More Than a Woman (Aaliyah song)

"More Than a Woman" was written by Stephen "Static Major" Garrett and Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley, being produced by the latter. Conceived during the recording of Aaliyah, the song was initially produced by Garrett. After recording its original version, Garrett kept going back and listening to the song, saying "I can do something bigger and better to it". Subsequently, he rewrote the whole song. Aaliyah wasn't present at the studio when Garrett recorded the original, so she never heard it. NME writer Adam Bychawski said "More Than a Woman" was an "anthemic, 80s-tinged" song. It is composed in the key of C Major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 88 beats per minute. According to Complex journalist Lauren Nostro it mixes "pop, electro, and a mesmerizing mid tempo hip-hop feel, which allowed Aaliyah's delicate vocals to take the spotlight". While, i-D journalist Emily Manning states that the song has a "daring" blend of pop and electronic influences. In a review of Aaliyah, Ian Wade from Dotmusic described the song as "Baroque liquid funk", and Jeff Lorenz from Yahoo! Music described it as "breezy hip-hop/funk". Harrison Brocklehust from The Tab labeled the song as R&B and declared that it was "one of the greatest R&B singles to ever be released". Micha Frazer-Carroll from The Independent stated, "Even at her most poppy, 'More Than a Woman' includes smooth and sweet self-harmonisation amid dark, minor-key strings". She makes "it look deceptively simple the way her understated vocals cut through a glitchy, complex Timbaland beat to take center stage". The song "creeps up on you, its charms gradually revealing themselves through Aaliyah's understated delivery". Lyrically, she "makes an odd promise to a lover: I'll be more than a woman" while, "professing that she "has everything her man is looking for, silencing his need to look further". ==Release and promotion==

Having invested in the commercial performance of Aaliyah, Blackground Records and Virgin Records wanted a single with a high chart peak to help increase the album's sales. Its lead single "We Need a Resolution" (featuring Timbaland) had been released on April 13, 2001, but underperformed on radio and reached only number 59 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Originally, "More Than a Woman" was chosen as the second single; however, "Rock the Boat" began receiving heavy radio airplay. Aaliyah fought with the label and pushed for "Rock the Boat" to become the second single. Consequently, Blackground and Virgin serviced "Rock the Boat" to rhythmic contemporary radio in the United States as the second single from Aaliyah on August 21. In August, Aaliyah filmed the accompanying music video for "More Than a Woman" in Los Angeles and then travelled to the Bahamas to film a video for "Rock the Boat". However, after its completion, she and several crew members who were returning to the US died in a plane crash on August 25. Although Blackground executives were initially uncertain when they would release the album's next single and video, In France, "More Than a Woman" was released as the second international single from the album on September 4. In August 2021, it was reported that Aaliyah's recorded work for Blackground (since rebranded as Blackground Records 2.0) would be re-released on physical, digital, and, for the first time ever, streaming services in a deal between the label and Empire Distribution. Aaliyah, including "More Than a Woman", was re-released on September 10. Live performances Aaliyah first performed "More Than a Woman" on Live with Regis and Kelly on July 18, 2001, to promote Aaliyah. The second and final performance of the song took place on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on July 25; it was Aaliyah's final live performance before she died a month later. Rap-Up included her Tonight Show performance as one of her 10 greatest live performances saying, "In July 2001, Aaliyah appeared on the late-night talk show in what would be her last performance before her untimely death. And if that’s not enough of a reason to watch, let it be the flawless display of her lower register. Or her velour suit-clad band." While, Brian Lisi from New York Daily News commented on the performance saying, "Her voice delicate yet soulful, Aaliyah's "More Than a Woman" would still resonate despite the limitations of the Tonight Show stage recording." ==Critical reception==

Brad Cawn from Chicago Tribune felt that Aaliyah had matured content-wise and described the song as being a "mid-tempo come-on". James Poletti from Dotmusic gave "More Than a Woman" a mixed review; he praised the song's production by saying it was one of Timbaland's finest productions but felt that the song was lesser compared to Aaliyah's previously released singles. Len Righi from The Morning Call, stated that "Aaliyah's sexy promises bring a dry-ice kind of heat to "More Than a Woman". Music Week, gave the song a mixed review, as they felt that the song wasn't the best cut from Aaliyah's album, however they praised its Masters at Work remix calling it "particularly good"; nonetheless they declared "her talent continues to shine through". When reviewing Aaliyah, British publication NME described "More Than a Woman" as being "grandiose". Quentin B. Huff from PopMatters praised the production of the song by saying: "The production bumps and jerks, contrasting a smooth groove with the spikes and dips of its loops and cadences". He also felt that "Aaliyah manages to croon over this mechanical bull of a beat, and the lyrics are appropriately terse and frugal, as if she only needs a few key phrases to remind her significant other that she is in fact "more than enough for you." In a review of Aaliyah, Luke McManus from the Irish publication RTÉ compared "More Than a Woman" to the work of French electronic music duo Daft Punk and praised her vocal performance. Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine felt that the song would make the perfect cartoon theme song, stating: "If the beyond-burgeoning actress was ever approached to play a cartoon superhero, the synth-heavy "More Than a Woman", with its millennium-ready empowerment and sensitive vocals, would make the perfect theme song for the fictional vixen ("You go, I go/'Cause we share pillows")". Joshua Clover from Spin praised the song by saying: "'More Than a Woman' isn't the Bee Gees song but pushes the jumpy tune until, finally, it meets you in the doorway (or is that the dance floor or the bed room?)". Variety writers labeled the song as timeless and felt that its influence could be heard in various songs such as Kehlani’s "Too Much" (2017) and Ari Lennox’s "BMO" (2019). ==Accolades==

In the United States, "More Than a Woman" entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 71 on February 2, 2002. It peaked at number 25 in its ninth week, spending a total of 24 weeks on the chart. It also peaked at number 11 on Dance Club Play chart during its sixth week on the chart, while peaking at number seven on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart in its 24th week. On June 15, "More Than a Woman" peaked at number 19 on the Mainstream Top 40. It also peaked at number 12 on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart on April 27. "More Than a Woman" was ranked at number 58 on the 2002 year-end Billboard Hot 100. Following its 2021 digital release, "More Than a Woman" debuted and peaked at number 40 on the US Digital Song Sales chart for the week of September 25, 2021. Internationally, "More Than a Woman" peaked at number 12 on the European Hot 100 Singles on January 26. In Belgium, "More Than a Woman" peaked at number ten on the Ultratip chart in Flanders, as well as at number 31 on the Ultratop 50 in Wallonia. In France, the song was released as a double A-side single with "I Refuse", peaking at number 25. In Germany, the song peaked at number 34. In Ireland, "More Than a Woman" peaked at number 13 on January 31. In the Netherlands, it entered the Dutch Top 40 at number 33 on November 21, 2001, peaking at number 29 four weeks later. In Scotland, the song peaked at number ten on January 13, 2002. The song debuted at number 25 in Switzerland on November 11, 2001, reaching it peak at number 16 in its 11th week, on January 20, 2002. In the United Kingdom, "More Than a Woman" debuted and peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending date January 19, 2002, selling 32,000 copies in its first week. It became the first time that a posthumous release had taken over from another posthumous release in the country, when the song was replaced by George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord", and the first time that a woman had had a posthumous number-one single. According to the Official Charts Company (OCC), "More Than a Woman" is Aaliyah's second best-selling single in the UK, behind "Try Again". In Australia, the song peaked at number 37 on March 10. ==Music video==

Background The accompanying music video for "More Than a Woman" was directed by Dave Meyers and was filmed in Los Angeles in early August 2001, before the video shoot for "Rock the Boat". Choreography for the video was orchestrated by Fatima Robinson. Meyers was chosen as the director for the video when Aaliyah met him through Damon Dash. According to Meyers, "She was with Damon Dash, her boyfriend I think, or at least they were friendly. Damon was hiring me for a lot of Jay Z's videos. I think that might've been the way I got into that job. I don't remember exactly. I just remember Damon telling me I better make his girlfriend look good [laughs]". According to Emily Tan from The Boombox Aaliyah "lives up to the title of her 'More Than a Woman' visual by ditching oversized menswear and embracing a sleek look", when discussing her Chanel catsuit. Teen Vogue writer Shama Nasinde included her white catsuit look on their "Aaliyah’s Style Evolution: See Her Most Timeless and Influential Looks" list. While comparing Aaliyah's similar jumpsuit look from a live performance, Héloïse Salessy from Vogue France said "it was really the white model she wore in her music video for "More Than A Woman" released in 2001 that made her mark on the fashion scene". Synopsis The video starts with a shot of West 4th Street in Los Angeles, looking towards the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Aaliyah riding a 2001 model Triumph Speed Triple, wearing a helmet and a Dainese jumpsuit. The camera zooms inside the exhaust pipe and shows Aaliyah dancing in a white Chanel catsuit with other female dancers between the pistons. Between cuts, she is seen riding the motorcycle and doing wheelies, and in another scene standing in front of a headlight with her back against the camera. Later in the video, the video shifts to a higher, nightclub-styled floor of the motorcycle above the pistons, where Aaliyah is wearing leather pants, gloves, and boots and a black tank-top, and dances with co-ed dancers. British music producer Mark Ronson appears in the club as a DJ, along with then-girlfriend Rashida Jones and her sister Kidada Jones. Various dancers are then shown dancing across the floor, culminating in Aaliyah and the female dancers doing a towel dance at the end of the song. At the end, Aaliyah is seen on the motorcycle, removing her helmet. The final shot is a silhouette of her in front of sunrise with the words "In Loving Memory of Aaliyah" above. Release and reception In the UK the music video for "More Than a Woman" became available to stream online via Dotmusic's website on January 7, 2002. On January 12 the video made its television debut on CD:UK, while the following day it debuted on The Pepsi Chart and on MTV UK as the fourth most played video. On January 18, the video made its premiere on Top of the Pops. The delay in the videos release angered fans of Aaliyah with one fan saying: "It's very important to keep her memory alive, It would behoove them to go ahead and release it quickly." During the week ending February 3, the video was the second most-played video on BET. For the week ending February 24, the video was the 26th most-played video on MTV. Quentin B. Huff from PopMatters compared the video to the work of both Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, saying: "Aaliyah's dancing in her videos probably owed a debt to the videos for Michael and Janet Jackson's solo work. No doubt that's true of many artists. Actually, the "More Than a Woman" video brings to mind Michael and Janet's "Scream" video, as well as Janet's video for "Rhythm Nation." While discussing the video, Nylon writer Steffanee Wang felt that "with the 2000s came the music video industry's obsession with surreal, sometimes absurd, cyber-future plot points; like this one, which takes place entirely inside a motorcycle's engine". ==Legacy==

Singer Solange interpolated the chorus of "More Than a Woman" in her song "Borderline (An Ode to Self Care)" from her third studio album A Seat at the Table (2016). In 2017, Welsh musician Kelly Lee Owens covered "More Than a Woman" in two different versions. The tracks were released on a limited-edition 12-inch vinyl and were made available via SoundCloud. Owens stated: "My love and respect for Aaliyah as an artist/vocalist and Timbaland as a producer increased tenfold as I picked the track apart and understood how intricate and layered everything was", adding: "The remix of my cover was something I wanted to write and produce that gave the original track new life, and also gave people a sense of power — it’s unapologetic." Canadian rapper Drake interpolated the opening verse of "More Than a Woman" into the song "Is There More" from his fifth studio album Scorpion (2018). ==Track listings and formats==

International maxi CD single • "More Than a Woman" (album version) – 3:48 • "More Than a Woman" (Bump n' Flex club mix) – 5:28 • "More Than a Woman" (Masters at Work main mix) – 8:47 • "More Than a Woman" (music video) – 3:43 European CD single • "More Than a Woman" (album version) – 3:47 • "One in a Million" – 4:30 European maxi CD single • "More Than a Woman" (album version) – 3:47 • "More Than a Woman" (Bump N' Flex club mix) – 5:29 • "One in a Million" – 4:30 • "More Than a Woman" (music video) – 3:43 European 12-inch vinyl • "More Than a Woman" (album version) – 3:47 • "More Than a Woman" (instrumental) – 3:47 • "More Than a Woman" (Bump N' Flex club mix) – 5:29 • "More Than a Woman" (Bump N' Flex dub mix) – 5:07 UK 12-inch vinyl and cassette single • "More Than a Woman" (album version) – 3:48 • "More Than a Woman" (Bump N' Flex club mix) – 5:28 • "More Than a Woman" (Masters at Work main mix) – 8:47 French CD single • "More Than a Woman" (album version) – 3:47 • "I Refuse" – 5:57 Australian maxi CD single • "More Than a Woman" (radio edit) – 3:08 • "Rock the Boat" (album version) – 4:34 • "More Than a Woman" (Bump N' Flex club mix) – 5:28 • "More Than a Woman" (Masters at Work main mix) – 8:47 ==Credits and personnel==

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Aaliyah. • Aaliyah – vocals • Jimmy Douglass – engineering, mixing • Steve Penny – engineering assistance • Static Major – writing • Timbaland – mixing, production, writing • Michael Zainer – engineering assistance ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==