Heavy: Difference between revisions

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| Format      = Digital, CD
| Format      = Digital, CD
| Length        = 2:49
| Length        = 2:49
| Stems      =  
| Stems      = Leaked Multitracks
| Time signature      = 4/4
| Time signature      = 4/4
| Tempo      = 75
| Tempo      = 75

Revision as of 16:23, 5 May 2018

Template:Infobox single

"Heavy" is the sixth track and first single from One More Light. It was written in collaboration with Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter with Emily Wright being responsible for vocal recording[1] and features guest vocals by Kiiara. "Heavy" marks the first time Linkin Park shared the lyrics of a song online before its official release[2] and their first single to feature female vocals. The single was released three days after the lyrics, on February 16, 2017.

Background

The title of "Heavy" was first seen in a picture posted (and immediately removed) by Joe Hahn on April 28, 2016 of Jon Green with a songboard behind him.[3] The song was written by Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson and Chester Bennington in collaboration with Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter.[4] Nashville songwriter, producer and engineer Emily Wright, who was announced to have contributed to the album in a November 2016 live feed on Facebook,[5] was in charge of vocal recording.[1]

Chester originally sang the whole song, but the band felt like it needed another perspective. Mike explained, "if you hear another voice on it it would make it feel like it's coming from more than one person." They initially wanted Julia Michaels to sing on the song, but she declined, so they contacted Kiiara, who was introduced to the band by Zane Lowe when he was invited to the studio to hear the new music, and asked her to sing on it.[6][4] Her vocals were recorded over a 7 hour session in December 2016,[7] a few days before Linkin Park left the studio. She has mentioned Linkin Park as one of her influences and has been listening to their music since she was 5 years old.[8] The band sent her some exclusive merch in the following month.[9]

In an interview with Zach Sang, Mike Shinoda explained that the song is a core part of the album and described the message of the song with the proverb "when it rains it pours", talking about how "Heavy" is about the culmination of a singular, dramatic event and several smaller, less important problems.[10] He later described a day that Chester had come in to the studio and exclaimed that he felt overwhelmed by a myriad of problems. Mike felt that the key to the song was the line "If I just let go I'd be set free", as that lyric contains the idea of personal responsibility, which solidified the song's message and theme.[4]

As for the style of the song, Mike said, "A misconception about our process is that actually Justin and Julia’s contribution with us was only melodic and verbal. A lot of people say ‘Oh, the song Heavy sounds like a pop song – it must be because of Justin and Julia’. We worked the chords and the melodies and the vocal melodies with them, but I did the production. So, if it’s too poppy for you, that’s my fault."[11]

Remix

An official remix of "Heavy" was created by Dutch DJ Nicky Romero.[12] It was premiered during his set at Florida's Ultra Music Festival on March 25, 2017. He stated "It wouldn't be Ultra Miami if there was no new music... this is the first time I've played the final version."[13] The studio version was premiered on April 2nd during Nicky Romero's weekly radio show Protocol Radio.[14]

A second remix was created by Canadian musician, producer and songwriter Eric Disero, who had previously worked on remixes for Mutemath and Passenger.[15][16] On April 22, he announced he had a big release coming that week.[17] It turns out that this release was his remix of "Heavy".

Tracklist

CD Single

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1 Heavy Linkin Park, Cavazos Julia Carin, Tranter Justin Drew 2:49
2 Heavy (Instrumental) Linkin Park, Cavazos, Tranter 2:49

Digital Single

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1 Heavy Linkin Park, Cavazos Julia Carin, Tranter Justin Drew 2:49

Digital Radio Promo

No. Title Writer(s) Length
1 Heavy Linkin Park, Cavazos Julia Carin, Tranter Justin Drew 2:49
2 Heavy (Clean) Linkin Park, Cavazos, Tranter 2:49
3 Heavy (Instrumental) Linkin Park, Cavazos, Tranter 2:49
4 Heavy (TV Track) Linkin Park, Cavazos, Tranter 2:49
5 Heavy (Acapella) Linkin Park, Cavazos, Tranter 2:49
6 Heavy (Clean Acapella) Linkin Park, Cavazos, Tranter 2:49

Music Video

Lyric Video

On Februrary 16, 2017, Linkin Park posted the lyric video for "Heavy" to coincide with the announcement of One More Light. The video was done by Aaron Hymes, an associate director and video producer from Columbia Records[18] who had previously worked on videos for Mastodon, The Used, Parkway Drive, and Calexico.[19]

The lyric video was unlisted for a few days after the release of the official music video.

Music Video

On January 31, 2017, ads were placed on Casting Networks Los Angeles looking for actors to play "therapy patients" and doubles of Kiiara and Chester Benington as well as a stuntman or fighter for a "Linkin Park ft. Kiiara" music video,[20] indicating their collaboration would be released as a single. The description of the video read "interesting characters meet in a therapy session!"[21] Shooting took place from February 6 to February 7 with director Tim Mattia. It was done in partnership with Mercedes-AMG, featuring a Mercedes-AMG GT.[22] The video was released on March 9, 2017 at 10am EST / 7am PST.

Chester described the video as incredibly violent and intense, more so than any other music video he had filmed. He explained that, in the video, he flung lamps into television sets, had fist fights with himself and others, and got to break a bunch of stuff.[23] Mike Shinoda said it is one of his favorite videos Linkin Park have done.[24]

Versions

Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.

Studio

Title Album Length Recorded Released Notes
Heavy One More Light

Heavy

2:49 2016 February 16, 2017
  • Features vocals by Kiiara.
Heavy (Clean) Heavy 2:49 2016 February 16, 2017
  • Censored.
Heavy (TV Track) Heavy (Radio Promo) 2:49 2016 February 2017
  • Part of the vocals were removed.
Heavy (Instrumental) Heavy

One More Light Instrumentals

2:49 2016 March 10, 2017
  • Official instrumental version.
Heavy (Acapella) Heavy (Radio Promo) 2:49 2016 February 2017
  • Official acapella version.
Heavy (Clean Acapella) Heavy (Radio Promo) 2:49 2016 February 2017
  • Censored.
  • Official acapella version.

Remix

Title Album Length Recorded Released Notes
Heavy (feat. Kiiara) [Nicky Romero Remix] Heavy (feat. Kiiara) [Nicky Romero Remix] 3:29 2017 April 21, 2017
  • Remix by Nicky Romero.
Heavy (feat. Kiiara) [Disero Remix] Heavy (feat. Kiiara) [Disero Remix] 3:28 2017 April 28, 2017
  • Remix by Eric Disero.

Live

Title Album Length Recorded Released Notes
Heavy One More Light Live 2:56 June 20, 2017 December 15, 2017
Heavy One More Light Live (Clean) 2:56 June 20, 2017 December 15, 2017
  • Censored.

Live

"Heavy" was performed live for the first time for a Facebook live stream at NRG Studios. The song was stripped down, with Mike playing the piano, Brad playing guitar, and Chester and Kiiara providing vocals. The song got its full band debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden, with Kiiara joining the band for the performance. The stripped down performance returned for a private show at the Warner Bros Records building, but Kiiara did not join the band for the song. Mike and Chester began doing promo shows later in March in North America and Europe where they performed "Heavy" together in a further stripped down piano version. A special version of the song was performed after the promo stop in Paris, France, where Mike and Chester joined French musician Waxx for a special looping cover which was uploaded to Waxx's YouTube channel.[25] At the promo show in London, England, Swedish / Moroccan singer Sofia Karlberg joined Mike and Chester to perform the song. Kiiara rejoined the band for another performance of the song during the ECHO Awards in Berlin, Germany on April 6. Mike and Chester played the song for NTV in Japan later that month.

At the first official show of the One More Light World Tour, "Heavy" was played near the end of the shortened setlist, and was put in the encore for the full version of the setlist. A new version of the stripped down rendition of the song was played for a small, intimate show at Grand Central Station featuring the full band. The song was intended to be played and broadcast on Jimmy Kimmel Live, but was replaced by "One More Light" following the death of Chris Cornell, a close friend of Chester's. The song remained in its end-set position for the European Tour, but it was given a short piano intro at the band's show in Amsterdam. At the following show, in Madrid, Mike rapped part of the second verse of "When They Come For Me" during an extended intro to the song while Brad played guitar. A new intro with Brad finger picking the chords of the song on guitar was debuted at the band's Rock Werchter performance, and was carried through to the end of the tour. "Heavy" was played at the Chester Bennington celebration event in the middle of the set with Julia Michaels, who helped write the song, and Kiiara, with Michaels taking over Chester's parts.

Kiiara added "Heavy" to her setlist for her own tour starting with her show in the Philippines on March 3. She included a vocal backing track for the performance.

Variations

Last Updated: November 1, 2017

Type Description First Played Last Played
Intro Piano Intro June 20, 2017 June 20, 2017
Intro Guitar Intro w/ Partial When They Come For Me v2 June 22, 2017 June 22, 2017
Intro Fingerpicked Guitar Intro July 1, 2017 July 6, 2017
Alternative Stripped Down (Piano/Guitar/Vocals Only) February 16, 2017 March 6, 2017
Alternative Piano Version (Piano/Vocals Only) March 17, 2017 April 25, 2017
Alternative Stripped Down (Full Band) May 16, 2017 May 16, 2017

Live Guests

Last Updated: November 1, 2017

  • Kiiara
  • Julia Michaels
  • Sofia Karlberg
  • Waxx

Promotion

On February 3, 2017, the band started posting a series of 8 videos on their official website in promotion of the new album and the single. The first video featured Mike Shinoda playing a stripped down piano version of "Heavy" while singing the lyrics while the third video showed the band working in the lyrics for the song with Emily Wright.[26] In the video, Mike says "The whole point of the song is, you're holding on to something that's like pulling you down, right?" The sixth video shows Joe Hahn suggesting female vocals for the chorus and the seventh shows Chester Bennington recording vocals with a release date in the end: February 16, 2017 at 7am Los Angeles time. The final video shows Kiiara recording her vocals and a short preview of the final song. "Heavy" was premiered at KROQ,[27] Linkin Park's hometown radio station where they commonly debut their lead singles.

On February 20, a sign with the lyrics "Why is everything so heavy?" was sent to the Official Linkin Park Ambassadors so they could take pictures with it and post them on social media. The sign was sent to Street Team members two days later. Linkin Park members, Kiiara and members of other bands also joined the campaign.

Awards and Nominations

Year Award Category Status
2017 FOX Teen Choice Awards Choice Rock Alternative Song Nominated

Personnel

Linkin Park

  • Chester Bennington - Vocals
  • Rob Bourdon - Drums
  • Brad Delson - Guitar
  • Joseph Hahn - Programming
  • Phoenix - Bass
  • Mike Shinoda - Keyboards, Programming, Vocals

Production

  • Written by Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Chester Bennington, Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter
  • Produced by Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson
  • Vocal Production by Emily Wright and Andrew Bolooki
  • Kiiara appears courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
  • Music performed by Linkin Park
  • Vocals by Chester Bennington and Kiiara
  • Chester's vocals recorded at The Pool Recording Studio, London, UK
  • Kiiara's vocals recorded at Sphere Studios, North Hollywood, CA
  • Background Vocals by Mike Shinoda
  • Mike's vocals recorded at The Warehouse Studio, Vancouver, B.C. CAN
  • Music recorded at Larrabee Studios, North Hollywood, CA and Sphere Studios, North Hollywood, CA
  • Engineered by Ethan Mates, Mike Shinoda and Josh Newell
  • Assistant engineer: Alejandro Baima
  • Studio B assistant engineer: Warren Willis
  • Studio drum tech: Jerry Johnson
  • Mixed by Serban Ghenea at Mixstar Studios, Virginia Beach, VA
  • Engineered for mix by John Hanes

Lyrics

Template:Collapse top

I don’t like my mind right now
Stacking up problems that are so unnecessary
Wish that I could slow things down
I wanna let go but there’s comfort in the panic
And I drive myself crazy
Thinking everything's about me
Yeah I drive myself crazy
Cause I can’t escape the gravity

I'm holding on
Why is everything so heavy
Holding on
So much more than I can carry
I keep dragging around what's bringing me down
If I just let go, I'd be set free
Holding on
Why is everything so heavy
 
You say that I'm paranoid
But I’m pretty sure the world is out to get me
It’s not like I make the choice
To let my mind stay so fucking messy
I know I'm not the center of the universe
But you keep spinning round me just the same
I know I'm not the center of the universe
But you keep spinning round me just the same

I'm holding on
Why is everything so heavy
Holding on
So much more than I can carry
I keep dragging around what's bringing me down
If I just let go, I'd be set free
Holding on
Why is everything so heavy

I know I'm not the center of the universe
But you keep spinning round me just the same
I know I'm not the center of the universe
But you keep spinning round me just the same
And I drive myself crazy
Thinking everything’s about me
 
I'm holding on
Why is everything so heavy
Holding on
So much more than I can carry
I keep dragging around what's bringing me down
If I just let go, I'd be set free
Holding on
Why is everything so heavy

Template:Collapse bottom

Gallery

Cover Versions

As soon as "Heavy" was released, many bands and independent artists took advantage of the initial negative reception regarding the style of the song to create rock and metal versions of it. Those include covers by Our Last Night featuring Living In Fiction,[29] Fame On Fire & Rain Paris,[30] Phedora,[31] First To Eleven,[32] TeraBrite,[33] Crimson Apple,[34] Endigo featuring Maya Fennec,[35] Flatirons Community Church,[36] and Bloodywood.[37] Chester Bennington commented on this last one in particular saying it "sucks ass".[38]

Some softer covers of the song have also surfaced like the versions by In The Loop,[39] Coretheband,[40] BearPhonic,[41] Antonette and Zero Alias,[42] and Lies Of Love featuring DJ Devasto.[43] The latter being released before Linkin Park even released the full original song.

External Links

Stream

Music Videos

  • Heavy (Official Video): LPTV | LP FB
  • Heavy (Official Lyric Video): LPTV

Live Videos

LPTV

LPU-TV

Facebook

Interviews

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Mike Shinoda no Twitter: "Thanks for posting! FYI, Emily was not a writer on it; we wrote it with Julia Michaels & Justin Tranter. Emily recorded vox. 😉 https://t.co/OzD9r6iywv" ., February 13, 2017
  2. Linkin Park Premieres The Lyrics To New Single "Heavy" Featuring Kiiara | Genius, February 13, 2017
  3. @thebonfires on Instagram: “Initial concern that the session was going off course..before realising they were taking note of guitar settings. Professionalism so... Great to be back in with @linkinpark & their crew Photo cred @mrjoehahn”, April 28, 2016
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda Talks 'Heavy' New Single & Hooking up With Kiiara | Billboard, February 16, 2017
  5. Linkin Park - Timeline, November 14, 2016
  6. Kerrang, March 2017
  7. lil kiwi no Twitter: "learned more in a 7 hour linkin park session than i have in the past 2 years ." ., December 09, 2016
  8. Kiiara Says Love of Hip-Hop Started With an Eminem CD: Fuse First Interview - Fuse, July 21, 2016
  9. lil kiwi no Twitter: "thank you ! @linkinpark 🔋🔋🔋 https://t.co/DzSDJSv39f" ., January 12, 2017
  10. Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda | Full Interview, February 16, 2017
  11. Nine things we learned from Linkin Park's intimate unplugged session - TeamRock, March 31, 2017
  12. Ticketmaster UK on Twitter: "M: we just got a @nickyromero remix for #HeavyLP...coming soon! https://t.co/yO7LvyLchy" ., March 31, 2017
  13. 🔴 Nicky Romero - Ultra Music Festival Miami 2017 - YouTube, March 26, 2017
  14. 🚨 Nicky Romero - Protocol Radio 242 - 02.04.17 - YouTube, April 06, 2017
  15. Eric Disero | Credits | AllMusic
  16. Disero - Producer from Canada | Vocalizr
  17. Disero on Twitter: "Got a big release coming at the end of this week!" ., April 22, 2017
  18. Aaron Hymes | LinkedIn
  19. Aaron Hymes | IMVDb
  20. Linkin Park Live no Twitter: "The new @linkinpark single features @KIIARA, and they'll be shooting a music video for it shortly. Source: Josh with @CastingNetworks https://t.co/EsvgTg2x7V" ., February 01, 2017
  21. Rumor: Linkin Park to Feature Kiiara on New Song | LP Association Forums, February 02, 2017
  22. Mercedes-AMG - Timeline, February 16, 2017
  23. LINKIN PARK Singer Talks 'Violent' And 'Intense' Video For New Single 'Heavy', February 27, 2017
  24. Mike Shinoda on Twitter: "This was one of my favorite videos we’ve done. Thanks @TimMattia… " ., February 16, 2018
  25. Heavy - Linkin Park feat Waxx - YouTube, March 30, 2017
  26. emilywright no Twitter: "What I spent most of last year doing. : ) https://t.co/iSECoOGsq4" ., February 08, 2017
  27. Mike Shinoda to Appear on The Kevin & Bean Show Thursday AM « The World Famous KROQ, February 15, 2017
  28. Rory Ross on Twitter: ". @linkinpark 's #HeavyLP music video is out!! Btws I was the other B.A. @ChesterBe! https://t.co/M0TP6bR4p8 #tbt #actorslife https://t.co/zDEhFwoJKv" ., March 09, 2017
  29. Linkin Park - "Heavy" (cover by Our Last Night ft. Living In Fiction) - YouTube, February 28, 2017
  30. Heavy - Linkin Park ft. Kiiara (Rock Cover) Fame On Fire & Rain Paris - YouTube, March 14, 2017
  31. Linkin Park feat. Kiiara - "Heavy" - Phedora (rock cover) - YouTube, March 12, 2017
  32. "Heavy" - Linkin Park/Kiiara (Rock cover by First To Eleven) - YouTube, March 13, 2017
  33. Heavy - Linkin Park (feat. Kiiara) | Rock Cover Music Video | TeraBrite - YouTube, February 20, 2017
  34. Linkin Park (Feat. Kiiara) - Heavy Cover by Crimson Apple - YouTube, March 14, 2017
  35. Linkin Park - Heavy (METAL VERSION) | Rock cover by Endigo feat. Maya Fennec - YouTube, February 26, 2017
  36. Flatirons Community Church - Linkin Park - Heavy - YouTube, May 03, 2017
  37. Linkin Park ft. Kiiara - Heavy Cover (Nu Metal Version) | Old LP Style | Bloodywood - YouTube, February 20, 2017
  38. Linkin Park frontman disses Indian fan, gets served awesome clapback, February 24, 2017
  39. Linkin Park feat. Kiiara - Heavy (Rearranged Cover) By In The Loop - YouTube, February 18, 2017
  40. Linkin Park - Heavy (Cover by CORETHEBAND) - YouTube, March 01, 2017
  41. LINKIN PARK - Heavy [BearPhonic Cover - YouTube], March 05, 2017
  42. Heavy - Linkin Park (feat. Kiiara) Cover by Antonette and Zero Alias - YouTube, April 24, 2017
  43. Linkin Park ft. Kiiara - Heavy - [Official Video Cover Lies of Love Ft. Dj Devasto - YouTube], February 15, 2017