coming out top

I'm Coming Out

"I'm Coming Out" is a hit single released by Motown singer Diana Ross in 1980, written and produced by Chic members Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers for her album Diana (1980).

Success

The song was a hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and was another gold-certified single for Ross. It is also notable for being the first song usually performed at Ross' performances and concerts since 1980.

When the song was released, Ross was doing a little "coming out" of her own after announcing to the world that after twenty years in the celebrated Motown record label that she was leaving, later signing a US$ 20 million contract with RCA Records.

Charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	13
U.S. Billboard Pop Singles	5
U.S. Billboard Black Singles	6
U.S. Billboard Club Play Singles	1

Samples and covers

The song would be sampled as the years passed, most notably by Puff Daddy, who used a sample on rapper The Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 song "Mo Money Mo Problems". There's also been a cover by Marcia Hines. It was featured as a cover for the video game Karaoke Revolution as well.

Amerie version

In 2003, R&B singer Amerie covered the song for the soundtrack to Jennifer Lopez's highly successful film, Maid in Manhattan. It was released as a single in Australia and the United Kingdom only, and not in the United States. The final single version to be released was the Loren Dawson Radio Mix. The original single version (which is similar to the original) can be found on both CD singles and the original motion picture soundtrack to Maid in Manhattan. Ross' version can be found on the film's soundtrack album too.

Producers made the decision to release the Loren Dawson Radio Mix as the final released version instead of the single version. This decision was made to give the song a more urban contemporary vibe. The single was only released as a promotional single for the film in the UK and it was decided no commercial release would be given. The Trackmasters remix of "Talkin' to Me" was released as a B-side.