Music Review: Iggy Azalea & Rita Ora "Black Widow"

Iggy Azalea & Rita Ora

Black Widow

Album: The New Classic

Year: 2014

         Iggy Azalea ensure her ex-boyfriend won’t ever fall in lovee with anyone ever again in the  loathsome “Black Widow.”

        Leery synths open the single, setting a paranoid tone.  In the chorus, Rita Ora says he called her crazy. He’s about learn what crazy means. She has the plan set up. She is going to shower him with continous affection and hang on him every time she can. Then, one day when he least expects it, she’s going to pull out her gun..(“I'm gonna love ya/Until you hate me/And I'm gonna show ya/What's really crazy/You should've known better/Than to mess with me, honey/I'm gonna love ya, I'm gonna love ya/Gonna love ya, gonna love ya/Like a black widow, baby.”)

          Azalea says it’s a sick mindscrew as the relationship dissipates into nothing. He was really into her at first, calling off work to spend time with her. When they were together, it was mostly in bed. Now, he tells her he’s busy and overexplains when misses a date they planned. The sex between them has become quick, a means to an end. With every lie, she gives him a nod and says “that’s fine.” She can’t even look him in the eye anymore. She wanted to be his wife, not a reliable lay for him. Compared to her ex-boyfriend, he made her feel as though as she had a say. Now, her ex and boyfriend might as well be the same person. Then, she hands off the rest of the work to Ora. (“This twisted cat and mouse game always starts the same/First we're both down to play then somehow you go astray/We went from nothing to something, liking to loving/It was us against the world, and now we just fucking?/It's like I loved you so much, and now I just hate you/Feeling stupid for all the time that I gave you/I wanted all or nothing for us, ain't no place in between/Might be me believing what you say that you'll never mean/Like it'll last forever but now forever ain't as long/If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be stuck singing this song/You were different from my last but now you got ‘em mirrored/And as it all plays out I see it couldn't be clearer/Now sing.”)

        In the pre-chorus, Ora says he made her believe she was the one and now he’s going to get what he deserves. (“You used to be, thirsty for me/But now you wanna be set free/This is the web, web that you weave/So baby now rest in peace (It's all over with now.”)

           Ora sings the chorus.

           Azalea says she’s going to kill him with kindness. She’s going to be the most understanding and coolest girlfriend to him. He’s going to thank her for everything she’s doing. He won’t ever have another girl like her again. She’s going to stalk him and make him her life. It’s either her or nothing. (“I'm gonna love you until it hurts/Just to get you, I'm doing whatever works/You ain't never met nobody/That will do ya how I do ya/That will bring you to your knees/Praise Jesus, Hallelujah/I'ma make you beg for it, plead for it/'Till you feel like you breathe for it/'Till you'll do any and everything for it/I want you to fiend for it/Wake up and dream for it/'Till it's got you gasping for air/And you lean forward/'Till they have a CAT scan to check on your mind/And it's nothing but me, on it (on it, on it)/Now it's me time, believe that/If it's yours and you want it/I want it, promise I need that/'Till I'm everywhere that you be at/I can't fall back or quit/Cause this here is fatal attraction/So I take it all or I don't want shhh.”)

           Ora sings the pre-chorus and chorus again to close the single.

       Azalea’s simple rap is outright laughable. She’s threatening her ex-boyfriend, saying blood will be spilled. Oh please. The only blood that she will ever see is if one of her Hello Kitty nails tears off. She can talk all she wants but it’s not the least bit believable. There is nothing hard at all about her.

      Ora’s unsettled vocals are waiting on a trigger, something that will allow her to go off. Until then, she can be calculated and patient. Maybe it will be after they have sex or after he cooks her favorite meal for her. Nonetheless, his days are numbered. She does all the heavy lifting, carrying the single and making it look presentable.

      The adominable “Black Widow”  will hopefully helps Rita Ora gain a wider audience in the United States.