 November 2015|access-date=10 June 2017|archive-date=29 November 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151129043402/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/yalla-remixes-ep/id1059325769}} The single version features an additional second verse not included on the version featured on her eponymous and fourth studio album (2015) and its Japanese counterpart Body and the Sun.{{cite news|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017C68HJK/ref=dm_ws_ap_tlw_alb1|title=Inna: Inna: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads|date=30 October 2015|access-date=10 June 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/body-and-the-sun-japan-edition/id1022366887|title=Body and the Sun (Japan Edition) by Inna on iTunes|publisher=iTunes Store|date=23 July 2015|access-date=10 June 2017|archive-date=6 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306225348/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/body-and-the-sun-japan-edition/id1022366887}}
Reception
Music critics were positive towards the song. Traini from RnB Junk wrote that "Yalla" was one of the most captivating, refined and peculiar songs from Inna's eponymous studio album, noting its commercial appeal. An editor of Pro FM listed the recording in their list of "16 hits with which Inna made history".{{cite news|url=http://www.profm.ro/stiri/news/muzica/15-hituri-cu-care-inna-a-facut-istorie-31902|title=16 hituri cu care Inna a facut istorie|trans-title=16 hits with which Inna made history|access-date=10 June 2017|language=ro|publisher=Pro FM}} Jonathan Currinn, writing in his own website, said that the singer "appeal[ed] to people around the world" by including Arabic language in "Yalla",{{cite news|url=http://www.criticjonni.com/2015/11/inna-yalla.html|title=Inna – Yalla|publisher=Critic Jonni|author=Currinn, Jonathan|date=14 November 2017|access-date=10 June 2017}} while portal Hitfire commended the "strong" strophes of the song, Inna's vocals and the beat. The recording debuted on native Airplay 100 at number 94 on 12 November 2015, climbing to number 80 the next week. It reached its peak position at number 13 on 1 May 2016.{{cite news|url=http://www.kissfm.ro/emisiuni/54/airplay100|title=Kiss FM – Podcasts – Airplay 100|publisher=Kiss FM|work=Media Forest|language=ro|access-date=9 June 2017}} In Poland, "Yalla" reached position 18 on ZPAV's Dance Top 50 component chart.
Music video and promotion
Inna performed a stripped-down version of "Yalla" on Radio ZU on 17 November 2015.{{cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1X05OTCMgw|title=Inna – Yalla (Live la Radio ZU)|via=YouTube|date=17 November 2015|access-date=19 November 2015}} "Yalla" was set on the track list of concert tours that promoted Inna and Body and the Sun in Europe and Japan.{{cite AV media notes |title=Inna |others=Inna |year=2015 |type=Liner notes/ CD booklet |publisher=Roton|location=Bucharest, Romania}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Body and the Sun |others=Inna |year=2015 |type=Liner notes/ CD booklet |publisher=Warner Music Japan|location=Tokyo}} The singer also provided live performances of the recording at festival Alba Fest held in Alba Iulia, Romania,{{cite web| title =Show cu Willy William, James Arthur și Inna la Alba Fest| url =http://alba24.ro/impossible-se-poate-si-la-alba-iulia-show-cum-n-a-mai-vazut-cetatea-cu-willy-william-james-arthur-si-inna-la-alba-fest-493344.html| access-date = 25 August 2016|publisher=Alba 24|language=ro|trans-title=Show with Willy Williams, James Arthur and Inna at Alba Fest|date=28 May 2016|author=Mezei, Andreea}} and at the World Trade Center Mexico.{{cite web|title=Detalles del concierto de Inna en México|url=http://entretenimiento.starmedia.com/musica/detalles-concierto-inna-en-mexico.html|access-date=25 August 2016|publisher=Star Media Latinoamerica|language=es|trans-title=Details about Inna's concert in Mexico|date=18 March 2016|author=Orduña, Nancy|archive-date=13 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913140927/http://entretenimiento.starmedia.com/musica/detalles-concierto-inna-en-mexico.html|url-status=dead}}
An accompanying music video for "Yalla" was filmed by Barna Nemethi in Marrakesh, Morocco over three days, with Inna and John Perez acting as co-directors. While both Perez and Bogdan Daragiu were the directors of photography, Khaled Mokhtar handled the editing process. The outfits worn in the clip were inspired by and adapted to Arab culture; designers included Cristina Săvulescu, Mădălina Dorobanţu from Pas du Tout, Wanda's Dream New York, Artizana and Tria Alfa.{{cite news|url=http://adevarul.ro/entertainment/muzica/inna-lansat-videoclipul-celui-mai-recent-single-yalla-video-1_564773967d919ed50e396c31/index.html|title=Inna a lansat videoclipul celui mai recent single, "Yalla"|trans-title=Inna released the music video for her newest single, "Yalla"|language=ro|date=14 November 2015|access-date=10 June 2017|publisher=Adevărul|author=Arvunescu, Victor}} The music video was uploaded onto Inna's official YouTube channel on 12 November 2015,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7wveOu5hkQ|title=Inna – Yalla (Official Video)|via=YouTube |date=12 November 2015|access-date=28 November 2015}} with a teaser of it released few days prior. The clip features a dromedary, the second animal to appear in one of Inna's music videos after "Diggy Down" previously featured a snake.
The video commences with Inna coming out from a body of water, following which she gets chased by a man—played by Yassir Lamrani Selmane—at a bazaar and through the surroundings of a building. This is followed by the singer and her female background dancers performing choreography. Scenes interspersed through the main plot portray Inna singing in front of a door, and her in a desert with a dromedary and dancing around a fire with her backup dancers. Regarding the singer's appearance in the music video, Yohann Ruelle of Pure Charts wrote, "Inna knows how to turn on the temperature!" Valentina Malfroy from website Aficia commended the quality of the visual and saw Inna as charming.{{cite news|url=http://www.aficia.info/videos/inna-devoile-son-nouveau-clip-yalla-tourne-au-maroc/57402|title=Inna dévoile son nouveau clip " Yalla " tourné au Maroc|trans-title=Inna unveils her new clip "Yalla" shot in Morocco|language=fr|author=Malfroy, Valentin|publisher=Aficia|date=13 November 2015|access-date=10 June 2017}} An editor of Vagalume thought Inna "plays a girl who abuses her sensuality in typical costumes and a lot of Arabic dance to enchant her love interest."{{cite news|url=https://www.vagalume.com.br/news/2015/11/13/confira-o-clipe-de-yalla-da-cantora-inna.html|title=Confira o clipe de "Yalla", da cantora Inna|trans-title=Check out the new video for "Yalla" by singer Inna|publisher=Vagalume|language=pt|access-date=10 June 2017}} Currinn, writing in his own website, praised Inna's choreography and the video overall, whilst Hitfire recommended the clip and said it matched the song. After its release on YouTube, the music video attracted many comments written in Arabic.{{cite news|url=http://evz.ro/arabii-s-au-indragostit-de-yalla-videoclipul-in-care-inna-e-extrem-de-sexy.html|title=Arabii s-au îndrăgostit de "Yalla", videoclipul în care Inna e extrem de sexy|trans-title=The Arabs fell in love with "Yalla", the music video in which Inna is extremely sexy|website=Evenimentul Zilei|language=ro|date=19 November 2015|access-date=10 June 2017|author=Simionescu, Anca}} It received notable airplay in Romania, peaking at number seven on Media Forest's TV Airplay chart.{{cite news|url=http://mediaforest.ro/weeklycharts/HistoryWeeklyCharts.aspx|title=Media Forest – Know You Are On Air|publisher=Media Forest|date=1 May 2016|access-date=11 June 2017}} Note: Select '2016' and 'Week 17. Period: 25-04-16 01-05-16' from the drop-down menu, and then click on 'Songs – TV'. The Romanian and international positions are rendered together by the number of plays before resulting an overall chart.
Track listing
Charts
=Weekly charts=
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2015–16)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row" {{singlechart|Polishdance|18|chartid=1847|rowheader=true|access-date= 8 October 2016|refname="Poland"}} |
| scope="row"|Romania (Airplay 100){{cite web|url=http://www.kissfm.ro/podcasturi/3893 |title=Airplay 100 – 1 mai 2016 |publisher=Kiss FM|work=Media Forest|language=ro |access-date=12 November 2016 |date=1 May 2016}}
|align=center| 13 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| Chart (2016)
!Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| Romania (Airplay 100){{cite web|url=http://www.kissfm.ro/podcasturi/4501|title=Airplay 100 – Topul Anului 2016|trans-title=Year-end chart 2016|publisher=Kiss FM|language=ro|access-date=7 January 2019|date=30 December 2016}}
| 22 |
{{col-end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7wveOu5hkQ Official music video] on YouTube
- [http://innaofficial.com/ Inna's official website]
{{Inna}}
Category:English-language Romanian songs