“Lose Control’s” song title hook, “I lose control,” makes stellar use of the Hit Songs Deconstructed “melodic spotlighting” technique to enable it to further stand out, heighten emotional impact, and more.

The full hook spans a ninth, features a combination of ascending, descending and A.M.P (alternating melodic pattern) melodies and possesses a combination of controlled, sustained deliveries and faster-paced melismatic deliveries.

It essentially consists of two distinct segments as follows:

• Segment 1 (“I-lose-con-”): The hook begins with a three-syllable climb across C#3-E3-F#3 that features a quarter-note rhythm divided by eighth rests to create a segmented, separated feel.

• Segment 2 (“-trol”): The hook concludes with a 14-note, faster-paced melisma that initially climbs to a peak pitch (B3) before falling to A2, which is the lowest pitch in the section.

Together, these segments achieve the following:

• They enable the first instance of the hook to notably stand out against the verse melodies and capture the listener’s attention. The hook’s reprise in line 4 is similarly accentuated by the more reserved melodies that precede it in lines 2 and 3.

• They create strong prosody with the “I lose control” lyric, resulting in a more impactful emotional connection with the listener. The hook begins with a “controlled,” steady climb that effectively sets up the “lost control” melisma that follows, which is bolstered by its combination of ascending and descending patterns, large drop, and faster-paced rhythms.

• The melisma in particular showcases Teddy Swim’s evocative, soulful vocal chops and put him in a class alongside other recent Hot 100 top 10 A-list R&B/soul-influenced vocalists such as Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Sam Smith, and The Weeknd.

View this technique in the techniques library here.