Fancy

The Arcade

John Turner

Jon Shave

Jason Pebworth

George Astasio

The Invisible Men

## Video

"**Fancy"** is a song by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea featuring British singer Charli XCX, taken from the former's debut studio album, *The New Classic*. It was released on February 17th, 2014 by Def Jam Recordings as the fourth single from the album.

## Background

Iggy’s two verses on this song were originally debuted on “Leave It” when it leaked in December 2013. Azalea later revealed the song was produced by the Invisible Men and the Arcade, whom she collaborated with on her entire album.

On February 5th, 2014, Azalea announced that she would be releasing a new single titled "Fancy", featuring English singer-songwriter Charli XCX, later that week. The song was premiered on BBC Radio 1 Xtra the evening of February 6th, 2014. After the song's premiere, it was revealed "Fancy" was the song that had leaked titled "Leave It".

In an interview for Billboard, Charli talked about her experience recording the song: *"From the start, Iggy has been like, 'This is your song as well as my song,' which I think is very nice of her, and it made me very excited about the song. I feel valued."*

The Invisible Men was the one who approached Charli XCX about adding a pop hook on Iggy's original "Leave It" demo. *"I was so into it. I wanted to make it into, like, a 2014 girl power moment,"* XCX told Billboard magazine. *"There aren't enough high-profile female collaborations happening."*

Azalea admitted to The Observer that she has "no idea" how her hook-up with Charli XCX came about. *"I have no idea how she got on it, they decided it would be a good idea and I found out later. I thought, she sounds good, let's keep her!"*

## Critical Reception

"Fancy" received overall positive reception from music critics. Brad Stern of MTV Buzzworthy remarked, "Not since Fergie's "Glamorous" has there been such a spectacularly sass-filled ode to the glam life," praising their chemistry, calling it "a match made in heaven that we never would've expected." Chris Tomas of Hip Hop Wired wrote that the song "could be the hit record Iggy Azalea has been looking for," noting that "Charli XCX also provides a very potent chorus that women will be chanting in their clubs, cars, and the like."

Joe Gross of Rolling Stone gave the song a mixed score of 3 out of 5 stars, writing that Azalea "deftly handles the ratchet beat while Charli XCX's earworm hook holds it all down," writing that the song "[doesn't] bring '88 back [but] they can swing on chandeliers with the best of them". The track was placed at number nineteen on Rolling Stones's 50 Best Songs of 2014 list. It was named iTunes' best song of 2014 on Apple's annual Best-Ofs. "Fancy" was also placed at number one on MTV's Best Songs of 2014.

The song won the Top Rap Song category at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards and was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 57th Grammy Awards.

## Commercial Performance

In the United States, "Fancy" has peaked at number 1, becoming Azalea's first song to chart on the top of the Billboard Hot 100. The song is Charli XCX's second top 10 as a featured artist on the Hot 100 — the first being "I Love It" — and her first number 1. On the issue-date May 17th, 2014, "Fancy" reached number two of the Billboard Digital Songs chart, selling 222,000 units (up 104%). The song led the chart for seven weeks, before being succeeded by MAGIC's hit reggae/pop song "Rude". "Fancy" remained in the top ten for 17 consecutive weeks.

On the week-ending May 31st, 2014 the song ascended to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, selling 234,000 units, topped the Streaming Songs chart with 8.4 million impressions and continued to dominate the On-Demand Songs chart for a third week. "Fancy" also reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs, where it remained for 16 and 18 weeks respectively making it the longest running No. 1 on these charts. The song set new single-week records on Spotify's U.S. streaming service for four consecutive weeks. The song became the fifth best-selling song of 2014 in the United States with 3.97 million copies sold for the year. By February 5th, 2015, the song had sold 4,100,000 copies.

In the United Kingdom, "Fancy" became her highest charting single as a lead artist at the time, debuting at number five on the UK Singles Chart and selling 38,320 copies in its first week. In Australia, the song has been certified quadruple platinum for sales of over 280,000 copies. In its ninth week on the New Zealand Singles Chart, the song climbed from number three to the top position, which marks Charli XCX's second top-ten single, after Icona Pop's "I Love It", and first number-one single in New Zealand. It has also been certified Platinum in New Zealand. The track had sold over 7 million copies worldwide, as of October 2014, making it one of the best-selling singles worldwide. On December 23rd, 2014, it was certified Triple Platinum in Canada after peaking at number one on the Canadian Hot 100 with 346,000 copies sold digitally throughout 2014. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), "Fancy" achieved combined sales and track-equivalent streams of 9.1 million units in 2014, ranking as the seventh best-selling single of the year.

## Music Video

The music video for the song was shot in February 2014 in Los Angeles and premiered on March 4th, 2014, on Vevo. Directed by Director X, the visuals are inspired by the 1995 American coming-of-age comedy film *Clueless*, with Azalea playing Beverly Hills socialite Cher Horowitz and XCX as Tai Frasier (as well as a redheaded rival filling in as Amber, and the brief character appearance of Dionne and Murray lookalikes) in a remake of the cult classic originally starring Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Elisa Donovan and Brittany Murphy. The video shoot was the very first time Azalea and XCX met in person.

The music video was nominated for four awards at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards for Video of the Year, Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and Best Art Direction. MTV said the music video for this song is the 5th best music video of 2010's.

"Fancy" was named the most-watched music video of 2014 on Vevo in America. It was the most-watched video in 2014 on YouTube in Australia. It has amassed over 980 million views as of June 2020. In January 2015, Billboard named it the fifth best music video of the 2010s so far.

Behind the scenesBehind the scenesBehind the scenes
## Lyrics

[Verse 1: Iggy Azalea]

First things first, I'm the realest (Realest)

Drop this and let the whole world feel it (Let 'em feel it)

And I'm still in the Murda Bizness

I can hold you down, like I'm giving lessons in physics (Right, right?)

You should want a bad bitch like this (Huh?)

Drop it low and pick it up just like this (Yeah)

Cup of Ace, cup of Goose, cup of Cris

High heels, something worth a half a ticket on my wrist (On my wrist)

Taking all the liquor straight, never chase that (Never)

Rooftop like we bringing '88 back (What?)

Bring the hooks in, where the bass at?

Champagne spilling, you should taste that

[Chorus: Charli XCX]

I'm so fancy, you already know

I'm in the fast lane, from L.A. to Tokyo

I'm so fancy, can't you taste this gold?

Remember my name, 'bout to blow-oh-oh-oh

[Verse 2: Iggy Azalea]

I said baby, I do this, I thought that you knew this

Can't stand no haters, and honest, the truth is

That my flow retarded, each beat dear, departed

Swagger on stupid, I can't shop in no department

And get my money on time, if they got money, decline

And swear I meant that there so much that I give that line a rewind

Said I get my money on time, if they got money, decline

I just can't worry 'bout no haters, gotta stay on my grind

Now tell me, who that, who that? That do that, do that?

Put that paper over all, I thought you knew that, knew that

I be that I-G-G-Y, put my name in bold

I been working, I'm up in here with some change to throw

[Chorus: Charli XCX]

I'm so fancy, you already know

I'm in the fast lane, from L.A. to Tokyo

I'm so fancy, can't you taste this gold?

Remember my name, 'bout to blow-oh-oh-oh

[Bridge: Charli XCX]

Trash the hotel, let's get drunk on the minibar

Make the phone call, feels so good getting what I want

Yeah, keep on turning it up

Chandelier swinging, we don't give a fuck

Film star, yeah, I’m deluxe

Classic, expensive, you don't get to touch, ow!

[Verse 3: Iggy Azalea]

Still stunting, how you love that?

Got the whole world asking how I does that

Hot girl, hands off, don't touch that

Look at it, I bet you wishing you could clutch that

That's just the way you like it, huh?

It's so good, he just wishing he could bite it, huh?

Never turn down nothing

Slayin' these hoes, gold trigger on the gun like

[Chorus: Charli XCX]

I'm so fancy, you already know

I'm in the fast lane, from L.A. to Tokyo

I'm so fancy, can't you taste this gold?

Remember my name, 'bout to blow-oh-oh-oh

[Outro: Iggy Azalea & (Charli XCX)]

Who that, who that? I-G-G-Y

That do that, do that, I-G-G-Y

Who that, who that? I-G-G-Y

(Blow-oh-oh-oh)

Who that, who that? I-G-G-Y

That do that, do that, I-G-G-Y

Who that, who that? I-G-G-Y

(Blow-oh-oh-oh)

## Remixes

A succeeding remix featuring artist Wiley was made after the song became a hit. Also a called "Yellow Claw Remix" was released in single format.

***Fancy: THE REMIXES*** is an EP of remixes of "Fancy", includes 3 remixes and the official instrumental.

1. "Fancy (featuring Charli XCX)" (Riddim Commission Remix) – 4:43
2. "Fancy (featuring Charli XCX)" (Massappeals Remix) – 3:42
3. "Fancy (featuring Charli XCX)" (Dabin & Apashe Remix) – 3:55
4. "Fancy (featuring Charli XCX)" (Instrumental) – 3:24

## Live Performances

*This section features only the performances with Charli XCX.*

Fancy (feat. Charli XCX) Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea) LIVE ON BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS 2014Iggy Azalea - Fancy (Live @ Jimmy Kimmel Live!) ft. Charli XCXIggy Azalea Ft. Charli XCX - Fancy (Summertime Ball 2014)Iggy Azalea - Fancy (GMA 04.22.2014)DWTS S18 Week 11 - Iggy Azalea and Charlie XCX performed their hit "Fancy," Finale - Part 4 21Iggy Azalea & Charli XCX - Fancy (Late Night with Seth Meyers Live)Iggy Azalea - Fancy & Beg For It (Explicit feat MØ) - AMA's 2014
## Charts

### Year End Charts

 Australian Urban (ARIA)
 Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)
 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)
 Germany (Deutsche Black Charts)
 Netherlands (Single Top 100)
 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)
 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)
 US *Billboard* Hot 100
 US Dance Club Songs (*Billboard*)
 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (*Billboard*)
 US Hot Rap Songs (*Billboard*)
 US Mainstream Top 40 (*Billboard*)
 US Rhythmic (*Billboard*)

 US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs (*Billboard*)
 US Rap Streaming Songs (*Billboard*)

### Decade-end Charts

 US Streaming Songs (*Billboard*)
 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

## References

<references>

1. ↑ https://www.vibe.com/2013/12/new-music-iggy-azalea-leave-it
2. ↑ https://www.songfacts.com/facts/iggy-azalea/fancy
3. ↑ http://www.mtv.com/news/music//2012/02/07/iggy-azalea-fancy-charli-xcx/
4. ↑ http://hiphopwired.com/2014/02/07/iggy-azalea-ft-charli-xcx-fancy-listen/
5. ↑ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/songreviews/fancy-20140221
6. ↑ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-songs-of-2014-20141203/iggy-azalea-feat-charli-xcx-fancy-20141202
7. ↑ https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6385969/itunes-year-end-sales-chart-list-pharrell-frozen-beyonce
8. ↑ http://www.mtv.com/news/2018061/best-songs-2014/