PrizeFighter (song)

"PrizeFighter" is a song by American singer Trisha Yearwood and the titular song from her studio album, PrizeFighter: Hit After Hit (2014). Written by Jessi Alexander, Sarah Buxton, and Ross Copperman, it features background vocals from American singer Kelly Clarkson. An uplifting country ballad, "PrizeFighter" was released on September 15, 2014 by RCA Records Nashville and Gwendolyn Records as the lead single from the album.

"PrizeFighter"
Single by Trisha Yearwood featuring Kelly Clarkson
from the album PrizeFighter: Hit After Hit
ReleasedSeptember 15, 2014 (2014-09-15)
GenreCountry
Length3:41
LabelRCA Nashville
Gwendolyn
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mark Miller[1]
Trisha Yearwood singles chronology
"The Call"
(2013)		 "PrizeFighter"
(2014)		 "Broken"
(2016)
Kelly Clarkson singles chronology
"Underneath the Tree"
(2013)		 "PrizeFighter"
(2014)		 "Wrapped in Red"
(2014)

Background

After releasing Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love, Yearwood parted ways with Big Machine Records and ventured into other projects, such as starring in her own television program, Trisha's Southern Kitchen, on Food Network.[2][3] From 2008 to 2013, she only appeared as a guest vocalist on the albums of other recording artists — such as Everything Is Fine by Josh Turner, Mr. Lucky by Chris Isaak, Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences by Garth Brooks, and Wrapped in Red by Kelly Clarkson.[4][5][6][7] In 2014, she launched her own record label, Gwendolyn Records, and together with Brooks, her husband, she entered on a joint venture deal with RCA Records Nashville.[3] She remarked: "We wanted to be on the same label because we thought it would be easier and more fun because we want to do duet records, we wanted to be able to do whatever we wanted and we've never been on the same record label, so it was kind of born out of looking to find a home that wanted to work with both of us."[3]

"PrizeFighter" marked Yearwood's first single as a primary act in six years since releasing "They Call It Falling for a Reason" in 2008.[8][9] It is also her second collaboration with Clarkson, the first being "Silent Night" from Clarkson's Christmas album, Wrapped in Red (2013).[10] Written by Jessi Alexander, Sarah Buxton, and Ross Copperman, "PrizeFighter" is an inspirational country ballad.[8] Yearwood chose to record the song primarily because of its lyrical content, saying that "PrizeFighter" is a song about beating the odds and fighting, no matter what. She remarked: "I think it's a message that we all need to hear."[11] She also revealed that the song reminded her of her mother, who died of cancer in 2011, stating: "When I hear this song I see everything about my mom. I think about her. I think about the soldiers I visited at Walter Reed [National Military Medical Center]. I think about little kids going to school and getting bullied. There's so many things going through my head. It's a really cool song and it just seemed like the right title for this album."[3]

Critical reception

Giving it a "B+", Bob Paxman of Country Weekly wrote that "she belts out this empowerment tune with conviction [and] the soulful boldness we've come to expect" and "the anthemic nature of the song seems to call for dual voices, particularly on the chorus", although he added that "lyrically, 'PrizeFighter' contends only in the middleweight division, striking one as a cross between a high school coach's pep talk and one of those affirmation cards".[12]

Release

"PrizeFighter" was released by Gwendolyn Records and RCA Records Nashville on country radio as the lead single from the album on September 15, 2014, four days before Yearwood's fiftieth birthday.[13] It was the fourth most-added song at country radio during its release week.[14]

Live performances

The song has been performed live by Yearwood on the Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood. Kelly Clarkson has made surprise appearances at the September 5 and 19, 2014 shows to sing with Yearwood. Normally, Garth Brooks sings Clarkson's part. [15][16][17]

Commercial performance

"PrizeFighter" debuted at number 59 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.[18]

Charts
Chart (2014) Peak
position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[19] 42

Release history
Release date, showing region, release format, and label
RegionDateFormatLabel
United States[13][20] September 15, 2014 (2014-09-15) Country radio Gwendolyn Records, RCA Records Nashville

References
  1. http://www.austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Trisha+Yearwood+feat.+Kelly+Clarkson&titel=PrizeFighter&cat=s
  2. Bonaguro, Alison (August 20, 2014). "Trisha Yearwood Returning on New Label With PrizeFighter". CMT. Viacom Media Networks. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  3. Evans Price, Deborah (August 19, 2014). "Trisha Yearwood Signs With Sony, Announces New Album". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  4. Jurek, Thom. "Josh Turner – Everything Is Fine". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  5. Graff, Gary (February 26, 2009). "Chris Isaak Is 'Mr. Lucky' In Song And On T.V." Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  6. Mansfield, Brian (December 3, 2013). "The 10 best covers on the Garth Brooks box set". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  7. Mansfield, Brian (December 10, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson is 'Wrapped' in red, but feeling green". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  8. "Trisha Yearwood (Feat. Kelly Clarkson), 'PrizeFighter'". Taste of Country. Townsquare Media. August 28, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  9. Harrison, Lily (August 20, 2014). "Trisha Yearwood Announces Comeback Album PrizeFighter and Tour—Get the Scoop!". E!. NBCUniversal. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  10. Bonaguro, Alison (December 12, 2013). "Kelly Clarkson Singing 'Silent Night' With Reba McEntire And Trisha Yearwood Will Warm Your Cold, Grinch-y Heart". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  11. Paxman, Bob (August 20, 2014). "Trisha Yearwood to Release New Album, "PrizeFighter"". Country Weekly. American Media. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  12. Paxman, Bob (September 29, 2014). "Reviews: Trisha Yearwood feat. Kelly Clarkson — 'PrizeFighter'". Country Weekly. 21 (39): 67. ISSN 1074-3235.
  13. Watts, Cindy (August 26, 2014). "Trisha Yearwood talks turning 50, song 'PrizeFighter'". The Tennessean. Gannett Company. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  14. http://headlineplanet.com/home/2014/09/16/jackie-lee-countrys-added-josh-turner-trisha-yearwood-follow/
  15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0THyx0-xm5w
  17. http://tasteofcountry.com/kelly-clarkson-trisha-yearwood-live-prizefighter-video/
  18. http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6259185/chart-highlights-meghan-trainor-tops-pop-songs-with-all-about
  19. "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard.
  20. "Trisha Yearwood's New Single "PrizeFighter" impacts radio on September 15". Sony Music Nashville. Sony Music Entertainment. August 25, 2014. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
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