| “ | Last year I began working on a song about a different kind of love, It's a song about showing someone you love that you're the one right in front of them. This is a song about faith. | ” |
— Demi Lovato talking about Give Your Heart A Break
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"Give Your Heart a Break" is a song by American recording artist Demi Lovato, taken from their third studio album Unbroken. It was released on January 23, 2012, by Hollywood Records as the second and final single from the album. The song was written and produced by Josh Alexander and Billy Steinberg. "Give Your Heart a Break" is a dance-pop ballad that comprises instruments like the drums, violin, and strings; the latter two, according to music critics, are reminiscent of those used in Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" (Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, 2008). Hollywood Records serviced the song to mainstream radios on January 23, 2012, in the United States. Lyrically, the song chronicles the protagonist's attempt to win over their lover who has been hurt in a previous relationship and is fearful of committing again.
"Give Your Heart a Break" received critical acclaim from contemporary music critics, praising the production as well as Lovato's vocals. The single debuted at #72 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has peaked at #16 on the chart, as well as reaching #1 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart. The song has debuted at 22 in New Zealand and has so far peaked at #9, marking the first time Lovato has had two top 10 singles from one album in that country. The music video for the song features Lovato attempting to persuade their lover that they are the right one for him and will not break his heart like his past girlfriends, creating a collage of photographs taken during the video that when put together create a photo of the two in each other's embrace. Lovato has promoted the song through several stage performances, including their performance at the Z100 Jingle Ball concert.
Background and composition[]
It was originally announced that Lovato's second single would be "Who's That Boy" (which features Dev), however, Lovato later changed the single to "Give Your Heart a Break", officially announcing it on Twitter. "Give Your Heart a Break" was written and produced by Josh Alexander and Billy Steinberg, who are known for their work on The Veronicas' sophomore studio album, Hook Me Up as well as JoJo's "Too Little Too Late". Alexander is credited with having a bigger hand in the song's production, handling all the instruments while programming, recording, and engineering the song. Chris Garcia shared engineering credits with Alexander while Scott Roewe is credited with providing logic and pro tools technology.
The song is an uptempo dance-pop track that runs for 3 minutes and 25 seconds. It incorporates teen pop and bubblegum pop styles and electro-pop beats influences. The song's composition uses suspenseful strings that combine with a rhythmic drum. It also features a violin, which, according to Cristin Maher of PopCrush, sounds similar to that used in Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" (Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, 2008). Maher also notes the song as a mix between contemporary pop and old school pop from the 1980s and 1990s. According to the digital music sheet published at Musicnotes.com by Kobalt Music Publishing America, Inc., "Give Your Heart a Break" is written in the key of G♭ major. It is set in common time and has a moderate tempo of 123 beats per minute. The song follows the chord progression of C♭2–G♭–A♭m7 (add 4)–D♭. Lovato's vocals span over two octaves, from E♭3 to F#5. Lyrically, the song is about courting a guy who's a little bruised.
Reception[]
Critical reception[]
"Give Your Heart a Break" received generally positive reviews from music critics. Joe DeAndrea of AbsolutePunk praised that "Mistake" and "Give Your Heart a Break" as ballads that "go far and beyond anything in Lovato's prior arsenal. It sets a mark as to what should be expected from similar artists such as her, but in the process, distancing herself from being grouped with them becoming a solo entity." Jason Scott of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer noted that the song, along with "Mistake" and "Hold Up", feature "electrically forceful instrumentation". Jocelyn Vena of MTV complimented it as a smart dance song, along with "Hold Up". Cristin Maher of PopCrush praised the song as "captivating" while writing "'Give Your Heart a Break'’ is a mix between contemporary pop and old-school pop from the '80s and '90s." Maher also cites Billy Steinberg as an influence for the song's "harmonious hybrid sound", noting his collaborations with Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, and The Bangles as the reason.
In another extensive review, Laurence Green from musicOMH praised the track, calling it an "exceptionally brilliant track," while commenting that they "becomes the true pop heroine; backed up by infinitely bigger, better choruses." Sam Lansky, a writer and editor from MTV's Buzzworthy Blog, lauded the recording for presenting Lovato's vocals as a masterpiece and praised the production as "superb".
Chart performance[]
The song peaked Billboard Hot 100 at number 16 making it Lovato's fourth highest-peaking song. Also, it has peaked at number 12 on the US Adult Top 40 chart, number 1 on the US Pop Songs chart, and became the longest climb by a female artist to #1 in the Pop Songs chart history. they also reached number 16 on the US Adult Contemporary chart, and at number 21 on the US Digital Songs chart. In Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders), the song peaked at number 32, their first appearance and highest position on the chart, and has so far spent 9 weeks on the chart. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 33, their third song to chart on the top 40 and has so far peaked at number 9, marking the first time Lovato has had two Top 10 singles from one album in that country. The song has sold over 2,000,000 digital copies and was officially certified Platinum in the United States.
Live performances and cover versions[]
On December 31, 2011, Lovato promoted the song at the MTV New Year's Eve concert, which they co-hosted with Tyler Posey. Lovato performed the song at the People's Choice Awards on January 11, 2012, where they also received the "Best Pop Artist" award afterward. On March 6, 2012, Lovato sang the single on the Today Show. On March 15, 2012, they performed the single on the American version of Idols during the Top Eleven Results Show. The song was included on Lovato's setlist for a free concert on July 6, 2012, as part of Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series. Lovato performed the song at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show on September 6, 2012. On September 25, 2012, Lovato performed the song on Katie Couric's talk show Katie. They performed the song at the VH1 Divas 2012 with the theme dance party on December 16, 2012. They performed the song on the finale of The X Factor USA on December 19, 2012, with Fifth Harmony. They performed the song in the UK during a Capital FM session on June 3, 2014. The song was featured in the fourth episode of season 4 of Glee. The song was a part of their setlists for the Neon Lights Tour, Sex and Love Tour and DEMI World Tour for 2014. They also performed the song at a "Confident" promo show in São Paulo, Brazil on October 20, 2015
Lyrics[]
The day I first met you
You told me you'd never fall in love
But now that I get you
I know fear is what it really was
Now here we are
So close yet so far
Haven't I passed the test
When will you realise
Baby, I'm not like the rest
Don't wanna break your heart
Wanna give your heart a break
I know you're scared it's wrong
Like you might make a mistake
There's just one life to live
And there's no time to waste, to waste
So let me give your heart a break, give your heart a break
Let me give your heart a break, your heart a break
Oh yeah, yeah
On Sunday you went home alone
There were tears in your eyes
I called your cell phone, my love
But you did not reply
The world is ours if we want it
We can take it if you just take my hand
There's no turning back now
Baby, try to understand
Don't wanna break your heart
Wanna give your heart a break
I know you're scared it's wrong
Like you might make a mistake
There's just one life to live
And there's no time to waste, to waste
So let me give your heart a break, give your heart a break
Let me give your heart a break, your heart a break
There's just so much you can take
Give your heart a break
Let me give your heart a break, your heart a break
Oh yeah, yeah
When your lips are on my lips
And our hearts beat as one
But you slip out of my fingertips
Every time you run, whoa-oh-whoa-oh-oh
Don't wanna break your heart
Wanna give your heart a break
I know you're scared it's wrong
Like you might make a mistake
There's just one life to live
And there's no time to waste, to waste
So let me give your heart a break
Let me give your heart a break
'Cause you've been hurt before
I can see it in your eyes
You try to smile it away, some things you can't disguise
Don't wanna break your heart
Maybe, I can ease the ache, the ache
So let me give your heart a break, give your heart a break
Let me give your heart a break, your heart a break
There's just so much you can take
Give your heart a break
Let me give your heart a break, your heart a break
Oh babe
Oh yeah, yeah
The day I first met you
You told me you'd never fall in love
Music video[]
Background and release[]
A lyric video for the song was released on YouTube on December 23, 2011, on Lovato's YouTube account. In the description for the lyric video, it was confirmed that the official music video would be released in 2012. The official music video was shot in late February 2012 and was directed by Justin Francis. On March 23, 2012, an 18-second teaser promoting the music video was released on their YouTube account. In the video, it was revealed that the music video would premiere on April 2, 2012, on E! News and on Eonline.com in Canada and United States, with the worldwide premiere coming on April 3, 2012, on VEVO. In an interview with MTV, they comment about the video: "The new music video, I'm basically trying to convince a guy that I didn't break his heart, and we get into a fight and I try to win him over again," they said. "So I do something special for him at the end of the song." They also comment about the guy who acts as their love interest in the video: "It's kind of funny. It's part of the job though. You just try to get through it, but it is kind of awkward at first when you have to act like a couple with someone that you don't know," they said. "He was really sweet, really sweet, and really cute."
Lyric video[]
The lyric video was released on their YouTube channel on December 23, 2011. In the video, it starts with Lovato sitting on the swing and writing the lyrics in a journal next to a waterfall and a fire pit, presumably writing their thoughts in the form of the song. At the end of the video, Lovato closes their journal and leaves it on the swing. It was later released on VEVO on March 20, 2012.
Synopsis[]
A collage of a photo of Lovato and their on-screen love interest (Alex Bechet), created from other smaller images of the pair.
The video is based on Lovato trying to win their boyfriend again, portrayed by Alex Bechet, after a fight, showing him that they are the one meant to be with him. The music video starts with Lovato and their boyfriend having an argument over the phone. After hanging up, they start singing the song and recollects memories of them together. They are then shown collecting pictures of them and their boyfriend, inter-cut with them walking down a road while singing the second verse, and pasting the photos collected by them on a wall. Each picture has a memory behind it, which is recounted by them. At the end of the video, Lovato's boyfriend looks out his window as he beholds a large collage of pictures, depicting a picture of them smiling. Lovato is shown walking back home, as they turn around and smile, confident that their plan has worked.
[]
Lovato posted teaser #1, 2 and 3 on March 23, 28 and 30 in 2012, respectively.
Credits and personnel[]
Credits adapted from Unbroken liner notes:
- Mixed at Cryptic Studios in Los Angeles, California
- Vocals and background vocals: Demi Lovato, Jaden Michaels
- Songwriting and production: Josh Alexander, Billy Steinberg
- Recording and engineering: Josh Alexander, Chris Garcia
- Instruments and programming: Josh Alexander
- Logic Pro and pro tools technology: Scott Roewe
Charts[]
| Chart (2011-2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 32 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 9 |
| Portugal (Billboard) | 20 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts Company) | 194 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 16 |
| US Pop Songs (Billboard) | 1 |
| US Digital Songs (Billboard) | 21 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 16 |
| US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard) | 12 |
Unbroken | |||||||||||
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