"Want You in My Room"
Song by Carly Rae Jepsen
from the album Dedicated
ReleasedMay 17, 2019 (2019-05-17)
GenreSynth-pop[1]
Length2:46
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jack Antonoff
Music video
"Want You in My Room" on YouTube

"Want You in My Room" is a 2019 pop song by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen, from her fourth studio album, Dedicated. It was written by Jepsen, Tavish Crowe, and its producer Jack Antonoff. Jepsen released a music video for the song in September, and a live version was included in her Spotify Singles EP in October 2019. "Want You in My Room" was named #32 on Rolling Stone's 50 Best Songs of 2019.[2][3]

Background

"Want You in My Room" has been described as a "euphoric, Eighties synth-laden" song[4] with "Daft Punk-like vocal effects and cheer squad vibe".[5] The song includes sexual lyrics in which the singer invites a partner to join her in bed. Jepsen's vocal performance on the track has been noted as referencing the early work of Cyndi Lauper.[6][7][8]

After its release, "Want You in My Room" has become a fan favourite.[9][10] It has made the list of Top 50 Songs of 2019 compiled by Pitchfork readers.[11]

Critical reception

"Want You in My Room" received acclaim from music critics. It has been described by The Independent as Dedicated's "most distinctive [song], both vocally and melodically"[4] and Mother Jones named it the second best song on the album.[12] NME praised the track's "brazen lyrics" and "jubilant instrumentation",[13] and Pitchfork complimented the "scene-stealing Jack Antonoff production".[14] Paste ranked "Want You in My Room" as one of the best songs of May 2019.[15] The song was also selected as one of the best tracks of 2019 by a number of The Guardian journalists.[16] In October 2022, Rachel Seo of Variety ranked the song as Jepsen's third best.[17]

In a more negative review from Consequence of Sound, the song was criticized for the "childlike tone" paired with sexual content.[5]

Year-end lists

Publication Year Accolade Rank Ref.
Rolling Stone 2019 50 Best Songs of 2019
32
[18]

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by Andrew Donoho and premiered on YouTube on September 19, 2019.[19] It begins with Jepsen sitting in her bed, wrapping up a phone conversation with her boyfriend. She then instructs her Google Home device to set timer for an hour and starts singing the song to a hairbrush in bed. The singer walks out of the room, which is pictured surrealistically disjointed in the middle of a green space, and dances her way to a dressing table nearby where she re-applies lipstick. She then proceeds to walk in and out of another room, each time re-appearing in a different outfit and a different setting: on a beach and by the side of a swimming pool. She finally runs back to her bedroom, where she starts dancing to the music played by a band which consists of furnitures with arms.[20] The video ends with the boyfriend knocking on the door and Carly pulling him inside by the tie.[2]

References

  1. ^ Rolling Stone Staff (December 6, 2019). "50 Best Songs of 2019". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 9, 2022. ...thank Jack Antonoff, who once again brings Eighties-synth-pop nostalgia to his production.
  2. ^ a b Mamo, Heran (September 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Wants to Stay Cooped Up With Her Lover in Cheery 'Want You in My Room' Video". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  3. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan; Shteamer, Hank (2019-12-06). "The 50 Best Songs of 2019". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  4. ^ a b Bray, Elisa (May 16, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen, Dedicated review: A positively jubilant album, covering the full spectrum of love, lust and break-ups". The Independent. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Barr, Natalia (May 16, 2019). "A More Confident Carly Rae Jepsen Knows What She Wants on Dedicated". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  6. ^ Snapes, Laura (May 17, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen: Dedicated review – dusky disco glories". The Guardian. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  7. ^ Clark, Freddie (June 24, 2019). "Album Review: Carly Rae Jepsen – Dedicated". www.redbrick.me. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  8. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (May 30, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen review: Pure pop joy with understated confidence". Evening Standard. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  9. ^ Torrijos, Celina (September 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Shares 'Want You In My Room' Video". www.much.com. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  10. ^ McCarty, India (September 25, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Drops Fun New Video For "Want You In My Room"". soundigest.com. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  11. ^ "The Best Music of 2019: Pitchfork Readers' Poll Results". Pitchfork. December 20, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  12. ^ Van Pykeren, Sam (May 17, 2019). "Here's a Completely Unbiased Ranking of Each Track on Carly Rae Jepsen's New Album". Mother Jones. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  13. ^ Mylrea, Hannah (May 17, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen – 'Dedicated' review". NME. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  14. ^ Gaca, Anna (May 17, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen: Dedicated". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  15. ^ Ellen Johnson (May 31, 2019). "The 15 Best Songs of May 2019". Paste. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  16. ^ "Guardian albums and tracks of 2019: how our writers voted". The Guardian. December 20, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  17. ^ Seo, Rachel (October 21, 2022). "Carly Rae Jepsen's 15 Best Songs, Ranked". Variety. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  18. ^ Lynch, J. (December 6, 2019). "50 Best Songs of 2019". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  19. ^ Strauss, Matthew (September 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Shares New "Want You in My Room" Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  20. ^ Alston, Trey (September 19, 2019). "Carly Rae Jepsen Opens Doors To Dates (And The Future) In 'Want You In My Room'". www.mtv.com. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
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