View source for Us Against the World (Christina Milian song)

{{good article}}
{{use mdy dates |date=July 2020}}
{{infobox song
| name       = Us Against the World
| cover      = Christina Milian - Us Against the World.jpg
| alt        = A woman appears against a purple spotlight, against a black background. Her skin is tinged blue while a pink heart glows in the centre of her chest. To the top right, it reads "Christina Milian", followed by "Us Against the World".
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Christina Milian]]
| album      =
| released   = {{Start date|2008|10|6}}
| recorded   =
| studio     = [[Larrabee Sound Studios|Larrabee Sound]] (Hollywood, California)
| genre      =
| length     = {{ubl|{{duration|m=4|s=39}} (single version)|{{duration|m=4|s=16}} ([[Jason Nevins]] remix)|{{duration|m=4|s=02}} (video edit)}}
| label      = *[[MySpace Records|MySpace]]
*[[Interscope Records|Interscope]]
| writer     = *Christina Milian
*[[Makeba Riddick]]
*Theodore "Madd Scientst" Thomas
| producer   = Madd Scientist
| chronology = Christina Milian
| prev_title = [[Say I]]
| prev_year  = 2006
| next_title = [[Hello (Stafford Brothers song)|Hello]]
| next_year  = 2012
| misc       = {{Extra album cover
| header  =
| type    = single
| cover   = File:Christina Milian - UATW Jason Nevins Remix.jpg
| border  = yes
| alt     = A woman stands against a wall of LED lights, she stands leaning into the wall with her hands up to the ceiling. To the bottom, it reads "Christina Milian", followed by "Us Against the World (Jason Nevins Remix)".
| caption = Cover for [[Jason Nevins]] remix
}}
}}
"'''Us Against the World'''" is a song by American entertainer [[Christina Milian]]. It was written by Milian and [[Makeba Riddick]] as well as the producer Theodore "Madd Scientst" Thomas. The song was released for [[Streaming media|streaming]] as a [[Single (music)|single]] on October 6, 2008 by [[MySpace Records]], through a joint venture with [[Interscope Records|Interscope]], as part of a new record deal for Milian. The song is Milian's first release since her 2006 album ''[[So Amazin']]'' and the single "[[Say I]]". Shortly after the release of that album, Milian was dropped from longtime record label [[Def Jam Recordings|Def Jam]] due to poor album sales. "Us Against the World" is a cinematic [[Power ballad|ballad]], which Milian acknowledged was her first ballad release. Milian conceived the song as a love anthem while watching the [[Romeo + Juliet|1996 adaption]] of [[William Shakespeare]]'s romantic tragedy, ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', and wanting to create music that captured the same themes.
A [[music video]] inspired by the films ''[[Mad Max (film)|Mad Max]]'' (1979) and ''[[300 (film)|300]]'' (2007), helmed by [[Ray Kay]], was released in promotion of the song. Filmed in [[Photographic print toning#Sepia toning|Sepia]], the video features Milian alone amongst sand dunes in a desert backdrop before uniting with her love interest. Kay had previously worked with Milian for the videos on the videos for her singles "[[Whatever U Want]]" and "Say I" in 2004 and 2006, respectively. Additionally, a remix of the song produced by [[Jason Nevins]] was, released in January 2009. "Us Against the World" experienced limited commercial success, peaking at number 65 on the US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Pop 100 Airplay]] and number 112 on the [[UK Singles Chart]]. The song was billed as the [[lead single]] for her fourth studio album ''Dream in Colour'', later titled ''Elope'', which ultimately went unreleased after more record label changes for Milian.
==Background and release==
In 2006, Milian left longtime record label [[Def Jam Recordings]], shortly after the release of her third studio album ''[[So Amazin']]''. It was widely reported in the media that this was due to low album sales, with 163,000 copies of ''So Amazin{{'}}'' sold in the first week.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/29/AR2006062900846_pf.html |title=TheScene Shows to Catch |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |last=Fields |first=Curt |date=June 30, 2006 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911114523/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/29/AR2006062900846_pf.html |archive-date=September 11, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Billboard 2008-09-18">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1044036/exclusive-milian-signs-with-myspace-records |title=Exclusive: Milian Signs With MySpace Records |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |last=Concepcion |first=Mariel |date=September 18, 2008 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622205353/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1044036/exclusive-milian-signs-with-myspace-records |archive-date=June 22, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Speaking to ''[[Rap-Up]]'', Milian said the experience had a negative impact on her, "It was embarrassing. It was a week after my album got put out. I would be in my room a lot of the time crying by myself." Milian said she was let go by the label for budget cuts, but felt like it was "to spend the money on {{Bracket|[[Rihanna]]}}".<ref name="Rap-Up AHN 2008-12-18">{{cite web |url=http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7013455697 |title=Christina Milian Says She Was Dropped From Def Jam Because Of Rihanna, Surprised By Ex Nick Cannon's Marriage To Mariah |website=Allheadlinenews.com |last=Jones |first=Anthony |date=December 18, 2008 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414200211/http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7013455697 |archive-date=April 14, 2009}}</ref> Less than two years later, it was confirmed that Milian had signed a new deal with [[MySpace Records]], a joint venture between the [[Social networking service|social networking]] service [[Myspace|MySpace]] and American record label [[Interscope Records|Interscope]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2005-11-03-myspace-records_x.htm |title=MySpace launches record label |work=[[USA Today]] |date=November 3, 2005 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042656/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2005-11-03-myspace-records_x.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>
''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' carried the exclusive announcement, in which Milian said: "I've been out of the game for one-and-a-half years, and I think I'm long overdue for a comeback, so I'm treating this album like it's my last chance to make an impression. I'm competing with myself and being very detailed."<ref name="Billboard 2008-09-18"/> "Us Against the World" was announced as the album's [[lead single]], with the album, tentatively titled ''Dream in Colour'', due for release in early 2009.<ref name="Rap-Up AHN 2008-12-18"/> The song was made available for [[Streaming media|streaming]] on the MySpace platform as a [[Single (music)|single]] by the aforementioned record labels on October 6, 2008.<ref name="Billboard 2008-09-18"/> It was serviced to US [[contemporary hit radio]] on October 28, 2008.<ref name="US Radio">{{Cite web |url=http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=10%2F28%2F2008&Format=1 |title=®R&R :: Going For Adds™ :: CHR/Top 40 |publisher=Radio & Records |access-date=September 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218184748/http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=10%2F28%2F2008&Format=1 |archive-date=February 18, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> A [[Jason Nevins]] produced remix of the song was later released, and appeared on the compilation album ''Jason Nevins Presents Ultra Dance 10'', released on January 6, 2009.<ref name="Jason Nevins">{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Against-World-Jason-Nevins-Remix/dp/B084FD5DYW/ |title=Us Against the World (Jason Nevins Remix) by Christina Milian |publisher=[[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] |date=January 6, 2009 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704194537/https://www.amazon.com/Against-World-Jason-Nevins-Remix/dp/B084FD5DYW/ |archive-date=July 4, 2020}}</ref> The remix was released to [[iTunes Store|iTunes]] in the United States on January 6, 2009 by [[Radio Killa Records]], MySpace and Interscope.<ref name="JN Remix"/>
In early 2009, Milian confirmed that she had signed to [[The-Dream]]'s Radio Killa record label and would be re-titling the album ''Elope''. Further delays to the album's release came as Radio Killa and Milian agreed a deal with Interscope  to distribute the album. Initially, "Us Against the World" was still billed as the album's first single, but Milian later stated that fans could expect a new lead single in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rap-up.com/2009/03/02/christina-milian-changes-album-title-to-elope/ |title=Christina Milian Changes Album Title to 'Elope' |website=Rap-Up |date=March 2, 2009 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118185204/https://www.rap-up.com/2009/03/02/christina-milian-changes-album-title-to-elope/ |archive-date=November 18, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rap-up.com/2009/02/17/christina-milian-signs-with-the-dreams-radio-killa-records/ |title=Christina Milian Signs with The-Dream's Radio Killa Records |website=Rap-Up |date=February 17, 2009 |access-date=June 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118184250/https://www.rap-up.com/2009/02/17/christina-milian-signs-with-the-dreams-radio-killa-records/ |archive-date=November 18, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Music and lyrics ==
"Us Against the World" was written by Milian, [[Makeba Riddick]] and Theodore "Madd Scientst" Thomas, with the latter also handing [[record producer|production]]; the song was [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixed]] by [[Manny Marroquin]] at [[Larrabee Sound Studios]] in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], California.<ref name="Liner">Milian, Christina – "Us Against the World". (CD Single). [[MySpace Records]] ([[Interscope Records|Interscope]]) Catalog. MSR 10036-P1</ref> ''Billboard''{{'}}s Mariel Concepcion described the song as a "cinematic [[power ballad]]".<ref name="Billboard 2008-09-18"/>   Milian conceived the concept while watching the [[Romeo + Juliet|1996 adaption]] of [[William Shakespeare]]'s romantic tragedy ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', and wanting to write a love song to reflect the same themes. Describing the song as her first [[Sentimental ballad|ballad]], Milian told ''[[RWD Magazine|RWDmag]]'' that it was about "having somebody to be there for you through thick and thin".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rwdmag.com/articles/7648/Need-For-Speed-Uncovered-Christina-Milian.html |title=''Need For Speed'' Uncovered: Christina Milian |access-date=January 14, 2009 |magazine=[[RWD Magazine]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503131531/http://www.rwdmag.com/articles/7648/Need-For-Speed-Uncovered-Christina-Milian.html |archive-date=May 3, 2009}}</ref> In another interview with ''[[944 Magazine]]'', Milian called the song a "love anthem" because "the lyrics speak a million words for people all over the world", adding that:
{{cquote|I am taking a chance by putting out my first ballad it's very exciting. I think our country specifically needs a record like this. It's about passion, true love and sticking by someone through thick and thin. Life and love can be a battle and I would like to inspire people with love.<ref name="balladrelease">{{cite web |url=http://www.944.com/articles/top-nine-for-944-with-christina-milian/ |title=Top Nine for 944 with Christina Milian |access-date=January 14, 2009 |work=[[944 Magazine]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114015158/http://www.944.com/articles/top-nine-for-944-with-christina-milian/ |archive-date=January 14, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref>}}
Similarly, Milian told [[MTV News]] that she wanted a song so that people would know that there "are people that are holding it down for somebody. It's important to have someone that has your back."<ref name="worldvideo">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1601195/20081211/milian_christina.jhtml |title=Christina Milian Says Collaborating With Kanye West Was 'Easy Breezy' |access-date=December 13, 2008 |author=Vena, Jocelyn |date=December 12, 2008 |publisher=[[MTV News]] ([[Viacom (1952–2006)|Viacom]]) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214232016/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1601195/20081211/milian_christina.jhtml |archive-date=December 14, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Music video==
[[File:Nordiske Mediedager 2010 - NMD 2010 (4584080946) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|180px|alt=A man with a blonde fringe sits on a stage talking to the audience through a microphone|[[Ray Kay]] previously worked with Milian on [[music video]]s for "[[Whatever U Want]]" and "[[Say I]]".]]
During an interview in December 2008 with [[MTV News]] at the [[KIIS-FM]] Los Angeles [[Jingle Ball]], Milian revealed that she was finishing up work on a [[music video]] for "Us Against the World". It was helmed by Norwegian director [[Ray Kay]], who had previously directed the videos for Milian's singles "[[Whatever U Want]]" (2004) and "[[Say I]]" (2006), and took inspiration for the music video from the films ''[[Mad Max (film)|Mad Max]]'' (1979) and ''[[300 (film)|300]]'' (2006).<ref name="worldvideo" /> Speaking about what people could expect from the video, Milian promise a backdrop of sand dunes and a love story between herself and her lover, the only other person on Earth. In her interview with MTV News, she stated:
{{blockquote|Really, I'm on my own and I'm searching, and finally he comes to me. I don't know where he's been, and he comes back to me. It's very timeless. When you see it, it's nothing like anything you'd see now. I want to be iconic in every music video that I do. I want to make a mark. This is very different.<ref name="worldvideo" />}}
''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' magazine offered a preview of the video on January 9, 2009, as well as confirming that the fully finished version would premiere via Milian's MySpace page on January 13, 2009.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20251232,00.html |title=Video: Sneak Peek at Christina Milian's New Single |access-date=January 11, 2009 |date=January 9, 2009 |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |publisher=[[Meredith Corporation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111120441/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20251232,00.html |archive-date=January 11, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> According to Video Static, the music video was filmed in [[Photographic print toning#Sepia toning|sepia]], with Milian taking the narrative of being "out in the middle of a desert without a soul in sight — except for the hunky man who wanders over to join in her defiant stance against whatever forces might assail their union."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videostatic.com/content/watch-it-christina-milian-us-against-world |title=Watch it: Christina Milian "Us Against The World" |last=Gottlieb |first=Steven |publisher=Video Static |date=January 14, 2009 |access-date=June 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622092506/https://www.videostatic.com/content/watch-it-christina-milian-us-against-world |archive-date=June 22, 2020}}</ref>
On working with Milian on the music video, Kay felt that the experience pushed him and his team into new territory. He commended Milain's growth as an artist since ''[[So Amazin']]'' (2006) and expressed his intentions to show that grow in the music video. He stated that his "aim was to create an iconic image of Christina, and use the desert and elemental fashion as a visual metaphor of the lyrics."<ref name="Rap-Up 2009-01-12">{{cite web |url=http://www.rap-up.com/2009/01/12/christina-milian-world-premiere-tomorrow/ |title=Christina Milian World Premiere Tomorrow |access-date=January 16, 2009 |date=January 12, 2009 |website=Rap-Up |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206013504/http://www.rap-up.com/2009/01/12/christina-milian-world-premiere-tomorrow/ |archive-date=February 6, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> The video has a theme of desert imagery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rap-up.com/2009/01/13/video-christina-milian-us-against-the-world/ |title=Video: Christina Milian – Us Against the World |website=Rap-Up |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228181314/http://www.rap-up.com/2009/01/13/video-christina-milian-us-against-the-world/ |archive-date=February 28, 2009}}</ref> Kay expanded on how the video was created, explaining that "the sand dunes in the video were used by [[All-terrain vehicle|ATV]] and dune buggy enthusiasts at the time of filming. The video was shot during the busiest weekend of the year for the location, and the crew were constantly forced to stop filming to get clear backgrounds."<ref name="Rap-Up 2009-01-12"/>
==Track listings==
*'''Digital/CD Single'''<ref name="Liner"/>
#"Us Against the World" – 4:39
*'''Digital download – Remix'''<ref name="JN Remix">{{cite web |url=http://www.rap-up.com/2008/12/29/single-cover-christina-milian-us-against-the-world-jason-nevins-remix/ |title=Single Cover – Christina Milian – Us Against the World (Jason Nevins Remix) |access-date=December 31, 2008 |date=December 29, 2008 |website=[[Rap-Up]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230130321/http://www.rap-up.com/2008/12/29/single-cover-christina-milian-us-against-the-world-jason-nevins-remix/ |archive-date=December 30, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>
#"Us Against the World" ([[Jason Nevins]] remix) – 4:16
== Credits and personnel ==
Credits adapted from the [[liner notes]] of the [[CD single]].<ref name="Liner"/>
'''Recording locations'''
*Mixed at [[Larrabee Sound Studios]] in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] (California)
'''Personnel'''
*[[Christina Milian]] – [[Lead vocalist|lead vocals]], [[songwriter]]
*[[Manny Marroquin]] – [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]], [[Mastering (audio)|mastering]]
*[[Makeba Riddick]] – songwriter
*Theodore "Madd Scientst" Thomas – songwriter, [[record producer|producer]]
==Charts==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Chart performance for "Us Against the World"
! Chart (2009)
! Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"|UK Singles ([[UK Singles Chart|Official Charts Company]])<ref name="UK Chart">{{cite web |url=http://zobbel.de/cluk/081018cluk.txt |title=Chart: CLUK Update 18.10.2008 (wk41) |website=Zobbel.de |last=Zywietz |first=Tobias |date=October 18, 2008 |access-date=June 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311065334/http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/081018cluk.txt |archive-date=March 11, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| 112
|-
! scope="row"| US [[Pop 100 Airplay]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/business |title=Pop 100 Airplay – Us Against The World – Christina Milian |magazine=Billboard |url-access=subscription |date=January 23, 2009 |access-date=January 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926234354/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=855691 |archive-date=September 26, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| 65
|}
==Release history==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Release formats and dates for "Us Against the World"
! scope="Col"| Country
! scope="Col"| Date
! scope="Col"| Format
! scope="Col"| Version
! scope="Col"| Label{{ref|a|[a]}}
! scope="Col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2"| Various
| October 6, 2008
| [[Media streaming|Streaming]] ([[Myspace|MySpace]])
| rowspan="3"| Original version
| rowspan="3"|{{hlist|[[MySpace Records]]|[[Interscope Records|Interscope]]}}
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="Billboard 2008-09-18"/>
|-
| October 11, 2008
| [[CD single]]
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="Liner"/>
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="3"| United States
| October 28, 2008
| [[Contemporary hit radio]]
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="US Radio"/>
|-
| January 6, 2009
| [[Album track]] download{{ref|b|[b]}}
| rowspan="2"|[[Jason Nevins]] remix
| [[Ultra Music|Ultra Records]]
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="Jason Nevins"/>
|-
| January 20, 2009
| [[Music download|Digital download]]
| {{hlist|[[Radio Killa Records|Radio Killa]]|MySpace|Interscope}}
|style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="JN Remix"/>
|}
'''Notes'''
*<sup>{{note|a|[a]}}</sup> In the UK, "Us Against the World" was distributed by [[Mercury Records]].<ref name="UK Chart"/>
*<sup>{{note|b|[b]}}</sup> The [[Jason Nevins]] remix was first released on the compilation album ''Jason Nevins presents Ultra Dance 10'', where it could be downloaded as an album track.
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Christina Milian singles}}
[[Category:2008 songs]]
[[Category:2008 singles]]
[[Category:2009 singles]]
[[Category:Christina Milian songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Christina Milian]]
[[Category:Interscope Records singles]]
[[Category:Music videos directed by Ray Kay]]
[[Category:2000s ballads]]
[[Category:Myspace|Category:MySpace]]
[[Category:Songs written by Makeba Riddick]]