Supersize (album)

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Not to be confused with Supersized or Snacks (Supersize).

Supersize
Studio album by
Shirin David
Released19 September 2019 (2019-09-19)
Genre
Length36:38
LabelJuicy Money
Producer
  • Beatzarre
  • Djorkaeff
  • FNSHRS.
Shirin David chronology
Supersize
(2019) 		Bitches brauchen Rap
(2021)
Singles from Supersize
  1. "Orbit"
    Released: 25 January 2019
  2. "Gib Ihm"
    Released: 15 February 2019
  3. "Ice"
    Released: 5 April 2019
  4. "Fliegst Du mit"
    Released: 17 May 2019
  5. "On Off"
    Released: 28 June 2019
  6. "Brillis"
    Released: 23 August 2019
  7. "Nur mit dir"
    Released: 20 September 2019[A]

Supersize is the debut studio album by German rapper and singer Shirin David, released for digital download and streaming on 19 September 2019 by Juicy Money Records. Prior, David had primarily been a YouTuber and only ventured into music as a featured artist on Ado Kojo's 2015 top ten-hit "Du liebst mich nicht" ("You Don't Love Me"). On Supersize, David mainly collaborated with Chima Ede and FNSHRS on what reviewers categorized as pop rap and R&B songs that feature David singing and rapping. Lyrically, the album's material often delves on empowerment, hedonism, materialism and self-objectification.

Upon release, Supersize received lukewarm reviews from music critics, with them questioning David's status as a rapper and alleging that the album was released solely with the intent of generating profit from its sales. Seven singles released throughout 2019 aided the record—"Orbit", "Gib Ihm" ("Give Him"), "Ice", "Fliegst Du mit" ("Do You Fly with Me"), "On Off" featuring Maître Gims, "Brillis" and "Nur mit dir"[A] ("Only with You") featuring Xavier Naidoo; "Gib Ihm" became David's first number-one on the German singles chart. Commercially, Supersize was successful in German-speaking countries, reaching number one in David's native country and becoming the first album by a German female solo rapper to achieve this feat. It further reached numbers two and three in Austria and Switzerland, respectively.

Background and release[edit]

Prior to the release of Supersize, Shirin David was primarily a YouTuber and was also known to the general public due to her involvement as a judge on the 14th season of the German talent show Deutschland sucht den Superstar.[1][2] Musically, she had only been featured on "Du liebst mich nicht" ("You Don't Love Me) by Ado Kojo in 2015, which was a top ten hit in Germany.[3] By January 2019, work on David's debut album—initially planned to be an eponymous one released on 21 June 2019—had been ongoing, with her also having signed a record deal with Universal Music Group.[2][4]

Kool Savas (left) co-wrote "On Off" on which fellow contributor Maître Gims (right) is featured.[5]

For Supersize, David mainly collaborated with the composers Chima Ede and FNSHRS, whilst Xavier Naidoo,[A] Maître Gims, Kool Savas, Sera Finale, Beatzarre and Djorkaeff also contributed on selected tracks.[5] Prior to the album release, the rapper handed out ice cream to students of selected German schools during a promotional endeavour and uploaded making-of videos related to the songs to her YouTube channel.[6] She unveiled the tracklist of Supersize in early September 2019 through her social media,[7] and the album was ultimately made available for digital download and streaming on 19 September 2019 by Juicy Money Records.[8]

The following day, Universal Music Group released a CD and Vertigo Berlin issued a box set;[9][10][11] the latter had been previously teased by David in an unboxing YouTube video and contains a photo calendar, a sticker set, a sample from her then-upcoming perfume Created by Shirin, a transparent makeup bag and the bare CD of the album placed in a transparent sleeve on the outside of another transparent bag.[11][12][13][14] Several observers criticized the product for its extensive use of plastic.[11] Regarding the cover art, which shows David naked in a see-through crystal ball, the rapper stated: "I want my nudity to be as socially acceptable as men's".[15][16] An editor of Extratipp commented on the image, saying that "Shirin David wants to attract attention at all costs".[15] Upon the release of Supersize, autograph sessions were held, including one at Alexanderplatz in Berlin which had to be stopped due to overcrowding.[17]

Music and lyrics[edit]

Supersize predominantly features processed singing vocals from David and explores pop rap and R&B genres.[3][17][18][19] The album, built around trap beats, occasionally delves into ballads, reggaeton and 1990s-inspired music,[14][17][20] with David's rapping dominating on songs such as "Gib Ihm" ("Give Him") and "Ice".[21][22] An editor of VIP.de noticed lyrical connections between "Ice" and "Gib Ihm", calling the former a continuation of the latter.[23] The album's lyrics are often sexual and portray her as a "rapper with the gangster attitude", addressing themes of empowerment, hedonism, materialism, her body and self-objectification.[14][17][24][25] Nadine Lange of Der Tagesspiegel opined that David "represents a stereotypical image of women" and did not think the lyrics were of a feminist nature since the "women [in them], whom David [refers to as] hookers, bitches and whores, only appear as competitors for or as decoration [alongside the male protagonist]".[14]

"Fliegst Du mit" ("Do You Fly with Me"), whose content differs from the aforementioned, talks about David's complicated relationship with her father, who abandoned her when she was a child, and the long lasting effects his departure had on her. She referred to the song as one of her most personal ones and stated that, with it, she "wants to give other girls without a father figure a sense of belonging".[25][26][27] "Brillis", melodically close to France Gall's "Ella, elle l'a" (1987), has been called an "ode to friendship".[28] While "Größter Fan" ("Biggest Fan") addresses David's haters,[17] the romantic "Nur mit dir"[A] ("Only with You") featuring Naidoo talks about missing a significant other,[29] and the bilingual "On Off" performed in German by her and in French by Maître Gims details an ambivalent relationship.[30]

Critical reception[edit]

Supersize received lukewarm reviews from music critics. Mirco Leier, writing for laut.de, questioned David's status as a rapper and hip hop artist, claiming that she utilized the genre "solely as a means to an end". While praising her vocal delivery, the production and the catchniess of "On Off" and "Brillis", Leier labelled Supersize as "harmless". He concluded: "[N]one of it feels tangible or substantial. [...] [David] makes sure to present herself as controversially as possible [...] [, but whenever she] is a topic in the media, this rarely is because of [her] music. The character Shirin David is human product placement".[24]

Der Spiegel's Andreas Borcholte stated that "music seems to be just an accessory in this enactment" and sarcastically opined that "you could also have called the record 'Supersale'" since he believed generating profit was David's main goal. Borcholte thought the album was mediocre and generic, though he hailed "Gib Ihm" as its best track and was also moderately positive towards "Größter Fan"—which he thought Aaliyah was an inspiration for—and "Melodien" ("Melodies").[17] In a more positive review, Theresa Hein of Süddeutsche Zeitung saw Supersize as being a "good" album and praised the emotional nature of "Fliegst Du mit". She further commended "On Off", which she likened to Beyoncé's "Baby Boy" (2003), and thought that "Gib Ihm" was inspired by "Super Bass" (2011) by Nicki Minaj and had "the best German pop refrain of the year".[25] Lange saw the tracks as "solid and well-sung" and opined that, even though "[David's] few rap lines are rather mediocre", she is "convincing". The reviewer further compared "Unsichtbar" ("Invisible") to material from Helene Fischer's catalogue.[14]

Promotion and commercial performance[edit]

David became the first German female rap act to have a number-one album in Germany since Tic Tac Toe (pictured) topped the chart in 1997.[31]

Supersize was supported by seven singles released throughout 2019—"Orbit" (25 January),[32] "Gib Ihm" (15 February),[33] "Ice" (5 April),[34] "Fliegst Du mit" (17 May),[35] "On Off" (28 June),[36] "Brillis" (23 August)[37] and "Nur mit dir" (20 September).[6] While all of them reached the top ten on the German singles chart and at least the top 15 and 30 in Austria and Switzerland, respectively, "Gib Ihm" became David's first number-one in Germany.[38][39][40] The Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) and the Austrian International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI AUT) awarded platinum certifications to "Gib Ihm" and gold certifications to "On Off".[41][42] Except for "Orbit", each single received a music video;[43] "Gib Ihm" broke the record for the fastest German music video to amass one million views, achieving the feat in five hours and 52 minutes.[25] The visual for "On Off" was controversial, with David being accused of blackfishing due to the darker make-up she wore in it.[30][44]

In July 2019, David was due to have her first-ever live performance at the Wireless Germany festival, but the gig was canceled.[30] Upon release, Supersize was a commercial success in German-speaking countries, debuting and peaking atop the German albums charts, as well as at numbers two and three in Austria and Switzerland, respectively.[38][39][40] The album is the first by a German solo female rapper to top the chart in Germany and is also the first by a German female rap act since Klappe die 2te (1997) by Tic Tac Toe to reach number one.[31] Six days after its release, each track on Supersize had amassed between 500,000 and four million streams on Spotify.[45] In November 2020, David deleted "Nur mit dir" and its music video from all platforms, with observers opining that it was due to Naidoo's spread of COVID-19 misinformation.[46][47]

Track listing[edit]

Credits and tracklist adapted from Spotify.[5]

Supersize track listing[A]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Orbit"
  • Shirin David
  • Chima Ede
  • FNSHRS
FNSHRS3:17
2."Gib Ihm"
  • David
  • Chima Ede
  • FNSHRS
FNSHRS2:43
3."Gift"
  • David
  • Chima Ede
  • FNSHRS
FNSHRS2:59
4."Ice"
  • David
  • Chima Ede
  • FNSHRS
FNSHRS2:54
5."Brillis"
  • David
  • Chima Ede
  • FNSHRS
FNSHRS3:06
6."Größter Fan"
  • David
  • Chima Ede
  • FNSHRS
FNSHRS3:14
7."On Off" (featuring Maître Gims)
FNSHRS3:11
8."Fliegst Du mit"
  • David
  • Chima Ede
  • Sera Finale
  • FNSHRS
FNSHRS4:18
9."Melodien"
  • David
  • Chima Ede
  • FNSHRS
FNSHRS4:33
10."Unsichtbar"
  • David
  • Chima Ede
  • Finale
  • FNSHRS
FNSHRS3:22
11."Gibt es dich?"
  • Beatzarre
  • David
  • Djorkaeff
  • Chima Ede
  • Beatzarre
  • Djorkaeff
3:01
Total length:36:38

Charts[edit]

Release history[edit]

Release history for Supersize
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various 19 September 2019
Juicy Money
[8]
20 September 2019 CD Universal
[9]
Box set Vertigo Berlin
[10]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Supersize initially contained the single "Nur mit dir" featuring Xavier Naidoo as its fourth track, placed between "Gift" and "Ice".[6] "Nur mit dir", lasting for three minutes and 39 seconds, was written by David, Chima Ede, FNSHRS and Naidoo, while the production was handled by FNSHRS.[48] However, David deleted the song from all platforms in November 2020, with observers opining that it was due to Naidoo's spread of COVID-19 misinformation.[46][47]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Hildebrand, Lukas and Schmelmer, Julian (25 November 2021). "Shirin David: Wer waren nochmal Alice Schwarzer und Kanye West?" [Shirin David: Who were Alice Schwarzer and Kanye West again?]. Stern (in German). Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b "Shirin David unterschreibt bei Universal" [Shirin David signs with Universal] (in German). 16Bars. 29 January 2019. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Das eigene Spiegelbild als Vorbild" [The own reflection as a model] (in German). laut.de. 16 January 2019. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Neues Video zu 'Gib Ihm'" [New Video for 'Gib Ihm'] (in German). laut.de. 18 February 2019. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Supersize". Spotify. Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022. Note: User may access the three dots on the right to see the credits of the respective song.
  6. ^ a b c Gaul, Anna (16 September 2019). "Tracklist: Shirin David – Supersize" (in German). Rap.de. Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Shirin David enthüllt 'Supersize'-Tracklist" [Shirin David reveals the tracklist for 'Supersize'] (in German). 16Bars. 18 September 2019. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  8. ^ a b Citations regarding the release of Supersize in various countries:
  9. ^ a b "Supersize: Shirin David". Amazon. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Shirin David: Supersize (Limited Deluxe Box)" (in German). jpc. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  11. ^ a b c Maier, Hanna (13 September 2022). "Shirin David: Kritik wegen ihrer Supersize Box!" [Shirin David: Criticism for her Supersize box] (in German). Starzip. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  12. ^ BigFM staff (19 September 2019). "Shirin David wird von Fans für 'Supersize'-Deluxe-Box gemobbt" [Shirin David is criticized for her 'Supersize' deluxe box] (in German). BigFM. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  13. ^ BigFM staff (21 October 2019). "Shirin David rechnet nach Parfüm-Drop mit Parfümerie Douglas ab" [Shirin David settles accounts with Douglas after her perfume launch] (in German). BigFM. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  14. ^ a b c d e Lange, Nadine (23 September 2019). "Grellster Brilli am Himmel" [The brightest diamond in the sky]. Der Tagesspiegel (in German). Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Shirin David erntet harte Kritik für Albumcover - Rapperin reagiert unerwartet" [Shirin David earns criticism for her album cover – the rapper reacts in an unexpected way] (in German). Extratipp. 20 November 2019. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  16. ^ BigFM staff (23 August 2019). "Shirin David: Nackte Promo für Debütalbum 'Supersize'" [Shirin David: Naked promotion for her debut album 'Supersize'] (in German). BigFM. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  17. ^ a b c d e f Borcholte, Andreas (24 September 2019). "Supersize, Supersexy, Supersale". Der Spiegel (in German). Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  18. ^ Gerhardt, Daniel (23 November 2021). "Böse Worte, gute Sachen" [Mean words, good things]. Die Zeit (in German). Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  19. ^ Erhardt, Melissa (26 November 2021). "Mit 'Bitches brauchen Rap' wechselt Shirin David in den Kampfmodus" [Shirin David goes in fight mode with 'Bitches brauchen Rap'] (in German). ORF. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  20. ^ Hentschel, Joachim (20 September 2019). "Die Pop-Alben der Woche im Soundcheck" [The pop albums of the week soundchecked]. Der Tagesspiegel (in German). Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  21. ^ Bauer, Manuel (18 February 2022). "Shirin David: Zweite Single 'Gib ihm' begeistert YouTube" [Shirin David: YouTube is fascinated by her second single 'Gib ihm']. Computer Bild (in German). Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  22. ^ "Shirin David: Das ist ihr neues Video 'Ice'" [Shirin David: This is ner new video 'Ice']. Augsburger Allgemeine (in German). 7 April 2019. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  23. ^ "YouTuberin Shirin David bleibt sich mit neuer Single 'Ice' treu" [YouTuber Shirin David stays true to herself in her new single 'Ice'] (in German). VIP.de. 12 April 2019. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  24. ^ a b Leier, Mirco. "Hat mit Hip Hop so viel zu tun wie Wolle Petry mit Grindcore" [Has as much to do with hip hop as Wolle Petry has to do with grindcore] (in German). laut.de. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  25. ^ a b c d Hein, Theresa (21 September 2019). "Paradox im Latex-Body" [Paradox in latex-body]. Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  26. ^ "Mit wem sie in ihrem neuen Song abrechnet" [With whom she settles accounts in her new song]. Bild (in German). 18 May 2022. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  27. ^ BigFM staff (14 May 2019). "Shirin David: 'Fliegst Du mit' ist eine Ode an ihre Mama" [Shirin David: 'Fliegt Du mit' is an ode to her mother] (in German). BigFM. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  28. ^ "Neue Single 'Brillis'" [New single 'Brillis'] (in German). laut.de. 23 August 2019. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  29. ^ "Neue Single 'Nur mit dir'" [New single 'Nur mit dir'] (in German). laut.de. 23 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  30. ^ a b c "Neues Video zu 'On Off'" [New video for 'On Off'] (in German). laut.de. 28 June 2019. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  31. ^ a b "Shirin David schafft, was noch keiner Solo-Rapperin je gelungen ist" [Shirin David does what no solo female rapper has ever done before] (in German). Watson. 27 September 2019. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  32. ^ "Orbit ― Single von Shirin David auf iTunes". iTunes Store (DE). Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  33. ^ "Gib Ihm ― Single von Shirin David auf iTunes". iTunes Store (DE). Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  34. ^ "Ice ― Single von Shirin David auf iTunes". iTunes Store (DE). Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  35. ^ "Fliegst Du mit ― Single von Shirin David auf iTunes". iTunes Store (DE). Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  36. ^ "On Off (feat. Maître Gims) ― Single von Shirin David auf iTunes". iTunes Store (DE). Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  37. ^ "Shirin David präsentiert das Album 'Supersize'" [Shirin David presents the album 'Supersize'] (in German). Mix1. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  38. ^ a b "Discography Shirin David" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  39. ^ a b "Discography – Shirin David" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  40. ^ a b "Discography – Shirin David" (in German). Swiss Hitparade. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  41. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank". Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  42. ^ "Gold & Platin: Shirin David". IFPI AUT. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  43. ^ Citations regarding the music videos:
  44. ^ Marquart, Oliver (28 June 2019). "Shirin David feat. Gims – On Off [Video]" (in German). Rap.de. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  45. ^ BigFM staff (26 September 2019). "Shirin David: Wird ihr Debütalbum 'Supersize' nur auf Platz 5 landen?" [Shirin David: Is her debut album 'Supersize' only going to reach number 5?] (in German). BigFM. Archived from the original on 2 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  46. ^ a b "Shirin David löscht Song mit Xavier Naidoo" [Shirin David deleted song with Xavier Naidoo]. Heute (in German). 2 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  47. ^ a b Agnes W. (1 November 2020). "Wegen Äußerungen? Shirin David löscht Xavier-Naidoo-Duett" [Because of his statements? Shirin David deleted duet with Xavier Naidoo]. Promiflash (in German). Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  48. ^ "Nur mit dir (feat. Xavier Naidoo)". Spotify. Archived from the original on 19 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022. Note: User may access the three dots on the right to see the credits of the song.
  49. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Shirin David – Supersize" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  50. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Shirin David – Supersize" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  51. ^ "Shirin David - Supersize - Hip Hop Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  52. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Shirin David – Supersize". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  53. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts 2019" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
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