Believe by Cher

About

Cher’s “Believe” is about getting over heartbreak. It pioneered the use of Auto-Tune as a recognizable vocal effect; at the time it was known as the “Cher effect”. According to The New York Times the song took nine years to make. In 1990, songwriter Brian Higgins wrote the initial hook but was unhappy with the verses, so other writers began tinkering with the lyrics and production. Higgins tried pitching the song to various artists he wrote for over the years, but they all passed on it. Meanwhile, the president of Warner Music UK, Rob Dickins, wanted Cher to “focus on her gay audience with a high-energy dance record.” Dickins told The New York Times that when he heard “Believe” he thought to himself, “Cher could do this chorus, especially the lyrics, with her private life the way it is. She’s gone through all these things.” After recording the song, the producers worried Cher’s vocals sounded too robotic due to the Auto-Tune. Cher told the Times: “‘Everyone loves that song but wants to change that part of it. I said, 'You can change that part of it, over my dead body!’” In an interview with Sound on Sound, the song’s producers actually lied about using Auto-Tune and claimed Cher’s vocal effects were created using a vocoder pedal. They were trying to keep Auto-Tune a secret, but it eventually became an industry standard. The song became a huge international smash, landing at #1 in the US and many other countries including in Italy, Germany, and Spain. It sold over 11 million copies making it one of the best-selling​ singles of all time.