"Never Be Like You" is a song by Australian musician Flume, co-written by and featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Kai. It was released on 16 January 2016, by Future Classic, as the lead single of Flume's second studio album, Skin (2016). A remix by Disclosure was released on 4 March 2016, and a remix EP was released on 25 March 2016.[1][2][3]
The song debuted at number10 on the ARIA Singles Chart, later reaching numberone and becoming Flume's first song to top the chart. The song also charted in Belgium, France, the United States and New Zealand, where it reached numbertwo on the RMNZ Singles Chart.
In a press release, Flume said, "kai and I were sending ideas back and forth online, then met up in New York and went into the studio. We laid down some chords and started an idea but weren't feeling inspired. So we went out into the night for a few hours and when we returned, it all started to come together."[6]
Critical receptionedit
The song received positive reviews from critics. Harley Brown of Spin said that "Diplo‑endorsed artist kai provides sumptuous and sterling vocals over sparkling half‑time drops, like an instrumental B‑side from [Justin Timberlake's 2006 album] FutureSex LoveSounds" and that "The new R&B look is a good one for Flume".[7]
Billboard said "The song features Canadian chanteuse kai, smoothly balancing chilled out trap effects with spacey ambient noise and future bass elements, going hard and soft at once – a duality expressed in the lyrics as well, with kai begging forgiveness while asserting right to just be herself".[8]
Rolling Stone named "Never Be like You" one of the 30 best songs of the first half of 2016: "The pop realization of the twisted techno mutations of cutting-edge acts like Flying Lotus, Rustie and Arca. "Never Be like You" skulks like Justin Timberlake's "My Love" caught in a parade of sparking, stuttering robotics."[9]
^Cooper, Michael (24 March 2016). "Flume – Never Be Like You feat. Kai (Wave Racer Remix) – Dancing Astronaut". dancingastronaut.com. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
^Saunders, John (25 March 2016). "Wave Racer submits an official remix for Flume and Kai's "Never Be Like You"". Earmilk. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
^Codd, Nathan (26 March 2016). "Flume feat. Kai Never Be Like You Wave Racer Remix [Mom Pop]". Lessthan3.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
^Unterberger, Andrew (6 December 2016). "Grammy 2017: The Complete List of Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
^triple j [@triplej] (26 January 2017). "#1 @flumemusic – 'Never Be Like You' {Ft. @listentokai} #Hottest100" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
^Kaye, Ben (16 January 2016). "Flume shares new single 'Never Be Like You' featuring Kai;– listen". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
^Brown, Harley (15 January 2016). "Flume Premieres Shuddering 'Never Be Like You' Off of His New Album, Skin". Spin. ISSN 0886-3032. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
^"Flume Asserts Himself on New Single, 'Never Be Like You': Listen". 15 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
^Christopher R. Weingarten (22 June 2016). "30 Best Songs of 2016 So Far". Billboard. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
^"Never Be Like You ft Kai". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
^"Never Be Like You ft. Kai (remix)". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
^"Never Be Like You ft Kai (EP)". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
^"Never Be Like You (feat. Kai) [Martin Solveig Remix] – Single by Flume on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved 2 December 2016.
^"Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
^"The ARIA Report: Issue 1354" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Hung Medien. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
^"Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
^"Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
^"Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
^"Flume Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201622 into search. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
^"Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
^"Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
^ ab"Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201626 into search. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
^"Vecolista Heatseeker – Vecka 32, 12 augusti 2016" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
^"Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
^"Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Flume; 'Never Be Like You (feat. Kai)')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
^"Italian single certifications – Flume feat. Kai – Never be like you" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 22 July 2018. Select "2016" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Never be like you" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
^"New Zealand single certifications – Flume feat. Kai – Never Be like You". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
^"British single certifications – Flume ft Kai – Never Be like You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 26 April 2024.