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"Cruel"
Single by Alfie Arcuri
from the album Zenith
Released	10 July 2016 (2016-07-10)
Recorded	2016
Genre	Pop
Length	3:36
Label	Universal Music Australia
Songwriter(s)	Alexander Izquierdo James Abrahart Serm Style Jonathan "J.R." Rotem Lindy Robbins
Producer(s)	Eric J. Dubowsky
Alfie Arcuri singles chronology
"Cruel" (2016) "If They Only Knew" (2017)
Music video
"Cruel" on YouTube

"Cruel" is the debut and winner's single by season five winner of The Voice Australia, Alfie Arcuri. It was released digitally immediately after he was announced the winner on 10 July 2016, as the lead single from his debut studio album Zenith. The song peaked at number 89 on the ARIA Singles Chart, selling 1,458 in its first week, becoming the show's worst performing winner's single to date.

Lynnette Guzman from Australian Network News believes "music insiders considered the likely mismatch of Arcuri's singing style with the pop song as the problem."

The music video was released on 18 August 2016.

Reception

David Knox from TV Tonight questioned "Who on earth decided Alfie Arcuri should be releasing an up-tempo single "Cruel" as his first single?...with viewers voted him through on the back of Sam Smith-style ballads for much of the season", calling Arcuri "a fine vocalist".

Paul Cashmere from Noise11 felt that the song "was a complete disaster and makes a mockery of a show promoted to be about music".

Charts

"Cruel" debuted on the ARIA Singles Chart at number 89 with 1,458 sales. In its second week, the song fell to number 298 with 482 sales.

References

1. "The Voice winner Alfie Arcuri's new single hits a flat note". news.com.au. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
2. "The Voice Australia 2016 winner Alfie Arcuri suffers Cruel flop in ARIA charts". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
3. "The Voice 2016 Australia Winner Alfie Arcuri Hated by Fans? Cruel 'Totally Ignored'". Australian Network News. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
4. "Alfie Arcuri – Cruel". 18 August 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2017 – via YouTube.
5. "Alfie Arcuri single off to Cruel start". TV Tonight. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
6. "The Voice Winner Alfie Arcuri 'Cruel' Ends Week A Terrible Mistake". Noise11. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
7. "The Voice Winner Alfie Arcuri 'Cruel' Sells Less Than 500 Second Week". Noise11. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2017.
8. "Chart Watch 377". auspOp. 16 July 2017. Archived from the original on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2017.

• 2016 songs
• 2016 debut singles
• Alfie Arcuri songs
• Universal Records singles
• Songs written by James Abrahart
• Songs written by Lindy Robbins
• Songs written by Eskeerdo
• Songs written by J. R. Rotem
• Songs written by Sermstyle