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Discussion: Billboard: Why "Fancy" is smashing
ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 11/5/2011
Posts: 100,491
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Billboard: Why "Fancy" is smashing
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1. That Insidious Beat. Those creeping synths -- elastic in their delivery, arresting in their simplicity -- serve as the backbone of "Fancy" along with the faded hip-hop chants, and are more immediate than any production detail on Azalea's previously released singles.
2. Charli XCX Brought Her Songwriting Swagger. Before she was getting her "Fancy" on, U.K. singer-songwriter Charli XCX released one of the best albums of 2013; "True Romance" is overstuffed with immaculate hooks knotted up in shiny synth-pop arrangements, often packaged with unapologetically personal vocals. Icona Pop mined Charli XCX's writing prowess for "I Love It" last year, but Azalea tapped the 21-year-old to solely deliver "Fancy's" hook and third verse, bringing some indie-pop cred and a tested performer into her hip-hop track.
3. "Fancy" (and Iggy) Have Had Time To Grow. Before it was the song with the inside track to be 2014's Song of the Summer, "Fancy" was released way back in early February and took nearly a month and a half to debut on the Hot 100 chart, quietly starting at No. 88 on the March 22 tally. The song proceeded to surge up the chart over the following two months and hit No. 1 two days after Memorial Day -- perfect timing for a would-be summer anthem.
4. An Insta-Classic Music Video. Really, who doesn't have a soft spot for "Clueless"? The generation-defining 1995 comedy is fondly brought back to the cultural forefront in Azalea's "Fancy" clip, with the rapper assuming the role of Alicia Silverstone's Cher Horowitz and ruling class with a pink puffball at the end of her pencil.
5. On-Point Television Performances. Azalea has wisely brought along Charli XCX on her many televised performances of "Fancy," teaming up with the U.K. singer instead of performing with a pre-recorded hook. And those joint performances have largely been enthralling -- witness the cheer-squad shimmy at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards, the matching checkerboard getups on "Good Morning America", the Iggy Azalea Hotel on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" or the Iggy Azalea Prom on "Dancing With The Stars."
6. Concurrent Hit = Not A Problem. Although "Blurred Lines" would have been a hit last summer even if "Get Lucky" had never happened, the timing of those radio smashes constructed the tidy narrative that it was the Summer of Pharrell Williams. The same thing is happening with "Fancy" and Ariana Grande's "Problem," which features an Azalea guest verse and rocked the charts upon its release last month.
7. The Viral Parodies Keep Coming. Have you seen the one where the father and daughter lip-synch to "Fancy" in their car? How about the 'jazz' version, or the Judge Judy GIF version? If you've missed these, don't worry -- most pop culture sites like Buzzfeed have posts about all of them.
8. Her Album Is Selling Well. "The New Classic" may have lost out to Future's "Honest" in its week of release, missing out on the week's top debut by a thousand copies. Since then, however, the album has sold steadily, shooting back into the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart this week and reaching 127,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
9. Iggy's Engaging Interviews & Social Media Presence. Azalea has been candid about her background, struggle to find success and vision for "The New Classic" in the media, telling Billboard last month, "I wish I was a teenager in 1997. But with 'The New Classic,' I want younger generations to look back on what we're doing now and say, 'I wish I was a teenager in 2014.'
10. Nothing On Radio Sounds Quite Like Iggy. Think of Azalea as the anti-Shazam pop artist. Her distinct Dirty-South-By-Way-Of-Australia drawl makes "Fancy" (and by extension, "Problem") instantly recognizable, which is partially a symptom of not having enough female rappers impacting mainstream music.
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Member Since: 12/7/2011
Posts: 10,117
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10. Nothing On Radio Sounds Quite Like Iggy.
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The lies.
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Member Since: 11/4/2010
Posts: 2,535
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Member Since: 10/13/2005
Posts: 18,646
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Poor haters.
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10. Nothing On Radio Sounds Quite Like Iggy. Think of Azalea as the anti-Shazam pop artist. Her distinct Dirty-South-By-Way-Of-Australia drawl makes "Fancy" (and by extension, "Problem") instantly recognizable, which is partially a symptom of not having enough female rappers impacting mainstream music. Still, the power of Azalea's performance on "Fancy" is not in any outrageous lyrical passages, but rather in the way she cockily unpacks her syllables, like when she lets the word "in" coast on the line "Bring the hooks in, where the bass at?" When "Fancy" comes onto Top 40 radio, you don't need anyone telling you the creator of that insanely catchy song. You already know.
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Unique Chanteuse 
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Azalea is also a must-follow on Twitter and Instagram, where she posts inspirational quotes, blushing photos of her standing next to Jennifer Lopez and heart-meltingly adorable photos with her boyfriend, Los Angeles Lakers goofball Nick Young. If she sounds like a star, and she tweets like a star…
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Billboard is really stanning
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Member Since: 12/7/2010
Posts: 26,813
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Actually it's the only song inside top100 that looks quite good as a number one single. The competition is extremely weak at the moment. Nothing interesting is happening.
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Banned
Member Since: 11/24/2009
Posts: 61,404
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4. An Insta-Classic Music Video. Really, who doesn't have a soft spot for "Clueless"? The generation-defining 1995 comedy is fondly brought back to the cultural forefront in Azalea's "Fancy" clip, with the rapper assuming the role of Alicia Silverstone's Cher Horowitz and ruling class with a pink puffball at the end of her pencil.
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Member Since: 8/11/2012
Posts: 3,833
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Quote:
Originally posted by CannibalMonster
Because she's white.
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You're right, I forgot that every white artist that has ever made music has a number one single.
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Member Since: 8/17/2013
Posts: 18,151
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Problem already doomed at #2 
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 12,079
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You can bookmark me but I'm sure Fancy won't last the summer.
It's a cute bop but it won't sit at #1 for long. This isn't a Happy or Blurred Lines type song or situation. It'll start its chart decent by July the latest.
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Nice article though. Should be less stan-y but whatever. Billboard hasn't been professional in a long time.
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 56,234
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No lies spotted, only facts. 
The colour of her skin has nothing to do with her success, she's just THAT good. 
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 46,848
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Quote:
Originally posted by Britney Spears
The lies.
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There aren't any
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Member Since: 11/16/2011
Posts: 11,544
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Quote:
Originally posted by Britney Spears
The lies.
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It read more like shade to me.
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Charli & the flawless production topping the list
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Member Since: 12/13/2011
Posts: 26,638
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They should do this for every number 1 song, tbh.
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Member Since: 4/11/2012
Posts: 19,069
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Eh, don't know why BB felt the need to make a whole article listing 10 reasons why the song is number one.
Charli's hook, that's reason enough.
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Member Since: 4/25/2011
Posts: 41,661
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Quote:
Originally posted by CannibalMonster
Because she's white.
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She succeeded two black artists (Pharrell and John Legend) what the **** is ur point
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 7,974
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Quote:
Originally posted by CannibalMonster
Because she's white.
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Thanks for that 
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Member Since: 6/2/2011
Posts: 28,055
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Quote:
Originally posted by CannibalMonster
Because she's white.
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The immediate clock 
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Member Since: 10/13/2005
Posts: 18,646
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Quote:
Originally posted by CBXC
You're right, I forgot that every white artist that has ever made music has a number one single. |
Right? And particularly so many white female rappers have been so successful in the past 
Quote:
Originally posted by Flare
You can bookmark me but I'm sure Fancy won't last the summer.
It's a cute bop but it won't sit at #1 for long. This isn't a Happy or Blurred Lines type song or situation. It'll start its chart decent by July the latest.
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Nice article though. Should be less stan-y but whatever. Billboard hasn't been professional in a long time.
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You seem threatened. Don't worry, it's only "made a little chart impact" so far and "people only know Iggy online"
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Member Since: 9/4/2011
Posts: 29,960
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Mess this list is so extra, just say it's catchy
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5. On-Point Television Performances
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Oh?
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 46,848
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Quote:
Originally posted by CannibalMonster
Because she's white.
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Because every white artist has had success on Billboard?
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