"New Attitude" is a song performed by Patti LaBelle and written by Sharon Robinson, Jon Gilutin, and Bunny Hull. It was released in December 1984 and helped launch LaBelle's solo career as a pop music singer after the singer had spent seven years without a crossover pop hit following the break-up of Labelle.
Background and composition
In 1984, Patti LaBelle began taking part in films, participating in her first acting role in the acclaimed film, A Soldier's Story. Around the same time, producers of the film, Beverly Hills Cop, were busy putting together a soundtrack for the film, and called on LaBelle to record two songs for its soundtrack. "New Attitude", a song about a woman changing her outlook on life both emotionally and physically, was composed by Sharon Robinson, Jon Gilutin and Bunny Hull and produced by Harold Faltermeyer. The song was different from previous LaBelle recordings, which had been mostly pop ballads with occasional stabs at dance music and R&B, focusing on a synthpop direction. Prior to that, LaBelle had recorded a similar synthpop song, "I'll Never, Never Give Up" from her first gold album, I'm In Love Again, in 1983. It was LaBelle's first MCA single, released in December 1984.
Music video
The music video clip for the song features LaBelle on a set designed to resemble a high-end clothing store. She enters somewhat modestly dressed and as she sings the song, she is confronted by a critical sales clerk who examines her. She enters a changing room, and exits wearing a high-fashion outfit. She continues to appear in various outfits, including a white jumpsuit and headband in an East Asian font print while other women dance and sing backing vocals. She exits the store at the end of the song, having achieved her "new attitude" thanks to the fashion makeover.
Personnel
Patti LaBelle - vocals
Reception
The song climbed to number 17 on the BillboardHot 100 and number one on the Hot Dance Music chart in a remixed form in 1985. It also peaked at number three on the Hot R&B Singles chart in 1985. The singer shot the first music video of her career with the song, which was shot at a fashion store.
