I’ll admit it: I have a soft spot for Robert Pattinson. As a kid, I remember being completely infatuated with his character in the popular Harry Potter film series. I’d often watch the movies multiple times just to catch a glimpse of him. Then when the final movie came out, I was actually a little bit heartbroken, as I felt like he didn’t get the ending he truly deserved.
Pattinson released his first solo album, titled Goodbye Gucci, back in 2012. The album featured several tracks written and produced by the rapper and producer Travis Scott. After the album’s release, it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Scott won best new artist at the 2015 GRAMMY Awards for his work on the album.
Pattinson’s next solo album, Darling, dropped in late 2016. It features the singles “Dusk Till Dawn,” “24k,” and “Say You Won’t Let Go.” The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. In 2017, Scott won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for the song “Remember Me?”—which was featured on the movie of the same name—and Pattinson won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song for the same tune. Darling also marked the first time that Scott and Pattinson collaborated on music together, with the latter contributing guest vocals on several songs. The collaboations led to a series of concerts dubbed the “Darling Tour.”
Now, Pattinson is set to release his latest album, Believe Me, on January 18. The singer made the record while working with a number of celebrated producers and songwriters. He also enlisted the help of a few of his famous friends, including Scott, who serves as producer. The album’s first single, “I Don’t Wanna Know,” was released last November and now has almost 11 million views on YouTube as of this writing. A music video for the song was also recently released, featuring several cameos from well-known faces in the world of film and television.
The music video for the album’s second single, “Sober,” also features several big names in Hollywood. The video was directed by Philipp Scholl and stars Alicia Vikander, who you may recognize from the movie The Danish Girl; Johnny Depp, who you may know from Black Mass; and Tim Roth, who you may remember from the film Generation Kill. Weaving aside the acting connections, let’s take a closer look at these three stars’ appearances in the video. First up, we have Depp, playing himself. In the video, he’s seen drinking wine and getting into a series of random fights with other men. In one particularly amusing scene, Depp throws a mannequin off of a building; in another, he bites the head off of a dragon.
Roth, as expected, plays a slightly more villainous role, although his character is basically an antagonist. In a scene near the end of the video, we see Roth shooting several men, including Depp. One of the men he shoots is wearing a bright yellow shirt. This moment in the video is a callback to an earlier scene, when Roth steals the shirt and makes a mocking gesture with it before putting it on. The song’s music video also features cameos from several other high profile musicians and celebrities, including Run DMC, Jay-Z, and the Weeknd.
Pattinson’s longtime collaborators, the producers and songwriters Max Martin and Shellback, contribute to the making of the album. The two wrote and produced several tracks on it, including “Mama” and “Say You Won’t Let Go.” As fans may know, Martin and Shellback are best known for their work with Dua Lipa and Justin Bieber, as well as Kacey Musgraves, whose song “Slow Dance” is played during the Believe Me tour. Both Lipa and Musgraves have also collaborated with Scott and Pattinson previously.
Musgraves is featured on “Mama,” her first single with Scott and Pattinson, as well as the album’s opener. In the song, Musgraves duets with Scott and Pattinson, and the three of them perform the track live for the first time at Los Angeles’ Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2017. The performance was later featured on the album’s official video. In the video, we see Musgraves, Scott, and Pattinson performing together in an empty field. As a special bonus, during this performance, Scott and Pattinson are seen shirtless. In the song, Scott and Pattinson trade verses about how they feel about Musgraves’ physical appearance, with the latter complimenting the athletic look the former has.’
Scott is featured on several songs on the album, including the title track and “Sober.” In “Sober,” Scott raps about the many challenges he faced during both the making of the album and the filming of the music video. While the latter faced multiple threats—including a bear attack that was allegedly faked for the video—the former was beset by bad luck, as the whole album was leaked online prior to its release. An impromptu listening party was even staged at a Los Angeles’ record store, with some fans reportedly crying at the realization that all their favorite songs were about to be heard by the world.
The album’s other singles include “I Don’t Wanna Know,” “24k,” and “Chained.” This last song was written by Martin and Shellback and features the rapper Lil Wayne.
It’s worth noting that while the album’s singles are performed by famous stars, the backing vocals are provided by Pattinson himself. Many of the album’s songs feature instrumentals that were primarily composed using the software program Logic.
The Pros and Cons of Collaborating With A Fellow Star
One of the interesting things about the Robbie Pattinson albums is how they’ve been a labor of love for the singer. The music is personal, and he often performs songs that he’s written about his experiences growing up and the artists he’s admired. It’s as if he wanted to prove to the world—and to himself—that he could be a legitimate songwriter and performer. It’s clear that his ambition has paid off. The albums are heartfelt and display a level of passion that most people don’t get to see from the “villa in the jungle.”
There are, however, some pros and cons to working with a fellow star. First up, the pros. Working with another singer gives you a leg up when it comes to selling copies of your album. Even if you’re not entirely satisfied with the results of your collaboration, at the very least, you have another talented star by your side to help drive sales. Second, having a fellow celebrity singer on your team can certainly open up more doors for you. When you’re trying to break into the music industry and are just starting out, having a famous name in your corner can help. It’s an unexpected bonus when a celebrity you’ve never met is willing to help launch your career.
On the other hand, dealing with a collaborator can be a hassle. First off, you have to remember that they’re not just a piece of meat who can sing and dance for your entertainment. They’re a person, and they have their own views, feelings, and ambitions. While it might be easy to just hand them a guitar and tell them to go for it, you’re going to have to deal with the fact that they’re not the band you were looking for and that their input is going to be a factor in the songwriting process. You’re also going to have to work harder than you would if this collaboration had never happened. These are the pros and cons of working with a fellow superstar.
The Conclusion
When it comes to Robbie Pattinson, there are certainly good things and bad things. The fact that we’ve gone through this exhaustive review just to present an argument for or against his music is a clear indication of how much we love his work. We love his talent, his honesty, and his perseverance, and we are immensely grateful that he has devoted so much of his time to creating these albums and giving us so much to talk about. If you’re interested in exploring more topics relating to Robbie Pattinson, be sure to check out our other blogs: