Vulnerable (Selena Gomez song)

"Vulnerable"
Song by Selena Gomez
from the album Rare
ReleasedJanuary 10, 2020 (2020-01-10)
StudioInterscope Studios (Santa Monica, California)
Genre
Length3:12
LabelInterscope
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Lyric video
"Vulnerable" on YouTube

"Vulnerable" is a song by American singer Selena Gomez from her third studio album, Rare (2020), included as the sixth track on the standard version album, and on the deluxe version the eighth track. The track was written by Gomez, Amy Allen, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, and Jonathan Bellion, with the latter handling production alongside the Monsters & Strangerz.

The song received acclaim from music critics, who praised Gomez's vocals and the songwriting.

Composition

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Musically, "Vulnerable" is a disco,[1][2] electropop,[3] and synth-pop song[4] with elements of Italo disco and tropical house genres.[5] The song features a "moody synth groove",[6] a "chugging rhythm",[5] and vocoded vocals[5] with a "ghostly edge".[5] In terms of music notation, "Vulnerable" was composed using common time in the key of G minor, with a tempo of 100 beats per minute.[7] Gomez's vocal range spans from the low note of F3 to the high note of D5, giving the song one octave and four tones of range.[7] Lyrically, it finds Gomez struggling to let someone in, through the chorus "if I show you all my demons/and we dive into the deep end/would we crash and burn like every time before?", wondering whether they could handle her, if she showed her vulnerabilities to them.[8] Gomez has also stated that the song is one of her favorites off the album.

Critical reception

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"Vulnerable" received acclaim from music critics. Quinn Moreland of Pitchfork called the song Gomez's "best performance" stating that she "sounds firm and assured even when she dips into a whisper."[9] Idolator highlighted the song as a "delight" from Rare.[10] Mike Wass from the website wrote that "Vulnerable" ranks "as one of best synth-pop offerings of 2020", calling it as "frighteningly addictive" as "musical heroin".[11] Furthermore, the site ranked the song at number 6 on "The 100 Best Pop Songs of 2020" list.[12]

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of Rare.[13]

Recording locations

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Personnel

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Charts

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Chart (2020) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[14] 87
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[15] 13
Portugal (AFP)[16] 129
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[17] 14

Certifications

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Certifications for "Vulnerable"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[18] Gold 20,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various January 10, 2020
Interscope [19]

References

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  1. ^ Wood, Mikael (January 9, 2020). "Selena Gomez has 165 million Instagram followers. Now she has her first great pop album". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 10, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  2. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (January 9, 2020). "Selena Gomez's Rare is a danceable lesson in self-love and acceptance". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  3. ^ Wass, Mike (January 13, 2020). "Album Review: Selena Gomez's 'Rare' Is A Pop Revelation". Idolator. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  4. ^ Emma Maliborski (April 22, 2020). "Selena Gomez Learns the Language of Self-Advocacy on "Rare"". The Fordham Ram. Archived from the original on June 11, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d Kheraj, Alim (January 10, 2020). "Every Song Ranked on Selena Gomez's 'Rare'". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 10, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  6. ^ DeVille, Chris (January 9, 2020). "Selena Gomez's Rare Was Worth The Wait". Stereogum. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Selena Gomez "Vulnerable" Sheet Music in G Minor". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  8. ^ "Selena Gomez – Vulnerable Lyrics | Genius Lyrics". January 10, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  9. ^ Moreland, Quinn (January 14, 2020). "Selena Gomez: Rare Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  10. ^ Wass, Mike (July 2, 2020). "The 20 Best Pop Albums Of 2020 (So Far)". Idolator. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  11. ^ Wass, Mike (June 4, 2020). "Lost Hit: Selena Gomez's'Vulnerable' Should Have Been A Single". Idolator. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  12. ^ Wass, Mike (December 26, 2020). "The 100 Best Pop Songs of 2020". Idolator. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021.
  13. ^ Rare (CD booklet). Selena Gomez. Interscope Records. 2020.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ "Selena Gomez Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  15. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. January 20, 2020. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  16. ^ "Selena Gomez – Vulnerable". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  17. ^ "Selena Gomez Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  18. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Selena Gomez – Vulnerable" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  19. ^ "Rare (Deluxe) by Selena Gomez". Apple Music. Archived from the original on April 26, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
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