"Your Type" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen for her third studio album, Emotion (2015). She co-wrote the track with Wayne Hector, Tavish Crowe, and its producers Rami Yacoub and Carl Falk. "Your Type" is a 1980s-inspired synth-pop song about unrequited love. Initially released to digital retailers August 14, 2015 as the fourth and final promotional single leading up to the album's release, it was re-issued as the third official single on November 9, 2015.[1][2] An official remix package debuted December 11, 2015.[3] An accompanying music video was released on November 3, 2015. The song received mostly positive feedback from the critics, but was not a chart success.

"Your Type"
Single by Carly Rae Jepsen
from the album Emotion
ReleasedNovember 9, 2015 (2015-11-09)[1]
Recorded2015
Genre
Length3:20
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Carl Falk
  • Rami Yacoub
Carly Rae Jepsen singles chronology
"Run Away with Me"
(2015)
"Your Type"
(2015)
"Last Christmas"
(2015)
Music video
"Your Type" on YouTube

Composition edit

"Your Type" is a midtempo synth-pop and electropop love song influenced by 1980s music.[4][5][6] The ballad finds Jepsen expressing her interest in pursuing a romantic relationship with someone despite her belief that she is not their "type" and explores the concept of unrequited love.[6][7] During live performances, she revealed that the song was about a guy whom she fell for who she later finds out was gay, similar to what her single "Call Me Maybe"'s video was about.[8]

Critical reception edit

"Your Type" received generally positive reviews. Critics have compared the song's depiction of heartbreak and yearning to the similarly-themed "Dancing on My Own" by Robyn.[9][10][11] Its production was further likened to that of the synthpop band Chvrches.[12][13] In October 2022, Rachel Seo of Variety ranked it as Jepsen's sixth best song.[14]

In reviewing for NPR, Ken Tucker highlighted "Your Type" as a clear example of Jepsen's "attempt to expand the notion of what disposable pop can sound like", further applauding its vulnerable narrative that transcends gender roles.[15] Autostraddle's Abeni Jones christened the song as a "Moody Trans Girl Anthem".[16]

Nolan Feeny of Time praised Jepsen's "wounded voice" for bringing emotional complexity to an otherwise "unremarkable tale".[17] In criticizing Jepsen's lack of identity, Pitchfork's Corban Goble characterized her vocal performance on "Your Type" as indistinguishable from other songs on the record despite Jepsen's attempts to sound "gritty".[18] Jessica Doyle, a writer for The Singles Jukebox, emphasized the song's lyrical missteps which "intensifies the pathos of the song—the narrator wants so badly to stand out [...] but even her desperate inner monologue is bland."[13]

Commercial performance edit

Upon its release as a single in late 2015, "Your Type" was not a commercial success and did not enter any music charts. In early 2016, the song stayed unranked for five weeks on the Ultratip Bubbling Under chart in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.[19] The song generated renewed interest in Canada in the spring of 2016 and entered Canadian airplay charts dated May 14, 2016.

Music video edit

The video for "Your Type" was filmed in October 2015 directed by Gia Coppola and premiered November 3, 2015.[7][20] It begins with a voiceover introducing the story of Jepsen's character ("There was once a girl…") and then follows Jepsen as she gets mugged on a park bench, enters a nightclub, and performs karaoke.[20][21] During her performance, the video alternates between shots of a large, excited crowd and a nearly-empty bar, suggesting the former is Jepsen's fantasy of how the scene played out.[22] The video's plot has been described as a pseudo-Cinderella story.[20][21]

Live performances edit

 
Jepsen performed "Your Type" at the Capital Pride in 2015.

On 1 May 2015, Jepsen performed "Your Type" at a show in Beijing, China, and subsequently at the Capital Pride in June. She then performed a medley of "Run Away with Me" and "Your Type" at Late Night with Seth Meyers on 26 January 2016.[23] The song was also part of the setlist during Jepsen's 2015–2016 Gimmie Love Tour.

Track listings edit

  • Digital download[1]
  1. "Your Type" – 3:20
  • Digital download (Remixes)[3]
  1. "Your Type" (Young Bombs Remix) – 4:22
  2. "Your Type" (Skylar Spence Remix) – 3:50

Charts edit

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Canada AC (Billboard)[24] 21
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[25] 32
Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[26] 23

Release history edit

Country Date Format Label Ref.
Canada August 14, 2015 Digital download (promotional) 604 [27]
United States [28]
Europe November 9, 2015 Digital download [1]
December 11, 2015 Digital download – Remixes EP [3][29][30]
Oceania [31][32]
Canada December 18, 2015 604 [33]
United States
  • Interscope
  • School Boy
[34]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "ultratop.be - Carly Rae Jepsen - Your Type". Ultratop via Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  2. ^ Kreps, Daniel (July 17, 2015). "Watch Carly Rae Jepsen's Jet-Setting, Personal 'Run Away With Me' Video". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c ""Your Type (Remixes) - Single" von Carly Rae Jepsen". iTunes Store (Germany). Apple Inc. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  4. ^ Nolan Feeney (3 November 2015). "Carly Rae Jepsen 'Your Type' Video - Watch". TIME.com. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Carly Rae Jepsen drops Your Type, seventh (!) song from new album". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  6. ^ a b Spanos, Brittany (August 17, 2015). "Hear Carly Rae Jepsen's Heartbreaking New Song, 'Your Type'". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  7. ^ a b Wass, Mike (October 12, 2015). "Carly Rae Jepsen's Next Single Is "Your Type": See A Still From The Video". Idolator. Spin Media. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  8. ^ Valdez, Edd (November 3, 2015). "Watch Carly Rae Jepsen's Colorful New Video for 'Your Type'". Time. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  9. ^ Cragg, Michael (2015-12-23). "The playlist: the best pop of 2015 – Carly Rae Jepsen, the Weeknd and more". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  10. ^ Semigran, Rachel. "Carly Rae Jepsen "Your Type" Lyrics Will Unexpectedly Give You All The Feels — VIDEO". Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  11. ^ Winkie, Luke (July 17, 2017). "10 Best Carly Rae Jepsen Songs". www.redbull.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  12. ^ "Carly Rae Jepsen – "Your Type"". Stereogum. 2015-08-14. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  13. ^ a b "The Singles Jukebox » Carly Rae Jepsen – Your Type". www.thesinglesjukebox.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  14. ^ Seo, Rachel (October 21, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen's 15 Best Songs, Ranked". Variety. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  15. ^ Tucker, Ken (September 10, 2015). "Carly Rae Jepsen Mixes Bubble-Gum Pop With Ache And Anguish On 'Emotion'". NPR.org. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  16. ^ Jones, Abeni (2017-07-07). "Carly Rae Jepsen's "Your Type" Is a Moody Trans Girl Anthem". Autostraddle. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  17. ^ Feeney, Nolan (20 August 2015). "Carly Rae Jepsen Brings a Grownup Note to Giddy Pop". Time. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  18. ^ "Carly Rae Jepsen: E•MO•TION Album Review | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  19. ^ "Ultratip Bubbling Under 20/02/2016". www.ultratop.be (in French). Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  20. ^ a b c Carley, Brennan (November 3, 2015). "Carly Rae Jepsen Cloaks Herself in Imagination in the 'Your Type' Video". Spin. Spin Media. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  21. ^ a b Gracie, Bianca (November 3, 2015). "Carly Rae Jepsen's "Your Type" Video Is A Hazy Cinderella Story: Watch". Idolator. Spin Media. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  22. ^ Blistein, Jon (November 3, 2015). "Carly Rae Jepsen Lives Pop Fairy Tale in 'Your Type' Video". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  23. ^ Williott, Carl (January 26, 2016). "Watch Carly Rae Jepsen Perform "Run Away With Me" & "Your Type" On 'Late Night'". Idolator. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  24. ^ "Carly Rae Jepsen Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  25. ^ "Carly Rae Jepsen Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  26. ^ "Carly Rae Jepsen Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  27. ^ "Your Type (2015) | Carly Rae Jepsen". 7digital (Canada). 14 August 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  28. ^ "Your Type (2015) | Carly Rae Jepsen". 7digital (US). Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  29. ^ "Your Type (Remixes) - Single de Carly Rae Jepsen". iTunes Store (France). Apple Inc. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  30. ^ "Your Type (Remixes) - Single by Carly Rae Jepsen". iTunes Store (UK). Apple Inc. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  31. ^ "Your Type (Remixes) - Single by Carly Rae Jepsen". iTunes Store (Australia). Apple Inc. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  32. ^ "Your Type (Remixes) - Single by Carly Rae Jepsen". iTunes Store (New Zealand). Apple Inc. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  33. ^ "Your Type (Remixes) - Single by Carly Rae Jepsen". iTunes Store (Canada). Apple Inc. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  34. ^ "Your Type (Remixes) - Single by Carly Rae Jepsen". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.

External links edit