Afrodisiac

"Afrodisiac"
Single by Brandy
from the album Afrodisiac
B-side	"Sirens"
Released	September 24, 2004[1]
Format	Download, CD, 12", DVD single
Recorded	2003; Hit Factory Criteria (Miami, Florida)
Genre	R&B, dance pop
Length	3:47
Label	Atlantic
Writer(s)	Isaac Phillips, Kenisha Pratt, Kenneth Pratt, Tim Mosley
Producer	Timbaland
Brandy singles chronology
"Who Is She 2 U" (2004) "Afrodisiac" (2004) "Right Here (Departed)" (2008)

"Afrodisiac" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood. It was written by Isaac Phillips, Kenisha and Kenneth Pratt and Timbaland for her same-titled fourth studio album, Afrodisiac (2004), while production was handled by the latter.

The song was released as the album's second international single throughout most of Eurasia and Oceania during the third quarter of 2004 (see 2004 in music). Barely promoted, the song reached number eleven in the United Kingdom and made it to top thirty in France and Ireland, as well as the top forty in Australia and Switzerland.

Writing and recording

"Afrodisiac" was written by longtime collaborators Isaac Phillips, Kenisha Pratt, Kenneth Pratt and Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley, with production by the latter.^[2] The track was one of the first songs on the same-titled album that Norwood and her team worked on while recording at the Hit Factory Criteria studios in Miami, Florida.^[2] An uptempo–offbeat R&B song with heavy pop and dance-pop influences,^[3] "Afrodisiac" was built along on a flute and a synthesised old-school drum machine groove.^[4] Critics also noted an “orchestra band feel with a definite Caribbean influence and some 1980s electro sound”,^[5] which incorporates a baby-cry sample, that bears resemblance to fellow Timbaland-production "Are You That Somebody?", a song performed by Aaliyah.^[6]

In "Afrodisiac", Norwood, as the female protagonist, expresses her addictive passion for a special person, whom she declares her very own aphrodisiac, a substance that increases her sexual desire.^[7] The singer declared the song her favorite cut on the album: "You can hear the yearning for love," Brandy said of the song in an interview with Ebony. "I never had an aphrodisiac in my life until now."^[7] Contentually, song deals with the protagonist's

The song was one of three tracks that had leaked more than a half year before the official release date, a fact, which made it an early candidate to become the album's lead single. When "Talk About Our Love" was picked as first single, Timbaland protested the decision in several magazine interviews. Even Brandy herself proclaimed that the album's single choice was finalized by manager Benny Medina and the heads of Atlantic Records, while the singer herself had favoured the title track to lead the album.

Critical reception

Rachel Kipp from USA Today wrote that "Afrodisiac" is a "carnival ride."^[8] Similarly, Nicholas Paul Godkin, writer for Designer magazine, commented that the song "has the feel of a superior Destiny's Child R&B single. Brandy raps a little bit, but it's her unmistakable voice that impresses the most."^[9] Describing the song as " innovative and quirky", Tareck Ghoneim from Contactmusic wrote that "Afrodisiac" was "very hard to describe as it is so different so those looking for something fresh may like it. The arrangement is complex that makes the feel of this track engrossing and original. This is progressive R&B and deserves praise."^[5] Azeem Ahmad of Music OMH showed high favoritism for "Afrodisiac", writing:

"The strong racial connotations in the title shouldn't be mistaken as anything other than a cry for acceptance as a sex symbol in the Beyoncé mould. Gracefully there's a lot more substance to this through the beautifully sung and equally brilliantly produced song. Thankfully there's no hint of 'Independent Women' in the song as Brandy takes a rare honest stance: "I admit that I'm a prisoner of your sex appeal".^[10]

Music video

The single's music video was directed by Matthew Rolston and entirely shot in a filming studio in Los Angeles, California.^[11] It was shot over thirteen hours and choreographed by Laurie Ann Gibson, best known for her work on MTV's Making the Band series. Brandy declared the clip a "crazy performance-entertainment-video."^[12]

The plotless video concept was developed during a single video conference with all involved parties.^[12] Inspired by the song itself, Rolston decided to visualize the sung-about afrodisiac as a liquid, eventually arranging the construction of a water-flooded "outtrack world" that shows Brandy and her dancers performing in an ankle-deep basin and in front of water-reflecting walls respectively.^[12] With a view to create a "very simple video," styles and clothes are mainly influenced by white, gold and black color.^[12]

Both the video and an accompanying produced Making of clip were released as on a DVD Single.^[13]

Formats and tracklisting

These are the formats and track listings of major single-releases of "Afrodisiac."

Charts

References

External links

• Brandy music videos — watch "Afrodisiac" at LAUNCHcast