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My Love Is Like...Wo
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = My Love Is Like...Wo
| cover = Mya - My Love Is Like Wo.png
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Ma
| album = Moodring
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
* The Record Plant (Hollywood, California)
* Interscope (Santa Monica, California)
| genre = R&B
| length =
| label = Interscope
| writer =
* Missy Elliott
* Charles Bereal
* Kenneth Bereal
| producer = Missy Elliott
| prev_title = Lady Marmalade
| prev_year = 2001
| next_title = Fallen
| next_year = 2003
| misc =
}}
"'My Love Is Like...Wo'" is a song by American singer Ma, released as the lead single from her third studio album, 'Moodring' (2003), on June 9, 2003. Ma re-teamed up with rapper Missy Elliott after the global success of "Lady Marmalade" (2001) to record the song. Before being released, it took Ma a whole year to decide to record the song because of its graphic lyrical content. The song was written by Elliott along with brothers Charles and Kenneth Bereal. Lyrically, the mid-tempo song is about self-love.
The song received generally mixed to positive reviews from contemporary music critics, applauding Ma for her newfound sexual freedom. "My Love Is Like...Wo" became a top-20 hit on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 for week of September 6, 2003, peaking and spending four consecutive weeks at number 13. It performed similarly on 'Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it peaked at number 17. Internationally, the single charted within the top 40 in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
The song's accompanying music video was filmed by director Paul Hunter, who envisioned Harrison to perform a one-woman show. The video earned her two nominations at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Dance Video and Best Choreography, while choreographer Travis Payne garnered a nomination at the American Choreography Awards for Outstanding Achievement Music Video.
Background and composition
Recorded in 2001, "My Love Is Like...Wo" was written and produced by American rapper Missy Elliott along with production duo CKB, consisting of brothers Charles and Kenneth Bereal. Additional production on the song was handled by Ron Fair. Before Harrison decided to release "My Love Is...Wo" as the first single from 'Moodring' (2003), she admitted she was not always comfortable with the song and its graphic lyric content. Speaking to 'Billboard' magazine, she explained, "Back then, I wasn't so confident in saying, 'My a** is like wo' [...] I was coming out of doing a program with young girls that talked about self-esteem and body image. I realized that I really couldn't worry about what people think of me. I'm at that point in my life now where I can say, 'My ass is like wo.' I wasn't even considering the song to be on the album at that time, but I later fought for it to be the single."
"My Love Is Like...Wo" is a mid-tempo song composed in the key of G major. The song's tempo is set a slow moderate sixty-nine beats per minute in common time. Ma's vocal range spans from G3 to D5. The lyrics for "My Love Is Like...Wo" are composed in the traditional verse-chorus form. Ma opens the song with brief spoken lyrics. She begins the first verse, followed by the chorus leading her into the second verse. The song continues to the bridge, chorus, then fades out with the piano and Ma chanting "Wo! Wo! Wo! Wo! Wo!".
Critical reception
'Billboard' magazine gave "My Love Is Like...Wo" a positive review writing, "The doe-eyed girl next door is proving to be quite a versatile performer, with a decidedly vampish performance in the movie 'Chicago' and new imaging that redresses Ma as a sexy and certain young woman. The first single from forthcoming 'Moodring' [...] is a playfully coy call to arms for the singer's more tactile attributes, from her love, her kiss, and her touch to her sex, ass, and bodyall of which 'are like wo.' Get it? An appropriately hip-swaying beat swirls around the vocal, courtesy of ever-hitworthy producer Missy Elliott. This is the record that will propel Ma to the A-list among today's pop/R&B icons; throughout the song, she delivers womanly strength and sass with a knowing wink. Moodring sounds like a perfect fit."
Accolades
Commercial performance
In the United States, "My Love Is Like...Wo" debuted on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 at number 81 on the issue dated June 28, 2003. The song reached its peak position of number 13 on the chart dated September 6, 2003, spending four consecutive weeks at its peak. It spent 20 consecutive weeks altogether on the chart and became Ma's fifth non-consecutive top 40 solo hit on that chart. On 'Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, the single debuted at number 62 on June 21, 2003, peaking at number 17 on August 23, 2003. It spent a total of 19 consecutive weeks on the chart and became Ma's sixth non-consecutive top 40 solo hit on that chart.
Elsewhere, "My Love Is Like...Wo" became a modest hit. The single debuted and peaked at number 33 on the UK Singles Chart for the week of September 14, 2003, dropping to number 53 the following week before falling off the top 75. It debuted on the Irish Singles Chart at number 36 on September 11, 2003, and it remained on the chart for one week. In Australia, "My Love Is Like...Wo" debuted and peaked at number 25 on the ARIA Singles Chart during the week of September 1, 2003, spending three consecutive weeks at its peak position and 12 weeks in the top 50. The song debuted at number 49 in New Zealand for the week of September 21, 2003, peaking at number 33 six weeks later.
Music video
The song's music video was featured on 'MTV's 'Making the Video'. The video was filmed and directed by Paul Hunter, who had previously worked with Ma on "Lady Marmalade" (2001) with Christina Aguilera, Pink, Lil' Kim, and Missy Elliott. His concept for the video was to have Ma act as a one-woman show. Although this initially was not Ma's vision or idea for the song's video, she agreed to it. However, she did voice her opinion in the styling of the video from the many different costumes changes. She came up with the ideas of the pimpstress and gangster look. In the video, Ma smoked a cigar, then displayed her tap-dancing during the song's breakdown as well. The dance sequence in the video was choreographed by Travis Payne. The video was released on May 29, 2003.
Live performances
Ma made several television appearances to promote and perform "My Love Is Like...Wo". She first performed the song on 'Live! with Regis and Kelly' on the release day of 'Moodring' album on July 22, 2003. Ma appeared on BET's '106 & Park' and performed "My Love Is Like...Wo" again on July 25, 2003. On August 6, 2003, Ma performed a medley of "My Love Is Like...Wo" and "Whatever Bitch" (a track from 'Moodring') on The WB's 'Pepsi Smash'. During the performance breakdown of "Whatever Bitch", she vogued with drag queens.
Remixes
"My Love Is Like...Wo" spawned several remixes, including two official sequel remixes. "Part II My Love Is Like...Wo (Allstar Remix)" features additional production by Allen "Allstar" Gordon Jr. and contains an interpolation from Black Rob's 2000 song "Whoa!", written by Rob, Harve Pierre, and Buckwild and originally produced by the latter. Rapper John Doe contributed additional vocals to this version. "Part III My Love Is Like...Wo (Swizz Mix)" was produced by Swizz Beatz, who recorded additional vocals with rapper Cassidy for the track. It contains an interpolation from Eve's song "Double R What", which appeared on her 2002 album 'Eve-Olution' and was also produced by Swizz Beatz.
Legacy
In her interview with 'Singersroom' former Bad Boy signee turned indie recording artist DWN praised Ma as a dancer and her "My Love Is Like...Wo" video, commenting, "Thats something I want people to see as an R&B artist, because you havent seen any R&B artist do that many techniques and styles since really, Ma. She was tap dancing in one of her videos. She was one of the first artists to really push different styles of dance in her videos." Speaking on behalf of "My Love Is Like...Wo" and its video, she gushed, In [My Love is Like] Whoa she was tap dancing and she did a little bit of hip-hop, then there was jazz moments." Concluding, Ma was "really pushing the bar." Australian singer Nicole Millar covered "My Love Is Like...Wo" with DJ/producer Zuri Akoko for their 'Covers' EP (2015). Out of the three tracks they chose to cover, Nicole cited "My Love Is Like...Wo" as her favorite cover.
Track listings
*'US CD single'
#"My Love Is Like...Wo" 3:29
#"No Sleep Tonight" 3:46
*'US 12-inch single'
:A1. "My Love Is Like...Wo" (Main Mix) 3:31
:B1. "My Love Is Like...Wo" (Acapella) 3:31
:B2. "My Love Is Like...Wo" (Instrumental) 3:29
*'European CD single'
#"My Love Is Like...Wo" 3:29
#"Case of the Ex" 3:55
*'European CD maxi single'
#"My Love Is Like...Wo" 3:29
#"Case of the Ex" 3:55
#"Little Too Much, Little Too Late" 3:24
#"My Love Is Like...Wo" (Video)
*'UK 12-inch single'
:A1. "My Love Is Like...Wo"
:B1. "Part II My Love Is Like...Wo" (Allstar Mix) (Main Pass)
:B2. "Little Too Much, Little Too Late"
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of 'Moodring'.
Recording
* Recorded at The Record Plant (Hollywood, California) and Interscope Studios (Santa Monica, California)* Mixed at Enterprise Studios (Burbank, California)
* Mastered at Oasis Mastering (Studio City, California)
Personnel
* Ma vocals, vocal arrangement
* Missy Elliott production, additional background vocals
* CKB co-production
* Eric Dawkins vocal arrangement
* Ron Fair vocal arrangement, string arrangements, string conducting, additional production
* Sue Ann Carwell additional background vocals
* Tal Herzberg Pro Tools engineering
* Dave "Hard Drive" Pensado mixing
* Ethan Willoughby mix engineering assistance
* Eddy Schreyer mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Release history
References
Category:2003 singles
Category:2003 songs
Category:Interscope Records singles
Category:Music videos directed by Paul Hunter (director)
Category:Ma songs
Category:Songs written by Missy Elliott
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