Risk It All

Album: The Color Purple (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2023)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Risk It All" is a soulful duet where Usher and H.E.R. exchange verses over a stirring piano melody. The pair are willing to throw everything on the line in the pursuit of love, ready to face uncertainty and the possibility of heartbreak. Fearlessly, they cast caution aside, determined to be together at any cost.
  • Usher and H.E.R. recorded the soul-stirring composition specifically for The Color Purple soundtrack. The lyrics capture the unfiltered emotion and enduring strength woven into the film's narratives of risk, love, and liberation.
  • The track was produced by H.E.R and co-written by her with British songwriter Jimmy Napes (Sam Smith's "Stay With Me," Disclosure's "Latch" and Clean Bandit's "Rather Be").
  • H.E.R. takes on the role of Squeak in The Color Purple, marking her official acting debut.
  • The Color Purple is based on the 1982 novel by Alice Walker and the Broadway musical of the same name. It is the second movie adaptation of the novel, following the 1985 film directed by Steven Spielberg.
  • Dave Meyers directed the song's steamy music video. The visual has a captivating and sensual atmosphere, complementing the song's themes of love and taking risks. Meyers is known for his work with a wide range of artists, including Pink, Ariana Grande and Kendrick Lamar.
  • Usher included "Risk It All" on his 2024 album Coming Home.

Comments: 1

  • Lisa Olivia Gordon from Wash DcThe perfect duet….voices blend to a powerful melody…..feel love from the frequency into a great vibration.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

Michael Sweet of Stryper

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Evolution Of The Prince Symbol

Evolution Of The Prince SymbolSong Writing

The evolution of the symbol that was Prince's name from 1993-2000.