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"Love Lasts Forever"
Single by All Saints
from the album Testament
Released	31 May 2018 (2018-05-31)
Genre	Electropop
Length	4:06
Label	AS
Songwriter(s)	Shaznay Lewis Karl Clive Gordon
Producer(s)	Karl "K-Gee" Gordon
All Saints singles chronology
"One Woman Man" (2016) "Love Lasts Forever" (2018) "After All" (2018)
Music video
"Love Lasts Forever" on YouTube

"Love Lasts Forever" is a song by English girl group All Saints from their fifth studio album, Testament (2018). Written by group member Shaznay Lewis and producer K-Gee, it premiered as the album's lead single on BBC Radio 2's The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on 31 May 2018.

Writing and inspiration

Shaznay Lewis wrote "Love Lasts Forever" with producer K-Gee more than a year prior to its release. It was inspired by Lewis' son who was about to leave high school, and reflected on the pressure from society to grow and achieve. She wanted to reassure him that "the family will be here and the love will still be here whenever you need to come back and be protected from all of that." Melanie Blatt listened to the track for four hours on repeat after Lewis sent it to her, and recalls it being the first from Testament that she instantly liked and thought "we're fine, this is good, this album is going to be amazing."

Release and reception

"Love Lasts Forever" was released as the album's lead single on 31 May 2018, after Lewis and Nicole Appleton appeared on BBC Radio 2's The Chris Evans Breakfast Show for its radio premiere. It was added to Spotify's New Music Friday and Apple Music's Best of the Week playlists upon release. On 8 June 2018, an extended play featuring five remixes was released. The song became a radio hit in the UK, according to the Official Charts Company. It was playlisted by BBC Radio 2 and peaked at number 33 on the UK Airplay Chart.

Critical response

"Love Lasts Forever" received generally positive reviews from music critics. Andre Paine of the Evening Standard commented, "The combination of steely harmonies and lush electronic textures is an appealing throwback". Jonathan Wright of God is in the TV believed it continued the group's "impeccable run of singles". In The Observer, Phil Mongredien said the track "displays a deliciously light touch". The Independent's Elizabeth Aubrey appreciated its "layered and multi-faceted" sound.

Michael Cragg of Q magazine found the song "sun-kissed" and cited it as an exception on Testament where "songs are often suffocated by vaguely outré production flourishes". In his review for The Guardian, Cragg wrote that the group's "icy harmonies keep this springy love fest about an inch away from full Emeli Sandé." Laura Snapes, also writing in The Guardian, derided the production, saying All Saints are "left eating dust by breathless drum'n'bass breakdowns". In 2018, the song was shortlisted for the Popjustice £20 Music Prize.

Live performances

All Saints performed the song on This Morning on 1 August 2018. On 9 September 2018, the group performed "Love Lasts Forever" at Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park. The track was also performed on their 2018 Testament Tour.

Track listing

Charts

References

1. Harnell, Steve (December 2018). "Where It's At". Classic Pop. No. 47. pp. 28–29.
2. ^ "We have the world exclusive play of All Saints' new single Love Lasts Forever!". BBC. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
3. Lewis, Shaznay (3 August 2018). "All Saints Interview 2018 with 6TR (Shaznay and Nicole)" (Interview). Interviewed by Terry Bossons. 6 Towns Radio.
4. All Saints (25 July 2018). "Testament: a track-by-track guide to our new album. Track 3: Love Lasts Forever. - From the new album Testament, out July 27th. Available to pre-order now!". Instagram. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
5. ^ White, Jack (29 May 2018). "All Saints announce new album Testament". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
6. "All Saints Return - New Single, New Album & Live Show" (Press release). Simon Jones PR. Pressparty. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
7. ^ Paine, Andre (27 July 2018). "'The band perform very well on streaming services': Absolute's Mark Dowling on the All Saints revival". Music Week. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
8. "Love Lasts Forever (Remixes) from AS Recordings". Beatport. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
9. White, Jack (22 August 2018). "Win tickets to All Saints' special Brighton gig as part of the Nordoff Robbins 'Get Loud 2018' series". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
10. ^ "The UK Radio Airplay Chart". Radio Monitor. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018.
11. Paine, Andre (27 July 2018). "Albums of the week: All Saints, Kyle Falconer and Mt. Joy". Evening Standard. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
12. Wright, Jonathan (31 July 2018). "All Saints – Testament (London)". God is in the TV. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
13. Mongredien, Phil (29 July 2018). "All Saints: Testament review – past glories partially recaptured". The Observer. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
14. Aubrey, Elizabeth (11 July 2018). "All Saints - Testament, album review: back with aplomb". The Independent. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
15. Cragg, Michael (September 2018). "All Saints - Testament". Q. p. 110.
16. Cragg, Michael (8 June 2018). "Tracks of the week reviewed: Tommy Cash, the 1975, All Saints". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
17. Snapes, Laura (27 July 2018). "All Saints: Testament review – smoothies drowned out by digital clutter". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
18. Kenneally, Cerys (27 July 2018). "Let's Eat Grandma and All Saints among nominees for the Popjustice Twenty Quid Music Prize". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
19. Hughes, Roxanne (1 August 2018). "ITV This Morning: Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby make early return in huge shock". Daily Express. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
20. "BBC Radio 2 - Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park, Episode 2". BBC. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
21. Clark, Hayley (3 December 2018). "All Saints + Jetta at O2 Institute, Birmingham, UK – 3rd December 2018". Gig Junkies. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
22. "Love Lasts Forever by All Saints". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 June 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
23. "Love Lasts Forever (Remixes) - EP by All Saints". iTunes Store. Retrieved 3 February 2018.

• 2018 singles
• 2018 songs
• All Saints (group) songs
• Songs written by K-Gee
• Songs written by Shaznay Lewis