"Look at Me" is a song by British singer Geri Halliwell, who recorded and released it after leaving Spice Girls. Written and composed in collaboration by Halliwell, Paul Wilson, and Andy Watkins, it was released on 10 May 1999 as the first single from Halliwell's debut solo album, Schizophonic. It peaked at number one in New Zealand, number two in the United Kingdom and number three in Australia and Ireland. To promote the single, Halliwell performed the song on Top of the Pops, Party in the Park, Wetten Dass, Tickled Pink, Tapis Rouge, Musica Si, Festival Bar 1999, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Graine de Star and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Lyrics content
The lyrics of "Look at Me" consist largely, specifically in the verses, of rhymed couplets of phrases that evoke contrasts. But two lines are repeated in both verses; these are the warning "What you see ain't what you are gettin'" and a reference to "superficial expectations". NME felt that the track was attempting to "create a self-reflexive conundrum, the knowingly blank canvas, the irony-chip Idoru". Halliwell admitted that she intended to convey that "we shouldn’t take each other on just face value. We can be anything. We can be all of these people."
Critical reception
Reception for "Look at Me" was mostly positive. Website AllMusic deemed the song "upbeat", "self-conscious", and "silly". BBC News described it as "undeniably catchy", comparing Halliwell's performance to Shirley Bassey as "the queen of the scene flanked by a posse of subservient men", and added that it "has shades of 'The Lady Is a Vamp", from the album Spiceworld. Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as a "eccentric, over-the-top track" and noted further that the song is "tinged with everything from James Bond thematics and vaudeville to Britpop and Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made For Walking"". CantStopThePop stated that the song "is a little bit pop, a little bit jazz and a whole lot theatrical. Musically, it’s vaguely reminiscent of The Lady Is A Vamp from Spiceworld, albeit less pastiche and more pointed." They added that "there’s no doubt that Geri had a lot to say as an artist, and much of it came out in the music video for Look At Me." Lou Carlozo from the Chicago Tribune felt that "Spice Girls fans should like the single", because the song had a "bouncy pop feel, but a more polished sound than the typical Spice Girls song". "Look at Me" was selected as the one of the few post-Spice Girls song to be featured in the jukebox musical Viva Forever! in its entirety; producer Judy Craymer said of it, "It's a very diva-like song and perfect for the hard world of television and its judges who we portray as the gods on Mount Olympus".
Chart performance
"Look at Me" was released in the United Kingdom on 10 May 1999. Since Halliwell had chosen "Look at Me" as the first single from Schizophonic and because she felt as though the song was going to return her to the mainstream market, it was released the same week as Boyzone's "You Needed Me." In early 1999, Boyzone was at the height of its own success with five UK number-ones, however, Halliwell was confident that "Look at Me" would reach number-one. Though more transactions were made of the "Look at Me" single, two CD singles of "You Needed Me" were released in order for fans to purchase both and ensure that Boyzone made it to the number-one position. "Look at Me" entered the UK Singles Chart at number two, selling 140,000 copies in its first week; it was only 700 copies behind Boyzone's "You Needed Me." Halliwell was disappointed with the outcome of the chart performance for "Look at Me," since she had believed that it would reach number one. She had also feared that her career would be ruined six months after the release of the single. However, Halliwell would earn her first UK number-one single with "Mi Chico Latino." "Look at Me" went on to sell 330,812 copies in the United Kingdom alone, being certified Gold by the BPI, and over 1,5 million copies worldwide.
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Look at Me" was directed by Vaughan Arnell and filmed in Prague, Czech Republic from 18–20 March 1999. The music video features four versions of Halliwell: a vamp, a bitch, a virgin, and a sister. Most of the music video is black and white, except in one scene in the middle of the video, during the funeral of Halliwell's stage persona "Ginger Spice", Halliwell was seen with red hair, blonde highlights, and a red thorn crown—and laughing with eyes wide open. The ruby slippers worn by Ginger were referencing The Red Shoes. In the last part, Halliwell and male dancers are dancing on a large staircase and then in front of a fountain. At the end of the video is a message saying "Geri's back!" with a picture of a nude Geri skinny dipping and ends with a double-story lower case g decorated with a halo and an arrowhead tail.
Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Look at Me." UK CD Maxi/Canadian CD
