In My Arms (Kylie Minogue song)

Background and release

Before the production of X, Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer on 17 May 2005. leading to the postponement of the remainder of her Showgirl — The Greatest Hits Tour and her withdrawal from the Glastonbury Festival. While recovering in Melbourne, Minogue began writing lyrics towards the end of her cancer treatment in mid-2006, having not worked on any music for the previous year. Due to the recovery time following her cancer, X was the first album Minogue had consciously prepared for the recording of, having previously been engaged for much of her career in an endless cycle of record, release and tour.

"In My Arms" was served as the album's second single worldwide, while it was the third single in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Because of this, the aftermath single was "Wow", which was the second single in those countries. However, because "In My Arms" was not released in North America, "Wow" was then served as the only club single in that country as they wanted "All I See" as the first mainstream single in North America. However, after the release, it was unsuccessful in the charts. It is also noted that "In My Arms" was released one day before the single "Wow". Musically, "In My Arms" is a synthpop and dance-pop inspired song. It is Minogue's first single to be issued on 7" vinyl since 1997's "Some Kind of Bliss".

Critical response

"In My Arms" garnered positive reviews from pop music critics. Tom Ewing in a review for Pitchfork Media compared the song to French electronic music duo Justice and wrote that Minogue "bounces around the tune with gusto". Prefix Magazine reviewer Bruce Scott described it as "fuzzed-out" and "synth heavy", and wrote that it was "full of the kind of exuberant charm that made a track like 'Love at First Sight' a past hit". According to Evan Sawdey from PopMatters, the song is "a track that absolutely demands your attention."

Mark Sutherland from Billboard gave a positive review, writing, "You'll search in vain for insight into her recent personal traumas, but there's still plenty of heart and soul [...] her best batch of tunes in a while." Peter Robinson from The Observer said about the song that "the high points are best viewed as four great tracks for her next greatest hits collection rather than any reflection of this album's cohesion." Jax Spike from About.com considered it as a sublime track "which flow evenly throughout and are definitely great songs to pass the time by at your favorite skating alley."

Nevertheless, "In My Arms" received negative reviews. In a review for Allmusic, Christopher True was not impressed with "In My Arms" and called the song "cold, calculated dance-pop". Joan Anderman from The Boston Globe said that the song is an "icy dance-pop anthem." Dave Hughes from Slant Magazine, wrote, "the filmsy, nearly-punk Calvin Harris production 'In My Arms', which is essentially what a neon-orange feather boa would sound like if it were a song."

Chart performance

In Belgium, the track debuted on the Flemish singles chart at number thirty-three on 3 February 2008. The following week it rose to number fourteen. The track was also successful on Belgium's Walloon singles chart where it reached number eleven. "In My Arms" reached number eight in Greece and Germany—where it became Minogue's first top ten single since 2003's "Slow"—, as well as number ten in France on the physical chart and number two on the downloads chart, becoming her biggest hit in France since 2001's "Can't Get You Out of My Head". Elsewhere, the song reached the top five in the Czech Republic and Turkey, the top ten in Slovakia and Switzerland, and the top twenty in Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden.

The single entered the UK Singles Chart at number sixty-nine on downloads alone, peaking at number ten three weeks later. In Australia, "In My Arms" became Minogue's lowest-charting single in a decade (since 1998's "Cowboy Style"), peaking at number thirty-five and spending only two weeks in the top fifty. In the United States, though the song was not released officially, it received moderate airplay, charting on the American radio airplay chart in the first day of the plays at American radio.

Music video

The music video for "In My Arms" was directed by Melina Matsoukas and filmed in Los Angeles, California, along with the video for "Wow". There are five main sequences: the first features Minogue dressed in a crimson and white-chequered outfit, designed by Gareth Pugh (a piece worn by Irish singer Róisín Murphy in her "Overpowered" video the previous year), with futuristic sunglasses; the second has Minogue singing into a microphone, on a blue recording room; the third scene is with a troupe of dancers; the fourth features Minogue in a yellow dress dancing in a pink box; and in the final scene she dances in front of a giant fan wearing a Dolce & Gabbana dress. As the video concludes, the five scenes are intercut and gradually fade. The video premiered on the Internet on 29 January 2008. It premiered on television stations across Europe on 31 January 2008. "In My Arms" is one of Minogue's highest viewed videos with over 16 million views on YouTube.

Other versions

EMI Music asked Mexican singer-songwriter Aleks Syntek to record some vocals in Spanish for the song in early 2008. The song was first published through Syntek's official YouTube channel on 24 April 2008, and was later confirmed by EMI and the Mexican press that the song was indeed real and was set to be released to Mexican radio stations in the last week of April. It was later confirmed that the song would be included on Syntek's compilation album, Best of 1989–2009, released in Mexico in June 2008. A special Mexican edition of X was also planned for release in May, but it was then delayed to 26 August 2008.

Live performances

Since the song was released, "In My Arms" has been performed at all of Minogue's tours bar the Anti Tour. In 2008, Minogue performed the song on her KylieX2008, promoting the album X. It was performed as the last song in the act entitled Black Versus White'. This was the fourth act in the Opening Night set order, which the song was followed by a performance of "Love at First Sight" which ended the act, the seventh in the Main Set and Open Air / Amphitheater sets and fifth in the Festival set, where "In My Arms" finished all three. Minogue then performed the song on her North American tour in later 2009. It was served as the last song of the sets until the encore. The song was most recently performed on Minogue's Aphrodite: Les Folies Tour in 2011. It was a more rock-oriented version of the song and was performed as the last song of the first half of the show. The song was performed after a remixed version of "Confide in Me" and a rock version of "Can't Get You Out of My Head". Minogue wore a big, open bottomed dress that was a turquoise colour with big silver platforms. The song's most recent performance has been on Minogue's Kiss Me Once Tour where it served as the second song after a performance of Les Sex.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the X liner notes.