| "Shine" | |
|---|---|
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| Promotional single by Gwen Stefani featuring Pharrell Williams | |
| Released | January 13, 2015 |
| Recorded | 2014 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:24 |
| Label | The Weinstein Company |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Pharrell Williams |
"Shine" is a song written and recorded by American singer Gwen Stefani featuring fellow American musician Pharrell Williams, who solely produced the song. Originally intended for Stefani's band No Doubt, it is a reggae pop and ska song that is featured in the 2014 live-action/animated film Paddington. The lyrics revolve around the lead character Paddington Bear's journey to London and his identity crisis. Stefani initially disagreed with Williams' choice to use direct references to Paddington in the lyrics, but praised this decision after watching the film with her children. She reported that her involvement with the recording was inspired by her then-husband Gavin Rossdale and her children's connection to England.
A lyric video for the track was released on January 31, 2015, on The Weinstein Company's YouTube channel, and included on the DVD and Blu-ray releases of the film. The song was featured in the American trailer for the movie, and made available as a promotional CD as a result of its submission for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Although a low-quality version leaked on December 31, 2014, a full version of the recording was not released for public consumption. It was omitted from the film's soundtrack album, as well as Stefani's third studio album This Is What the Truth Feels Like (2016). Critical response to "Shine" was mixed; some praised Stefani and Williams' chemistry, while others compared it negatively to their previous collaborations. Commentators frequently likened it to Williams' 2013 single "Happy" and Stefani's 2014 song "Spark the Fire".