The Seattle-based Lambert wrote the chorus for the rap duo’s song, which hit No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July before earning a Grammy nomination for song of the year. She then turned the content into its own song, redubbed “She Keeps Me Warm.” She signed to Capitol Records following the success of “Same” and released the four-song EP “Welcome to the Age of My Body” (which includes “Warm”) in December. Still, according to Capitol Music Group executive VP Greg Thompson, the breakthrough of “Same Love” wasn’t the only reason the label added her to its roster.
“‘Same Love’ certainly brought her to our attention, but when we looked further, we saw an incredibly gifted singer/songwriter and spoken-word artist. “We thought that hers could be a real important voice.” Impressively, “Warm” has charted so far from unsolicited airplay, with Capitol having set this week as its official target for beginning radio promotion of it. Thompson says the early airplay “by astute programmers that are usually tough adds makes a statement about the quality of it.”
Following the “Body” EP, Capitol hopes to release mary lambert full-length debut later this year. For now, the label sees the song’s start as an encouraging indicator of Lambert’s potential. There’s also precedent for a rap hit segueing to adult radio in a new form: After Jay Z and Alicia Keys’ rap/sung “Empire State of Mind” topped the Hot 100 for five weeks in late 2009, Keys’ rap-free interpretation rose to No. 18 on Adult Contemporary in 2010. Thompson invokes an even earlier comparison: Dido’s “Thank You” first gained attention as the chorus to Eminem’s No. 11-peaking Hot Rap Songs classic “Stan” in 2000.
On its own, “Thank You” then became a bigger hit, charging to No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 2001.”Dido went on to have several hits,” Thompson notes. “Similarly, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis gave mary lambert a platform that I feel she’s capable of delivering on. “She’s also so appreciative of what she has. She’s one of these people who doesn’t take anything for granted. She was blown away to be on-stage with everyone – including Madonna! – last night.”
As for the content of “Warm,” a same-sex love song, Thompson believes that listeners in 2014 “just know what they like, and they like her,” as evidenced by the widespread buzz of last night’s 33 marriages set to “Same Love” on live TV. (“This song is a love song not for some of us, but for all of us,” Queen Latifah proclaimed upon introducing the performance.) “Macklemore and Ryan Lewis saw her talent,” Thompson says, “and they created a brilliant song that will speak for generations to come.” -Billboard
