| "Lolita" | ||||
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| Single by Leah LaBelle | ||||
| Released | May 7, 2013 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:49 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Pharrell Williams | |||
| Leah LaBelle singles chronology | ||||
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"Lolita" is a song recorded by American singer Leah LaBelle. It was released on May 7, 2013, through Epic. The single was written by American songwriter Kelly Sheehan in collaboration with record producer Pharrell Williams. Backed by synthesizers and a bass guitar, it is a midtempo funk, R&B, and pop song with disco influences. Media commentators have suggested the song was inspired by Vladimir Nabokov's 1955 novel Lolita, and noted that its lyrics greatly diverge from the source material.
"Lolita" was positively received by music critics, who praised its chorus, Williams' production, and LaBelle's vocal performance. The single ranked number seven on the Dance Club Songs Billboard chart in the United States. Internationally, it peaked at number 264 on the official Tophit airplay chart. To promote "Lolita", LaBelle sang an acoustic version for Rap-Up, and performed the original version at various venues, such as New York Fashion Week and the Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend.
Directed by Diane Martel, the single's accompanying music video features LaBelle as Lolita and shows how she seduces boys from her neighborhood. The video received attention due to its focus on sexuality. Welsh singer-songwriter Charlotte Church strongly criticized Martel's creation of sexually-explicit music videos, and Idolator selected the carwash scene as an instance in which the video emphasized sexuality. Despite the criticism, LaBelle's performance garnered positive reviews.