Pound The Alarm

"Pound the Alarm" is a song by Trinidadian-American recording artist Nicki Minaj, taken from her second studio album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. The song was written by RedOne, Carl Falk, Rami Yacoub, Bilal Hajji and Achraf Jannusi, with co-writing credits from Minaj, and production was handled by RedOne, Falk and Yacoub and was released as the fourth single, but second international single on July 2, 2012 by Young Money. The song was actually not to be released as a single, as Minaj posted a poll on her website asking fans to choose the next single. "Va Va Voom" originally won the poll, with "Whip It" second and "Pound the Alarm" as third. However, due to the amount of airplay requests, Minaj scrapped "Va Va Voom" and went ahead with "Pound the Alarm".

Musically, "Pound the Alarm" is a eurodance and house-oriented song. The song talks about having a good time, and partying all night, however it does feature a verse with Minaj warning her lover. "Pound the Alarm" received mixed reviews from music critics, with many believing it would be a potential hit commercially and was catchy, while some claimed it was too similar to the album's lead single, "Starships". The song was a commercial success; entering the top ten in countries including Finland, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. The song also had commercial success on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking inside the top twenty and inside the top three on the US Hot Dance Club Songs Chart.

The accompanying music video was shot in her native birth country, Trinidad and Tobago, where it featured Minaj performing at a national Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. It features many performances from native citizens in the video, including dancing and her in front of her relatives at the end of the video. The music video received positive reviews, many enjoying the fun atmosphere. The song is expected to be featured on her upcoming world tour, "Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour".

Background and composition
On May 24, 2012; A poll was posted on Minaj's official website asking the fans to choose the next single(s). The poll is divided into three categories. The third and final category asks to choose between "Pound the Alarm", "Whip It", and "Va Va Voom". "Va Va Voom" had the most votes and won the poll. "Whip It" came in second and "Pound the Alarm" came in third. After the poll results where finalized, a fan then told Minaj; "ΝΟΟΟ!! Pound The Alarm is way more energetic!!!", where Minaj replied: "I agree!!!! Fun2perform. But the polls don't lie do they?"." The song was eventually trending on Twitter for the choice of the songs. Moments later she tweeted: "Oop. Just got word that radio 1 in the uk and nova & 2day fm in australia are runnin w/ #poundthealarm due to the amount of requests" and later added after "Sorry va va voomers...Looks like France has chosen #poundthealarm for the win as well barbz."

Minaj confirmed on Twitter on June 6, 2012 that she's choosing "Pound the Alarm" as the next single instead of "Va Va Voom" due to the amount of radio requests "Pound the Alarm" is getting in the UK, Australia, and France. In the United States, the song was released as the second mainstream single and fourth single overall from the album on July 17, 2012.

"Pound the Alarm" is a Eurodance song produced by RedOne, Falk, and Rami. It is composed in common time in the key of C# minor, with a tempo of 125 BPM. The song makes use of electronic dance, techno, and house-pop in its composition, while also being influenced by rave. After each chorus there is a "frantic" eurodance and dubstep breakdown, and also features the sounds of alarms, weaving beats, and "seize-the-night" lyrics.

Lyrically, it talks about having a good time and partying. However, in one of the verses, she warns her lover by saying ["I'm a bad bitch, no muzzle," meaning that whilst muzzles prevent dogs from barking, nobody can stop her from saying what she wants to say, as she is a 'bad bitch.'] When the song received mixed reception from critics with it being too similar, RedOne, who produced both the song and "Starships" told MTV News that "Pound the Alarm" is sonically edgier. "It's got the pop element, but it's got some hard-core elements, some dance underground elements." According to Laurence Green from MusicOMH compared the song to 2 Unlimited by saying "The techno push of Pound The Alarm comes on like [2 Unlimited] set loose in the studio [...]". Kitty Empire from The Observes described the song firmly as a "half-rap, half-pop" song.

Critical reception
"Pound the Alarm" has received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Entertainment Weekly gave a positive review by describing the song as "The perfect trunk rattler to blast from your pink Barbie Bentley, with booming synths that build to a brain-numbing epiphany: 'Music. Makes Me. High.'” Slant Magazine stated that "Pound The Alarm (along with Starships, Whip It, and Automatic) are "retro-techno-pop earsores comprised of indiscriminately arranged bits of LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It", Rihanna's "We Found Love", and pretty much any recent Britney Spears or Katy Perry song you can name", adding that "Her repeated exhortation on "Pound the Alarm" to get things "hotter and hotter and sexy and hotter" is about as weak as club-jam come-ons get". Fact gave it a positive review, saying "its avalanche-force hoover noises are so over-the-top and its hooks so catchy that you may as well save time and cave into it now."

Kitty Empire from The Observer said the song makes the album "a persuasive compromise between this album's chart fodder and its rap turf." Andrew Unterberger of Popdust gave the song a mixed review, and compared it to works of Jennifer Lopez, Taio Cruz, The Black Eyed Peas, and Beyoncé. Billboard editor Andrew Hampp gave the song a negative review, stating that it's a "Starships sound-alike" and saying the only difference is that "Nicki does a little bit more singing than she does on her current single, but otherwise the two tracks are virtually indistinguishable. Even the chorus is a rewrite." Emily Mackay from NME said the song was a "charmless trancey bagers" and felt it was a "flipflop". Matthew Cole was more negative, stating the song is "about as weak as club-jam come-ons get." Drowned in Sound called the song "trashy electro [music]."

Chart performance
"Pound the Alarm" is currently peaked at number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and fourteen on the US Pop Songs. This is her fifth top twenty arrival on the chart. The song also peaked at number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs. The song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of 500,000. The song managed to peaked inside the top ten in Canada, peaking at number nine on the charts.

The song also managed to have success in the Oceanic regions. In Australia, the song debuted at number thirty-three, until the next week it peaked at number ten for two non-consecutive weeks. It was eventually certified Platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for sales of 70,000. In New Zealand, the song debuted at twelve, until the next week it peaked at number six for two consecutive weeks. The song was then certified Gold by Recording Industry Association of New Zealand for sales of 7,500.

The song was also very successful in European regions. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at seventy-nine until it fell out. The song re-entered at sixty-one and peaked at number eight. The song also marks Minaj's third solo top ten entry in the UK, following "Super Bass" and "Starships". In France, the song debuted at 137, until it rose to number fifty-two. It re-entered at fifty-nine and is currently peaking at nineteen. In Finland, the song debuted at fourteen and is currently peaking at four. In Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), the song debuted at forty-one and forty-three, until it peaked at fourteen and thirty-one (for two consecutive weeks). The song debuted at eight-six on the Dutch Top 40 and is currently peaking at number thirty on the chart. It debuted at twenty-three in Denmark where it ultimately peaked. In Switzerland, the song debuted at fifty-two and is currently peaking at number fifty. It peaked at number eight in Scotland as well.

Music video
The video was shot in Trinidad at Queen’s Park Savannah on July 4, 2012 and what was seen as a carnival themed video. Open auditions were held for the video on set. 500 people are scheduled to appear in the music video and were asked to come wearing carnival attire in order to get into the video. Director Benny Boom, who filmed Minaj's "Beez in the Trap" and "Right by My Side" videos, is also directing her "Pound the Alarm" video. Minaj released a 'behind the scenes' video of the shoot on July 13, 2012. It premiered on Minaj's VEVO account on Tuesday, July 31, 2012.

Synopsis
The video for "Pound the Alarm" begins with Minaj on a building, singing and looking over the town. She pays tribute to Trinidad and Tobago, her birthplace, and the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. The video opens with a steelpan version of the song, and shots of different locations in Port of Spain. Then the flag of Trinidad and Tobago appears before Minaj is shown standing in a bird eye view of Port of Spain. Minaj is wearing a custom made Trinbagonian flag-themed bra and high-rise panties. She then is seen walking down an alleyway in a red carnival costume, joined by other women in the same Trinbagonian carnival attire, they are seen partying and dancing to the song. In this scene Minaj has a large feathered headdress on. Minaj is then seen onstage holding a concert with Trinbagonian artistes: Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin and Fay-Ann Lyons, while confetti comes down and the audience throw up the Trinbagonian flag. Many Trinbagonian carnival characters appear in the video such as Dame Lorraine, Blue Devil, Jab Jab, Moko Jumbies (people walking on stilts) and others. Towards the end of the video Minaj is sitting on top of a stereo speaker, while fireworks appear in the night sky. Minaj forms a conga line, and does some choreography with her backup dancers. Minaj and other women are dancing sensually on each other; the local term for this dance is called "wining". Towards the end of the video Minaj is seen in front of her cousins from Trinidad, and wrapping a Trinbagonian bandanna around her mouth. The video ends with Minaj walking towards a bright light still dressed in Carnival attire.

Of the video, Romeo's Corner said "Other than being a very colorful video and the beautiful Trinidad as its' backdrop, I don't see how this video could do anything with 'Pound The Alarm' other than having fun."

Live performances
Minaj performed Pound the Alarm live at Radio 1's Hackney Weekend on June 23, 2012 as part of the line-up on the main stage. Minaj performed the song on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on July 13, 2012. The song was also included in Minaj's Pink Friday Tour. She also performed the song on The Today Show, along with "Starships".

Credits and personnel

 * Recording
 * Recorded at Conway Recording Studios, Hollywood, California, United States
 * Mixed at Conway Recording Studios


 * Personnel
 * Nicki Minaj – songwriter
 * RedOne – songwriter, producer, backing vocals, instruments
 * Carl Falk – songwriter, producer, mixing, instruments
 * Rami Yacoub – songwriter, producer, mixing, instruments
 * Bilal Hajji – songwriter, backing vocals
 * Achraf Jannusi – songwriter, backing vocals
 * Trevor Muzzy – recording, mixing, vocal editing
 * Ariel Chobaz – recording
 * Jon Sher – recording assistant
 * Jeanette Olsson – backing vocals