Lately (Divine song)

1998 single by Divine

"Lately" is a song by American R&B girl group Divine, released as the group's debut single on August 25, 1998, from their only studio album, Fairy Tales. Written by Christopher Kelly and Will Baker, the Hammond organ driven R&B song is a pensive reflection on lost love produced by John Howcott and Donald Parks. "Lately" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for one week in November 1998. Music critics responded favorably to the track, praising the group's vocal performance. "Lately" was eventually released to international markets, but it failed to make as big of an impact as it did in the US. In 2001, a cover version by Irish singer Samantha Mumba found chart success in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Before "Lately" was written, producers John Howcott and Donald Parks, who had previously worked with American singer songwriter Keith Sweat, formed a company called Urban Vibe. Afterwards, they recruited Indianapolis natives Pete Woodruff and Will Baker, who had a connection with Babyface, and began working on "Lately". Alongside his longtime friend, Christopher Kelly, Baker wrote the track about his days in high school, when he and his girlfriend, whom he eventually married, explored the dynamic extremes of their relationship. When Red Ant Entertainment founder Ruben Rodriguez heard the song's demo tape, he expressed interest in the composition and took it to Divine, a female music trio he had recently signed to the label. The group, consisting of Nikki Bratcher, Tonia Tash, and Kia Thornton, recorded the song across three locations, including Indianapolis. "Lately" is an R&B love song with blues influences, driven by a guitar and Hammond B3 organ played by Woodruff. Chuck Taylor of Billboard noted that the song stands out from most hip hop tracks and female sung ballads of the time, and Red Ant's president, Randy Phillips, compared it to a 1999 incarnation of Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay". The track's lyrics discuss an ended relation that the narrator reflects upon wistfully. Divine sing all lead and background vocals on the track, and additional vocals are provided by Talonda Fields. Pendulum Records and Red Ant Entertainment first released "Lately" to US rhythmic contemporary radio on August 25, 1998.

Tom Breihan of Stereogum reviewed the song in his "The Number Ones" column, calling the track "good" and praising its vocals and sound. He went on to write that some of the lyrics are "banal", particularly the line "If loving you is right, then I don't wanna go wrong," but stated that the overall mood is the more crucial focal point of a track like "Lately", rating it 7 out of 10. Melisa Stefas of Las Vegas radio station KLUC FM said that the song provides mass appeal to women, noting its emotional impact, while Bobby Nichols of WIIZ in South Carolina praised the group's harmonies, calling the song "legitimate".

Irish singer Samantha Mumba released her version of "Lately" on her debut album, Gotta Tell You (2000). "Lately" was the fifth and final single released from Gotta Tell You internationally on December 10, 2001. Mumba's version peaked at number three in Ireland and number six on the UK Singles Chart. After Mumba's initial close ups, she turns her head, and the video pans to an Asian man's photo hanging on a wall, which continues to show up throughout the clip. Later in the video, Mumba is shown in front of a dancing choir. At the end of the video, the camera zooms out from Mumba's face.