Adorn (song)

"Adorn" is a song written and recorded by American singer and songwriter Miguel. It was released as the lead single from his 2012 studio album Kaleidoscope Dream. The recording was produced by Miguel, who was inspired by his girlfriend and a series of dreams he had prior to writing the song.

"Adorn"
Single by Miguel
from the album Kaleidoscope Dream
ReleasedAugust 7, 2012 (2012-08-07)
Recorded2012[1]
Genre
Length3:13
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)Miguel Pimentel
Producer(s)Miguel
Miguel singles chronology
"Pride N Joy"
(2012)		 "Adorn"
(2012)		 "Do You..."
(2012)

"Adorn" was released to iTunes on August 7, 2012. It peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 35 on the Mainstream Top 40, and number-one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Miguel's most successful single to date until “Sure Thing (Miguel song)” became sleeper hit in 2023. It was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song was acclaimed by critics, being voted the year's second-best single in the annual Pazz & Jop poll. The song also earned Miguel three Grammy Award nominations, winning one for Best R&B Song.

Music and lyrics

"Adorn" features on-beat sub-bass sounds,[4] falsetto howls,[5] irregular vocal echoes, obscured synths,[6] and sparse keyboard arrangements.[7] The lyrics feature brazen declarations of affection,[5] including promises of adoration to a female subject.[8] Writers liken "Adorn" to Marvin Gaye's 1982 ballad "Sexual Healing".[5][6][7] Miguel was inspired to write the song by a series of dreams he had prior to writing it.[9] His girlfriend (now ex-wife), model and artist Nazanin Mandi, was also an inspiration behind the song. Miguel later told People magazine: "I had been on a long trip and was anxious to see her. That's where the song began, with that emotion while I was on the plane. I don't remember how I got from 'These lips can't wait to taste your skin' to the end of the song, but when I listened to it, I thought, 'This is special.'"[10]

Release and promotion

"Adorn" originally appeared on the Miguel mixtape Art Dealer Chic, Vol. 1, released on February 27, 2012.[9] It was later included on a promotional extended play titled Kaleidoscope Dream: The Water Preview on July 31, one of two extended plays released by Miguel to promote Kaleidoscope Dream.[11] On August 7, "Adorn" was solicited to rhythmic contemporary radio stations in the United States,[12] and released to iTunes.[13] A remix of the song, featuring American rapper Wiz Khalifa, was released on September 18.[14]There is also a Ted Smooth remix that feaures vocals from Diddy and French Montana.

The song earned Miguel three Grammy Award nominations for Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance at the 55th Grammy Awards, winning his first in the category of Best R&B Song.

Critical Reception

"Adorn" received critical acclaim. In a review for Seattle Weekly, Erin Thompson wrote that Miguel "made a particularly nice choice of metaphor in the song's chorus—'Let my love adorn you.' When a woman hears the word 'adorn,' she probably thinks of diamonds and Dior; Miguel's rich vocals convey the same sense of luxury. That's a man who knows how to treat a woman."[15] SoulBounce called it an "electro soul slice of niceness",[3] while MSN Music's Robert Christgau cited the song's "throbbing, garbled hook" as "one of 2012's signature pop moments".[16] Brian McManus from The Village Voice called "Adorn" "the perfect amuse-bouche for the album it kicks off, priming the ears, opening them."[17] At the end of 2012, "Adorn" was named the 33rd best song of the year in Rolling Stone.[18] It was also voted the year's second best single in the nationwide Pazz & Jop critics' poll.[19]

Chart Performance

"Adorn" charted at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number-one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming Miguel's second most successful single to date. It was also his third number-one hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart and still holds the record for the longest run atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, being the only song in the chart's history to spend 20 or more weeks at number-one.[20] By July 2013, the song had reached 1,014,000 copies sold in the US.[21] By 2019, it had three million copies according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), who certified it triple platinum.[22]

Awards and nominations
Year Ceremony Result Ref.
2013 Grammy Awards Song of the Year Nominated

[23]

Best R&B Performane Nominated
Best R&B Song Won

Track listing
Digital download – Remix featuring Wiz Khalifa (United States)[14]
No.TitleLength
1."Adorn (Remix)" (featuring Wiz Khalifa)3:47

Charts

Radio and release history
Release dates for "Adorn"
Country Date Format Label
United States[12] August 7, 2012 Rhythmic contemporary radio RCA
Germany[43] June 7, 2013 Digital download

Certifications
Certifications and sales for "Adorn"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[44] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[45] Platinum 90,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[47] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  1. Cooper, Duncan (November 16, 2012). "Miguel: Second Wind". The Fader. New York (83). Archived from the original on November 16, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  2. "Adorn – Miguel". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
  3. Butta (July 31, 2012). "Miguel Wants To 'Adorn' You With New Music". SoulBounce. SoulBounce. Archived from the original on 2012-02-10. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  4. Larson, Jeremy D. (October 5, 2012). "Album Review: Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  5. Kellman, Andy. "Kaleidoscope Dream – Miguel". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  6. Johnston, Maura (October 1, 2012). "Miguel, 'Kaleidoscope Dream' (Bystorm/RCA)". Spin. New York. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  7. McCarthy, Sean (October 19, 2012). "Miguel: Kaleidoscope Dream". PopMatters. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  8. Tannenbaum, Rob (October 5, 2012). "Kaleidoscope Dream". Rolling Stone. New York. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  9. "Video: Miguel – 'Adorn'". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. February 3, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  10. "Miguel Talks About Kaleidoscope Dream's Sex-Driven Moments". ABC News Radio. Archived from the original on February 15, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  11. White, Caitlin (July 31, 2012). "Miguel 'Adorn' Video: Singer Shares Dreamy, Kaleidoscopic Vision". The Boombox. AOL. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  12. "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Inc. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  13. "Tuesday Tunes: "Adorn" – Miguel". Kenton Magazine. Archived from the original on 2013-12-29. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  14. "Adorn (Remix) [feat. Wiz Khalifa] – Single by Miguel". iTunes Store. Apple. 18 September 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  15. Thompson, Erin (October 11, 2012). "Miguel's "Adorn" Conveys Chivalry, Luxury, and Sex". Seattle Weekly. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  16. Christgau, Robert (December 28, 2012). "Miguel". MSN Music. Microsoft. Archived from the original on January 8, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  17. McManus, Brian (January 16, 2013). "Pazz & Jop: Miguel Is Living The Dream". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  18. "50 Best Songs of 2012". 5 December 2012.
  19. "Singles — All Votes". The Village Voice. Village Voice Media. Retrieved 2013-01-18.
  20. "Miguel 'Adorn's No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for 20th Week: Weekly Chart Notes".
  21. Paul Grein (July 31, 2013). "Week Ending July 28, 2013. Songs: Radio Hesitates On One Direction". Chart Watch. Yahoo.
  22. "American single certifications – Miguel – Adorn". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH.
  23. "Awards Nominations & Winners". 30 April 2017.
  24. "Chartifacts". ARIA Charts. September 16, 2013. Archived from the original on October 30, 2012.
  25. "[US&titel=Adorn&cat=s Miguel [US] – Adorn"] (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  26. "[US&titel=Adorn&cat=s Miguel [US] – Adorn"] (in Dutch). Ultratop Urban. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  27. "Miguel Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  28. "[US&titel=Adorn&cat=s Miguel [US] – Adorn"] (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  29. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  30. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  31. "Miguel Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  32. "Miguel Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  33. "Miguel Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  34. "Miguel Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  35. "Miguel Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  36. "Best of 2012 – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  37. "Best of 2012 – R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2012-12-17.
  38. "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  39. "Best of 2013 – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2013-12-13.
  40. "Best of 2013 – R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  41. "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  42. "Decade-End Charts: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
  43. "VÖ-Vorschau". 25 May 2014.
  44. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  45. "Danish single certifications – Miguel – Adorn". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  46. "British single certifications – Miguel – Adorn". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  47. "American single certifications – Miguel – Adorn". Recording Industry Association of America.
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