Freak the Freak Out

"Freak the Freak Out"
Single by Victorious cast featuring Victoria Justice
from the album Victorious: Music from the Hit TV Show
ReleasedNovember 22, 2010
StudioThe Backhouse (Los Angeles, California); Rocket Carousel (Los Angeles, California)
GenreTeen pop
Length3:54
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Victorious cast featuring Victoria Justice singles chronology
"Freak the Freak Out"
(2010) 		"Beggin' on Your Knees"
(2011)
Music video
"Freak the Freak Out" on YouTube

"Freak the Freak Out" is a song performed by the Victorious cast featuring American singer Victoria Justice. It was produced by The Super Chris and Michael Corcoran, who also co-wrote the song with C.J. Abraham, Nick Hexum, Zack Hexum, and Dan Schneider. It was released as the first single from the show's soundtrack album Victorious: Music from the Hit TV Show (2011) to digital platforms on November 22, 2010, through Columbia Records and Nickelodeon. Musically, it is a rock-influenced teen pop track with lyrics about fighting with a boyfriend. A Victorious episode of the same name premiered on November 26, 2010, and features Tori Vega (Justice), Jade West (Elizabeth Gillies) and Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande) trying to expose a rigged karaoke competition.

The song was met with generally positive reviews from critics, with the majority of them praising its catchiness. "Freak the Freak Out" peaked at number 50 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 176 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was certified gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). An accompanying music video was released on November 19, 2010, and was later added to Justice's YouTube channel on September 20, 2012. The visual portrays Justice and the Victorious cast at a warehouse in Los Angeles, dancing against other people. Justice performed the song live at the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Background and release

"Freak the Freak Out" was released as the first single to digital platforms from the soundtrack album Victorious: Music from the Hit TV Show on November 22, 2010.[1] It later appeared on the American television sitcom Victorious' one-hour special of the same name on November 26, 2010.[2] In the episode, Tori Vega (Victoria Justice) and her friends are thrilled to try out Karaoke Dokie, a fictional karaoke club that features weekly singing competitions.[2][3] On the night of a competition, Jade West (Elizabeth Gillies) and Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande) team up to perform, but the club's owner tampers the competition so his daughter and her friend can win.[2][4] Jade and Cat seek out Tori for her help to get revenge.[5] Tori arrives at the bar in a disguise consisting of a hat, wig, wart, and prosthetic nose.[6][7] She appears on stage to sing "Freak the Freak Out" while she removes her disguise to reveal herself.[5][8]

The song was written by Michael Corcoran, also known as Backhouse Mike, C.J. Abraham, Nick Hexum, Zack Hexum, Dan Schneider. It also featured addition production by Greg Wells on additional production. The mixing for the song was provided by Greg Wellstook place at Rocket Carousel in Los Angeles, California. Corcoran and the Super Chris produced the track along with providing all the instruments on the song. Corcoran also provided the guitars. Corcoran was also included on the programming for the song with CJ Abraham, both of which engineered the track in the Backhouse in Los Angeles. Corcoran and Abraham provided additional vocals along with Niki Watkins, Nick and Zack Hexum.[9]

Music and lyrics

"Freak the Freak Out" is a rock-influenced teen pop track.[10][11] The song's lyrics showcase a girl who is having trouble with her unresponsive partner while also encouraging people to value their distinctive qualities and stay loyal to themselves: "I'm so sick of it/Your attention deficit/Never listen, you never listen/I'm so sick of it/So I'll throw another fit."[10][12]

Bob Hoose and Steven Isaac for Plugged In opined that the "second 'freak' in the title is a not-so-subtle substitute for an intended obscenity."[12] William Ruhlmann for AllMusic wrote that the track has "relentless beats, synthesized instrumentations, nonstop simple, repetitive choruses, and Auto-Tune vocals".[11] Jason Lipshutz, writing for Billboard said the song finds Justice "having a blast with the G-rated concept and flashing an undeniable amount of charisma".[13]

Critical reception

"Freak the Freak Out" was met with mainly positive reviews from music critics. Lipshutz opined the song "deserves to be re-discovered as a highly campy, totally transfixing single".[13] Hoose and Isaac called it a "Katy Perry sound-alike".[12] The staff of Tiger Beat stated the track "has such a catchy and fun beat", mentioning that it is "definitely something we need to get on our mp3 players ASAP".[14]

For AbsolutePunk, Joe DeAndrea said the track is "unapologetically catchy as hell" and stated that it would "get stuck in your head".[15] Writing for MovieWeb, Israel Olorunnisola placed "Freak the Freak Out" at number six on his "Victorious: 10 Songs You Forgot Were Awesome" list, describing it as "energetic".[10] Megan Gaertner for Her Campus placed the song at number four on her The Best Songs from Victorious list, saying the song "is another great bop" and that it "was and still is a great one to jam out to with you besties".[16]

Commercial performance

"Freak the Freak Out" debuted at number 78 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart dated December 18, 2010.[17][18] The song later peaked at number 50 on the chart in January 2011,[13][19] lasting four weeks on the chart and giving Justice her highest hit on the Hot 100.[20][21] It also peaked at number six on the Billboard Kids Digital Song Sales chart[22] and number 21 on the US Pop Digital Song Sales chart.[23] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the single a gold certification, which denotes 500,000 units based on sales and track-equivalent on-demand streams in the United States.[24][25] Outside of the United States, the song peaked at number 176 in the United Kingdom on the UK Singles Chart.[26] "Freak the Freak Out" also charted in digital charts in Australia, peaking at number seven on the Australia Top 20 Hitseekers Singles.[27]

Promotion

The music video features (from left to right) Victorious cast members Elizabeth Gillies, Leon Thomas III, Matt Bennett, and Avan Jogia

A music video for "Freak the Freak Out" was released on November 19, 2010,[14] and was streamed on Nick.com and Nick's wireless partners.[2][25] It was later uploaded to VictoriousVEVO YouTube channel on September 20, 2012.[28] It was the first music video to be made for a Victorious song.[29] The visual features Justice and the Victorious cast doing a dance-off with other people at a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles.[2] Gillies, Leon Thomas III, Matt Bennett, and Avan Jogia dance to the song on the dance floor.[14] Justice performed the song live at the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.[25] In January 2020, Grande and Bennett sang the song while staying at Disneyland.[30][31]

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from Victorious liner notes.[9]

  • Victoria Justice – vocals
  • Michael Corcoran - songwriting, production, instrumentation, guitars, programming, engineering, background vocals
  • The Super Chris - production, instrumentation
  • C.J. Abraham - songwriting, programming, engineering, background vocals
  • Nick Hexum - songwriting, background vocals
  • Zack Hexum - songwriting, background vocals
  • Dan Schneider - songwriting
  • Niki Watkins - background vocals
  • Greg Wells - additional production, mixing

Charts

Chart performance for "Freak the Freak Out"
Chart (2010–2011) Peak
position
Australia Top 20 Hitseekers Singles (ARIA)[27] 7
UK Singles (OCC)[26] 176
US Billboard Hot 100[32] 50
US Kid Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[22] 6
US Pop Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[23] 21

Certifications

Certifications for "Freak the Freak Out"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[33] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Freak the Freak Out by Victorious Cast featuring Victoria Justice". Spotify. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Tori and the Gang Vie for the Ultimate Karaoke Crown in the First Ever Hour Long Victorious Special, 'Freak the Freak Out,' Premiering Friday, Nov. 26, at 8:00 P.M. on Nickelodeon". PR Newswire. November 4, 2010. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  3. ^ Armstrong, Jennifer (November 19, 2010). "'Victorious' exclusive first look: Karaoke hijinks! Wisdom-tooth hijinks!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 7, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  4. ^ Thomas Umstead, R. (November 4, 2010). "Nick To Air 'Victorious' Special". Multichannel News. Archived from the original on May 31, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Ashby, Emily. "Freak the Freak Out". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on May 31, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  6. ^ Russian, Ale (October 27, 2016). "Throwback! Victoria Justice Dishes on Her Favorite Victorious Episode — and Sings One of her Old Songs!". People. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  7. ^ Zaragoza Medina, Evelina (March 15, 2020). "19 Weird Things That Happened On Nickelodeon Shows That Were Never Addressed". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  8. ^ Margolis, Sam; McQuiston, Rachel (December 8, 2019). "5 Most Iconic 'Victorious' Songs". Her Campus. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Victorious (liner notes). Victorious and Victoria Justice. United States: Columbia. 2011.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ a b c Olorunnisola, Israel (March 19, 2023). "Victorious: 10 Songs You Forgot Were Awesome". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  11. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "Victoria Justice/Victorious Cast Victorious: Music from the Hit TV Show". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  12. ^ a b c Hoose, Bob; Issac, Steven. "Victorious: Music From the Hit TV Show". Plugged In. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  13. ^ a b c Lipshutz, Jason. "Victoria Justice's Music Career: Why Ariana Grande's Co-Star Is Still Worth Watching". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  14. ^ a b c "Watch: Victoria Justice feat. the Victorious Cast Sing 'Freak the Freak Out!'". Tiger Beat. November 19, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  15. ^ DeAndrea, Joe (August 2, 2011). "Victorious Cast feat. Victoria Justice - Victorious - Album Review - AbsolutePunk.net". AbsolutePunk. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  16. ^ Gaertner, Megan (November 8, 2019). "The Best Songs from Victorious". Her Campus. Archived from the original on May 31, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  17. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 History - December 18, 2010". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  18. ^ N. Bailey-Boorsma, Joanne (January 25, 2021). "Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice coming to Allegan County Fair". The Ann Arbor News. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  19. ^ Trust, Gary (April 6, 2011). "Katy Perry's 'E.T.' Widens Lead Atop Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  20. ^ Blanchet, Brenton (March 5, 2021). "Victoria Justice Is Independent and Treating Herself Better". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  21. ^ Crucchiola, Jordan; Haylock, Zoe; Polk, Milan (January 25, 2021). "Disney and Nickelodeon Stars Gone Pop: A Ranking". Vulture. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  22. ^ a b "Billboard". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 6, 2022.
  23. ^ a b "Victoria Justice Chart History (Pop Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021.
  24. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (October 11, 2013). "Victoria Justice to Star in MTV Pilot From Jason Blum, Catherine Hardwicke". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 31, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  25. ^ a b c "Columbia Records/Nickelodeon Reveals Tracklisting for Victorious Soundtrack Album". PR Newswire. July 11, 2011. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  26. ^ a b "www.zobbel.de/cluk/110312cluk.txt". zobbel.de. March 12, 2011.
  27. ^ a b "May 30, 2011 - pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20110530-1606/Issue1107.pdf - Trove" (PDF). webarchive.nla.gov.au. May 30, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 30, 2011.
  28. ^ "Victorious Cast - Freak The Freak Out ft. Victoria Justice". YouTube. Archived from the original on May 31, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  29. ^ Teen Mag (November 22, 2010). "Check It Out: First Ever Victorious Music Video". Seventeen. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  30. ^ Stivale, Shelby (January 29, 2020). "Blast From The Past: Ariana Grande & Matt Bennett Sing 'Victorious' Songs, And We're So Here For It". J-14. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  31. ^ Spence, Sade (January 29, 2020). "These Videos Of Ariana & Matt Bennett Singing 'Victorious' Songs Will Give You Feels". Elite Daily. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  32. ^ "Victoria Justice Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  33. ^ "American album certifications – Victorious Cast Feat. Victoria Justice – Freak The Freak Out". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 2, 2025.