Is Anybody Out There?

"Is Anybody Out There?"
Single by K'naan featuring Nelly Furtado
from the album More Beautiful Than Silence and Country, God or the Girl
Released	January 24, 2012[1]
Format	Digital download, CD single
Recorded	2011
Genre	Conscious hip hop, pop, rap rock
Length	3:58
Label	A&M/Octone, Wrasse
Writer(s)	Keinan Warsame, Edwin Serrano, Nelly Furtado, Melanie Hallim, Denarius Motes, Hasham Hussain
Producer(s)	Sham and Motesart
K'naan singles chronology
"Summer Paradise" (2011) "Is Anybody Out There?" (2012) "Hurt Me Tomorrow" (2012)
Nelly Furtado singles chronology "Night Is Young" (2010) "Is Anybody Out There?" (2012) "Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)" (2012) Music video "Is Anybody Out There?" on YouTube

"Is Anybody Out There?" is a song co-written and performed by Somalia-born rapper K'naan, featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado, from his first extended play More Beautiful Than Silence. The song was first released as a digital download in the United States on January 24, 2012, before being physically issued in Germany on March 30.^[2] The single made its chart debut on the Canadian Hot 100 at #67 and peaked at #14.^[3]

Background

Furtado as the featured artist.

"Is Anybody Out There?" was produced by Sham & Motesart.^[4] Lyrically, the track speaks about self-assurance, separation, and loneliness. K'naan raps about the character Mary, comparing her to American actress Cameron Diaz; “Something ’bout Mary, never won a pageant / Never felt pretty, never looked like Cameron / Diaz was her last name, always been abandoned / Keep your head up baby girl, this your anthem.”^[5] It is the second time the duo have collaborated, the first being "Going Away".^[6] The video for "Is Anybody Out There?" was directed by Chris Robinson^[7] in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the first week of February. The plot follows a two characters named Mary and Adam. K'naan narrates their journeys through rap. Mary struggles with her appearance and being judged by her peers the video begins with her getting kicked out of a mini mart for loitering. Adam struggles with drugs and a father who is never there for him. K'naan and Furtado are shot in a separate scene located in the desolate woods.

Critical reception

"Is Anybody Out There?" obtained mixed reviews by its critics. The track received negative reviews by Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone. Rosen gave the collaboration a mere one and a half out of five stars, criticizing the song's lyrical content.^[8]

Track listing

• Digital download^[9]

1. "Is Anybody Out There?" — 3:58

• CD single^[10]

1. "Is Anybody Out There?" — 3:58
2. "Is Anybody Out There?" (Cutmore Radio Edit) — 3:27

Chart performance

Chart (2012)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11]	7
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[12]	10
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[13]	19
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)	14
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[14]	24
Germany (Official German Charts)[15]	11
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[16]	30
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[17]	15
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18]	1
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[19]	15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20]	20
US Billboard Hot 100	92
US Pop Songs (Billboard)	27

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)[21]	Platinum	80,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[22]	Gold	7,500^*
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

11. "Austriancharts.at – K'naan feat. Nelly Furtado – Is Anybody Out There?" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
12. "Ultratop.be – K'naan feat. Nelly Furtado – Is Anybody Out There?" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
13. "Ultratop.be – K'naan feat. Nelly Furtado – Is Anybody Out There?" (in French). Ultratip.
14. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201211 into search.
15. "Musicline.de – K'naan feat. Nelly Furtado Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
16. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
17. "Nederlandse Top 40 – K'naan feat. Nelly Furtado search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
18. "Charts.org.nz – K'naan feat. Nelly Furtado – Is Anybody Out There?". Top 40 Singles.
19. "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201208 into search.
20. "Swisscharts.com – K'naan feat. Nelly Furtado – Is Anybody Out There?". Swiss Singles Chart.
21. "Canadian single certifications – K'naan – Is Anybody Out There?". Music Canada. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
22. "New Zealand single certifications – K'naan – Is Anybody Out There?". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 5, 2016.

External links

• "Is Anybody Out There?" official music video on YouTube
• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics