#thatPOWER

"#thatPOWER" is an anthem of self-confidence, empowerment, and overcoming adversity. The lyrics convey a message of immense self-belief and the celebration of success achieved through hard work and resilience. The central theme revolves around harnessing an inner strength—"that power"—to rise above challenges and haters. Phrases like "Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger" and "Made it out them projects with this project, that's progress" point to a journey from hardship to triumph. The song is a declaration of victory, a celebration of being "alive" and feeling capable of anything, as emphasized by Justin Bieber's chorus, "I can fly." It's about recognizing one's own potential and success, ignoring negativity, and constantly striving to become "bigger, better, stronger." The collaboration itself, between the established will.i.am and the pop superstar Justin Bieber, reinforces this theme of star power and influence in the modern world.

The song is a powerful declaration of self-belief and triumph over adversity. It begins with a repeated, energetic chant of being alive, immediately setting a tone of vitality and presence. The core message is about possessing an inner strength, referred to as "that power," which is celebrated and enjoyed in every moment. This power is described as something that makes one feel bigger, better, and stronger.

The first verse reflects on a journey of ambition and achievement. The narrator recalls having humble beginnings, symbolized by a "piggy bank," which has now transformed into a "bigger bank," signifying financial success. He dismisses detractors and haters, attributing their negativity to his own success. The lyrics emphasize a relentless work ethic ("I stay on that hustle, I flex that on muscle") and a sense of being on a higher plane than others. The recurring idea is to continually ascend, fueled by an inner fire that never goes out.

Justin Bieber's chorus reinforces this feeling of invincibility and life-affirmation. The repetition of "I'm alive" and "I can fly" serves as a mantra of empowerment, suggesting a limitless potential and a profound sense of freedom. The celebration of "every second, minute, hour" highlights a conscious appreciation for this state of being powerful and successful.

The second verse continues the theme of overcoming obstacles. The narrator speaks of feeling "funky fresh," working hard to be the best, and thriving under pressure. There's a reference to coming from a challenging background ("made it out them projects with this project, that's progress"), framing his current success as a significant personal and professional advancement. He dedicates his achievements to his mother, fulfilling a childhood promise to become "number one." The verse famously incorporates the Nietzschean aphorism, "Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger," directly stating the song's philosophy of resilience. This strength is personified as aggressively "knocking down the door again," indicating a persistent and unyielding drive to succeed. The song essentially serves as an anthem for anyone who has overcome challenges, built themselves up, and now revels in their own strength and accomplishments.

"#thatPOWER" was written by will.i.am (William Adams), Justin Bieber, and Damien Leroy (DJ Ammo). The production was handled by will.i.am, Verrigni, and Damien Leroy. The song was recorded on February 20, 2013, at Metropolis Studios in London. The recording session took place while both will.i.am and Justin Bieber were in the city for the 2013 BRIT Awards. will.i.am described the day as a full and productive one, involving shopping for shoes, watching the awards ceremony, recording the track, and then attending a Justin Timberlake performance. The song was released as the third single from will.i.am's fourth studio album, #willpower. It premiered on Capital FM radio on March 15, 2013, and was released on iTunes on March 18, 2013.

The futuristic music video was a significant undertaking. will.i.am had to fly to Barcelona to film Justin Bieber's parts due to the singer's busy touring schedule. Bieber appears in the video as a hologram. will.i.am then traveled to Japan to work on the choreography with the Japanese dance group World Order, who feature as his synchronized dancing clones. He considered it the best video he had ever been a part of, highlighting the next-level cinematic effects and complex, synchronized choreography.

The song is built on a driving, four-on-the-floor dance beat typical of the EDM genre, maintaining a high tempo throughout to create a feeling of energy and propulsion. The lyrical rhythm is punchy and syncopated, especially in will.i.am's verses, creating a dynamic interplay with the steady electronic pulse. The rhyme scheme is relatively straightforward. For instance, in the second verse, will.i.am employs a series of rhymes using the word "y'all" as an anchor: "fresh y'all," "best y'all," "pressure y'all," "stress y'all," and "progress y'all." This technique, while simple, creates a cohesive and rhythmic flow. However, some critics have pointed out that the rhyming can feel forced at times, such as attempting to rhyme "pressure" with "y'all" by altering pronunciation.

Musically, "#thatPOWER" is a high-energy, club-oriented dance-pop and EDM track. It is characterized by its "uptempo four-on-the-floor bass and kick assault, repeated choruses, and surging synths." Some critics noted that it sounds more like a remix than an original track due to its structure. The song features a heavy use of Auto-Tune on both will.i.am's and Justin Bieber's vocals, giving them a robotic, futuristic quality. The track also notably kicks off with a sample that evokes Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," setting a robotic and empowering tone from the beginning. Lyrically, the song uses direct address ("y'all") to engage the listener and create an anthemic, motivational feel. The repetition of hooks like "I got that power" and "I'm alive" makes the song incredibly catchy and reinforces its central message. will.i.am's vocal delivery has a swagger that is complemented by Bieber's sweeter-sounding chorus vocals.

Upon its release, "#thatPOWER" achieved significant international chart success. The single sold 108,000 digital downloads in its first week in the US. It was certified Platinum in several countries, including the United States, Australia, Sweden, Mexico, Italy, and Denmark. The song's cultural reach was notably extended when a special version was used as the opening theme for the 2013 NBA Playoffs telecasts on ESPN and ABC, featuring NBA stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant. The futuristic music video, with its innovative use of a holographic Justin Bieber and synchronized choreography by Japanese dance crew World Order, garnered widespread attention. While the song received mixed reviews from critics, with some calling it generic, its commercial success and high-profile media placements cemented its status as a memorable pop culture moment of 2013. It also received a cover version by Judith Hill on the television show The Voice.

The lyrics of "#thatPOWER" employ several metaphors to convey its themes of strength and success.

• Flight as Freedom: Justin Bieber's lines, "And I can fly, I can fly, I can fly," serve as a potent metaphor for ultimate freedom and unlimited potential. It represents breaking free from constraints and reaching a state of invincibility.
• Fire as Enduring Drive: The phrase "keep burnin' like that fire" symbolizes a relentless and unquenchable ambition and passion. It suggests an internal energy that fuels the continuous climb to greater heights.
• Financial Growth as Progress: The lyric "Used to have a piggy bank, but now I got that bigger bank" is a direct metaphor for the journey from humble beginnings to significant financial success and personal growth.
• Knocking Down Doors as Persistence: The line "I'm knockin', knockin' down the door again" symbolizes an aggressive and unyielding persistence in the face of obstacles, refusing to be denied entry or success.

The most prominent recurring phrase is the song's central hook: "I got that power." This line is repeated extensively throughout the song, acting as a powerful and confident mantra that anchors the entire theme of self-empowerment. Another key recurring motif is Justin Bieber's triumphant chant, "I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive," often followed by "And I can fly, I can fly, I can fly." This repetition serves to drill in the song's message of vitality, freedom, and invincibility. The phrase "bigger, better, stronger, power" is also repeated, creating a sense of continuous growth and escalation. These recurring elements make the song highly memorable and anthemic, designed for audience participation and reinforcement of its motivational message.