Liar (Camila Cabello song)

"Liar" is a song by Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello. It was released the same day as "Shameless" on September 5, 2019, as one of the double lead singles from her sophomore studio album Romance. The song was written by Cabello, Alexandra Tamposi, Andrew Wotman, Jonathan Bellion, Jordan Johnson and Stefan Johnson. Songwriting credits were also given to Lionel Richie and Ace of Base members Jenny Berggren, Jonas Berggren, Malin Berggren and Ulf Ekberg due to interpolations of "All Night Long (All Night)" and "All That She Wants". It was produced by Watt, The Monsters and the Strangerz and Bellion. The song achieved moderate success internationally.

"Liar"
Single by Camila Cabello
from the album Romance
B-side	"Shameless"[1]
Released	September 5, 2019 (2019-09-05)[2]
Recorded	2018–2019
Genre	Ska-pop
Length	3:27
Label	Epic Syco
Songwriter(s)	Camila Cabello Alexandra Tamposi Andrew Wotman Jonathan Bellion Jordan Johnson Stefan Johnson Jenny Berggren Jonas Berggren Malin Berggren Ulf Ekberg Lionel Richie
Producer(s)	Andrew Watt The Monsters and the Strangerz Jon Bellion (misc.)
Camila Cabello singles chronology
"Shameless" (2019) "Liar" (2019) "Cry for Me" (2019)
Music video
"Liar" on YouTube

Commercially, the song has topped the charts in Poland while reaching the top 10 in Bulgaria, Israel, Lithuania, Netherlands, and Venezuela, the top 20 in Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Lativa, Malaysia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia and Slovenia; as well as the top 40 in Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Romania and the United Kingdom.

Background

On September 1, 2019, Cabello took to social media to upload a teaser of her second project called Romance.[3][4] The first installment was announced to premiere on September 5, 2019. Cabello uploaded several pictures of the cover art being revealed and presented in a museum-type of room in the days after.[5][6] The official cover art of the song was unveiled September 4, 2019.[7]

Composition

"Liar" contains elements of flamenco and Latin trap, and a ska-pop chorus.[8] It was written by Camila Cabello, Alexandra Tamposi, Andrew Wotman, Jonathan Bellion, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Jenny Berggren, Jonas Berggren, Malin Berggren, Ulf Ekberg and Lionel Richie, and produced by Wotman, The Monsters and the Strangerz and Bellion. "Liar" runs for three minutes and twenty-seven seconds.[9]

In terms of music notation, "Liar" was composed using ⁴
₄ common time in the key of B minor. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Cabello's vocal range spans from the low note F#3 to the high note of F#5, giving the song a two octave vocal range.[10]

Critical reception

Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote in his review, "'Liar' is a canny pan-Caribbean and Spanish mélange. As she sings about how a certain kiss makes her lose control despite herself — 'Clothes are on the floor,' she notes at the end — the ultra-canny track segues from mariachi horns to the stark electronics of Latin trap to flamenco handclaps to a ska-pop chorus: border-hopping at the speed of pop."[8]

Live performances

Cabello performed the song live at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Festival,[11] and at a private fan concert hosted by Verizon.[12] She also performed the song on The Graham Norton Show on October 25, 2019.

Music video

Background

Cabello shared a 26-second preview of the music video on September 11, 2019, through social media and stated "literally most fun video I've ever made."[13] It was directed by Dave Meyers and released on September 12, 2019.[14] As of April 2020, it has over 96 million views and 1.9 million likes on YouTube.

"Liar" is a mini movie, and features a fictional romantic love triangle, with Cabello playing herself and La Flaca (English: the skinny girl), which is the hostess of Tea Time with La Flaca, Gordita y Tammy, a fictional television show, while Zak Steiner plays Reese Kensington, and Keiynan Lonsdale plays "the busboy." It also stars Nataliz Jimenez as Gordita and Chelsea Brea as Tammy.

Synopsis

Camila Cabello is seen being confronted by her fiancé, while being strapped onto a polygraph.

The video begins with Camila Cabello at an outdoor restaurant with her suave-talking fiancé (portrayed by Zak Steiner), who only sees her as his trophy wife.[15] She starts to show feelings towards a restaurant waiter (portrayed by Keiynan Lonsdale), who accidentally spills red wine that leaves a heart-shaped stain. However, Cabello begins to be placed in a Groundhog Day-style time loop where she wakes up and repeats the same date scenario with her fiancé after dying in various accidents which become more surreal. These include choking to death, getting crushed by a falling elephant, run over by a horde of bicyclists, being swarmed by drones, and inadvertently burning down her fiancé's mansion.[16] She is then taken away by the Truth Police to be placed on a polygraph, while wearing a straitjacket. Cabello finally professes her love to the waiter, as she wakes up the next day in a different house and holds a digitally animated bird, seemingly breaking out of the time loop. In the closing moments of the video, a TV in the room plays a sensationalist TV show previously played near the start of the video. The three fictionalized hosts (Cabello portrays the lead host wearing a red wig) start conversing about her recent break-up and mock her dating choices, as Cabello reaches for the remote and turns the TV off.

Reception

Althea Legaspi, who writes for Rolling Stone, stated that, "Mirroring the song's lyrics about falling for someone, despite being in continual denial about those feelings, the visual sees Cabello reliving a number of scenes that get progressively more ridiculous and humorous as she tries to escape her conflicting emotions."[15]

Patrick Hosken of MTV News penned, "'Liar,' is cinematic in scope — the pink shot of Cabello amid a sea of flamingos is downright dazzling — and also features Cabello playing a gossipy TV host. As the slapstick drama heightens, Cabello has a lot of fun playing someone increasingly more unhinged."[17]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[18]

Personnel Camila Cabello – vocals, songwriting The Monsters and the Strangerz – production, keyboards Andrew Watt – production, songwriting, guitar, keyboards Jon Bellion – miscellaneous production, songwriting Alexandra Tamposi – songwriting Jordan Johnson – songwriting Stefan Johnson – songwriting Jenny Berggren – songwriting Jonas Berggren – songwriting Malin Berggren – songwriting Ulf Ekberg – songwriting Lionel Richie – songwriting John Hanes – mixing Serban Ghenea – mixing Paul Lamalfa – recording

Lionel Richie and four founding members of Ace of Base are credited as songwriters of the song because a sample of "All That She Wants" credits.[19] Sample credits "Liar" contains a sample of 1983 single "All Night Long (All Night)" performed and written by Lionel Richie,[20] and a sample of 1992 single "All That She Wants" performed by Ace of Base and written by Ulf Ekberg, Malin Berggren, Jenny Berggren and Jonas Berggren, the founding members of the Swedish pop group.[21][22]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2019–2020) Peak position Argentina (Argentina Hot 100)[23] 71 Australia (ARIA)[24] 31 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[25] 50 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[26] 28 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[27] 12 Bulgaria (PROPHON)[28] 4 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[29] 27 Canada AC (Billboard)[30] 26 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[31] 17 Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[32] 22 Croatia (HRT)[33] 12 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[34] 31 Estonia (Eesti Ekspress)[35] 20 Euro Digital Songs (Billboard)[36] 18 France (SNEP)[37] 122 Germany (Official German Charts)[38] 63 Greece International (IFPI Greece)[39] 12 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[40] 20 Hungary (Single Top 40)[41] 21 Hungary (Stream Top 40)[42] 15 Iceland (Tonlist)[43] 15 Ireland (IRMA)[44] 17 Israel (Media Forest)[45] 7 Japan (Japan Hot 100)[46] 89 Latvia (LAIPA)[47] 18 Lithuania (AGATA)[48] 10 Malaysia (RIM)[49] 20 Mexico Airplay (Billboard)[50] 24 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[51] 6 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[52] 12 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[53] 32 Norway (VG-lista)[54] 23 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[55] 1 Portugal (AFP)[56] 53 Romania (Airplay 100)[57] 35 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[58] 18 Singapore (RIAS)[59] 13 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[60] 22 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[61] 18 Slovenia (SloTop50)[62] 9 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[63] 92 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[64] 58 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[65] 42 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[66] 21 US Billboard Hot 100[67] 52 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[68] 18 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[69] 17 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[70] 29 US Rolling Stone Top 100[71] 49 Venezuela Anglo (Record Report)[72] 6 Venezuela Pop (Record Report)[73] 21

Year-end charts Chart (2019) Position Latvia (LAIPA)[74] 92 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[75] 30 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[76] 68 Poland (ZPAV)[77] 50

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[78]	Platinum	70,000
Mexico (AMPROFON)[79]	Gold	30,000^*
Poland (ZPAV)[80]	Platinum	20,000^*
United Kingdom (BPI)[81]	Silver	200,000
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
Various	September 5, 2019	Digital download streaming	Epic Syco	[82]
United Kingdom	September 6, 2019	Contemporary hit radio		[83]
Australia			Sony	[84]
Italy	September 13, 2019			[85]
Various	February 25, 2020	7 inch vinyl 12 inch picture disc	Epic Syco	[86]

See also

• List of number-one singles of 2019 (Poland)
• List of number-one singles of 2020 (Poland)

References

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