Замороженный: История одного хита Мадонны

1998 single by Madonna

"Frozen" is a song by American singer and songwriter Madonna from her seventh studio album, Ray of Light (1998). Maverick and Warner Bros. Records released it as the album's lead single on January 23, 1998. The song was also included on the compilation albums, GHV2 (2001) and Celebration (2009). "Frozen" was written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, who both produced it in collaboration with William Orbit. The downtempo electronica ballad, which has a layered sound enhanced by synthesizers and strings, lyrically addresses a cold and emotionless man. "Frozen" received acclaim from music critics, some of whom deemed it as a highlight from Ray of Light. The song was described as being a masterpiece, and its melodic beat and sound were defined as "cinematic". "Frozen" was also a global commercial success. In the United States, it became Madonna's sixth single to peak at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, "Frozen" became Madonna's first single to debut at number one on the UK Singles Chart, while also reaching number one in Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Scotland and Spain, and the top five elsewhere. The accompanying music video for "Frozen", directed by Chris Cunningham, was filmed at Cuddeback Lake in California, and features Madonna as an ethereal, witch like, melancholy persona, who shapeshifts into a flock of birds and a black dog. The music video won a Moonman for Best Special Effects in a Video at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards. To promote Ray of Light, Madonna performed the song live in several occasions, including its first world premiere on Sanremo Music Festival in Italy and on Wetten, dass ? in Germany. Additionally, it was performed in several of her concert tours. "Frozen" has been covered by many artists, such as Swedish hard rock band Talisman, and Polish industrial metal band Thy Disease. In 2021, a trap remix of "Frozen", made by Canadian DJ Sickick, became viral on TikTok. On December 3, 2021, it was officially released as the first single from Madonna's entire catalog reissue project. Madonna and Sickick released three further renditions of the remix—the version featuring Nigerian singer Fireboy DML, the version featuring American rapper 070 Shake, and the version featuring vocals from Sickick himself titled "Frozen on Fire"—all of which were supported by music videos. The Sickick remix charted within the top ten of the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart, and was certified Gold by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) in France.

By the mid to late 1990s, Madonna was in a more mature and introspective mood, after giving birth to her daughter Lourdes, gaining interest in Eastern mysticism and Kabbalah, and earning the title role in the film adaptation of the musical Evita (1996). In 1997, Madonna began working on Ray of Light, her seventh studio album and wrote songs with William Orbit, Patrick Leonard, Rick Nowels and Babyface. The album would reflect the singer's changed perspectives about life. Author Carol Benson noted that it was a "deeply spiritual dance record", with the crux of it based on Madonna's career, her journey and the many identities she had assumed over the years. Motherhood had softened the singer emotionally, which was reflected in the songs. She started talking about ideas and used words which implied deep and personal thoughts, rather than the regular dance floor anthemic tunes she had composed. The singer began introspecting herself with motherhood being a "big catalyst for me. It took me on a search for answers to questions I'd never asked myself before", she said to Q magazine. He sent a 13 track digital audio tape (DAT) to Madonna, and "Frozen" was among these tracks. She wanted to have the "whole Moroccan/orchestral/super romantic/man carrying the woman he loves across the desert vibe" for the track. Still continuing work with Leonard on some of the tracks, Madonna asked him to give her a composition with "tribal feel, something really lush and romantic". They composed the melody on the DAT and recorded the demo, which stretched to over 10 minutes due to Madonna continuing to write the track. They said they knew what they were doing was wrong, but that they hoped it would simply generate interest from Madonna. In the United Kingdom, "Frozen" was issued as a CD single, a 12 inch vinyl single, and a cassette single on February 23, 1998. The track was officially serviced to radio in the United States on February 19, 1998, and was released commercially on March 3, 1998.

"Frozen" is a downtempo electronica ballad which has a layered sound enhanced by synthesizers and strings, arranged by Craig Armstrong. It was composed using common time in the key of F minor, with a moderate tempo of 102 beats per minute. "Frozen" has a basic sequence of Fm–E–D–E as its chord progression. The chorus, however, has the chord progression of Fm–Bm–D–A. Madonna's vocals range from the lower octave of F3 to the higher note of A4. The song begins with austere, classical strings while the chord progression emphasizes tonic, submediant and flattened leading tone chords. For the second phrase, which includes a dramatic crescendo, rhythm and ambient electronic effects are added gradually. Lyrically, the song is about a cold and emotionless man. "Frozen" was recorded along with the rest of the album at Larrabee North Studio in North Hollywood, California. It was mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Studios in New York. The DAT contained the main portion of the song recordings, as well as preliminary demo sessions in Madonna's house in New York, as well as Hit Factory Studios where Madonna first sang the song. Like most of the album, "Frozen" was recorded on a Roland Juno 106. Madonna and Orbit had conducted a drummer session in Los Angeles, but it did not work out. So he contacted Fergus Gerrand who played drum samples for him in London. Orbit fed them in his workstation and cut them manually, instead of using auto editing software like ReCycle.

+ Release dates, formats and versions for "Frozen" Region Date Format(s) Version Label(s) Ref. (Reference) Europe January 23, 1998 Radio airplay Original Maverick (company), Maverick, Warner Music Group, Warner Japan February 22, 1998 CD United Kingdom February 23, 1998 12 inch vinyl, CD, cassette February 27, 1998 Adult contemporary radio March 3, 1998 7 inch vinyl, 12 inch vinyl, CD, CD maxi, cassette December 3, 2021 Sickick remix Artist Partner Group, APG, Warner Italy January 24, 2022 Radio airplay Warner Various March 3, 2022 Digital download, streaming Fireboy DML remix APG, Warner March 31, 2022 070 Shake remix May 19, 2022 "Frozen on Fire" Italy May 20, 2022 Radio airplay Promotion & PR