Format CD
digital download | Label MJJ
Epic | |
Released May 8, 2014 (2014-05-08) Recorded 1991-1998 (original)
2013-2014 (reworked) Genre R&B
synthpop
electropop
new jack swing Length 4:15 (album version)
4:35 (original version)
3:30 (radio edit) | ||
"Slave to the Rhythm" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. The song is the 5th track of Jackson's second posthumous album Xscape. Despite not being released as a single, the song appeared on several notable music charts due to digital downloads and streaming. Sony Mobile used a snippet of "Slave to the Rhythm" in their advertising campaign for the Xperia Z2 mobile phone. It was performed live at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards with a "Pepper's ghost" of Michael Jackson. Due to streaming of the "hologram" performance on Billboard, the song debuted at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Jackson a posthumous 50th entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
Contents
Background and leak
The song was written and recorded in 1991, with L.A. Reid and Babyface during sessions for the Dangerous album, but didn't make the final cut. In 2010, a version of the song remixed by Tricky Stewart was leaked. This remix remains unreleased officially, but a snippet was played on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in the weeks before the release of Xscape. In 2013, another version of the song leaked (produced by Max Methods), featuring Jackson's vocals in a duet with Canadian artist Justin Bieber. In response to criticism over this remix, the Michael Jackson Estate had not authorized release of this recording, and has since made attempts to remove the song from as many sites and YouTube channels as possible.
Release
In February 2014, Sony and Jackson's estate announced a partnership with Sony Mobile that saw the release of an ad incorporating a new version of the track "Slave to the Rhythm", which had been confirmed as one of the album tracks. The Re-tooled Version is produced by Timbaland and J-Roc. The commercial advertisement was for Sony Mobile's Xperia Z2 mobile phone. Both Xperia Z2 and M2 come with "Slave to the Rhythm" while users can download the rest of the album The original version is found in the deluxe edition of the Xscape album.
Live performance
On May 18, 2014, a Pepper's ghost (incorrectly referred to as a hologram) illusion of Michael Jackson performed "Slave to the Rhythm", for the 2014 Billboard Music Awards. The selection of the song "Slave to the Rhythm" for the performance was made in late 2013.
The Talauega brothers, Rich and Tone, were brought on right after New Year's Day, and they started to draw up dance moves for Jackson and for the other dancers in the film. The brothers' involvement with Jackson dates back to the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards; they also were backup dancers for the HIStory World Tour in 1997. Jamie King was brought in to direct the video, which was produced by Pulse Evolution and Tricycle Logic.
A day after the coverage, the live performance of "Slave to the Rhythm" was uploaded to Michael Jackson's VEVO YouTube Channel. Among Jackson's fans, reception of the performance has been mixed; some fans believe that an impersonator was used.