Operator (A Girl Like Me)

"Operator (A Girl Like Me)"
Single by Shiloh
from the album Picture Imperfect
Released September 23, 2008[1]
June 22, 2009 (Live version)[2]
Format Digital download
Recorded 2008
Genre Pop punk, ska punk
Length 2:56
Label Universal Music, Universal Republic
Writer(s) Mike James, Troy Samson
Producer(s) Mike James, Troy Samson
Shiloh singles chronology
"Operator (A Girl Like Me)"
(2008)
"Goodbye, You Suck"
(2009)
Music video
"Operator (A Girl Like Me)" on YouTube

Operator (A Girl Like Me) is a song by Canadian pop/rock singer Shiloh. It was released on September 23, 2008 as the debut single off her debut album Picture Imperfect (2009). The song is about staying true to oneself and not becoming superficial.

"Operator (A Girl Like Me)" peaked at number 30 on the Canadian Hot 100, making this her only top 40 hit on that chart. A music video by Aaron A was made for the single and features a split screen that shows both Shiloh and another girl as they walk down in the same direction. A live version of the song performed at the 2009 MuchMusic Video Awards was released on iTunes on June 22, 2009. The song was certified Platinum by Music Canada, denoting sales of over 80,000 units in that country.

Critical reception

Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic praised the song as being a standout amongst the album's singles, considering it to be the "most impressive, skipping along to a ska rhythm during the verse before bursting into the chorus."[3]

Commercial performance

"Operator (A Girl Like Me)" debuted at number 82 on the Canadian Hot 100 and peaked at number 30 where it stayed for a week, remaining on the chart for twenty weeks.[4]

On September 23, 2009, the song was certified Platinum by Music Canada for selling over 80,000 copies in Canada.[5]

Music video

Directed by Aaron A, the video starts off with scenes of the promotional cover for the song. Then it shows a split screen of Shiloh in the left and a girl in the right wearing a yellow dress with a dog in her handbag, talking on her cell phone. They're both walking down a street, Shiloh has two other dancers behind her. The other girl has many unfortunate things happen to her-her cell phone's stolen; she spills her drink all over herself; her dog escapes from her handbag; she gets her sunglasses caught in her hair; and she gets dirty water thrown on her. The split screens switch simultaneously throughout the video; sometimes Shiloh will be on the right and the other girl is on the left. In the final minute of the video Shiloh has more people walking down the street behind her, dancing along to the music. It ends with Shiloh showing her knuckles to the camera with letters spelling "Operator" written on them. The video was shot on Kensington Avenue, located in Toronto, Canada.

It was nominated for a MuchMusic Video Award for Best Pop Video[6] but lost to "Private Dancer" by Danny Fernandes.[7]

Live performance

Shiloh made her television debut performing "Operator (A Girl Like Me)" at the 2009 MuchMusic Video Awards on June 21, 2009.[8] A day after the performance, it was released on iTunes.[2]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Picture Imperfect.[9]

Recording
Personnel

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2008) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[10] 30

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)[11] Platinum 80,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. "Music - Operator (A Girl Like Me) - Singly by Shiloh". iTunes (CA). Apple. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Music - Operator (A Girl Like Me) [Live At MMVA 09] - Single by Shiloh". iTunes (CA). Apple. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  3. Birchmeier, Jason. "Picture Imperfect - Shiloh". AllMusic. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  4. "Shiloh - Operator (A Girl Like Me)". aCharts.co. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
  5. "Canadian single certifications – Shiloh – Operator (A Girl Like Me)". Music Canada.
  6. "Nickelback scores five MMVA nominations". Winnipeg Free Press. FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership. May 28, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  7. "Complete list of 2009 MMVA winners". CTV News. June 22, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  8. "Alexisonfire, Billy Talent To Play MMVAs". ChartAttack. Channel Zero. June 1, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  9. Picture Imperfect (booklet). Shiloh. Universal Music Canada. 2009. 0251784630.
  10. "Shiloh – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Shiloh. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  11. "Canadian single certifications – Shiloh – Operator A Girl Like Me". Music Canada. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
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