Mirrors (Natalia Kills song)

"Mirrors"
Single by Natalia Kills
from the album Perfectionist
Released	10 August 2010 (2010-08-10) (see release history)
Format	CD single, digital download
Recorded	2010; 11th Street Studios (Atlanta, Georgia) Chalice Recording Studios (Hollywood, Los Angeles, California) Cherrytree Recording Studios (Santa Monica, California)
Genre	Electropop, synthpop, electro rock
Length	3:16
Label	will.i.am, Cherrytree, Kon Live, Interscope, Bozadya, Dandyville
Writer(s)	Natalia Kills, Martin Kierszenbaum, Akon, Giorgio Tuinfort
Producer	Akon, Giorgio Tuinfort, Martin "Cherry Cherry Boom Boom" Kierszenbaum
Natalia Kills singles chronology
"They Talk Shit About Me" (2008) "Mirrors" (2010) "Wonderland" (2011)

"Mirrors" is a song by English recording artist Natalia Kills from her debut studio album, Perfectionist. Written by Kills, Martin Kierszenbaum, Akon and Giorgio Tuinfort, and produced by Akon, Tuinfort and Kierszenbaum, the song was released as the album's lead single in August 2010. Lyrically, "Mirrors" is about sex and the pleasure one gets from control, while featuring S&M themes. The song was met with positive reviews from most music critics, who compared it to the Eurythmics' 1983 song "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)".

Kills performed the song on Robyn and Kelis' All Hearts Tour. The accompanying music video is divided into three acts: "Vanity", "Control" and "Sex". The song has so far charted inside the top ten in Austria, Germany and Poland, the top fifty in Canada and the top fifty-five in Switzerland.

Composition

"Mirrors" is an electropop song with gothic influences, containing a "grinding synthesized beat" and "over-driven guitars".^[1][2] Lyrically, the song discusses relationships and sexual themes with the lyrics "Turning the lights out/Tighten the handcuffs/And the mirrors gonna fog tonight",^[3] whose S&M theme was compared to that of Rihanna.^[1] Critics also noted similarities to artists such as Fergie, Depeche Mode and the Eurythmics, as well as Lady Gaga's 2009 hit "Bad Romance".^[4] Regarding the song's meaning, Kills said:

"'Mirrors' is about me. I don't know if that's a very good thing to say because it's such a badass song. Maybe if people take the wrong thing away from it, they'll be like 'oh, she's just this sex-loving, vanity control freak.' But it's not about that. It's about celebrating your own power. It's about enjoying yourself. Not just enjoying what the other person can do for you, but what you can enjoy and take away from the situation."^[5]

Critical reception

Robert Copsey of Digital Spy described "Mirrors" as "a pitch-black disco-pop number with a grinding synthesised beat recalling the Eurythmics 'Sweet Dreams' that treads the line between urban and euro-friendly without sounding gimmicky."^[1] Matthew Wilkening of the AOL Radio Blog gave the song a positive review, stating, "By way of comparison, picture 'Sweet Dreams' by the Eurythmics all fueled-up on Red Bull and steroids, and then imagine a softer-voiced but equally risque Lady Gaga on the microphone."^[3] Bradley Stern of MuuMuse called the song "a delicious, dark moment of sexy electro-pop for the up-and-coming artist."^[2]

Chart performance

"Mirrors" reached number ten on the German Singles Chart and number two on the official Polish Airplay Chart.^[6][7] In Austria, the song debuted at number fifty-eight, eventually peaking at number seven in its ninth week.^[8] It fared less well in Switzerland, where it debuted at number seventy-two and peaked at number fifty-two.^[9] Elsewhere, the single reached number forty-six on the Canadian Hot 100 (spending six weeks altogether on the chart) and number three on the US Hot Dance Club Songs.^[10][11]

Music video

The music video for "Mirrors" premiered on Kills' official YouTube/Vevo account on 29 November 2010.^[12] It was directed by Kills and Guillaume Doubet, with whom she created the first installments of Love, Kills xx earlier in 2010.^[13][14] The video opens with Kills applying red lipstick in a car mirror while the instrumental of the song plays in the background, followed by the title card "Mirrors". She then leaves the car and passes by a man, who is afterwards seen standing between two women wearing plastic masks of Kills' face. The music mutes and the sound of footsteps is heard as Kills approaches a mirror that appears to be cracked. After hearing a noise behind her, she looks over her shoulder as her reflection turns to look at her. She is shown to be captured by someone before the title card of the first act, "Vanity", is displayed, where a metal skull (occasionally shown with Beats by Dr. Dre headphones) is shown as she sings and performs in front of the mirror. From this point on, the video is intercut with duplicated images of Kills (at times holding an axe) and scenes of her in a dark room surrounded with broken objects, chains and more. The second act named "Control" then starts as she stands on top of a glass box holding an axe, with a man inside the box filming her as she moves around the box. The video shifts to act three "Sex", showing her performing directly to the skull referencing William Shakespeare's Hamlet imagery. Towards the end of the video, Kills is seen handcuffed and chained while sitting on the floor, as well as seducing a blindfolded man.

Track listings

Digital download[15] "Mirrors" – 3:16 German CD single[16] "Mirrors" – 3:16 "Mirrors" (Frankmusik Obsidian Overkill Remix) – 3:20 German digital remix EP[17] "Mirrors" – 3:16 "Mirrors" (Frankmusik Obsidian Overkill Remix) – 3:20 "Mirrors" (Doctor Rosen Rosen Rx Remix) – 4:49 "Mirrors" (Sketch Iz Dead Dead Remix) – 4:15 "Mirrors" (Moto Blanco Radio) – 2:55

US digital remix EP[18] "Mirrors" (Sketch Iz Dead Remix) – 4:15 "Mirrors" (Doctor Rosen Rosen Rx Remix) – 4:49 "Mirrors" (Moto Blanco Dub) – 7:10 "Mirrors" (Purple Crush Remix) – 4:06 US digital Remixes Chapter 2 EP[19] "Mirrors" (Adrian Lux Remix) – 6:33 "Mirrors" (Frankmusik Obsidian Overkill Mix) – 3:20 "Mirrors" (Chris Moody Remix) – 6:39 "Mirrors" (Jeff T Club Remix) – 6:01

Personnel

• Natalia Kills – vocals
• Akon – producer
• Mark "Exit" Goodchild – engineer
• Martin Kierszenbaum – producer, instrumentation
• Robert Orton – mixing
• Giorgio Tuinfort – producer, instrumentation
• Tony Ugyal – engineer

Charts

Chart (2011)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[8]	7
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[20]	18
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[10]	46
Germany (Media Control AG)[6]	10
Poland (ZPAV)[7]	2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9]	52
UK Singles Chart[21]	190
US Hot Dance Club Songs[11]	3

Release history

Region	Date	Format
United States	10 August 2010[15]	Digital download
Germany	3 September 2010[22][23]
United Kingdom
United States	2 November 2010[18]	Digital remix EP
Germany	10 January 2011[17]
	11 February 2011[24][16]	CD single
United States	1 March 2011[25]	Digital download – Live at the Cherrytree House
United Kingdom	18 April 2011[26]	CD single
United States	26 April 2011[19]	Digital EP – Remixes Chapter 2

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Copsey, Robert. "Natalia Kills: 'Mirrors'". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/singlesreviews/a311522/natalia-kills-mirrors.html. Retrieved 2 April 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Stern, Bradley (26 July 2010). "Turn the Lights Out: Natalia Kills Teases with Killer Preview of First Single, "Mirrors"". MuuMuse. http://www.muumuse.com/2010/07/turn-the-lights-out-natalia-kills-teases-with-killer-preview-of-first-single-mirrors.html. Retrieved 26 July 2010. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Wilkening, Matthew (1 September 2010). "Natalia Kills, 'Mirrors' – New Song". AOL Radio Blog. http://www.aolradioblog.com/2010/09/01/natalia-kills-mirrors/. Retrieved 2 April 2011. 
4. ^ "Natalia Kills "Mirrors" hits the web in FULL!". The Prophet Blog. 27 July 2010. http://www.theprophetblog.net/natalia-kills-mirrors-hits-the-web-in-full. Retrieved 2 April 2011. 
5. ^ Boyer, Jennifer (31 March 2011). "Zombies, Gambling and Lady Gaga". Cheeky Chicago. http://www.cheekychicago.com/natalia-kills/. Retrieved 23 April 2011. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche - musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
7. ^ ^{a b} "Top 5 airplay: 09.04. – 15.04.2011". Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. http://zpav.pl/rankingi/listy/nielsen/top5.php?lang=2. Retrieved 21 April 2011. 
8. ^ ^{a b} "Natalia Kills – Mirrors – Austriancharts.at" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
9. ^ ^{a b} "Natalia Kills – Mirrors – swisscharts.com". Swiss Singles Chart. Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
10. ^ ^{a b} "Natalia Kills Album & Song Chart History" Canadian Hot 100 for Natalia Kills. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
11. ^ ^{a b} "Natalia Kills Album & Song Chart History – Dance/Club Play Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/natalia-kills/chart-history/1349310?f=359&g=Singles. Retrieved 11 May 2011. 
12. ^ "Natalia Kills – Mirrors". YouTube. 29 November 2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4By_cfI_1g. Retrieved 7 April 2011. 
13. ^ "The Official "Mirrors" Video is OUT NOW!". nataliakills.com. 2 December 2010. http://www.nataliakills.com/news/default.aspx?nid=32461. Retrieved 23 April 2011. 
14. ^ Daw, Robbie (2 December 2010). "Stare Into Natalia Kills' "Mirrors" Video". Idolator. Buzz Media. http://idolator.com/5706481/natalia-kills-mirrors-video. Retrieved 7 April 2011. 
15. ^ ^{a b} "Mirrors – Single by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mirrors-single/id385284838. Retrieved 23 April 2011. 
16. ^ ^{a b} "Mirrors (2-Track): Natalia Kills" (in German). Amazon.de. http://www.amazon.de/dp/B004FSON88. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
17. ^ ^{a b} "Mirrors Remix – EP von Natalia Kills" (in German). iTunes Store Germany. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/de/album/mirrors-remix-ep/id411497311. Retrieved 23 April 2011. 
18. ^ ^{a b} "Mirrors (Remix) – EP by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mirrors-remix-ep/id399793723. Retrieved 23 April 2011. 
19. ^ ^{a b} "Mirrors (Remixes) [Chapter 2] – EP by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mirrors-remixes-chapter-2-ep/id432521731. Retrieved 27 April 2011. 
20. ^ "Ultratop.be – Natalia Kills – Mirrors" (in Dutch). Ultratip. ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
21. ^ "CHART: CLUK Update 26.03.2011 (wk11)". The Official Charts Company. The Zobbel Website. http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/110326cluk.txt. Retrieved 25 September 2011. 
22. ^ "Mirrors – Single von Natalia Kills" (in German). iTunes Store Germany. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/de/album/mirrors-single/id390450109. Retrieved 23 April 2011. 
23. ^ "Mirrors – Single by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store UK. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/mirrors-single/id390450109. Retrieved 26 March 2011. 
24. ^ "Natalia Kills – Mirrors (CD Single)" (in German). Universal Music Germany. http://www.universal-music.de/musik/natalia-kills/detail/product/173907/mirrors/. Retrieved 23 April 2011. 
25. ^ "Mirrors (Live At the Cherrytree House) – Single by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mirrors-live-at-cherrytree/id421390463. Retrieved 23 April 2011. 
26. ^ Kills, Natalia (1 February 2011). "NataliaKills.com: Natalia ...". Twitter. http://twitter.com/#!/NataliaKills/status/32561657280466944. Retrieved 23 April 2011.