Rare

by Selena Gomez

Overview

The big news for Selena Gomez before the release of her sixth album, Rare, is that she finally had a number one single after years of getting close. The introspective and emotionally raw ballad "Lose You to Love Me" surrounded Gomez's aching vocals with sparse piano, swirling strings, and lush background vocals, and connected instantly with her fans and anyone who ever had to ditch someone in order to save themselves. That song, and the record it appears on, mark something of a turning point in her career. Where in the past she focused mostly on breezy sentiments, playful frothy pop, and more recently sexy come-ons, now she's digging deeper and mining her own life and loves for subject matter in more obvious and revealing ways. It may not be totally confessional -- and each song is helped to the finish line by teams of professional songwriters -- but within the realm of mainstream modern pop, Rare is surprisingly honest lyrically and Gomez sounds more open and invested in the songs than ever before. Lyrically they range from stripped bare ("Lose You," "Vulnerable") to empowered (the title track, "Look at Her Now") with stops along the way at freedom (the sparkly, French disco-inspired "Dance Again"), realization ("Kinda Crazy"), and slyly moving on ("Fun"). The team pair the words with hooky choruses that are easy to imagine being sung along with really loud and some sure-handed production that's never boring and strays happily into odd territory now and again -- the junky drum sound on "Rare," "Look at Her Now"'s chopped-up vocals, the computer-tweaked vocals of "People You Know," and the wobbly synths and arrangements of "A Sweeter Place" crafted by Kid Cudi. Gomez's albums work best when they don't chase trends, or do obvious things, and there is precious little of that here; only the very "Havana"-esque "Ring" falls victim to that particular problem. It's highly unlikely that Gomez will ever venture to the cutting edge of pop, but Rare proves that when she has strong songs and the producers get a little weird, she's just enough outside the mainstream to sound fresh. Add in some deeply felt and real emotion like she does here, and it verges on being something special, maybe her best record yet. If it isn't that, it's at least her most interesting one yet, and that's something fans of the homogenized pop scene of the era should celebrate. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	02/21/2020
Label:	Interscope / Polydor
UPC:	0602508561733
Rank:	5748

Tracks

1. Rare
2. Dance Again
3. Look at Her Now
4. Lose You to Love Me
5. Ring
6. Vulnerable
7. People You Know
8. Let Me Get Me
9. Crowded Room
10. Kinda Crazy
11. Fun
12. Cut You Off
13. A Sweeter Place
14. Feel Me

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Selena Gomez   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vacuum Cleaner,Vocals (Background)
Kid Cudi   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
6LACK   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Gucci Mane   Featured Artist
Steph Jones   Vocals (Background)
Ross Golan   Vocals (Background)
Mattias Bylund   Strings,Choir/Chorus,Synthesizer Strings
Mark Williams   Vocals (Background)
Justin Tranter   Percussion,Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Myah Marie   Vocals (Background)
Jason Evigan   Vocals (Background)
Amy Allen   Vocals (Background)
Marshmello   Featured Artist
Mattias Johansson   Violin
Pierre-Luc Rioux   Guitar
Rami Yacoub   Drums,Keyboards
Ian Kirkpatrick   Vocals (Background)
Julia Michaels   Choir/Chorus,Vocals (Background)
Albin Nedler   Drums,Guitar,Keyboards
David Pramik   Vocals (Background)
David Bukovinszky   Cello
Ammar Malik   Vocals (Background)
Jasmine Thompson   Vocals (Background)
Kristoffer Fogelmark   Bass,Drums,Guitar,Keyboards,Guitar (Bass)
Lisa Scinta   Vocals (Background)
MNEK   Vocals,Vacuum Cleaner,Vocals (Background)
Jon Bellion   Vocals (Background)
Phil Shaouy   Vocals (Background)
Sir Nolan   Percussion
Caroline Ailin   Vocals (Background)
Chloe Angelides   Vocals (Background)
Madison Love   Vocals (Background)
Kygo   Featured Artist
Mattman & Robin   Bass,Harp,Drums,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Strings,Clapping,Keyboards,Percussion,Synthesizer,Choir/Chorus,Guitar (Bass),Roland TR-808,Vocals (Background)
Avena Savage   Vocals (Background)
Liza Owen   Vocals (Background)
FINNEAS   Bass,Strings,Percussion,Synthesizer
Sam Homaee   Synthesizer
Henry Oyekanmi   Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Jake Faun   Guitar
Johan Lenox   Strings
Carl Bodell   Trumpet
Phil Phever   Keyboards,Guitar (Bass)
The Roomates   Percussion

Technical Credits

Serban Ghenea   Mixing
Tony Maserati   Mixing
Jonathan Mills   Producer
Chris Gehringer   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Will Quinnell   Mastering,Mastering Engineer,Assistant Mastering Engineer
John Hanes   Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Patrick Reynolds   Producer,Instrumentation
Julie Frost   Composer
Mike Dean   Producer,Instrumentation
Simon Wilcox   Composer
Manny Marroquin   Mixing
Steph Jones   Composer
Tony Kamana   Mixing
Ross Golan   Composer
Mattias Bylund   Editing,Arranger,Engineer,String Arrangements
Mark Williams   Composer,Engineer,Programming,Instrumentation,Composer
Justin Tranter   Composer
Selena Gomez   Composer,Executive Producer
Kid Cudi   Composer,Producer,Instrumentation
Jonathan Castelli   Mixing
Chris Galland   Mixing Engineer
Jacob Kasher   Composer
Oladipo Omishore   Producer,Instrumentation
Scott Mescudi   Composer
Jason Evigan   Composer,Producer,Instrumentation
Amy Allen   Composer
Bart Schoudel   Arranger,Engineer,Producer,Vocal Producer
Billboard   Producer,Instrumentation
Chris Kahn   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Sam Holland   Engineer
Stephanie Jones   Composer
Scott Harris   Composer
Jon Mills   Composer,Producer
David Kim   Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Dina Hovsepian   Package Art Direction
Sam Riback   A&R
Rami Yacoub   Composer,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Jordan Johnson   Composer
Ian Kirkpatrick   Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Recording,Vocal Producer,Instrumentation
Julia Michaels   Composer
Mattias Larsson   Composer
Dale Becker   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Andrew Boyd   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Albin Nedler   Composer,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Cory Bice   Engineer
David Pramik   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Instrumentation
Stefan Johnson   Composer,Engineer
Ben Dotson   Sound Editing,Post Production
Breyan Isaac   Composer
Jon Castelli   Mixing
Marta Navas   A&R
Ammar Malik   Composer
Jasmine Thompson   Composer
Uzoechi Emenike   Composer
Simon Says   Engineer,Producer,Vocal Producer,Instrumentation
Kurtis McKenzie   Composer,Producer
Kristoffer Fogelmark   Composer,Producer,Programming,Instrumentation
Lisa Scinta   Composer
Nolan Lambroza   Composer,Engineer
Robin Fredriksson   Composer
Brett McLaughlin   Composer
Bebe Rexha   Composer
Jon Bellion   Producer,Instrumentation
Jonathan Bellion   Composer
Phil Shaouy   Composer
Sir Nolan   Engineer,Producer,Programming,Vocal Producer,Instrumentation
Benjamin Rice   Engineer,Recording,Vocal Producer
Alex Hope   Composer,Producer,Instrumentation
Bo Bodnar   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Caroline Ailin   Composer
Chloe Angelides   Composer
The Monsters & Strangerz   Producer,Instrumentation
Greg Eliason   Assistant Engineer
Madison Love   Composer
Mattman & Robin   Engineer,Producer,Programming,Vocal Producer,Synthesizer Programming
Bleta Rexha   Composer
Mathieu Jomphe Lepine   Composer
David Ciente   Composer
Jeremy Lertola   Engineer
Robin Florent   Assistant
Laura Kilborn   Producer
Scott Friedman   Composer
Michelle an   Video,Creation
Liz Robson   Engineer,Recording
Miles Comaskey   Engineer,Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Vanessa Angiuli   A&R
Raul Cubina   Composer,Engineer,Programming
Alexandra Robotham   Composer
Simon Rosen   Composer
6LACK   Composer
Ricardo Valentine   Engineer
Sean Douglas   Composer,Producer
Finneas O'Connell   Producer
Lil Aaron   Composer
Jeremy Tomlinson   Assistant,Assistant Engineer,Additional Production
Gian Stone   Producer,Vocal Producer,Vocal Production Assistance
Liza Owen   Composer
Scott Desmarais   Assistant
FINNEAS   Producer,Programming
Gavin Finn   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Sam Homaee   Composer
Jon Wienner   Composer,Recording
Najeeb Jones   Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Rafael Fadul   Engineer
William J Sullivan   Arranger,Engineer
Sedrick Moore II   Assistant
Josh Deguzman   Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Christiana Divona   Video,Creation
Lionel Crasta   Assistant
Jake Faun   Engineer,Instrumentation
Jeremie Inhaber   Assistant
Johan Lenox   Arranger,Producer,String Arrangements
Ryan Dulude   Engineer,Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Ojivolta   Producer
Caroline Franklin   Photography
Courtney Lopez   Photography
Hunter Simmons   Video,Creation
Kevin Brunhober   Assistant,Assistant Engineer,Additional Production
Marc Inamorato   Airbrushing
Max Angles   Cover Design
Mick Raskin   Assistant
Raquelle Stevens   Photography
Naseeb Jones   Mixing Engineer
Petra Collins   Cover Photo,Photography
Anna Collins   Photography
Ben Doston   Sound Editing,Vocal Producer
Connar Franklin   Photography
Phil Phever   Producer,Vocal Producer
The Roomates   Producer,Vocal Producer