Two Steps Back

"Two Steps Back" is the second single by singer Violetta DiNozzo and the follow-up to failed debut single "Wicked". The single was released on January 19th, 2009, to coincide with the release of Violetta's debut album "Just Another Girl". The song was written by Violetta herself, and was the first self-penned song written for the record. The single was a surprise hit for the singer, landing her in the top 10 at #7 upon release.

Background
"Two Steps Back" was planned as the second single from Violetta's album before the release of "Wicked". It was advised by Violetta's US record label Epic that for a commercially viable teen-pop album, Violetta needed emotional songs as well as uptempo, aggressive numbers. This song was the first written for such a purpose. The song was produced by Danja, who had previously handled a pop-rock production when he co-produced "Sober" for Pink. Confident in Danja's abilities as a producer, Violetta did not have as big a hand in the making of the song beyond its lyrics, although it was her decision to include a live string orchestra in the build-up toward the end of the song, where Danja had intended to use a synth replica. In 2010 it was announced that all of the singles from 'Just Another Girl' would be re-issued with new artwork for inclusion in a 2-year anniversary boxed set of the album. The contents from the single CD for "Two Steps Back" were split over two discs for the re-issued boxed set.

Reception
Reception for the song has been similar to "Wicked" -- decent public reception but critical reception has once again been lacking. Stateside, the single was better received, receiving early attention in the San Francisco area before spreading to the rest of America. Again, the single was hampered by Violetta's bratty attitude and image from that time. Some had started recognising the potential in Violetta despite her bratty attitude, which helped the song achieve greater airplay presence than its predecessor, and a much higher chart peak.

Promo CD

 * 1) Two Steps Back (Radio Edit)
 * 2) Two Steps Back (Instrumental)
 * 3) Two Steps Back (Call-Out Hook)

CD Single

 * 1) Two Steps Back
 * 2) Two Steps Back (Instrumental)
 * 3) Bring It Two Steps Back (Matt Vs VeeDee Mash Up)
 * 4) Two Steps Back (One Step Towards No. 1 Remix)
 * 5) Two Steps Back (The Hardcore DAMNED Remixxx)
 * 6) Two Steps Back (Belle's Radio & The Rodeo Cart Mix)
 * 7) Two Steps Back (IP's EARGASM'S & GROINAL SPASM'S Mix)
 * 8) Two Steps Back (UpTempo's 2 Step Garage Mix)
 * 9) Two Steps Back (Digital Dog Club Mix)
 * 10) Two Steps Back (Jody den Broeder Remix)

Music Video
The video opens with Violetta sitting in a school classroom staring sadly at the back of a guy's head, paying no attention to the teacher and the lesson. The boy she is staring at is the love interest in the video, and he is pointedly ignoring Violetta. The school bell rings and the class leaves. Violetta is seen singing the song in the school cafeteria as she watches the boy over at another table. When the chorus begins, she is seen following the guy through the halls supposedly singing to him, but he never seems to indicate that he's listening. During the second verse, we see a 1950's flashback scene set in the same school of another couple, played by Violetta and the love interest. Violetta is a teacher and he is her student, as we see from a classroom setting. The class ends and he stays behind. He closes the classroom door and we see quick shots of them making out and undressing each other on her desk. We don't see much skin as we're pulled abruptly out of the flashback right after she pulls his shirt off.

In the second chorus we see Violetta wandering around the woods at night with her schoolbag on her back, winding up back at the school. She goes inside and finds the guy on the stairs in the courtyard outside. She sings the bridge to him as the camera revolves around them, and in a special effects shot the camera rotates 360 degrees around the scene, as it melts back to the 1950's flash back. The past couple are tearful and upset as she chases him up a flight of stairs onto a second-storey balcony. He is angry about something, but we don't hear the words as the couple shout at each other. Right as the bridge ends, he pulls out a gun and fires it at Violetta. The gunshot is clearly audible, and the track cuts off. In silence, we watch Violetta stumble back and over the railing. We watch her fall in slow motion. As she falls, the music comes back in and she hits the ground as Violetta belts her high 'back' leading into the final chorus.

During the final chorus, we cut back and forth between the present and the flashback - in the past, the boy drops the gun and dashes down the stairs to cradle the past Violetta's dying body in his arms. In the present, we find that the boy has somehow got a gun and it is Violetta rushing for him to stop him from shooting himself. As the music ends, we see Violetta pulling the gun from his hand, putting it in her schoolbag and leading him away from the building. The video ends with the teacher from the beginning of the video trying to get Violetta's attention. She finds out that the class has left and she's the only one still there, so she gathers up her things and leaves the classroom. In the final shot we see the gun poking out from her schoolbag, unnoticed.

Behind The Scenes & Controversy
Due to low budget, Violetta requested the use of her high school as a set to shoot the video. Her classmates were unpaid extras for the shoot, with the football team's quarterback playing the love interest in the video. The synopsis was inspired by the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" episode "I Only Have Eyes For You". The video required Violetta to make out with her love interest, an experience Violetta openly admits was "disgusting", denouncing the quarterback as having "fish lips". Label executives from Violetta's US label deemed the video inappropriate due to featuring what was described as "a gratuitous love scene" and "graphic violence". A censorship of the video was ordered, but when Violetta refused to relent, a ban was threatened, one which would only be lifted once a suitable clean edit was supplied. No such censorship was required by her UK label, with the video entering normal rotation.

Chart Performance
"Two Steps Back" debuted on the URAPS singles chart on the week of January 25th, 2009, reaching the top 10 at #7, before steadily slipping down the charts and falling off uncertified. It did however, manage to handily surpass the sales of "Wicked". It debuted at #17 in airplay on the week of January 18th, 2009, and eventually achieving a #13 peak. In the US, it peaked in the top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 and just inside the top 20 on CHR/POP radio. The song has achieved a gold certification in the UK for sales exceeding 500k.

Chart Run
TOTAL: 91,290
 * Week 1: #7 - 25,558
 * Week 2: #12 - 35,425
 * Week 3: #18 - 14,990
 * Week 4: #23 - 9,100
 * Week 5: #33 - 6,218