Battle Scars

"Battle Scars" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Guy Sebastian featuring American rapper Lupe Fiasco. It was released as a single on August 10, 2012, with its music video directed by Jonathan and Josh Baker. The song appears as the third track from Sebastian's sixth album, Armageddon, and the eleventh track from Fiasco's fourth studio album, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1.
In an interview with radio station Nova FM, Sebastian explained of the song's meaning, "It's about your own personal battle scars, and for every individual those are different; some might be words or labels… it might be relationship scars. When I wrote this song, and when Lupe wrote his bits, we just really wanted it to be something that just inspired people to, sort of, confront those things, and also maybe try and work to think about burying and ripping up those labels; throwing them away.""Behind the Video: Guy Sebastian's "Battle Scars" (feat. Lupe Fiasco) Music Video". Nova FM. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. The song became Sebastian's tenth of 12 top ten singles in Australia and sixth to reach number one, and Fiasco's third Australian top ten and first number one single. It went on to become 14× platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association.
== Background ==
Originally "Battle Scars" was planned to only be released in Australia, though Sebastian inquired if Fiasco wanted it to drop anywhere else."Lupe Fiasco Interview with KC Chopz". YouTube. May 28, 2013. In an interview with Time Out, Sebastian discussed the record's process, where he wrote it, created a demo, and sent it to Fiasco. He estimated it to be around the height of the Lasers album, where he believed it may not reach the rapper but may as well ask. Two days later, Fiasco replied how he loved the song and wanted to do it. Sebastian added, "Everything he wrote for his rap just nailed me, I was almost in tears. He doesn't just rap about being in a club or shaking your booty, he raps about a lot of deep stuff, politically."Hewett, Jenny (January 28, 2014). "Aussie X Factor Star Guy Sebastian Interview". Time Out.
Fiasco traveled to the Sydney studio to record his part. He had two raps written, though Sebastian immediately fell in love with the first version."Guy Sebastian Talks About Battle Scars and Lupe Fiasco (Interview August 2012)". YouTube. August 29, 2012. He told Take 40 Australia, "I knew I was going to get something with depth, something with a bit of heart to it […] He loved the track, we got along really well, he's just chill, you know? […] You know, he put down one version and I was like 'Bruh, that is ridic[ulous]' – That was just so friggin' perfect for the song, everything that I imagined…."
Fiasco recalled how his label was not pleased about the collab, where Mike Kyser told him it wasn't a good look for him, deciding to not sign off on the release."Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco)". Twitter. August 1, 2022.
== Accolades ==
Award 	Category 	Year	Result	
ARIA Music Awards 	Best Pop Release 	 	 	
POPreplublic.tv. IT List Awards 	Favorite Single of 2012 	 	 	
NAACP Image Awards 	Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration	 	 	
International Songwriting Competition	R&B/Hip 	 	 	
== Personnel ==
* Darrale Jones – producer
* David Ryan Harris – writer
* Guy Sebastian – lead artist, vocals, writer
* James Kang – assistant mixer
* Jasper Dent – engineer
* Joe Peluso – recording
* Leon Zervos – masterer
* Miles Walker – mixer
* Pro-Jay – producer
* Wasalu "Lupe Fiasco" Jaco – featured artist, vocals, writer
== Charts ==
=== Weekly charts ===
Chart (2012–13) 	Peakposition
Australia (ARIA) 	
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 	
Norway (VG-lista) 	
Russia Airplay (TopHit) 	
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 	
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit) 	
US Billboard Hot 100 	
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)	
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard) 	
=== Year-end charts ===
Chart (2012) 	Position
Australia Singles Chart (ARIA) 	
Australian Artist Singles Chart (ARIA)	
New Zealand (RMNZ) 	
Chart (2013) 	Position
Australian Artist Singles Chart (ARIA)	
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit) 	
US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 	
=== Decade-end charts ===
Chart (2010–19) 	Position
Australia (ARIA) 	
Australian Artist Singles (ARIA)	
== Certifications ==
Region 	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) 	14× Platinum 	980,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)	Gold 	45,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) 	2× Platinum 	30,000*
Sweden (GLF) 	Gold 	20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) 	Silver 	200,000‡
United States (RIAA) 	Platinum 	1,000,000‡
 	 	
== Releases ==
=== Europe ===
=== North America ===
=== Oceania ===
== Gallery ==
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== Cultural references ==
* Cupid is the god of desire, often depicted as a young boy with a bow and arrow. Anyone (mortal or divine) shot by his arrow is filled with uncontrollable desire.
* Tom Hanks is an American actor and filmmaker. Fiasco refers to his role as Captain John Miller in Saving Private Ryan (1998), where Miller must save a soldier from the battlefield.
* The Hurt Locker (2008) follows an Iraq War Explosive Ordnance Disposal team who are targeted by insurgents and shows their psychological reactions to the stress of combat.
== Lyrics ==
== References ==
Category:2012 songs
Category:Featured songs
Category:Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1
Category:Lupe Fiasco songs
Category:Singles
Category:Songs
Category:Songs with music videos