Bittersweet (Fantasia Barrino song)

"Bittersweet"
Single by Fantasia
from the album Back to Me
Released May 11, 2010
Format Digital download
Genre Soul, R&B
Length 4:02
Label J
Songwriter(s) Claude Kelly, Charles Harmon
Producer(s) Chuck Harmony
Fantasia singles chronology
"Even Angels"
(2010)		 "Bittersweet"
(2010)		 "I'm Doin' Me"
(2010)

"Even Angels"
(2010)		 "Bittersweet"
(2010)		 "I'm Doin' Me"
(2010)
Audio sample
  • file
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"Bittersweet" is a song performed by American singer Fantasia from her third studio album, Back to Me. The song was released on May 11, 2010[1] as the lead single from the album.[2]

Fantasia's work on "Bittersweet" won her the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 2011 Grammy Awards, the last song to win this category. "Bittersweet" was also nominated for Best R&B Song. The song also won the 2011 NAACP Image Award for Best Song.

Composition and critical reception

"Bittersweet" is a down-tempo R&B song which also derives from soul music.[3] According to Margaret Wappler of The Los Angeles Times, its introduction is composed of "anguished" piano notes and "gut-socking" moans. The song lyrically sees its protagonist reminiscing on a past love.[3]

Margaret Wappler of The Los Angeles Times said Fantasia's best moment on Back to Me was "Bittersweet", stating that it was "smartly chosen as the album’s first single."[4] Mikael Wood of Entertainment Weekly recommended the song as a download from the album, calling it a "old-school slow jam."[5] On songs such as "Bittersweet", Mariel Concepcion of Billboard said "her distinct voice is most enjoyable when singing heartfelt ballads."[3] Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine was less enthusiastic of the song, commenting that it "barely has a melodic line" and that it "just lets Fantasia do what she can with its bathetic series of clichés."[6]

Promotion

To promote the track, Fantasia has appeared on shows such as American Idol, Lopez Tonight and Good Morning America.[7]

Music video

The music video for Bittersweet has been shot and premiered Friday June 25 on Vevo.[8][9] The video was directed by Lenny Bass[10] and features professional football player Devin Thomas as Fantasia's love interest.[11]

Track listing

  • Digital download[12]
  1. "Bittersweet" – 4:02

Charts

"Bittersweet" has peaked at number 7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 74 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has sold 90,000 copies in the U.S.[13]

Chart (2010) Peak
position		 Year-end
Japan Hot 100[14] 66 —
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[15] 74 —
U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[16] 7 22[17]

References

  1. ↑ "Bittersweet". Amazon.com. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  2. ↑ "iTunes – Music – Bittersweet – Single by Fantasia". Itunes.apple.com. 2010-05-10. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  3. 1 2 3 Concepcion, Mariel (2010-08-13). "Fantasia, "Back to Me"". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
  4. ↑ Wappler, Margaret (2010-08-23). "Album review: Fantasia's 'Back to Me'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
  5. ↑ Wood, Mikael (2010-08-11). "Back to Me (2010)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
  6. ↑ "Fantasia: Back To Me". Slant Magazine. 2010-08-23. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
  7. ↑ "Fantasia Performs 'Bittersweet' On Idol". thatgrapejuice. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
  8. ↑ "joeandhisblog.com". joeandhisblog.com. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  9. ↑ "On Set of Fantasia's 'Bittersweet' Video". Rap-Up. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  10. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20100621011319/http://www.fantasiaofficial.com/archives/35. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ "Video: Fantasia – 'Bittersweet'". Rap-Up. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  12. ↑ "Bittersweet – Single". iTunes. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  13. ↑ Mansfield, Brian (2010-12-08). "Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson show double-barreled sales power". USA Today.
  14. ↑ "Bittersweet". Billboard.com. 2010-09-04. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
  15. ↑ http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/search/chart_search_results.jsp?rpp=100&sw=&cd=&f=&t=&per=Fantasia+&df=R&prod=&g=s&l=&dl=
  16. ↑ https://www.billboard.com/artist/1496871/fantasia/chart?f=367
  17. ↑ "Idols on the Billboard 2010 Year End Charts". MJ's Big Blog. December 9, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
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