Experience (Victoria Monét, Khalid and SG Lewis song)

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"Experience"
Single by Victoria Monét, Khalid and SG Lewis
from the EP Jaguar
ReleasedJune 19, 2020 (2020-06-19)
Recorded2020
StudioRepublic Records Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Genre
Length2:56
LabelTribe Records
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Victoria Monét singles chronology
"Moment"
(2020)
"Experience"
(2020)
"Touch Me (Remix)"
(2020)
Khalid singles chronology
"Know Your Worth"
(2020)
"Experience"
(2020)
"Be Like That"
(2020)
SG Lewis singles chronology
"Chemicals"
(2020)
"Experience"
(2020)
"Impact"
(2020)

"Experience" is a song recorded by American singers Victoria Monét and Khalid and British record producer SG Lewis. It was released as the third single from the former's fifth extended play Jaguar on June 19, 2020 through Tribe Records. It is a disco breakup song written by all three artists with Kyla Moscovich and produced by Moscovich and Lewis.

Background[edit]

A collaboration between Monét and Khalid was first teased a week before the release of "Experience" in a tweet by Khalid which tagged Monét and read, "can't wait."[2] On June 16, 2020, in a statement written by Monét posted to both her and Khalid's Instagram accounts, they announced that their then untitled song would be released on June 19.[3] In the joint statement, they explained that, despite going "back and forth" about it due to the "disgusting and confusing state of the world", they were releasing the song in the midst of the George Floyd protests as a "form of escapism from troubling things", writing, "It’s important to us to highlight and celebrate Black joy and love in the middle of so much pain and trauma."[4][5]

Composition[edit]

"Experience" is a "retro" disco[6][7][8] song, written as a duet, which incorporates electro-funk, pop, and R&B influences, and features drums, synthesizers, and trumpets played by Kyla Moscovich.[9][10] The song begins with a verse and chorus from Monét, while the second verse is sung by Khalid, with both singing together in the song's latter half.[11] In the song's lyrics, Monét and Khalid express their hopes that an unfaithful ex-lover has grown from experience post-breakup.[9][12][13] The song was called a "chugging groove" by The Guardian's Alim Kheraj, who remarked that it was "indebted" to Off the Wall-era Quincy Jones, and that the production by SG Lewis was "plush".[8] Rap-Up also noted that the song had a "pulsating groove", while Wongo Okon of Uproxx referred to the song as "upbeat and groovy".[2][14]

Critical reception[edit]

Robin Murray of Clash called "Experience" "a stunning party-starting favourite that blasts apart the rigours of the lockdown process" and "sheer joy from start to finish".[10] The Independent's Brittny Pierre referred to the track as a "shiny mirrorball of a collaboration".[15] Dani Blum of Pitchfork praised Monét's performance on the song, writing that she "makes the song a celebration" and "claim[s] the spotlight, dazzling and dancing all the way", while calling Khalid's performance on the song "palatable" and "anonymous-sounding". Blum added that "Like the rest of [Jaguar], the track functions as both a triumph and a declaration."[9] Kheraj of The Guardian noted that the song "brush[ed] up against 2020's appetite for disco nostalgia", calling Lewis's vocal production of the song "a bold, beautiful choice".[8]

Music video[edit]

A lyric video for "Experience" was released on June 30, 2020.[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Tryon, Oliver (June 19, 2020). "Khalid & Victoria Monét Unite On SG Lewis Produced 'Experience'". Cultr.com. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Okon, Wongo (June 19, 2020). "Victoria Monet And Khalid's 'Experience' Is An Uplifting Groove". Uproxx. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  3. ^ Aniftos, Rania (June 16, 2020). "Khalid & Victoria Monet Announce New Song to 'Highlight & Celebrate Black Joy'". Billboard. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  4. ^ Lim, Eddy (June 19, 2020). "Khalid and Victoria Monét share sultry new disco song 'Experience'". NME. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  5. ^ S., Lynn (June 20, 2020). "Victoria Monét & Khalid Drop Off Disco-Infused Bop, "Experience"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  6. ^ Gottlieb, Jed (August 1, 2020). "Victoria Monet makes a difference through music". Boston Herald. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  7. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (June 19, 2020). "Victoria Monét recruits Khalid and SG Lewis for new disco anthem "Experience"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Kheraj, Alim (August 6, 2020). "Victoria Monét: Jaguar review". The Guardian. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  9. ^ a b c Blum, Dani (August 7, 2020). "Victoria Monét: Jaguar". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Murray, Robin (August 6, 2020). "Victoria Monét - JAGUAR". Clash Magazine. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  11. ^ Rashed, Ayana (June 21, 2020). "Victoria Monet Announces 'Jaguar' Coming July 31st + New Song "Experience" With Khalid & SG Lewis". Respect. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  12. ^ Leung, Gabrielle (June 22, 2020). "Victoria Monét and Khalid Drop Disco-Infused "Experience" Track". Hypebeast. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  13. ^ "Victoria Monét Learns From 'Experience' With Khalid & SG Lewis". SoulBounce. June 22, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  14. ^ "Victoria Monét and Khalid Team Up on 'Experience'". Rap-Up. June 19, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  15. ^ Pierre, Brittny (August 6, 2020). "Album reviews: Victoria Monet – Jaguar, and Another Sky – I Slept On the Floor". The Independent. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  16. ^ Graves, Shahlin (July 7, 2020). "Victoria Monét releases lyric video for 'Experience' (with Khalid and SG Lewis)". Coup De Main Magazine. Retrieved November 6, 2020.