Open Sesame (Leila K song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Open Sesame" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Leila K | ||||
| from the album Carousel | ||||
| B-side | "Sesame Music" | |||
| Released | 23 October 1992 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:24 | |||
| Label | Coma | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producers |
| |||
| Leila K singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Open Sesame" on YouTube | ||||
"Open Sesame" is a song by Swedish Eurodance artist Leila K, released in October 1992 by Coma label as the lead single from the artist's second album, Carousel (1993). Co-written and co-produced by Denniz PoP, the song was a huge success in many European countries in 1993. It reached number-one in Belgium and peaked within the top 10 in at least nine other countries. The accompanying music video was directed by Matt Broadley and filmed in London, depicting Leila K as the Queen of Sheba.[2] In 1999, the song was released in a new remix as "Open Sesame '99". Dutch singer Daisy Dee released a cover in 2000, which reached number 78 in Germany.
In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton felt that "this high-powered commercial rap coupling a rave beat with a ragga style delivery may just revive her career."[3] Simon Price from Melody Maker complimented it as a "brilliant" hit, where "she reinvented herself as the Ragga Queen of Sheba (did you see that video?), nasally imploring us to "Jump around if you mind can work". Um. Boing! Boing!"[2] Andy Beevers from Music Week gave the song a score of four out of five, writing, "This commercial Swedish house track combines a Felix-style tune and reggae toasting. The UK release features a more adventurous remix by Felix himself."[1] Mark Sutherland from Smash Hits gave it three out of five, saying, "Ragamuffin rapping in a Swedish accent may sound like a thoroughly appalling notion, but Ms K goes for it with such pzazz that you soon come round to the idea. This girl has more energy than Linford Christie after a Lucozade binge, and this record is a real Sesame treat."[4]
Chart performance
"Open Sesame" was successful on the charts across Europe. It reached number one for one week in Belgium (Flanders), with a total of 16 weeks at the Ultratop 50 chart, and number two in the Netherlands. In the latter, the song held the next best chart position for several weeks, being held off the top spot by 2 Unlimited's "No Limit". It entered the top 10 also in Austria (5), Denmark (7), Finland (9), Germany (5), Italy (5), Portugal (7), Spain (6) and Switzerland (5). In the United Kingdom, the single reached number 23 on the UK Singles Chart in its second week on the chart, on 24 January 1993, but was more successful on the UK Dance Singles chart by Music Week, peaking at number ten the same month. In Leila K's native Sweden, it only reached number 21, staying at Sverigetopplistan for three weeks. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it peaked at number six in April 1993, in its eleventh week on the chart,[5] while peaking at numbers 12 and 18 at the European Dance Radio Chart and the Record Mirror Club Chart, respectively.[6][7]
The single earned a gold record in the Netherlands with a sale of 50,000 units.
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Open Sesame" was directed by Swedish-based director Matt Broadley and filmed in Notting Hill, London.[8][9] It depicts Leila K as the Queen of Sheba and received heavy rotation on MTV Europe in March 1993.[10] The video was later made available on Mega Records' official YouTube channel in 2011 and had generated almost eight million views as of January 2026.[11]
Track listings
|
|
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|