"Niliria"
Song by G-Dragon featuring Missy Elliott
from the album Coup d'Etat
ReleasedAugust 2013
Recorded2011–2012
Genre
Length2:52
LabelYG Entertainment
Songwriter(s)
  • G-Dragon
  • Missy Elliott
Producer(s)

"Niliria" is a song by K-pop musician G-Dragon, featuring American recording artist Missy Elliott from G-Dragon's second studio album, Coup d'Etat (2013). To date, it remains as one of the six songs from the album to enter the top ten on South Korea's Gaon Singles Chart.[1] On 2 December 2013, the song ranked number 32 on Complex's The 50 Best Songs of 2013.[2]

Background

Vocals for the song were recorded in 2011 via e-mail and telephone.[3][4] On 23 January 2013, Missy Elliott revealed via Twitter that she had worked with G-Dragon on the track alongside another titled "Chugalug," which was never released.[5] Both songs were chiefly produced by Teddy Park.[5] In June 2013, G-Dragon's label YG Entertainment released a statement discussing the making of the song and went in-depth of Elliott's involvement.[6] The label stated that the song "[broke] away from the convention with a hint of Korean taste," and added that "the tinge of a voice sample from [the] Korean traditional folk song 'Nilliliya' [made] it a one-of-a-kind, classy hip-hop track."[6] G-Dragon at first did not think about including Elliott during the early recording process because of the motive of using a traditional Korean folk song.[4] However, he felt a strong desire to feature "more of a past" female artist, and enlisted Elliott in the midst of it all because he was a fan of her work.[4]

Composition

"Niliria' is inspired by and samples a traditional Korean folk song of the same name, turning its beat into "a piece of booming club music," with "a few electro and 808 flourishes thrown in the mix."[2] The composition also includes "sirens and clattering hand percussion" and the vocals were described as "chopped-up".[7] The song's production was noted for being ethnic and surrealist, which drew comparisons to the work of Timbaland.[2]

Live performances

The song was performed with Missy Elliott in Los Angeles, California at the KCON 2013 venue, M! Countdown: What's Up LA.[8] G-Dragon stated that performing with Elliott "was such an honor," and that he "learned a lot."[4] The Hollywood Reporter praised the performance, saying the rappers "with their combined corps of backup dancers, looked utterly comfortable onstage together."[9] Spin hailed the performance a "thrilling cross-continental pop moment."[7]

Charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
South Korea (Gaon Digital Chart)[1] 9
South Korea (K-Pop Hot 100)[10] 30
US World Digital Songs (Billboard)[11] 8

References

  1. ^ a b "Gaon Digital Chart". Gaon (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Frederick, Brendan (2 December 2013). "32. G Dragon f/ Missy Elliott "Niliria" - The 50 Best Songs of 2013". Complex. Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  3. ^ "(LOEN TV) Ask in a Box: G-Dragon (지드래곤)_Coup D'etat(쿠데타)" (YouTube video). LOEN Entertainment (in Korean). YouTube. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d Lent, Jesse (10 September 2013). "G-Dragon Explains Why Missy Elliott Was His First Choice For 'Niliria' Collaboration". KpopStarz.com. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Twitter / MissyElliott: @IFIWereMagneto it was 2 records..." Twitter. January 23, 2013. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "News About 'G-Dragon'". yg-life.com. YG Entertainment. 25 June 2013. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  7. ^ a b Hogan, Marc (August 30, 2013). "Watch Missy Elliott and G-Dragon Duet in Official 'Niliria' Live Video". Spin. Archived from the original on 2017-06-22. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
  8. ^ "G-Dragon 0829 M Countdown K-Con in LA 늴리리야 (ft. Missy Elliott)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  9. ^ Sun, Rebecca (August 23, 2013). "Missy Elliott's Buzzed-About K-Pop Duet Released (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  10. ^ "G-Dragon - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 28 December 2013.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "Billboard World Digital Songs: Chart Search". Billboard. September 21, 2013. Archived from the original on November 18, 2018.
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