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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox single
{{Infobox single
| name = Hold On to Now
| name = Hold on to Now
| cover = Screenshot 2023-10-27 at 15.57.49.png
| cover = Kylie Minogue - Hold On to Now (official single cover).png
| alt =
| alt =
| type = single
| type = single
Line 9: Line 9:
| album = [[Tension (Kylie Minogue album)|Tension]]
| album = [[Tension (Kylie Minogue album)|Tension]]
| released = {{start date|2023|10|30|df=y}}
| released = {{start date|2023|10|30|df=y}}
| B-side = Hold On to Now (Extended Mix)
| B-side =
| recorded = 2022
| recorded = 2022<ref name="HOTN info">{{cite web|url=https://www.classicpopmag.com/2023/10/inside-kylie-tension/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR145QhcZPNa9HaWMgsTwHa65COueQ97Y-pklo7bqWwLJqfKO33B2OIHGt8#Echobox=1698825240|title=Inside Kylie: Tension|work=[[Classic Pop (magazine)|Classic Pop]]|date=31 October 2023|last=Lindores|first=Mark|accessdate=2 November 2023}}</ref>
| studio =
| studio =
* Biffco Studios, [[Brighton]]
*Biffco Studios, Brighton
*The Pool Studio, [[Bermondsey]]
*The Pool Studio, [[Bermondsey]]
*Infinite Disco Studio, [[Melbourne]]
*Infinite Disco Studio, Melbourne
| genre = {{flatlist|
| genre =
* [[Synth-pop]]
* [[Synth-pop]]
* [[electropop]]
* [[electropop]]
⚫
| length = 3:57
⚫
}}
⚫
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=57}}
| label =
| label =
* Darenote
* Darenote
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| prev_title = [[Tension (song)|Tension]]
| prev_title = [[Tension (song)|Tension]]
| prev_year = 2023
| prev_year = 2023
| next_title =
| next_title = [[Dance Alone (Sia and Kylie Minogue song)|Dance Alone]]
| next_year =
| next_year = 2024
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|BlMVB7DDzSc|"Hold On to Now"}}|header=Lyric video}}}}
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|BlMVB7DDzSc|"Hold on to Now"}}|header=Lyric video}}
}}


"'''Hold On to Now'''" is a song by Australian singer [[Kylie Minogue]]. It will be released as the third single from Minogue's ''[[Tension (Kylie Minogue album)|Tension]]'' (2023) on 10 November 2023 by [[BMG Rights Management]] and Darenote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.kylie.com/product/124789|title=Kylie Official Store - Kylie - Hold On To Now Cassette Single|publisher=Kylie.com|accessdate=27 October 2023}}</ref> Minogue co-wrote the song with Jon Green and its producers, Duck Blackwell and longtime collaborator [[Biffco|Richard Stannard]]. "Hold On to Now" received positive reviews from [[Music journalism|music critics]].
"'''Hold on to Now'''" is a song by Australian singer [[Kylie Minogue]]. [[BMG Rights Management]] and Minogue's company Darenote released it for [[airplay]] on 30 October 2023, and then distributed it in various [[Music download|digital]] and [[Optical disc packaging|physical formats]] between November and December that same year. Minogue wrote the song with producers Jon Green, Duck Blackwell, and her longtime collaborator [[Biffco|Richard "Biffco" Stannard]]. "Hold on to Now" was one of the first songs written for the album [[Tension (Kylie Minogue album)|''Tension'']]. It was developed from a sample [[melody]] Minogue sent to Stannard via [[Sound recording and reproduction|voice note]].


Minogue considers "Hold on to Now" to be one of her favourite songs from the album. It is a [[Synth-pop|synth]]-driven track with [[electronic music]] elements and [[gospel]] sections performed by the [[House Gospel Choir]]. The song's lyrics address Minogue's desire to ask [[Existentialism|existential]] questions and seek answers. [[Music journalism|Music critics]] praised "Hold on to Now" for the singer's vocals, songwriting skills, and overall production quality. Some critics have compared it to the work of the Swedish singer [[Robyn]]. The song was also shortlisted for Song of the Year at the [[APRA Music Awards of 2024|2024 APRA Music Awards]].
Commercially, "Hold On to Now" charted in the United Kingdom it reached the top eighty-one. An accompanying lyric video featuring Minogue singing was released. Minogue also performed the song at BBC Radio 2's [[Radio 2 Live]] festival show in [[Hyde Park, London|Leicester]].


Prior to its official release, "Hold on to Now" charted in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and it was the UK's 18th best-selling [[Gramophone record|vinyl]] single in 2023. To promote the song, Minogue uploaded a lyric video to her [[YouTube]] channel, alongside various album [[Music visualization|visualisers]] that debuted on the same day as the album's release. Minogue also performed the song at several live events, including her ''[[More Than Just a Residency]]'' show in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]].
==Background and release==
"Hold On to Now" was announced alongside Minogue's announcement for her sixteenth studio album, ''[[Tension (Kylie Minogue album)|Tension]]'' on 12 May 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/kylie-minogue-new-album-tension-release-date-1235328780/ |title=Kylie Minogue Reveals Release Date for New Album ''Tension'' |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |author=Aniftos, Rania |date=12 May 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref> The song was officially released alongside her album on 22 September 2023.<ref name="Release">{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/song/hold-on-to-now/1687005180 |title=Hold On To Now - Song by Kylie Minogue - Apple Music |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref>


==Writing and development==
==Reception==
In 2022, Minogue began working on new music during her downtime.<ref name="ClassicPop">{{cite magazine |last=Lindores |first=Mark |url=https://www.classicpopmag.com/2023/10/inside-kylie-tension/ |title=Inside Kylie: Tension |magazine=[[Classic Pop (magazine)|Classic Pop]] |date=31 October 2023 |accessdate=2 November 2023}}</ref> She visited her friend and long-time collaborator, [[Biffco|Richard "Biffco" Stannard]], and they started working together. According to Stannard, they were only experimenting with sounds, without initially planning to create an album.<ref name="ClassicPop"/> One of the pieces conceived prior to the sessions was a [[Sound recording and reproduction|voice note]] that Minogue had sent to Stannard featuring a simple "na-na-na" [[melody]].<ref name="AppleMusic1">{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/tension-deluxe/1687251368 |title=Tension (Deluxe) by Kylie Minogue |website=[[Apple Music]] |access-date=1 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928215320/https://music.apple.com/au/album/tension-deluxe/1687251368 |archive-date=28 September 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> They later brought in producer and [[multi-instrumentalist]] Duck Blackwell and, together with songwriter Jon Green, the group developed "Hold on to Now," one of the first tracks to emerge from the sessions.<ref name="ClassicPop"/>
⚫
[[File:Robyn in Fridays for Future in 2019.jpg|thumb|left|Sonically, "Hold On to Now" has been compared by some critics to Swedish singer [[Robyn]]'s musical output.]]
The [[synthesizer|synth-driven]] sound of "Hold On to Now" and "earnest" songwriting have been compared to the works of Swedish singer [[Robyn]]. Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of ''[[Financial Times]]'' labeled the song as "euphoric electronic pop with a Robyn-esque tinge of melancholy."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/e5f64734-dbf0-4e04-923c-24ac6fc2fb59 |title=Kylie Minogue: Tension album review — Padam Padam sets unmatchable peak |author=Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref> Hannah Mylrea of ''[[Rolling Stone Magazine|Rolling Stone UK]]'' described it as "late-night shimmer", and compared it to Minogue's 2010 single "[[Get Outta My Way]]" for "conjuring the same jubilation."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/album-reviews/kylie-minogue-tension-review-pop-icon-delivers-irresistible-dancefloor-paean-32791/ |title=Kylie Minogue, 'Tension' review |author=Mylrea, Hannah |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> Harry Tafoya of ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' in his review of the song's parent album ''[[Tension (Kylie Minogue album)|Tension]]'', called the song "Robyn-esque plea for romantic faith."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/kylie-minogue-tension/ |title=Kylie Minogue: Tension Album Review |author=Tafoya, Harry |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date=21 September 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> Nick Levine of ''[[NME]]'' stated that the song, "feels like an upbeat successor" to Minogue's 2020 single "[[Say Something (Kylie Minogue song)|Say Something]]", adding that it is the "sonic equivalent of a burst of confetti."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/kylie-minogue-tension-review-lyrics-tracklist-3501195 |title=Kylie Minogue – 'Tension' review: up there with her best |author=Levine, Nick |website=[[NME]] |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref>


Blackwell stated that Minogue and Biffco were "very welcoming," and he immediately felt comfortable sharing his personal stories, which helped shape "Hold on To Now."<ref name="ClassicPop"/> Biffco and Blackwell co-produced the song, alongside Green, who contributed to the song's production and songwriting process.<ref name="Tension">{{cite AV media notes |last=Minogue |first=Kylie |author-link=Kylie Minogue |title=Tension |year=2023 |type=[[liner notes]] |publisher=[[BMG Rights Management|BMG]] |location=United Kingdom |id=538929932}}</ref> The track was recorded at Biffco Studios in [[Brighton]], The Pool Studio in [[Bermondsey]], and Infinite Disco Studios in [[Melbourne]]. Ben Loveland served as the [[recording engineer]], with additional engineering assistance from James Pinfield-Wells and Minogue herself. Guy Massey [[Audio mixing|mixed]] the song, which also features the [[House Gospel Choir]], directed by [[Natalie Maddix]].<ref name="Tension"/>
Alexa Camp of ''[[Slant Magazine]]'' labeled it "lightweight and anthemic", and commented that the song is in the "vein" of Minogue's previously released songs such as 2010's "[[All the Lovers]]" and 2014's "[[Into the Blue (Kylie Minogue song)|Into the Blue]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/kylie-minogue-tension-album-review/ |title=Review: Less Tension, More Release |author=Camp, Alexa |website=[[Slant Magazine]] |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref> Neil Z. Yeung of [[AllMusic]] noted that the "encouraging uplift" of the song, "sparkles and builds to a joyous chorus, atop intergalactic synths and subtle [[New Order (band)|New Order]]-esque guitar noodling."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/tension-mw0004006441 |title=Tension Review |author=Yeung, Neil Z. Yeung |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref> Annabel Ross of ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'' described the track as a "twinkling power ballad that hits the upper limits of tolerable schmaltz" Lyrically, Ross interpreted the song is about "Minogue being lonely, and she searches for something more meaningful."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/sex-meets-nostalgia-in-kylie-minogue-s-euphoric-new-album-tension-20230919-p5e5xt.html |title=Sex meets nostalgia in Kylie Minogue's euphoric new album Tension |author=Ross, Annabel |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref>


==Composition==
⚫
==Commercial performance==
{{Quote box
In the United Kingdom, "Hold On to Now" entered at number 25 and number 26 on the [[UK Singles Downloads Chart|Singles Downloads Chart]] and [[List of UK Singles Sales Chart number ones|Singles Sales Chart]] respectively, during the release week of its parent album ''[[Tension (Kylie Minogue album)|Tension]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-downloads-chart/20230929/7000/ |title=Official Singles Downloads Chart on 29/9/23 |website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]] |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-sales-chart/20230929/7509/ |title=Official Singles Sales Chart on 29/9/23 |website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]] |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> On the [[UK Singles Chart|Official Singles Chart]], it debuted at number 81 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] in September 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20230929/7501/ |title=Official Singles Chart Top 100 on 29/9/2023 |website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]] |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref>
|quote = "I wanted to write about the fact that we spend so much time wondering where we're going that we forget to enjoy the present moment, even though that moment isn't going to last. This title is about that period of time when I'm looking for answers, and I can't find them."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schütz |first1=Violane |last2=Chevalier |first2=Erwann |url=https://www.numero.com/en/music/kylie-minogue-interview-tension-padam-padam |title=Interview with Kylie Minogue: "Melancholy can be a happy place" |magazine=[[Numéro]] |date=2 October 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref>
|source =—Minogue discussing the themes of "Hold on to Now".
|width = 30%
|align = left
⚫
}}
"Hold on to Now" is a three-minute, 58-second [[Synth-pop|synth]]-driven track with [[electronic music]] elements.<ref name="AppleMusic2">{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/gb/song/hold-on-to-now/1716720810 |title=Hold On To Now - Song by Kylie Minogue |publisher=[[Apple Music]] |location=United Kingdom |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref> The song is written in the [[Key (music)|key]] of [[B minor]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/view/kylie-minogue/hold-on-to-now |title=Hold On to Now by Kylie Minogue Chords and Melody |publisher=Hooktheory |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref> According to Michael Cragg of ''[[Crack (magazine)|Crack]]'', the song's sound is "synth-slathered", while Neil Z. Yeung of [[AllMusic]] describes it as "encouraging uplift" with "sparkles and builds to a joyous chorus, atop intergalactic synths and subtle [[New Order (band)|New Order]]-esque guitar noodling".<ref name="Crack">{{cite magazine |last=Cragg |first=Michael |url=https://crackmagazine.net/article/album-reviews/kylie-tension-review/ |title=Kylie: ''Tension'' review |magazine=[[Crack (magazine)|Crack]] |access-date=21 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928215320/https://crackmagazine.net/article/album-reviews/kylie-tension-review/ |archive-date=28 September 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web |last=Yeung |first=Neil Z. |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/tension-mw0004006441 |title=Kylie Minogue – Tension |publisher=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=21 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230916104755/https://www.allmusic.com/album/tension-mw0004006441 |archive-date=16 September 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> According to Vera Maksymiuk of ''Riff'', the track features a "super-charged bass line and ethereal synths as she reassures us that "we can keep dancing forever".<ref name="Riff">{{cite magazine |last=Maksymiuk |first=Vera |url=https://riffmagazine.com/album-reviews/kylie-minogue-tension/ |title=Album Review: Kylie Minogue finds freedom in 'Tension' |magazine=Riff |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=18 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230919002815/https://riffmagazine.com/album-reviews/kylie-minogue-tension/ |archive-date=19 September 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>


Some critics likened the sound to that of Swedish singer [[Robyn]]. ''[[The Financial Times]]'' writer Ludovic Hunter-Tilney described the song as "euphoric [[Electro-pop|electronic pop]] with a Robyn-esque tinge of melancholy".<ref>{{cite news |last=Hunter-Tilney |first=Ludovic |url=https://www.ft.com/content/e5f64734-dbf0-4e04-923c-24ac6fc2fb59 |title=Kylie Minogue: Tension album review — Padam Padam sets unmatchable peak |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref> In his review of the song's parent album, ''[[Tension (Kylie Minogue album)|Tension]]'', Harry Tafoya of ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' described it as a "Robyn-esque plea for romantic faith".<ref name="Pitchfork">{{cite web |last=Tafoya |first=Harry |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/kylie-minogue-tension/ |title=Kylie Minogue: Tension Album Review |work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |access-date=21 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921134242/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/kylie-minogue-tension/ |archive-date=21 September 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[PinkNews]]'' editor Marcus Watten described the song's sound as feeling like a "little, celestial sister to her 2020 single '[[Say Something (Kylie Minogue song)|Say Something]],' with a sprinkling of Robyn's 2018 comeback smash '[[Honey (Robyn song)|Honey]]'".<ref name="PinkNews">{{cite news |last=Watten |first=Marcus |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/09/22/kylie-minogue-tension-ranked-review-padam-hands/ |title=Kylie Minogue: Every song on Tension, ranked from good to brilliant |newspaper=[[PinkNews]] |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref>
In New Zealand, the song entered at number 21 on their [[Recorded Music NZ|component Hot Singles chart]] in October 2023.<ref name="NZ">{{cite web|url=https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/hotsingles?chart=5676 |title=NZ Hot Singles Chart |publisher=[[Recorded Music NZ]] |date=2 October 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> In the United States, it entered at number 32 on the [[Dance/Electronic Songs]] chart.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kylie-minogue/chart-history/dan/ |title=Dance/Electronic Song |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=3 October 2023}}</ref>

The song's lyrics speak to Minogue's desire to ask and answer [[Existentialism|existential]] questions. In an [[Apple Music]] review, Minogue explained the song's lyrical process, saying, "But it's about searching—when you’re so busy searching for answers, you forget being in the present. That's why that speaks to me. I'm really very fond of it."<ref name="AppleMusic1"/> Minogue also stated in a [[podcast]] episode of the [[Zach Sang]] Show that "Hold on to Now" is more "expressive" than the other songs on the album.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5l55cDfhDM |title=Kylie Minogue – Padam Padam, Tension, Kath & Kim, The Loco-Motion |publisher=[[YouTube]] |date=16 August 2023 |access-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928215322/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5l55cDfhDM |archive-date=28 September 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> According to Annabel Ross of ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'', the song is a "twinkling [[power ballad]] that hits the upper limits of tolerable schmaltz". Ross interpreted the lyrics as "Minogue being lonely, and she searches for something more meaningful".<ref>{{cite news |last=Ross |first=Annabel |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/sex-meets-nostalgia-in-kylie-minogue-s-euphoric-new-album-tension-20230919-p5e5xt.html |title=Sex meets nostalgia in Kylie Minogue's euphoric new album Tension |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |access-date=22 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922120753/https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/sex-meets-nostalgia-in-kylie-minogue-s-euphoric-new-album-tension-20230919-p5e5xt.html |archive-date=22 September 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Release==
On 30 October 2023, BMG Rights Management and Minogue's company Darenote released "Hold On to Now" on [[airplay]] platforms in Italy.<ref name="Airplay">{{cite web | url=https://www.earone.it/news/kylie_minogue_hold_on_to_now_radio_date_30_10_2023_81320640/ | title=Kylie Minogue - Hold on to Now |publisher=Earone |language=Italian |date=30 October 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref> Later, the extended version of the [[Single (music)|single]] was distributed on [[Music download|digital]] platforms to promote ''[[Extension (The Extended Mixes)]]'' (2023); following that, the original version was distributed in five formats: digitally and through [[Music streaming service|streaming]] on 2 November, featuring two mixes of the song, [[CD single]] and [[cassette tape]] on 10 November, and [[Gramophone record|vinyl record]] on 8 December, including the extended mix of the song.<ref name="HoldOnToNow1">"Hold on to Now" formats listed below:
* {{cite AV media notes |last=Minogue |first=Kylie |author-link=Kylie Minogue |title=Hold On To Now |year=2023 |type=CD |publisher=[[BMG Rights Management|BMG]] |location=United Kingdom |id=964000509}}
* {{cite AV media notes |last=Minogue |first=Kylie |author-link=Kylie Minogue |title=Hold On To Now |year=2023 |type=Cassette tape |publisher=[[BMG Rights Management|BMG]] |location=United Kingdom |id=964000518}}
* {{cite AV media notes |last=Minogue |first=Kylie |author-link=Kylie Minogue |title=Hold On To Now |year=2023 |type=Vinyl |publisher=[[BMG Rights Management|BMG]] |location=United Kingdom |id=964000491}}</ref><ref name="HoldOnToNow2">{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/hold-on-to-now-trance-wax-remix-single/1716720804 |title=Hold On To Now (Trance Wax Remix) - Single by Kylie Minogue |publisher=[[Apple Music]] |location=United Kingdom |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref> Prior to its release, Minogue teased the song's announcement and release date on [[social media]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy555RxLWLi/ |title="I've been seeing all of your love for Hold On To Now, so I wanted to make something special for you... CD and cassette singles are available to pre-order now! That's not all... Padam Padam, Tension AND Hold On To Now 7" vinyl singles have arrived! Head over to my store to add to your collection. ❤️💚💜" |publisher=Kylie Minogue's [[Instagram]] |date=28 October 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref> The [[Album cover|cover artwork]] was created by [[Aries Moross|Studio Moross]] and is based on images from the parent album's photo shoot.<ref name="Tension"/><ref name="HoldOnToNow1"/>

==Critical reception==
⚫
[[File:Robyn - Robin Miriam Carlsson.jpg|thumb|right|220px|"Hold on to Now" was compared by [[Music journalism|music critics]] to the work of Swedish singer [[Robyn]] (pictured).]]
"Hold on to Now" received positive reviews from [[Music journalism|music critics]], and Minogue considers it one of her favourite songs from the album.<ref name="AppleMusic1"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.musicweek.com/interviews/read/the-music-week-interview-kylie-minogue/088514 |title=The Music Week Interview: Kylie Minogue |work=[[Music Week]] |date=19 September 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref> Neil Z. Yeung of [[AllMusic]] described the song as one of the album's highlights.<ref name="AllMusic"/> Hannah Mylrea of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' describes it as "late-night shimmer" and compares it to Minogue's 2010 single "[[Get Outta My Way]]" for "conjuring the same jubilation".<ref name="RollingStone">{{cite magazine |last=Mylrea |first=Hannah |url=https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/album-reviews/kylie-minogue-tension-review-pop-icon-delivers-irresistible-dancefloor-paean-32791/ |title=Kylie Minogue, 'Tension' review: Pop icon delivers irresistible dancefloor paean |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |location=United Kingdom |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230919002815/https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/album-reviews/kylie-minogue-tension-review-pop-icon-delivers-irresistible-dancefloor-paean-32791/ |archive-date=19 September 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> According to ''[[NME]]'' writer Nick Levine, the song "feels like an upbeat successor" to Minogue's 2020 single "[[Say Something (Kylie Minogue song)|Say Something]]" and is the "sonic equivalent of a burst of confetti".<ref name="NME">{{cite web |last=Levine |first=Nick |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/kylie-minogue-tension-review-lyrics-tracklist-3501195 |title=Kylie Minogue – 'Tension' review: up there with her best |work=[[NME]] |date=21 September 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922041553/https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/kylie-minogue-tension-review-lyrics-tracklist-3501195 |archive-date=22 September 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> According to [[Medium (website)|Medium]], the track "has a beautifully astronomical sound that soars upward as the glittering synths and choir erupt".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/the-riff/album-review-tension-by-kylie-minogue-abb29eeaeedf |title=Album Review – ''Tension'' by Kylie Minogue |publisher=[[Medium (website)|Medium]] |date=3 December 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref> ''[[The Music (magazine)|The Music]]'' editor Bryget Chrisfield described it as a "wistful dancefloor banger".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Chrisfield |first=Bryget |url=https://themusic.com.au/reviews/kylie-minogue-tension/TAfyXkFAQ0I/22-09-23 |title=Album Review: Kylie Minogue - 'Tension' |magazine=[[The Music (magazine)|The Music]] |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref>

Alexa Camp of ''[[Slant Magazine]]'' described it as "lightweight and anthemic", adding that the song is in the "vein" of Minogue's previous releases, including 2010's "[[All the Lovers]]" and 2014's "[[Into the Blue (Kylie Minogue song)|Into the Blue]]". Camp also stated that Minogue's vocals "coasts on a cloud of percolating synths backed by a gospel choir and a soaring guitar solo".<ref name="Slant">{{cite web |last=Camp |first=Alexa |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/kylie-minogue-tension-album-review/ |title=Kylie Minogue Tension Review: Less Tension, More Release |website=[[Slant Magazine]] |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=18 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918093012/https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/kylie-minogue-tension-album-review/ |archive-date=18 September 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' contributor Todd Gilchrist praised the song's musical direction and production quality, writing that it "feels destined for an unforgettable end-of-night music festival encore, complete with a gospel choir backing Minogue up".<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Gilchrist |first=Todd |url=https://variety.com/2023/music/reviews/kylie-minogue-tension-album-review-1235716580/ |title=Kylie Minogue's ''Tension'' Keeps Her Drumbeat Going 'Padam Padam' With 11 Slabs of Pop Perfection: Album Review |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref>

Marcus Watten of ''[[PinkNews]]'' labelled the track as the fourth best song on the parent album, while Andrew Ryce of ''[[Resident Advisor]]'' described it as the album's "carpe diem paean".<ref name="PinkNews"/><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Ryce |first=Andrew |url=https://ra.co/reviews/35722 |title=Kylie Minogue - Tension |magazine=[[Resident Advisor]] |date=29 September 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref> [[Stereogum]]'s Katherine St. Asaph gave the track a glowing review, stating that "the song is the surest of bets: an arpeggiated, shimmering crescendo of a pop tune about making it through hardship, one instant after another". She described it as "top-shelf material" and concluded that it "would be a near-perfect eleventh-hour album track in anyone's hands".<ref>{{cite web |last=St. Asaph |first=Katherine |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2237236/on-tension-kylie-minogues-post-padam-renaissance-keeps-humming-along/columns/chained-to-the-rhythm/ |title=On Tension, Kylie Minogue's Post-"Padam" Renaissance Keeps Humming Along |publisher=[[Stereogum]] |date=25 September 2023 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref> The song was also shortlisted for Song of the Year at the [[APRA Music Awards of 2024|2024 APRA Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://themusic.com.au/industry/g-flip-genesis-owusu-rvg-more-shortlisted-for-2024-apra-song-of-the-year/Awi5FxYZGBs/22-02-24 |title= G Flip, Genesis Owusu, RVG & More Shortlisted For 2024 APRA Song Of The Year |magazine=[[The Music (magazine)|The Music]] |date=22 February 2024 |access-date=2 March 2024}}</ref>

⚫
==Commercial performance==
"Hold on to Now" charted prior to its official release. During the release week of ''Tension'', "Hold on to Now" debuted at number 21 on the [[New Zealand Hot Singles]] chart and stayed there for a week.<ref name="NZ">{{cite web |url=https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/hotsingles?chart=5676 |title=NZ Hot Singles Chart |publisher=[[Recorded Music NZ]] |date=2 October 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> In Australia, the song peaked at number 24 on the [[ARIA Digital Track Chart|Digital Track chart]] and became her third number-one single from the album to top the Independent Singles chart by [[Australian Independent Record Labels Association]] (AIR).<ref name="Australia1">{{cite magazine |title=The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 2 October 2023 |magazine=[[The ARIA Report]] |publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]] |issue=1752 |page=9 |date=2 October 2023}}</ref><ref name="Australia2">{{cite web |url=https://air.org.au/chart/100-independent-singles-13-november-2023/ |title=100% Independent Singles – 13 November 2023 |publisher=[[Australian Independent Record Labels Association]] |date=6 November 2023 |access-date=19 November 2023}}</ref> In Germany, the song peaked at number 65 on the [[GfK Entertainment charts|Downloads chart]].<ref name="Germany">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.de/charts/pcbqpc/downloads-charts-single |title=Offizielle Download Charts Single (02.10.2023) |publisher=[[MTV Germany]] |access-date=5 October 2023}}</ref>


In the United Kingdom, "Hold on to Now" spent one week at number 81 on the [[UK Singles Chart]], as well as number three on the Single Sales Chart, 17 on the [[UK Singles Downloads Chart|Singles Download chart]], and 36 on the [[UK Independent Singles and Albums Charts|Independent Singles Chart]].{{efn|<ref name="UK1"/><ref name="UK2"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-downloads-chart/20230929/7000/ |title=Official Singles Downloads Chart |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |date=29 September 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-sales-chart/20230929/7509/ |title=Official Singles Sales Chart |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |date=29 September 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref>}} When it was released physically, it reached number two on the Physical Singles chart and third on the Vinyl Singles chart.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/physical-singles-chart/20231208/1/ |title=Official Physical Singles Chart |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |date=8 December 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/vinyl-singles-chart/20231215/897/ |title=Official Vinyl Singles Chart |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |date=15 December 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> However, by the end of 2023, it was the 18th best-selling vinyl in the UK.<ref name="UK3">{{Cite web |last=Ainsley |first=Helen |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-best-selling-vinyl-albums-and-singles-of-2023/ |title=The Official best-selling vinyl albums and singles of 2023 |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |date=4 January 2024 |access-date=11 January 2024}}</ref> In the United States, "Hold on to Now" reached number 32 on the [[Dance/Electronic Songs]] chart and 10 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Songs chart.<ref name="US1"/><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/dance-electronic-digital-song-sales/2023-10-07/ |title=Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=7 October 2024 |access-date=6 July 2023}}</ref>
==Live performances==
⚫
Minogue gave the debut live performance of "Hold On to Now" during her headlining set at [[Radio 2 Live|Radio 2 in the Park]] in September 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66820728 |title=Kylie triumphs at Radio 2 in the Park in Leicester |website=BBC |author=Paterson, Colin|date=18 September 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> Shaun Curran, writing for ''[[I (newspaper)|I]]'', rated Minogue's performance 4/5 stars.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/kylie-minogue-radio-2-in-the-park-leicester-pop-masterclass-2623702 |title=Kylie Minogue, Radio 2 in the Park, Leicester, review: A pure pop masterclass |website=I |author=Curran, Shaun |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> In the same month, Minogue performed the song during her one-off concert at O2 [[Shepherd's Bush Empire]] in London.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1817641/kylie-minogue-london-o2-shepherds-bush-setlist |title=Kylie stunned Londoners in intimate gig with a perfect setlist and a new song debut |author=Crumlish, Callum |date=28 September 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref>


==Lyric video==
==Promotion==
⚫
On 22 September 2023, Minogue's [[YouTube]] channel released the lyric video for "Hold on to Now" along with other [[Music visualization|visualisers]] for the album. It shows Minogue sitting in a [[neo-futuristic]] room and singing the lyrics to the song featured in the video.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlMVB7DDzSc |title=Kylie Minogue - Hold On to Now (Official Lyric Video) |website=[[YouTube]] |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> To further promote the song, Minogue gave her first live performance of "Hold on to Now" during her headlining set at [[Radio 2 Live|Radio 2 in the Park]] in September 2023; ''[[I (newspaper)|I]]'' editor Shaun Curran gave it four stars out of five.<ref>{{cite web |last=Paterson |first=Colin |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66820728 |title=Kylie triumphs at Radio 2 in the Park in Leicester |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Curran |first=Shaun |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/kylie-minogue-radio-2-in-the-park-leicester-pop-masterclass-2623702 |title=Kylie Minogue, Radio 2 in the Park, Leicester, review: A pure pop masterclass |magazine=[[I (magazine)|I]] |date=18 September 2023 |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref> Minogue performed the song at her one-off show at London's [[Shepherd's Bush Empire|O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire]] later that month.<ref>{{cite news |last=Crumlish |first=Callum |url=https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1817641/kylie-minogue-london-o2-shepherds-bush-setlist |title=Kylie stunned Londoners in intimate gig with a perfect setlist and a new song debut |newspaper=[[Daily Express]] |date=28 September 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref> She also included the song on the setlist for her [[Las Vegas]] [[residency show]], ''[[More Than Just a Residency]]''.
The accompanying lyric video for the song was released on 22 September 2023. It features Minogue sitting and singing, with lyrics of the song shown in the video.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlMVB7DDzSc |title=Kylie Minogue - Hold On to Now (Official Lyric Video) |website=[[YouTube]] |access-date=1 October 2023}}</ref>


==Formats and track listing==
==Formats and track listing==
'''CD, Cassette and 7" Vinyl'''
'''Digital / physical formats'''
⚫
#"Hold on to Now" – 3:57
#"Hold on to Now (extended mix)" – 5:28

'''Trance Wax single'''
#"Hold on to Now (Trance Wax Remix)" – 3:22
#"Hold on to Now" – 3:57
#"Hold on to Now" – 3:57
⚫
#"Hold on to Now [Extended Mix]" – 5:46


==Credits and personnel==
==Credits and personnel==
Credits adapted from the [[liner notes]] of ''[[Tension (Kylie Minogue album)|Tension]]''.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Tension |others=Kylie Minogue |year=2023 |type=[[liner notes]] |publisher=[[BMG Rights Management|BMG]] |id=5389928042}}</ref>
Credits adapted from the [[liner notes]] of ''Tension''.<ref name="Tension"/>


'''Locations'''
'''Locations'''
Line 79: Line 105:
* Jon Green – guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
* Jon Green – guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
* [[House Gospel Choir]]{{efn|The House Gospel Choir consists of vocalists Cartell Green-Brown, Christian Idos, Cleo Miller-Stewart, Laura Davie, Laura Leon, Leanna Leid, Lewis Daniel, Liza Marie Jennings, and Monique Meade.}} – choir
* [[House Gospel Choir]]{{efn|The House Gospel Choir consists of vocalists Cartell Green-Brown, Christian Idos, Cleo Miller-Stewart, Laura Davie, Laura Leon, Leanna Leid, Lewis Daniel, Liza Marie Jennings, and Monique Meade.}} – choir
* [[Natalie Maddix]] – choir direction, vocal vocal arrangement
* [[Natalie Maddix]] – choir direction, vocal arrangement
* Liza Marie Jennings – vocal arrangement
* Liza Marie Jennings – vocal arrangement
* [[Dick Beetham]] – [[Mastering (audio)|mastering]]
* [[Dick Beetham]] – [[Mastering (audio)|mastering]]
* Guy Massey – [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]]
* Guy Massey – [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]]
* Ben Loveland – recording engineer<ref name="Release"/>
* Ben Loveland – recording engineer<ref name="AppleMusic1"/>
* James Pinfield-Wells – assistant engineer<ref name="Release"/>
* James Pinfield-Wells – assistant engineer<ref name="AppleMusic1"/>


==Charts==
==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "Hold On to Now"
|+ Chart performance for "Hold on to Now"
! scope="col"| Chart (2023)
! scope="col"| Chart (2023)
! scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
! scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
|-
|-
! scope="row"| [[ARIA Digital Track Chart|Australia Digital Tracks]] ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 2 October 2023 |magazine=The ARIA Report |publisher=[[Australian Recording Industry Association]] |issue=1752 |page=9 |date=2 October 2023}}</ref>
! scope="row"| [[ARIA Digital Track Chart|Australia Digital Tracks]] ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref name="Australia1"/>
| 24
| 24
|-
|-
! scope="row"| Australia Independent ([[Australian Independent Record Labels Association|AIR]])<ref name="Australia2"/>
! scope="row"| Germany Download ([[GfK Entertainment charts|Official German Charts]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.de/charts/pcbqpc/downloads-charts-single|title=Offizielle Download Charts Single (02.10.2023)|publisher=[[MTV Germany]]|access-date=5 October 2023}}</ref>
| 1
|-
! scope="row"| Germany Download ([[GfK Entertainment charts|Official German Charts]])<ref name="Germany"/>
| 65
| 65
|-
|-
Line 101: Line 134:
| 21
| 21
|-
|-
{{single chart|UK|81|date=20230929|rowheader=true|access-date=1 October 2023}}
{{single chart|UK|81|date=20230929|rowheader=true|access-date=1 October 2023|refname="UK1"}}
|-
|-
{{single chart|UKindie|36|date=20230929|rowheader=true|access-date=1 October 2023}}
{{single chart|UKindie|36|date=20230929|rowheader=true|access-date=1 October 2023|refname="UK2"}}
|-
⚫
{{single chart|Billboarddanceelectronic|32|artist=Kylie Minogue|rowheader=true|access-date=3 October 2023|refname="US1"}}
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for "Hold on to Now"
! scope="col"| Chart (2023)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
|-
! scope="row"| UK Vinyl Singles (OCC)<ref name="UK3"/>
⚫
{{single chart|Billboarddanceelectronic|32|artist=Kylie Minogue|rowheader=true|access-date=3 October 2023|refname="hotdance"}}
| 18
|}
|}
{{col-end}}


==Release history==
==Release history==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ "Hold On to Now" release history
|+ "Hold on to Now" release history
! scope="col"| Region
! scope="col"| Region
! scope="col"| Date
! scope="col"| Date
Line 121: Line 166:
| [[Radio]] airplay
| [[Radio]] airplay
| rowspan="4"| {{hlist|Darenote|[[BMG Rights Management|BMG]]}}
| rowspan="4"| {{hlist|Darenote|[[BMG Rights Management|BMG]]}}
| <ref name="Airplay"/>
| <ref>https://www.earone.it/news/kylie_minogue_hold_on_to_now_radio_date_30_10_2023_81320640/</ref>
|-
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="3"| Various
! scope="row" rowspan="3"| Various
| 2 November 2023
| 2 November 2023
| {{hlist|[[Music download|Digital download]]|[[Streaming music|streaming]]}}
| {{hlist|[[Music download|Digital download]]|[[Streaming music|streaming]]}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/7b63wJrdWbYNjPeDilwSor?si=FweeCqvzSkKLiJgYFcNQ0A|title= Hold On To Now| publisher= [[Spotify]]|accessdate= 2 November 2023}}</ref>
| <ref name="AppleMusic2"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/7b63wJrdWbYNjPeDilwSor?si=FweeCqvzSkKLiJgYFcNQ0A |title=Hold On To Now - Single by Kylie Minogue |publisher=[[Spotify]] |accessdate=2 November 2023}}</ref>
|-
|-
| 10 November 2023
| 10 November 2023
| {{hlist|[[CD single]]|[[Cassette single|cassette]]}}
| {{hlist|[[CD single]]|[[Cassette single|cassette]]}}
| <ref name="HoldOnToNow1"/>
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.kylie.com/product/124790|title=Kylie - Hold On To Now CD single| publisher= Kylie Official Store|accessdate= 2 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.kylie.com/product/124789|title=Kylie - Hold On To Now Cassette single| publisher= Kylie Official Store|accessdate= 2 November 2023}}</ref>
|-
|-
| 8 December 2023
| 8 December 2023
| [[Single (music)|7" vinyl]]
| [[Single (music)|7" vinyl]]
| <ref name="HoldOnToNow1"/>
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://music.kylie.com/product/124791|title=Kylie - Hold On To Now 7" Vinyl single| publisher= Kylie Official Store|accessdate= 2 November 2023}}</ref>
|}
|}


Line 146: Line 191:


[[Category:2023 songs]]
[[Category:2023 songs]]
[[Category:2023 singles]]
[[Category:Kylie Minogue songs]]
[[Category:Kylie Minogue songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Kylie Minogue]]
[[Category:Songs written by Kylie Minogue]]
[[Category:Songs written by Richard Stannard (songwriter)]]
[[Category:Songs written by Richard Stannard (songwriter)]]
[[Category:BMG Rights Management singles]]

Latest revision as of 17:39, 5 October 2024

"Hold on to Now"
Single by Kylie Minogue
from the album Tension
Released30 October 2023 (2023-10-30)
Recorded2022
Studio
  • Biffco Studios, Brighton
  • The Pool Studio, Bermondsey
  • Infinite Disco Studio, Melbourne
Genre
Length3:57
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Richard Stannard
  • Duck Blackwell
  • Jon Green
Kylie Minogue singles chronology
"Tension"
(2023) 		"Hold on to Now"
(2023) 		"Dance Alone"
(2024)
Lyric video
"Hold on to Now" on YouTube

"Hold on to Now" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. BMG Rights Management and Minogue's company Darenote released it for airplay on 30 October 2023, and then distributed it in various digital and physical formats between November and December that same year. Minogue wrote the song with producers Jon Green, Duck Blackwell, and her longtime collaborator Richard "Biffco" Stannard. "Hold on to Now" was one of the first songs written for the album Tension. It was developed from a sample melody Minogue sent to Stannard via voice note.

Minogue considers "Hold on to Now" to be one of her favourite songs from the album. It is a synth-driven track with electronic music elements and gospel sections performed by the House Gospel Choir. The song's lyrics address Minogue's desire to ask existential questions and seek answers. Music critics praised "Hold on to Now" for the singer's vocals, songwriting skills, and overall production quality. Some critics have compared it to the work of the Swedish singer Robyn. The song was also shortlisted for Song of the Year at the 2024 APRA Music Awards.

Prior to its official release, "Hold on to Now" charted in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and it was the UK's 18th best-selling vinyl single in 2023. To promote the song, Minogue uploaded a lyric video to her YouTube channel, alongside various album visualisers that debuted on the same day as the album's release. Minogue also performed the song at several live events, including her More Than Just a Residency show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Writing and development

[edit]

In 2022, Minogue began working on new music during her downtime.[1] She visited her friend and long-time collaborator, Richard "Biffco" Stannard, and they started working together. According to Stannard, they were only experimenting with sounds, without initially planning to create an album.[1] One of the pieces conceived prior to the sessions was a voice note that Minogue had sent to Stannard featuring a simple "na-na-na" melody.[2] They later brought in producer and multi-instrumentalist Duck Blackwell and, together with songwriter Jon Green, the group developed "Hold on to Now," one of the first tracks to emerge from the sessions.[1]

Blackwell stated that Minogue and Biffco were "very welcoming," and he immediately felt comfortable sharing his personal stories, which helped shape "Hold on To Now."[1] Biffco and Blackwell co-produced the song, alongside Green, who contributed to the song's production and songwriting process.[3] The track was recorded at Biffco Studios in Brighton, The Pool Studio in Bermondsey, and Infinite Disco Studios in Melbourne. Ben Loveland served as the recording engineer, with additional engineering assistance from James Pinfield-Wells and Minogue herself. Guy Massey mixed the song, which also features the House Gospel Choir, directed by Natalie Maddix.[3]

Composition

[edit]

"I wanted to write about the fact that we spend so much time wondering where we're going that we forget to enjoy the present moment, even though that moment isn't going to last. This title is about that period of time when I'm looking for answers, and I can't find them."[4]

—Minogue discussing the themes of "Hold on to Now".

"Hold on to Now" is a three-minute, 58-second synth-driven track with electronic music elements.[5] The song is written in the key of B minor.[6] According to Michael Cragg of Crack, the song's sound is "synth-slathered", while Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic describes it as "encouraging uplift" with "sparkles and builds to a joyous chorus, atop intergalactic synths and subtle New Order-esque guitar noodling".[7][8] According to Vera Maksymiuk of Riff, the track features a "super-charged bass line and ethereal synths as she reassures us that "we can keep dancing forever".[9]

Some critics likened the sound to that of Swedish singer Robyn. The Financial Times writer Ludovic Hunter-Tilney described the song as "euphoric electronic pop with a Robyn-esque tinge of melancholy".[10] In his review of the song's parent album, Tension, Harry Tafoya of Pitchfork described it as a "Robyn-esque plea for romantic faith".[11] PinkNews editor Marcus Watten described the song's sound as feeling like a "little, celestial sister to her 2020 single 'Say Something,' with a sprinkling of Robyn's 2018 comeback smash 'Honey'".[12]

The song's lyrics speak to Minogue's desire to ask and answer existential questions. In an Apple Music review, Minogue explained the song's lyrical process, saying, "But it's about searching—when you’re so busy searching for answers, you forget being in the present. That's why that speaks to me. I'm really very fond of it."[2] Minogue also stated in a podcast episode of the Zach Sang Show that "Hold on to Now" is more "expressive" than the other songs on the album.[13] According to Annabel Ross of The Sydney Morning Herald, the song is a "twinkling power ballad that hits the upper limits of tolerable schmaltz". Ross interpreted the lyrics as "Minogue being lonely, and she searches for something more meaningful".[14]

Release

[edit]

On 30 October 2023, BMG Rights Management and Minogue's company Darenote released "Hold On to Now" on airplay platforms in Italy.[15] Later, the extended version of the single was distributed on digital platforms to promote Extension (The Extended Mixes) (2023); following that, the original version was distributed in five formats: digitally and through streaming on 2 November, featuring two mixes of the song, CD single and cassette tape on 10 November, and vinyl record on 8 December, including the extended mix of the song.[16][17] Prior to its release, Minogue teased the song's announcement and release date on social media.[18] The cover artwork was created by Studio Moross and is based on images from the parent album's photo shoot.[3][16]

Critical reception

[edit]
"Hold on to Now" was compared by music critics to the work of Swedish singer Robyn (pictured).

"Hold on to Now" received positive reviews from music critics, and Minogue considers it one of her favourite songs from the album.[2][19] Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic described the song as one of the album's highlights.[8] Hannah Mylrea of Rolling Stone describes it as "late-night shimmer" and compares it to Minogue's 2010 single "Get Outta My Way" for "conjuring the same jubilation".[20] According to NME writer Nick Levine, the song "feels like an upbeat successor" to Minogue's 2020 single "Say Something" and is the "sonic equivalent of a burst of confetti".[21] According to Medium, the track "has a beautifully astronomical sound that soars upward as the glittering synths and choir erupt".[22] The Music editor Bryget Chrisfield described it as a "wistful dancefloor banger".[23]

Alexa Camp of Slant Magazine described it as "lightweight and anthemic", adding that the song is in the "vein" of Minogue's previous releases, including 2010's "All the Lovers" and 2014's "Into the Blue". Camp also stated that Minogue's vocals "coasts on a cloud of percolating synths backed by a gospel choir and a soaring guitar solo".[24] Variety contributor Todd Gilchrist praised the song's musical direction and production quality, writing that it "feels destined for an unforgettable end-of-night music festival encore, complete with a gospel choir backing Minogue up".[25]

Marcus Watten of PinkNews labelled the track as the fourth best song on the parent album, while Andrew Ryce of Resident Advisor described it as the album's "carpe diem paean".[12][26] Stereogum's Katherine St. Asaph gave the track a glowing review, stating that "the song is the surest of bets: an arpeggiated, shimmering crescendo of a pop tune about making it through hardship, one instant after another". She described it as "top-shelf material" and concluded that it "would be a near-perfect eleventh-hour album track in anyone's hands".[27] The song was also shortlisted for Song of the Year at the 2024 APRA Music Awards.[28]

Commercial performance

[edit]

"Hold on to Now" charted prior to its official release. During the release week of Tension, "Hold on to Now" debuted at number 21 on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart and stayed there for a week.[29] In Australia, the song peaked at number 24 on the Digital Track chart and became her third number-one single from the album to top the Independent Singles chart by Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR).[30][31] In Germany, the song peaked at number 65 on the Downloads chart.[32]

In the United Kingdom, "Hold on to Now" spent one week at number 81 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as number three on the Single Sales Chart, 17 on the Singles Download chart, and 36 on the Independent Singles Chart.[a] When it was released physically, it reached number two on the Physical Singles chart and third on the Vinyl Singles chart.[37][38] However, by the end of 2023, it was the 18th best-selling vinyl in the UK.[39] In the United States, "Hold on to Now" reached number 32 on the Dance/Electronic Songs chart and 10 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Songs chart.[40][41]

Promotion

[edit]

On 22 September 2023, Minogue's YouTube channel released the lyric video for "Hold on to Now" along with other visualisers for the album. It shows Minogue sitting in a neo-futuristic room and singing the lyrics to the song featured in the video.[42] To further promote the song, Minogue gave her first live performance of "Hold on to Now" during her headlining set at Radio 2 in the Park in September 2023; I editor Shaun Curran gave it four stars out of five.[43][44] Minogue performed the song at her one-off show at London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire later that month.[45] She also included the song on the setlist for her Las Vegas residency show, More Than Just a Residency.

Formats and track listing

[edit]

Digital / physical formats

  1. "Hold on to Now" – 3:57
  2. "Hold on to Now (extended mix)" – 5:28

Trance Wax single

  1. "Hold on to Now (Trance Wax Remix)" – 3:22
  2. "Hold on to Now" – 3:57

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Tension.[3]

Locations

Personnel

  • Kylie Minogue – lead vocals, additional engineering
  • Duck Blackwell – bass guitar, drums, engineering, guitar, keyboards
  • Biff Stannard – percussion, additional keyboards, backing vocals
  • Jon Green – guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
  • House Gospel Choir[b] – choir
  • Natalie Maddix – choir direction, vocal arrangement
  • Liza Marie Jennings – vocal arrangement
  • Dick Beetham – mastering
  • Guy Massey – mixing
  • Ben Loveland – recording engineer[2]
  • James Pinfield-Wells – assistant engineer[2]

Charts

[edit]

Release history

[edit]
"Hold on to Now" release history
Region Date Format Label Ref(s).
Italy 30 October 2023 Radio airplay
[15]
Various 2 November 2023
[5][46]
10 November 2023
[16]
8 December 2023 7" vinyl [16]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ [33][34][35][36]
  2. ^ The House Gospel Choir consists of vocalists Cartell Green-Brown, Christian Idos, Cleo Miller-Stewart, Laura Davie, Laura Leon, Leanna Leid, Lewis Daniel, Liza Marie Jennings, and Monique Meade.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Lindores, Mark (31 October 2023). "Inside Kylie: Tension". Classic Pop. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Tension (Deluxe) by Kylie Minogue". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Minogue, Kylie (2023). Tension (liner notes). United Kingdom: BMG. 538929932.
  4. ^ Schütz, Violane; Chevalier, Erwann (2 October 2023). "Interview with Kylie Minogue: "Melancholy can be a happy place"". Numéro. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Hold On To Now - Song by Kylie Minogue". United Kingdom: Apple Music. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Hold On to Now by Kylie Minogue Chords and Melody". Hooktheory. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  7. ^ Cragg, Michael. "Kylie: Tension review". Crack. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  8. ^ a b Yeung, Neil Z. "Kylie Minogue – Tension". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  9. ^ Maksymiuk, Vera (18 September 2023). "Album Review: Kylie Minogue finds freedom in 'Tension'". Riff. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  10. ^ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (22 September 2023). "Kylie Minogue: Tension album review — Padam Padam sets unmatchable peak". Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  11. ^ Tafoya, Harry. "Kylie Minogue: Tension Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  12. ^ a b Watten, Marcus (22 September 2023). "Kylie Minogue: Every song on Tension, ranked from good to brilliant". PinkNews. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Kylie Minogue – Padam Padam, Tension, Kath & Kim, The Loco-Motion". YouTube. 16 August 2023. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  14. ^ Ross, Annabel. "Sex meets nostalgia in Kylie Minogue's euphoric new album Tension". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Kylie Minogue - Hold on to Now" (in Italian). Earone. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  16. ^ a b c d "Hold on to Now" formats listed below:
  17. ^ "Hold On To Now (Trance Wax Remix) - Single by Kylie Minogue". United Kingdom: Apple Music. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  18. ^ ""I've been seeing all of your love for Hold On To Now, so I wanted to make something special for you... CD and cassette singles are available to pre-order now! That's not all... Padam Padam, Tension AND Hold On To Now 7" vinyl singles have arrived! Head over to my store to add to your collection. ❤️💚💜"". Kylie Minogue's Instagram. 28 October 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  19. ^ "The Music Week Interview: Kylie Minogue". Music Week. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  20. ^ Mylrea, Hannah (18 September 2023). "Kylie Minogue, 'Tension' review: Pop icon delivers irresistible dancefloor paean". Rolling Stone. United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  21. ^ Levine, Nick (21 September 2023). "Kylie Minogue – 'Tension' review: up there with her best". NME. Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  22. ^ "Album Review – Tension by Kylie Minogue". Medium. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  23. ^ Chrisfield, Bryget (22 September 2023). "Album Review: Kylie Minogue - 'Tension'". The Music. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  24. ^ Camp, Alexa (18 September 2023). "Kylie Minogue Tension Review: Less Tension, More Release". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  25. ^ Gilchrist, Todd (22 September 2023). "Kylie Minogue's Tension Keeps Her Drumbeat Going 'Padam Padam' With 11 Slabs of Pop Perfection: Album Review". Variety. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  26. ^ Ryce, Andrew (29 September 2023). "Kylie Minogue - Tension". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  27. ^ St. Asaph, Katherine (25 September 2023). "On Tension, Kylie Minogue's Post-"Padam" Renaissance Keeps Humming Along". Stereogum. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  28. ^ "G Flip, Genesis Owusu, RVG & More Shortlisted For 2024 APRA Song Of The Year". The Music. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  29. ^ a b "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  30. ^ a b "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 2 October 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1752. Australian Recording Industry Association. 2 October 2023. p. 9.
  31. ^ a b "100% Independent Singles – 13 November 2023". Australian Independent Record Labels Association. 6 November 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  32. ^ a b "Offizielle Download Charts Single (02.10.2023)". MTV Germany. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  33. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  34. ^ a b "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  35. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart". Official Charts Company. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  36. ^ "Official Singles Sales Chart". Official Charts Company. 29 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  37. ^ "Official Physical Singles Chart". Official Charts Company. 8 December 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  38. ^ "Official Vinyl Singles Chart". Official Charts Company. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  39. ^ a b Ainsley, Helen (4 January 2024). "The Official best-selling vinyl albums and singles of 2023". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  40. ^ a b "Kylie Minogue Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  41. ^ "Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales". Billboard. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  42. ^ "Kylie Minogue - Hold On to Now (Official Lyric Video)". YouTube. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  43. ^ Paterson, Colin (18 September 2023). "Kylie triumphs at Radio 2 in the Park in Leicester". BBC. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  44. ^ Curran, Shaun (18 September 2023). "Kylie Minogue, Radio 2 in the Park, Leicester, review: A pure pop masterclass". I. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  45. ^ Crumlish, Callum (28 September 2023). "Kylie stunned Londoners in intimate gig with a perfect setlist and a new song debut". Daily Express. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  46. ^ "Hold On To Now - Single by Kylie Minogue". Spotify. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
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