"Break Up (Bye Bye)"
Song by Frock Destroyers
from the album Frock4Life
Released31 October 2019
GenrePop
Length2:31
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Break Up (Bye Bye)" is a song recorded by British drag girl group the Frock Destroyers for the Girl Group Battle Royale challenge during their stint on the first series of the reality television competition, RuPaul's Drag Race UK. During the episode the contestants had to create girl groups to participate in the challenge; there were two versions of the song released, the first being by Divina de Campo, Baga Chipz and Blu Hydrangea. The alternate version was released by Filth Harmony, consisting of Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne, Cheryl Hole and Crystal, however the latter did not chart. The song was released on 31 October 2019. The song was also included in the band's debut album, Frock4Life, which was released 11 December 2020.[1] The song was primarily written by Leland, with De Campo, Chipzs and Hydrangea writing the lyrics for their individual verses.[2][3]

Upon the release, the song proved an instant hit with the British viewers, charting at number 35 on the Official UK Charts, becoming the highest charting song by a drag queen, since RuPaul's "Supermodel (You Better Work)", until the following year when United Kingdolls released "UK Hun?" which charted at number 27.[4][5]

Background, composition and reception

"Break Up Bye Bye" was originally performed by the Frock Destroyers during a girl group challenge on Drag Race, in which contestants were required to write and perform an original song. Lyrically, Baga Chipz alludes to anal sex in the song,[6] which was written by Leland and Freddy Scott.[7][8] MNEK served as a guest vocal coach during the girl group episode,[9] with him also being credited as a producer. The pop anthem sees Divina de Campo sing "repeated whistle tone notes layered into the chorus".[10][11]

Live performances

Following Drag Race, the Frock Destroyers embarked on a three-stop UK tour. Shows featuring individual and group performances were held at Powerhouse in Newcastle upon Tyne, Cruz 101 in Manchester and the Nightingale Club in Birmingham, during 17–19 November 2019.[12] For Digital DragCon, an online event replacing RuPaul's DragCon LA in May 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Blu Hydrangea recreated the trio's performance of "Break Up Bye Bye" in isolation by impersonating Baga Chipz and Divina de Campo. Daniel Megarry of Gay Times complimented her work.[13]

Track listing

Chart performance

After the girl group episode of Drag Race aired, "Break Up Bye Bye" peaked at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 on The Official Big Top 40,[14][15][16] becoming the highest chart position for a drag group.[17][18] The song also prompted a petition for the Frock Destroyers to represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest to garner at least 10,000 signatures,[2][19] while it peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart in the United States.[20]

References

  1. "The Frock Destroyers announce debut album Frock4Life and debut single". Attitude. 25 November 2020. ISSN 1353-1875. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 Levine, Nick (11 December 2020). "Charting queens: How drag finally punctured pop". The Independent. ISSN 0951-9467. OCLC 185201487. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  3. Robledo, Jordan (5 December 2020). "The Frock Destroyers have finally dropped the video for their latest single Her Majesty". Gay Times. London. ISSN 0950-6101. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  4. "United Kingdolls UK Hun? on course to enter Official Singles Chart Top 40". www.bafta.org. 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  5. Shatto, Rachel (July 11, 2022). "Drag Race Contestant Bimini signs major record deal". Pride Magazine. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  6. Levine, Nick (11 December 2020). "Charting queens: How drag finally punctured pop". The Independent. ISSN 0951-9467. OCLC 185201487. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  7. Nolfi, Joey (26 February 2021). "How RuPaul's Drag Race UK made 'UK Hun?' a hit that outsold Pink and Rita Ora". Entertainment Weekly. ISSN 1049-0434. OCLC 21114137. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  8. @lelandofficial (October 31, 2019). "Wrote 'Break Up (Bye Bye)' with the fab @freddyscott for @dragraceukbbc! The girls absolutely killed it and loved seeing @MNEK!" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  9. "First celebrity judges Ru-vealed for second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Elizabeth Hurley, Lorraine Kelly, Sheridan Smith, MNEK and Jourdan Dunn". BBC News. 16 December 2020. Archived from the original on 19 December 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  10. "The Vivienne and Divina De Campo respond to claims of 'unfair' Drag Race UK edit". Gay Times. 11 November 2019. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  11. Munzenrieder, Kyle (16 February 2021). "'Bing Bang Bong:' How a Drag Race Song Became a Chart Hit and a Transfixing Meme". W. ISSN 0162-9115. OCLC 1781845. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  12. Megarry, Daniel (5 November 2019). "RuPaul's Drag Race UK girl group Frock Destroyers are going on tour". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  13. Megarry, Daniel (5 May 2020). "Drag Race star Blu Hydrangea recreates Frock Destroyers performance in quarantine". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  14. "Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  15. "The Official Big Top 40 chart for 3rd November 2019". The Official Big Top 40. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  16. Patterson, Denny (14 December 2020). "The Frock Destroyers Release Debut Album, 'Frock4Life'". Out Front. Denver. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2020. Receiving critical applause and praise, the song made herstory by hitting number three on iTunes and landed a spot on the U.K. Top 40 at number 10, becoming the first top 10-hit on the U.K. charts to be performed by a drag group.
  17. "World of Wonder Announces Frock Destroyers Debut Album 'Frock4Life'". BroadwayWorld. 25 November 2020. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  18. Damshenas, Sam (8 December 2020). "Frock Destroyers' new single is quintessentially British, and we're obsessed". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021. The pop trio ... made history with the single when it entered the UK top 40, becoming the highest-charting song by a drag group.
  19. "RuPaul's Drag Race UK stars Frock Destroyers announce their debut album". Dazed. London. 25 November 2020. ISSN 0961-9704. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  20. "EDM Music & Dance Songs Chart – November 16, 2019". Billboard. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
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