Reach Out (Hilary Duff song)

"Reach Out"
Single by Hilary Duff
from the album Best of Hilary Duff
Released October 20, 2008 (2008-10-20)
Format Digital download
Recorded 2007
Genre
Length 4:16
Label Hollywood
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Ryan "Alias" Tedder
Hilary Duff singles chronology
"Stranger"
(2007)		 "Reach Out"
(2008)		 "Chasing the Sun"
(2014)

"Reach Out" is a song recorded by American singer Hilary Duff for the planned re-release of her fourth studio album, Dignity (2007). It was written by Martin Gore, Ryan "Alias" Tedder, Evan Bogart, Mika Guillory and produced by Tedder. The song was released on October 20, 2008 by Hollywood Records as the first and only single from Duff's first greatest hits album, Best of Hilary Duff (2008).

Background and production

The song was produced by Ryan "Alias" Tedder and co-written by Tedder, Evan Bogart, and Mika Guillory. It is built around a sample of Depeche Mode's 1989 song "Personal Jesus", written by Martin Lee Gore. On the last episode of Total Finale Live, Duff described the song by saying that "[i]t's different for me. It's a little dancey, and there's a rapper named Prophet who's on it who's really cool and kinda fresh".[1]

Duff said in September 2007 that a previously unheard song on the Dignity Tour's set list, "Reach Out", would be released as a single.[2] In an interview with Joe Bermudez in November 2007, Duff revealed that her fourth studio album Dignity would be re-released. The re-release would feature remixes of the original songs alongside "two or three" new recordings, including "Reach Out" and "Holiday". While "Reach Out" and "Holiday" were already completed, Duff hoped to write a third new song for the re-release, but this never came to be. Duff revealed that she wanted "Holiday" to be either the first or second single from the re-release.[3]

Critical response

The song received mixed reviews from critics upon its release. Popjustice gave the song a negative review, stating that "[w]ith so much medocrity in the song's three-and-a-half minute duration it's hard to pinpoint the most useless and perfunctory thing about Hilary Duff's toweringly boring new, track 'Reach Out'.[4] E! Online called "Reach Out" a "muffed attempt".[5] Digital Spy said that "The fact that Duff replaces the original lyric "reach out and touch faith" with "reach out and touch me" pretty much says it all. Originally written about Elvis's love for his wife Priscilla, the Lizzie McGuire star sacrilegiously turns this into an innuendo-laden squelch-fest. Accompanied by a video that sees Duff humping a marble statue, a tree trunk and the camera, 'Reach Out' has an unpleasant whiff of desperation about it".[6] However, AllMusic gave the song a positive review, picking the song as one of the top 3 AMG Picks in the album.[7] There's More Where That Came From gave the song a B, stating "So overall, the song is catchy. Hilary isn't a great singer, but she has a good voice, which has always helped her in the past. The rapping in the song also, surprisingly, helps make the song better. And you have to give her some credit, she hasn't become another X-tina, or Britney, as she goes through her 20's. All in all, while it isn't the strongest single out there, it certainly has the potential for being a hit."[8]

NewMusicReviews gave the two versions of "Reach Out" a seven out of ten rating, calling Hilary's version a "great updated version of a classic track [Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus"]. The dance remixes are fantastic and this should bang the clubs, and could do decent on the radio." They also praised The Prophet's rapping parts stating he "has got some decent lyrics, but he's not featured on much of the track." [9][10] Andy H of Angryape (UK) said the song "should do well, no doubt there – considering the current trend of electro-pop, with the club beat, rocky guitar sample and a confident sexiness in the vocals."[11] RightCelebrity said "while some are liking the new mature, sexy Hilary Duff, some say she tried too hard, and original songs are always better. You always get the haters when you do a remake, so it is always risky."[12] Commonsensemedia called "Reach Out" a "hit single" that "features more aggressive sexual lyrics than on previous [Hilary Duff] albums. While Dignity was OK for 11 year olds, the Best Of [Hilary Duff] compilation pushes the target age higher." Bill Lamb from About.com praised the production on "Reach Out" writing "Duff's new pop lyrics and vocals courtesy collaboration with Ryan Tedder, leader of OneRepublic and one of the hottest producers in the pop music industry."

Music video

The music video for "Reach Out" was filmed on September 13–14, 2008 in Los Angeles and was directed by Philip Andelman. The video premiered on MySpace on October 28, 2008.[13] About.com said that "the video is cute, minus the extraneous rap".[14]

The video opens with scantily-clad people streaking in the backyard of a mansion, then shows The Prophet rapping in front of a fountain. Light BDSM references are briefly shown with flashes of Duff's wrists being tied and Duff being blindfolded. There are scenes of Duff dancing in front of a mirror and sitting on a sofa wearing a long white dress; in the same room she can be seen holding a shirtless man's leg. In another scene Duff can be seen at a dining table which is covered with food. Later she is shown with red lipstick lying on the floor and singing, intercut with scenes of her caressing the shirtless man. During Prophet's rap, he is sitting on a throne chair while Duff is singing in a pool while wearing a dress. At the climax of the song, Duff can be seen sucking a man's thumb. The video is intercut with various scenes of Duff caressing a statue and rubbing against the wall. The video ends with more footage of Duff sitting on the dinner table and more scenes of people running outside in undergarments.

The international version does not include the light BDSM references or the thumb sucking scenes and the ending is slightly different. It replaces these scenes with more of Duff on the table with the food and new scenes of Duff singing under a pool table.[15]

Track listing

Digital download
No. Title Length
1. "Reach Out"   4:16
2. "Reach Out" (Richard Vission Remix) 6:17
Total length:
 10:33

Charts

Chart (2008) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[16] 51
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[17] 1
Chart (2009) Peak
position
Italy (FIMI)[18] 3
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[19] 72
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[20] 193

Release history

Country Date Format Label
Australia[21] October 20, 2008 Contemporary hit radio EMI
France[22] January 18, 2009 Digital download
Finland[23]
Ireland[24]
Italy[25]
Netherlands[26]
United Kingdom[27]
Spain[28]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Hilary Duff Talks New LP, Depeche Mode Backstage At 'Total Finale Live'". mtv.com. November 16, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  2. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20071004212826/http://music.aol.ca/article/Hilary-Duff/142
  3. ↑ "Joe Bermudez Interviews Hilary Duff (Part 2)". YouTube. November 16, 2007. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  4. ↑ Hilary Duff presents a useful working example of the phrase 'will this do?'. Popjustice. October 31, 2008. Retrieved November 12, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Ghost Whisperer Reaches Out to Hilary Duff". E! Online. January 22, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  6. ↑ Released on Monday, January 19, 2009 (January 19, 2009). "Hilary Duff: 'Reach Out' – Music Singles Review". Digital Spy. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  7. ↑ 'Best of Hilary Duff' overview on AllMusic
  8. ↑ http://myallmusicblog.wordpress.com/2008/11/19/single-review-reach-out-by-hilary-duff-feat-the-prophet/ Archived February 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ "Hilary Duff – Reach Out | New Music Reviews, Music News, Music Videos, Lyrics and much more!". Newmusicreviews.net. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Hilary Duff feat The Prophet – Reach Out | New Music Reviews, Music News, Music Videos, Lyrics and much more!". Newmusicreviews.net. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Hilary Duff "Reach Out" Track Review". Angryape.com. January 8, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Hilary Duff "Reach Out" | Right Celebrity". Celebrity.rightpundits.com. October 29, 2008. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Hilary Duff | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's". Myspace.com. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Video Clip of the Week: Hilary Duff – "Reach Out"". Dancemusic.about.com. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Hilary Duff Official UK Website". Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  16. ↑ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing – 17th November 2008 – Issue #977" (PDF). ARIA Charts. Pandora. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Hilary Duff – Chart history" Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs for Hilary Duff. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Hilary Duff – Reach Out". Top Digital Download. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Hilary Duff – Chart history" Japan Hot 100 for Hilary Duff. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Chart Log UK: New Entries Update". The Official Charts Company. Zobbel. Retrieved 2011-04-20.
  21. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20081219110343/http://www.hilaryduff.com.au
  22. ↑ http://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B0025MZN1W
  23. ↑ http://fi.7digital.com/artist/hilary-duff/release/reach-out-1
  24. ↑ http://ie.7digital.com/artist/hilary-duff/release/reach-out-1
  25. ↑ http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B008QLI5MU
  26. ↑ http://nl.7digital.com/artist/hilary-duff/release/reach-out-1
  27. ↑ http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0020DJS5I
  28. ↑ http://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B008QEEIUK
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