Moonlight (Grace VanderWaal song)

"Moonlight" is a song by American singer-songwriter Grace VanderWaal. It was written by VanderWaal and Ido Zmishlany, and produced by the latter. The song was released on June 21, 2017, through Syco Music and Columbia Records, and is the lead single from VanderWaal's debut studio album, Just the Beginning. VanderWaal introduced the song live at VidCon in June 2017, and she released a music video of "Moonlight" on her YouTube Vevo channel the following month. The song received largely positive reviews.

"Moonlight"
Single by Grace VanderWaal
from the album Just the Beginning
ReleasedJune 21, 2017 (2017-06-21)
Genre
Length2:54
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Ido Zmishlany
Grace VanderWaal singles chronology
"I Don't Know My Name"
(2016)		 "Moonlight"
(2017)		 "Sick of Being Told"
(2017)
Music video
"Moonlight" on YouTube

Background

VanderWaal began work on her first studio album, Just the Beginning in early 2017.[2] When she released the first single from the album, "Moonlight", she commented on the song's meaning: "'Moonlight' is about somebody you know very well changing unnaturally over time right in front of you and pushing you away, so you want to help bring them back to their original self."[3][4][5]

Critical reception

Reviews for Moonlight have been largely positive. Gil Kaufman of Billboard described the song as "summery". He opined that the song "displays a fun tropical beat making it the perfect summer song", and that it "digs a little deeper" and "displays maturity".[3] Raisa Bruner of Time regarded the song as "a summery, breathy and upbeat summer song", and wrote that it "maintains [VanderWaal's] acoustic flair while layering in a lightly tropical touch".[6] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times felt that the song "sounds like steroidal bluegrass-inflected space-pop", and VanderWaal's vocal "sounds emotionally exhausted, like a singer twice her age, or more."[7] Gabriella Ginsberg of Hollywood Life called the single "infectious" and "amazing", and felt that it has an "awesome beat". She wrote that VanderWaal's "classic ukelele sound shines through".[4] Cayla Bamberger of J-14 wrote: "The track delivers all that we love about VanderWaal: her raspy vocals, a heavy beat, her signature ukulele, and an acoustic sound. ... The track shows VanderWaal's increasing maturity and sophistication as both a wise teenage girl and a singer-songwriter."[5] Maeve McDermott of USA Today referred the song as "an upbeat, wistful pop song".[8]

Music video

The music video was released on July 21, 2017, and was directed by Blythe Thomas. It is VanderWaal's first official music video. It features VanderWaal wandering along deserted city streets and arriving on a deserted rooftop, intercut with scenes of her singing and playing the ukelele and scenes of an imagined dance party, where she plays the banjo among friends.[9][10] VanderWaal said of the inspiration for the music video: "The story is about someone going through depression, and seeing the way they're changing, and that fake alter-personality ... a lot of people go through depression and if you know someone who is, please talk to them and try to reach out. It's [also] about walking down memory lane and remembering just last year, feeling magical, like you were dancing in the moonlight."[8][10] As of December 2019, the video has been viewed over 45 million times on YouTube.[11]

First live and broadcast performances

On June 23, 2017, VanderWaal made her live performance debut of the track at VidCon US 2017.[3][12][13] Among other broadcast performances of the song, VanderWaal sang it at the first live results show, in August 2017, of America's Got Talent, season 12.[14]

Track listing
  • Digital download[15]
  1. Moonlight – 2:54
  • Digital download – BKAYE Remix[16]
  1. Moonlight (BKAYE Remix) – 3:41

Credits and personnel

Credits:[17]

  • Grace VanderWaal – writing and vocals
  • Ido Zmishlany – writing, producing and engineering
  • Andrew Pertes – bass
  • Dylan Brady – ukulele

Charts
Chart (2017) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[18] 3

Release history
Region Date Format Version Label Ref.
Various June 21, 2017 Digital download Original
[15]
August 18, 2017 BKAYE Remix [16]
gollark: I hope my internet radio station™ didn't break.
gollark: At last I have my mildly lower latency network link and large monitor.
gollark: Back now, muahahaha.
gollark: Scotland has the same gun laws as England, silly. Possibly stricter ones.
gollark: 5 minutes from arriving at home.

References
  1. "VanderWaal releases new single". News 12 Westchester. June 22, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  2. Weatherby, Taylor. "Grace VanderWaal on What She's Learned Since Being Signed & What Fans Can Expect on Her Debut Album", Billboard, March 8, 2017
  3. Gil, Kaufman (June 21, 2017). "Grace VanderWaal Drops Perfect Summer Song, 'Moonlight'". Billboard. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  4. Gabriella, Ginsberg (June 21, 2017). "Grace VanderWaal Will Get You Dancing In The 'Moonlight' With Catchy NewTrack – Listen". Hollywood Life. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  5. Cayla, Bamberger (June 22, 2017). "Listen: Grace VanderWaal Drops "Moonlight," and the Song Feels Like It Could've Been Ripped Straight From Your Diary". J-14. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  6. Raisa, Bruner (June 24, 2017). "5 Songs You Need to Listen to This Week". Time. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  7. Jon Pareles, Jon Caramanica, Giovanni Russonello (June 23, 2017). "The Playlist: Drake Shows Off His Latest Obsessions". The New York Times. Retrieved July 22, 2017.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. Maeve, McDermott (July 21, 2017). "Grace VanderWaal on 'Moonlight,' depression and almost turning down Simon Cowell". USA Today. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  9. Camille, Heimbrod (July 21, 2017). "'America's Got Talent' Season 11 Winner Grace Vanderwaal Stars In 'Moonlight' Music Video [WATCH]". International Business Times. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  10. Gabriella, Ginsberg (July 20, 2017). "Grace VanderWaal Dreams Up The Perfect Party In Dramatic 'Moonlight' Video — Watch". Hollywood Life. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  11. VanderWaal, Grace. "Grace VanderWaal – 'Moonlight'", GraceVanderWaalVEVO, YouTube, July 20, 2017, accessed December 8, 2019
  12. Camille, Heimbrod (July 5, 2017). "Where Is 'America's Got Talent' Season 11 Winner Grace Vanderwaal Now?". International Business Times. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  13. Laurie, Sullivan (June 22, 2017). "In A First, YouTube Opens VidCon With Live High-Dollar Production Streamed Online". MediaPost Communications. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  14. Natalie, Stone (August 16, 2017). "AGT Champion Grace VanderWaal Returns & Receives Standing Ovation from Judges After Performance of 'Moonlight'". People. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  15. "Moonlight - Single by Grace VanderWaal on Apple Music". iTunes Store. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  16. "Moonlight (BKAYE Remix) - Single by Grace VanderWaal on Apple Music". iTunes Store. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  17. VanderWaal, Grace. Just the Beginning, Target deluxe version liner notes, November 3, 2017
  18. "Ultratop.be – Grace VanderWaal – Moonlight" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
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