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Key points about the new Rihanna single (on one listen)

  • October 20, 2009
  • Popjustice

» It's called 'Russian Roulette'.

» It opens with some 'axe action'.

» It opens with some REPORTED SPEECH: "'take a breath, take it deep, calm yourself' he says to me". Quite good.

» It's actually about playing Russian roulette. There is talk of bullets and triggers and so on. Considering radio edited out a reference to Russian roulette in Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face' we're not sure how well this will go down.

» It is all quite tense. "You can see my heart beating, you can see it through my chest, I'm
terrified but I'm not leaving, I know that I must pass this test." There's chat of life flying towards you and so on.

» Just when it's all starting to make sense and you're over the fact that it's a ballad and not a massive balls-out techno monster, it ends with a gunshot.

» It's all very odd. It sounds like it might end up becoming rather good though.

The song has just premiered live across the world — here's that widget thing we mentioned earlier. Click inside to hear the track.



A grower, we reckon.

  • Lady Gaga
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  • sia
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Blimey: it's Leona Lewis like you've never heard her before

  • October 20, 2009
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Cassette Kids — Lying Around

  • October 21, 2009
  • Popjustice
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Pop as in popular
  • 1
    New Music Monday: Griff's Black Hole is super, and massive
  • 2
    New Music Friday: Let's kick off 2021 with some KLF
  • 3
    The Top 45 Singles Of 2020
Further listening
Greatest hits
  • Nicola Roberts interview: "I feel like I discovered the singing again"
  • Ten features we want in the Lady Gaga iPad app
  • An amazing Charli XCX interview-slash-chat
Further reading
  • 1
    New Music Monday: Griff's Black Hole is super, and massive
  • 2
    New Music Friday: Let's kick off 2021 with some KLF
  • 3
    The Top 45 Singles Of 2020
  • 4
    New Music Friday: Mae Muller doesn't want to be dependent
  • 5
    New Music Friday: There's a big one from Royal & The Serpent
  • 6
    New Music Friday: Baby Queen takes the throne
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