Look at Me (Geri Halliwell song)

Updated on Nov 08, 2023

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Released 10 May 1999 Genre Pop, jazz-pop		Recorded 1998 Label EMI
Format CD single cassette single Length 4:33 (album version) 4:08 (single version)

"Look at Me" is a song by British singer-songwriter, Geri Halliwell. Written by Halliwell, Paul Wilson and Andy Watkins, it was released on 10 May 1999 as the first single from Halliwell's debut solo album Schizophonic. It peaked at number two at the UK Singles Chart, and at number three in both Australia and Canada. To promote the single, Halliwell performed the song on Top of the Pops, Party in the Park, Wetten Dass, Tickled Pink, Tapis Rouge, Musica Si, Festival Bar 1999, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Graine de Star and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Critical reception

Reception for "Look at Me" was mostly positive. BBC News described the song as "undeniably catchy", and compared the performance to Shirley Bassey as "the queen of the scene flanked by a posse of subservient men", and adding that it "has shades of The Lady Is a Vamp". Almusic deemed the song "upbeat", "self-conscious", and "silly". the song was selected as the only post-Spice Girls song to be featured in the jukebox musical Viva Forever! in its entirety; producer Judy Craymer said "“It’s a very diva-like song and perfect for the hard world of television and its judges who we portray as the gods on Mount Olympus”".

Chart performance

"Look at Me" was released in the United Kingdom on 10 May 1999. Since Halliwell had chosen "Look at Me" as the first single from Schizophonic and because she felt as though the song was going to return her to the mainstream market, it was released the same week as Boyzone's "You Needed Me". In early 1999, Boyzone were at the height of their success with five UK number-ones, however, Halliwell was confident that "Look at Me" would reach number-one. Although more transactions were made of the "Look at Me" single, two CD singles of "You Needed Me" were released in order for fans to purchase both and ensure that Boyzone made it to the number-one position.

"Look at Me" entered the UK Singles Chart at number two; it was only 700 copies behind Boyzone's "You Needed Me". Halliwell was disappointed with the outcome of the chart performance for "Look at Me" since she had believed that it would reach number one. She had also feared that her career was to end six months following the release of the single. However, Halliwell would earn her first UK number-one single with "Mi Chico Latino". "Look at Me" went on to sell 330,812 copies in the United Kingdom alone, being certified Gold by the BPI, and over 1 million copies worldwide.

Music video

The music video for "Look at Me" was directed by Vaughan Arnell and filmed in Prague, Czech Republic from 18-20 March 1999. The music video features four versions of Halliwell: a vamp, a bitch, a virgin, and a sister. Most of the music video is black and white, except in one scene in the middle of the video, during the funeral of Halliwell's stage persona "Ginger Spice", Halliwell was seen with red hair (a wig), blonde highlights and a red thorn crown. In the last part, Halliwell and male dancers are dancing on a large staircase and then in front of a fountain. At the end of the video there is a message saying "Geri's back!" with a picture of a nude Geri skinny dipping and ends with a double-story lower case g decorated with a halo and a arrowhead tail.