Proud (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Proud


Artist = Heather Small
from Album = Proud
Released = Start date|2000|05|23
Format = CD, Digital Download
Recorded =
Genre = Pop
Length = 4:29
Label = BMG
Writer = Heather Small
John Vettese
Producer = Peter-John Vettese
Simon Climie
Steve DuBerry
Ollie MarlandAudiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Audio file=Proud_Heather_Small.OGG
Certification =
Chart position = * #16 United Kingdomcite web
url = http://www.everyhit.com/
title = UK Top 40 Database
accessdate=2007-09-16]
* #34 United States [ cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=341&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Hot+Adult+Contemporary+Tracks&ci=3067489&cdi=8666818&cid=07%2F01%2F2006 |title=Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks |accessdate=2007-09-12 |date=July 1st, 2006 |work=Billboard.com |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ]

"Proud" is a song by M People singer Heather Small, which was released in mid-2000, peaking at #16. It was the title track from the album Proud, and was released as her first single, becoming a worldwide hit.The song was co-written with, and produced by, Peter-John Vettese.

In 2005, the song was adopted as the official theme for the London 2012 Olympic bid, and was featured in a widely-seen promotional video for the bid. [cite web|url=http://www.london2012.com/news/media-releases/2008-08/celebrations-across-the-uk-as-countdown-to-2012-begins.php|title=Celebrations across the UK as countdown to 2012 begins|accessdate=2008-09-08|date=2008-08-25|work=London 2012] Re-released in honour of this the same year, the song returned to the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #33 and remaining in the Top 75 for two more weeks. [ cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/ |title=UK Top 40 Database |publisher= ] The song was also re-released on the Biggest Loser's soundtrack in 2006. It peaked at #34. [cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=341&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Hot+Adult+Contemporary+Tracks&ci=3067489&cdi=8666818&cid=07%2F01%2F2006 |title=Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks |accessdate=2007-09-17 |date= [2006-07-01] |work=Billboard.com |publisher= Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ]

In the media

*Heather Small performed Proud at the 60th anniversary of VE day in Trafalgar Square. cite web|url=http://www.heathersmall.com/biography.html |title=Heather Small:Biography |accessdate=2007-09-14 |last=Gage |first=Simon |publisher=Graymedia ]
*She also performed the song for the launch of the Queen Mary 2.
*She appeared at a performance to celebrate Britain's successful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
*Small is also appeared in the Visa London 2012 Party at The Mall to celebrate offical countdown of the Olmypic Games coming to London
*In 2005, Small performed for the Tsunami Relief Concert at the Cardiff Millennium Stadium. This concert was able to raise over £1.25 million and bring awareness to distressed countries.

*It was featured prominently in episodes of both the UK and US TV Series of Queer as Folk and has appeared on a number of soundtracks. Several remixed versions of the song were used on Showtime's Queer as Folk.
*In November 2005 Small made her US television debut performing "Proud" on The Oprah Winfrey Show whereupon Winfrey named it as the new theme for the program.
*"Proud" was used as the theme music for the season two onwards of NBC's weight-losing reality show "The Biggest Loser".
*The song is being used on the soundtrack of the film 'Akeelah and the Bee'. The soundtrack was released in the US on April 4th, 2006 and the film on April 28th, 2006 in US theatres.
*In 2006, the song "Proud" was used as the main campaign song for Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick.
*Small appeared on 03 July 2006 at the Royal Albert Hall in London during EuroPride 2006, The Show. She performed a special arrangement of "Proud" with the London Gay Men's Chorus (together with 3 other songs on her own, including, "Moving On Up" and "Radio On"). Later in the year, she performed at the opening ceremony of Gay Games VII in Chicago Zane Lowe. [http://www.gaygameschicago.org/ceremonies/entertainment.php/games1/website] .
*On August 24th 2008, Small sang the song at the end of the London 2012 party at The Mall to celebrate the beginning of the 4 years to come to the next Olympics in London.

Music Video

rquote|left|What have you done today to make you feel proud?|Heather SmallThe music video opens up with Heather Small walking through a modest sized town filled with many small shops along a main road. One can see children playing in the streets, adults playing various games, such as dominoes, cards, and chess, on the sidewalks, and other townsfolk, moving about with their daily activities. Heather proceeds through the town, noting the everyday activity, like a woman having her fortune told, a bride preparing her dress for her wedding, and a mischievous child splashing his drink onto an officer's uniform. As Small continues to walk through the town, a rainstorm appears as if from out of nowhere. The townspeople show great appreciation for the rain, as many people walk outdoors, smiling and holding their arms outstretched to the sky. The video concludes with Small on a building balcony, looking off into the horizon.

The music video also has an adaptation for the film Akeelah and the Bee. This version inserts various scenes into the music video to depict a story. The first scene shows Akeelah studying from a dictionary up in her room. Then it shows her participating in a spelling bee, nervously approaching the microphone. Akeelah continues to successfully remain in the competition, despite seeing many others spell their words incorrectly. The video shows a quick montage of clips, showing Akeelah working hard at various activities. The ending consists of Akeelah standing at the microphone sporting a smile, and expressing a feeling of accomplishment.

References

External links

* [http://www.gaygameschicago.org/ceremonies/entertainment.php/ Chicago's Gay Games]
* [http://www.heathersmall.com// Heather Small's Official Homepage]