Artist: Andrea
Title: BOOTS
Genre(s): Trap, Hip-Hop, R&B
Length: 2:58
Writer: A.Mason
Producer: Michael Foster
Label: Five Pesky Kids
From The Album: Southern Belle

BOOTS is a song by American singer-songwriter Andrea Mason, known mononymously as Andrea. The song was released worldwide on February 4th 2019 and serves as the new lead single from Andrea's upcoming sophomore album, Southern Belle. The album is finally set to be released in 2019 after four years of delays. It also marks Mason's first release in three years with her last being the Billy Holmes collaboration, "Something For The Fire", which reached the summit of the charts back in 2016. The song continues Andrea's progression from country-rock to a more urban, trap inspired sound as first showcased on the track "Force" back in 2015. The song is thus far Andrea's "heaviest" trap inspired song, drifting further from pop than she has before. Lyrically, "BOOTS" is about a sexual encounter with her famous and often busy lover, wanting to make the most of the time they have together. Andrea wants to pull out all the stops to make the night as pleasurable and memorable for both of them as possible, even offering to keep her boots on through the whole ordeal. Mason has confirmed that the song is indeed about her rapper boyfriend Payton Rodriguez.

Andrea initially began work on Southern Belle in late 2014 with an intention to release it in the fall of 2015. Following on from her debut album, "In & Out of Consciousness", which was a more country-rock and rock-pop affair, Andrea received a complete image overhaul and wanted to steer her music in a different direction. She cited hip-hop, rap and R&B as her influences for the record, drawing on different southern styles for inspiration rather than country. Set for release in 2015, Andrea pushed back the record feeling that it lacked as many potential radio hits as she would have liked. Conversely, the album was pushed back again from its 2016 release as Andrea found herself with a surplus of commercial mainstream ditties and felt that the record now lacked a strong identity. Andrea would go on to scrap the record, leave Five Pesky Kids Records, only to return a year later feeling "revitalised" with multiple new song ideas.

"BOOTS" was recorded in late 2018 on a whim, when Andrea was feeling inspired during a late night recording session. Andrea asked producer Michael Foster to play her some different beats that he had laying around. Foster was initially reluctant to offer the beat of "BOOTS" to Andrea, fearing that it may be "too heavy" for her but after Mason rejected multiple other tracks that she deemed as "too sweet" he eventually presented the beat to her. Andrea brought out some lyric ideas that she already had in her notebook and began to vibe and riff off the track with most of the final lyrics being the original freestyle ones from that night. Of the track Andrea said "I loved vibing out to this one. The beat is sick and it allowed me to just go fucking balls to the wall in the booth. I was feeling myself. I had my man in mind. You couldn't tell me NOTHING. I was exploring different tones and textures in my voice. I got into a new flow and type of flirtation that I couldn't tap into for a long time. I just felt something wash over me in that booth, man. Revitalised. I think that's why the song is so quirky, dope and waaayyy out there. Everything was new and exciting at the time and there were no limits."

Critical reception of "BOOTS" has been mixed to positive upon its surprise release. Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone dubbed the song as "deliciously outrageous and a total smack to the head. It assaults all senses but leaves you begging for more." Billboard Magazine noted the song is "the most hip-hop and trap leaning track that Andrea has released to date" and that "[she] sounds rejuvenated after a lengthy break and battle over her music.". Leona Rayes of SPIN echoed similar statements and branded Andrea as "One of pop's baddest bitches" and praised the song for its "raunchy and unapologetic nature" before rounding off by saying that "BOOTS is one of the sexiest, forthright and jaw-dropping songs that the industry has seen in a long time. Andrea is back!"

In more critical reviews, Mark Parker from Digital Journal said "While Andrea sounds crisp and confident in parts, her rapping sounds forced beyond belief and the track sounds disjointed and desperate for a spot on a Spotify Trending playlist". Further criticism also singled out Mason's rapping and her decision to make a trap record with many finding it distasteful and offensive. Quinn Moreland from Pitchfork dubbed the song as "laughable and cartoonish" before stating that "Andrea's lyrics are actually pretty great but her delivery? Not so much. Wearing a culture as a costume and marketing ploy is not the move to be making in 2019 and as this track makes no bones about its appropriation, it almost comes off as mocking and offensive."

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BOOTS

I know you're busy but we both need some time to play
Wrap around me like a ribbon, I want everything to interlace
Tropical kisses all down my body, come on make it rain
But these flowing waters ain't gonna subdue these flames
I'm smoking up like a forest fire, baby got me lit
I know you like to burn that tree, come and take a hit

Blew up my phone talkin 'bout how you're such a freak
Well now that you're here, I'mma gon' need some receipts
Lay it all down, it don't even have to be over the sheets

I be acting cute with my shades on
I be acting cunt with my boots on
I know you like it freaky on the chaise longue
Pressed all my buttons, bring it over here now
We ain't got much time so put that pipe down
Baby boy, I want you to show me all your exotic tricks
Before you slip out at morn', slip in, gimme my fix
And if you really like I can keep my boots on

I be acting cute with my shades on
I be acting cunt with my boots on
I be acting cute with my shades on
I be acting cunt with my boots on

Couple million chicks on the 'Gram who wanna be me
They can separate six degrees and the connection still be phony
Have to use their imaginations, only I get you when lonely
So close the doors, block it out, kill it like a bounty
Teasing over messages for so long, time to scratch that itch
So many options but we both know I do it like no other bitch

Can hear your hunger pangs, how 'bout something sweet?
Candy galore up in here, have your drooling on these treats
Soaking up all the juices, tasting on the softest peach

I be acting cute with my shades on
I be acting cunt with my boots on
I know you like it freaky on the chaise longue
Pressed all my buttons, bring it over here now
We ain't got much time so put that pipe down
Baby boy, I want you to show me all your exotic tricks
Before you slip out at morn', slip in, gimme my fix
And if you really like I can keep my boots on

I be acting cute with my shades on
I be acting cunt with my boots on
I be acting cute with my shades on
I be acting cunt with my boots on

If you want it, you get it
If you get it, I'm winning
If I'm winning, we're screaming
If we're screaming, the rivulets are streaming
Dripping down my body, use that tongue and the ice cube
Ain't nobody around, baby we can make up our own rules
Drink it all down, there's no spitting outside the booth
But if you got that rapid fire, you can go ahead and shoot
No limits to your goodness, know I got that sweet tooth
Unleash the inner demon like the material is waterproof
Go full speed ahead 'cause these walls are shatterproof
Ain't no such thing as too long
When it feels this right, there's no wrong
And if you like it like that, I'll keep my boots on

I be acting cute with my shades on
I be acting cunt with my boots on
I know you like it freaky on the chaise longue
Pressed all my buttons, bring it over here now
We ain't got much time so put that pipe down
Baby boy, I want you to show me all your exotic tricks
Before you slip out at morn', slip in, gimme my fix
And if you really like I can keep my boots on

I be acting cute with my shades on
I be acting cunt with my boots on
I be acting cute with my shades on
I be acting cunt with my boots on

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