Tyrant (Kali Uchis and Jorja Smith song)
| "Tyrant" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Kali Uchis featuring Jorja Smith | ||||
| from the album Isolation | ||||
| Released | May 22, 2017 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:24 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Kali Uchis singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Tyrant" on YouTube | ||||
"Tyrant" is a song by American singer Kali Uchis featuring English singer Jorja Smith. It was released on May 22, 2017, by Virgin EMI Records and Interscope Records, as the first single from Uchis' debut studio album, Isolation (2018).
Background and composition
Uchis stated that "Tyrant" is a post-apocalyptic love song about choosing to ignore a relationship's fatal imbalances: "Wanting to stay in the haze of puppy love forever and never face the power struggles, because that's your only real escape from the cold realities of life."[1] She explained to Genius how the whole song came out, "I was in the studio with Sounwave, and we were just going through a whole bunch of different song ideas that we had, potentially for the album. When he played that one, it just came into my head. And then, I used some lyrics from a really old song of mine that I never released. Like, the first two lines of it was from an old song. That's how I jumped it off, and then the rest of it just came rolling in right after."[2]
Critical reception
Beca Grimm of NPR gave a positive review for the song and wrote, "Tyrant is a romantic banger flecked with self-awareness. It skilfully portrays love in the age of rumbling dystopia: a boudoir anointed by something pure even though its walls may shake with the unrest outside."[3]
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[4] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
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‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | May 22, 2017 | [5] |
References
- ^ Gaca, Anna (May 22, 2017). "Kali Uchis – "Tyrant" (ft. Jorja Smith)". SPIN. Archived from the original on May 22, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ Genius (August 2, 2017). Kali Uchis "Tyrant" Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ Grimm, Beca (June 22, 2017). "Kali Uchis' 'Tyrant' Is A Love Letter To Summer 2017". NPR. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ "American single certifications – Kali Uchis – Tyrant". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
- ^ Tyrant (feat. Jorja Smith) - Single by Kali Uchis on Apple Music, Apple Music, May 22, 2017, archived from the original on October 23, 2019, retrieved May 17, 2025