Alibi
by Ella Henderson (featuring Rudimental)

Album: yet to be titled (2024)
Charted: 10
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Alibi" is a high-energy dance track that blends Ella Henderson's soulful vocals with Rudimental's signature drum-and-bass style. The song revolves around a woman confronting her partner about his infidelity.
  • Henderson wrote the song with Maegan Cottone, Olivia Sebastianelli and Ruth-Anne Cunningham.

    Irish singer-songwriter Ruth-Anne Cunningham's other credits include JoJo's "Too Little, Too Late" and Britney Spears' "Work Bitch."

    British-American songwriter Maegan Cottone previously worked with Ella Henderson on her collaborations with Switch Disco ("React") and Nathan Dawe ("0800 Heaven"). She's also co-penned several Little Mix tracks, including "Move" and "Salute."
  • Rudimental co-produced the track with Punctual, an electronic music duo comprising Will Lansley and John Morgan. The song starts with the soaring choir from Coolio's 1995 classic "Gangsta's Paradise" looping like a ghostly thread. As the familiar melody dips and resurfaces, a fierce electronic beat takes over, transforming "Alibi" into a 2020s dancefloor anthem.
  • "Gangsta's Paradise" is itself a rework of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise" from 1976. By colliding the propulsive energy of 2020s electronica with the soulful charm of the 1970s and the swagger of 1990s hip-hop, the song shows that musical influences weave through decades, constantly evolving and pushing boundaries.
  • In 2018, Henderson signed with Asylum Records' imprint Major Toms, operated by Rudimental. She also supported the British drum-and-bass band on their European tour that year. "Alibi" marks Henderson's second collaboration with Rudimental, following Rudimental's 2021 track "Handle My Own."
  • Natasha Bedingfield joined Ella Henderson on a duet take on the song titled "Alibi (The Other Girl version)." Henderson said recording with Bedingfield was "a full circle moment" as she grew up listening to her Unwritten album.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Album Cover Inspirations

Album Cover InspirationsSong Writing

Some album art was at least "inspired" by others. A look at some very similar covers.

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes

Chris Robinson of The Black CrowesSongwriter Interviews

"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

Art Alexakis of Everclear

Art Alexakis of EverclearSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer of Everclear, Art is also their primary songwriter.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"