Never Be Like You

"Never Be Like You"
Single by Flume featuring Kai
from the album Skin
Released	16 January 2016
Recorded	2015
Length	3:55
Label	Future Classic Mom + Pop
Writer(s)	Harley Streten Alessia De Gasperis Brigante Geoffrey Patrick Earley
Producer(s)	Flume Kai Geoffro Cause
Flume singles chronology
"Some Minds" (2015) "Never Be Like You" (2016) "Smoke & Retribution" (2016)
Kai singles chronology "Crawl" (2013) "Never Be Like You" (2016) "Mind" (2016)

"Never Be Like You" is a song by Australian musician Flume, featuring vocals from Canadian singer Kai. It was released on 16 January 2016 by Future Classic. The song debuted at number 10 on the ARIA Singles Chart, later reaching number one and becoming Flume's first song to top the chart. The song was successful and charted internationally in Austria, Belgium, France, and New Zealand, where it reached number 2 on RMNZ Singles Chart.

In a press release, Flume said, "Kai and I were sending ideas back and forth online, then met up in New York and went into the studio. We laid down some chords and started an idea but weren't feeling inspired. So we went out into the night for a few hours and when we returned, it all started to come together."^[1]

A remixed by Disclosure was released on 4 March 2016 and a remix EP was released on 25 March 2016.

Critical reception

Harley Brown of Spin said that "Diplo‑endorsed singer Kai provides sumptuous and sterling vocals over sparkling half‑time drops, like an instrumental B‑side from [Justin Timberlake's 2006 album] FutureSex LoveSounds" and that "The new R&B look is a good one for Flume".^[2]

Billboard said "The song features Canadian chanteuse Kai, smoothly balancing chilled out trap effects with spacey ambient noise and future bass elements, going hard and soft at once – a duality expressed in the lyrics as well, with Kai begging forgiveness while asserting right to just be herself".^[3]

The clean version of this song omits the word "fuck" and replaces it with the term "messed".^[4]

Track listings

Digital download^[5]

1. "Never Be Like You" – 3:54

Digital download^[6]

1. "Never Be Like You" (Disclosure Remix) – 6:11

Digital download (EP)^[7]

1. "Never Be Like You" – 3:54
2. "Never Be Like You" (Disclosure Remix) – 6:11
3. "Never Be Like You" (Wave Racer Remix) – 3:28
4. "Never Be Like You" (Teengirl Fantasy Remix) – 4:22

Charts

Chart (2016)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[8]	1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9]	64
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10]	10
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[11]	38
France (SNEP)[12]	52
Germany (Official German Charts)[13]	71
Latvia (Latvijas Top 40)[14]	7
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15]	2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[16]	67
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[17]	95
US Billboard Hot 100[18]	71
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[19]	6
US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[20]	8

Certifications

Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[21]	2× Platinum	140,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[22]	2× Platinum	30,000
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Kaye, Ben (16 January 2016). "Flume shares new single 'Never Be Like You' featuring Kai — listen". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
2. Brown, Harley (15 January 2016). "Flume Premieres Shuddering 'Never Be Like You' Off of His New Album, Skin". Spin. ISSN 0886-3032. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
3. "Flume Asserts Himself on New Single, 'Never Be Like You': Listen". 15 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
4. "Hear: Flume drops new single 'Never Be Like You' featuring Kai". Triple J. 16 January 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
5. "Never Be Like You ft Kai". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
6. "Never Be Like You ft. Kai (remix)". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
7. "Never Be Like You ft Kai (EP)". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
8. "Australian-charts.com – Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
9. "Austriancharts.at – Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
10. "Ultratop.be – Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
11. "Ultratop.be – Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
12. "Lescharts.com – Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
14. "Latvijas Top 40". Latvijas Radio. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
15. "Charts.org.nz – Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
16. "Swisscharts.com – Flume feat. Kai – Never Be Like You". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
17. "March 2016/ Archive Chart: 17 March 2016" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
18. "Flume – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Flume. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
19. "Dance/Electronic Songs". Billboard. 23 April 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
20. "Dance/Mix Show Airplay". Billboard. 9 April 2016.
21. Ryan, Gavin (26 March 2016). "ARIA Singles: Lukas Graham No 1 for 6th Week". Noise11. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
22. "New Zealand single certifications". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 22 March 2016.