"Red Carpet" is a song recorded by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released on December 2, 2015 via Avex Trax and her label Dimension Point as the singer's third consecutive non-album single, being supported by B-side track "Black Make-Up". "Red Carpet" was distributed in two physical formats—a standard CD, and a CD and DVD bundle—and was made available for digital consumption. The recording was written and composed by Matthew Tishler, Paula Winger, Stephanie Lewis and Tiger, whilst production was handled by Tishler. Musically, the track features guitars, synthesizers, keyboards and drums as instrumentation. Lyrically, the songwriting focuses on themes of self-confidence, empowerment and narcissism, and uses the title as a metaphor for life experiences.
Upon its release, "Red Carpet" received positive reviews from music critics, with them commending the production and pop-friendly delivery, and also highlighting the inclusion of "Black Make-Up". Commercially, it experienced moderate success in Japan, peaking inside the top five on both the Oricon Singles Chart and Japan Hot 100. An accompanying music video was directed by Hisashi Kikuchi, depicting Amuro through several streets at night, decorated by fairy lights. In order to promote "Red Carpet", it was used for a campaign hosted by Kosee, and was included on the singer's 2016 Livegenic concert tour in Japan and Asia.
Background and composition
On November 3, 2015, Amuro announced the release of a new single titled "Red Carpet" alongside its corresponding music video, and unveiled details about the inclusion of its B-side track, "Black Make-Up". This marked a return to Amuro releasing non-album singles, having previously made available for purchase "Tsuki" (2014) and "Brighter Day" (2014). The singer revealed that the track would premiere as the theme song for Oleo D'or, a commercial campaign created by Japanese cosmetic company Kosee. Additionally, "Black Make-Up" served as the opening theme for Japanese anime series One Piece: Adventures of Nevlandia (2015–16). "Red Carpet" was written and composed by Matthew Tishler, Paula Winger, Stephanie Lewis and Tiger, whilst production was handled by Tishler. The song contains backing vocals by Japanese recording artist Emyli, who previously worked on songs for Amuro in the past.
Musically, "Red Carpet" was described by Japanese journalist Kanako Hayakawa as a neo soul tune with elements of contemporary R&B. Similarly, CD Journal noted elements of neo soul and described its instrumentation as consisting of guitars, pianos and drums. Alex Shenmue, writing for Land of Rising, labelled it a "pop tune". An editor of Billboard Japan noted musical similarities to Amuro's previous singles "Baby Don't Cry" (2007) and "Love Story" (2011), and labelled the sound as an "upbeat neo soul tune". "Black Make-Up" was noted by critics as a "danceable" track that incorporates dance-pop and R&B elements. Lyrically, the songwriting of "Red Carpet" focuses on themes of self-confidence, empowerment and narcissism, with the line "walking on the red carpet" serving as a metaphor for life experiences.
Release
"Red Carpet" was released on December 2, 2015 via Avex Trax and her label Dimension Point as the singer's third consecutive non-album single. It was distributed in two physical formats—a standard CD, and a CD and DVD bundle—and was made available for digital consumption. All three formats include the two tracks and their instrumental versions, whilst the DVD edition came with the single's official music video and behind-the-scenes footage. The cover art for all three formats featured Amuro in front of a large red silk fabric, which resembles the aesthetic of a red carpet, wearing the same dress from the music video. Physical releases of "Red Carpet" included an extra lyric booklet, whilst pre-ordered versions through Japanese retail CDJapan came with a limited edition bonus poster.
Reception
Upon its release, "Red Carpet" received positive reviews from music critics. Alex Shenmue of Land of Rising awarded it seven points out of ten, labelling the sound more "mature" than her previous releases. Despite commending the recording's production, Shemnue did believe that the material was neither "breaking any boundary or reaching outstanding levels". Similarly, a member from CD Journal complimented the composition and its commercial appeal, additionally highlighting the production of B-side track "Black Make-Up". An editor from Billboard Japan was positive towards the production and composition of "Red Carpet", and complimented the lyrical content for its "hero"-esque vibe.