"Moi... Lolita"
Single by Alizée
from the album Gourmandises
Released3 July 2000 (2000-07-03)[1]
Recorded2000
Genre
Length4:26
LabelPolydor
Composer(s)Laurent Boutonnat
Lyricist(s)Mylène Farmer
Producer(s)
  • Laurent Boutonnat
  • Mylène Farmer
Alizée singles chronology
"Moi... Lolita"
(2000) 		"L'Alizé"
(2000)

"Moi... Lolita" (English: "Me... Lolita") is the debut single by French singer Alizée, released in July 2000 from her debut studio album, Gourmandises (2000). The single topped the charts in Italy and Spain, while reaching the top five in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Background

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

In 1999, Alizée appeared on the M6 channel's talent show Graines de star. Initially she intended to sign up for the programme's dance contest, but that category was reserved for groups only. Alizée therefore joined the singing category instead, performing the song "Waiting for Tonight" by Jennifer Lopez and "Ma Prière" (a single released by Axelle Red in 1997). She went on to win the Meilleure Graine award for most promising young singing star of tomorrow.

Her winning performance was seen by Mylène Farmer and Laurent Boutonnat, who were looking for a young, fresh voice to partake in their new project. They approached Alizée, and she was selected after studio auditions.

Composition

The song was instrumental in showcasing Alizée's image as that of a seductive Lolita character, referring to the 1955 novel Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. The lyrics to the song also make several references to the songwriter, Mylène Farmer.[2]

Critical reception

Peter Robinson from NME highly acclaimed the song, stated: "It's pop as pop should be: the perfect marriage of innocence and experience of which the French, from Birkin to Paradis, have always seemed overwhelmingly capable. All this plus it has one of the most electrifying middle eights ever committed to record."[3]

Commercial performance

In France, "Moi... Lolita" peaked at number two for 13 nonconsecutive weeks on the SNEP Singles Chart, being unable to dislodge "Les Rois du monde" by Gregori Baquet, Damien Sargue and Philippe D'Avilan from the number-one spot. It stayed in the top five for 24 consecutive weeks, and when Alizée's following single, "L'Alizé", reached number one, "Moi... Lolita" was still at number three. The song was certified gold two months after its release by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP).[1] In the United Kingdom the song was acclaimed by the NME who recognised it with a "Single of the Week" award. It became a rare example of a foreign-language song to chart highly in the UK, peaking at number nine to become the highest-charting French-language song since 1995, when Celine Dion's "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" peaked at number seven.[4]

Music video

The video for the single was directed by Laurent Boutonnat and was first premiered on 26 July 2000 on M6. It shows Alizée in a nightclub dancing and having fun. In the first part of the video Alizée is running away from a man who professes his love for her and gives her a money bill when she asks for it. Later, she flees from her abusive mother, with her little sister, to a nightclub and starts to dance. The video ends with Alizée and the little girl leaving and the man from the beginning following them.

Track listings

CD single – France

  1. "Moi... Lolita" (single version)
  2. "Moi... Lolita" (the piano version)

CD single – UK

  1. "Moi... Lolita" (single version) – 4:16
  2. "Moi... Lolita" (Lola extended remix) – 6:30
  3. "Moi... Lolita" (Illicit full vocal mix) – 8:05
  4. "Moi... Lolita" (CD rom video) – 4:50

CD maxi – Germany

  1. "Moi... Lolita" (radio edit) – 3:40
  2. "Moi... Lolita" (single version) – 4:16
  3. "Moi... Lolita" (Lola extended remix) – 6:30
  4. "Moi... Lolita" (hello helli t'es a dance mix) – 5:50
  5. "Moi... Lolita" (Lolidub remix) – 3:45
  6. "Moi... Lolita" (the piano version) – 4:20

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[1] Diamond 1,200,000[43]
Netherlands (NVPI)[44] Gold 40,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[45] Platinum 50,000^
Summaries
Worldwide — 2,000,000[43]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b c "French single certifications – Alizée – Moi? Lolita" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  2. ^ [1][dead link]
  3. ^ Robinson, Peter (26 November 2014). "Alizee : Moi… Lolita". NME. Retrieved 12 September 2005.
  4. ^ Masterton, James (17 February 2002). "Week Ending February 23rd 2002". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Alizée – Moi... Lolita" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Alizée – Moi... Lolita" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Alizée – Moi... Lolita" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Alizée – Moi... Lolita". Tracklisten. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 42. 14 October 2000. p. 10. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  10. ^ "Alizée – Moi... Lolita" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  11. ^ "Alizée – Moi...Lolita" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  13. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Alizée". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  14. ^ "Alizée – Moi... Lolita". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  15. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Alizee" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  16. ^ "Alizée – Moi...Lolita" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Major Market Airplay – Week 37/2001" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 37. 8 September 2001. p. 17. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  19. ^ "Alizée – Moi... Lolita" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  20. ^ "Alizée – Moi... Lolita". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  21. ^ "Alizée – Moi... Lolita". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  22. ^ "Alizee: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  23. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video" (in Polish). ZPAV. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  24. ^ "Rapports annuels 2000 – Singles" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  25. ^ "Year in Review – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2000" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 52. 23 December 2000. p. 9. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  26. ^ "Classement Singles – année 2000" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  27. ^ "Swiss Year-End Charts 2000". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  28. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2001". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  29. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2001 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  30. ^ "Rapports annuels 2001 – Singles" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  31. ^ "Year in Review – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2001" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 52. 23 December 2001. p. 14. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  32. ^ "Classement Singles – année 2001" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 17 January 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  33. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 2001" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  34. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  35. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2001" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  36. ^ "Swiss Year-End Charts 2001". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  37. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2002". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  38. ^ "Year in Review – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2002" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 21, no. 2/3. 11 January 2003. p. 14. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  39. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 2002" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  40. ^ "Top of the music" (PDF) (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2003. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  41. ^ "UK Year-End Charts 2002" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. p. 2. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  42. ^ "Decennium Charts – Singles 2000–2009" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  43. ^ a b PureMédias, ed. (22 August 2020). "Alizée : ses deux premiers albums sortiront en vinyle le 11 décembre" (in French). Charts in France. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  44. ^ "Dutch single certifications – Alizée – Moi... Lolita" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter Moi... Lolita in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2002 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  45. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Moi... Lolita')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
Categories