Say So
"Say So" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her second studio album, Hot Pink. The song was written by Doja Cat with her manager Lydia Asrat, Jamie Parker, Yeti Beats, and Dr. Luke, who handled production for the song under the pseudonym Tyson Trax. Originally an album track, the song was serviced by Kemosabe and RCA Records in January 2020 as the record's fifth single after it gained traction on TikTok, where a dance set to the song went viral. A pop song, it features elements of 1970s funk, disco, and pop rap. Directed by Hannah Lux Davis, the music video earned praise for its matching retro 1970s aesthetic. In both the video and the song's lyrics, Doja Cat explores flirting and invites a stranger with whom she feels a connection to come over and talk to her. "Say So" is widely considered to be Doja Cat's signature track.
The solo version of "Say So" initially peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, before two remixes featuring fellow rapper Nicki Minaj propelled the song to number 1. With this, the track earned a Guinness World Record for becoming the first female rap duo to top the Hot 100, also earning both artists their first number 1 song in the US. Elsewhere, the song also reached number 1 in Croatia and the top ten in 24 additional countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, becoming Doja Cat's first mainstream hit and her pop radio breakthrough. It has received several certifications, including a septuple platinum from the Recording Industry Association of America, an eightfold platinum from the Australian Recording Industry Association, and diamonds in France and Mexico.
To promote "Say So", Doja Cat performed the song on many television programs and awards shows, including the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, and the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, where the song was nominated in two categories: Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. The song and its music video appeared on several year-end lists, as well as Billboard
Background
Recording and release
"Say So" was written by Doja Cat and her manager Lydia Asrat, as well as Dr. Luke, who handled production for the song under the pseudonym Tyson Trax. Frequent collaborator Yeti Beats also served as an executive producer and co-writer. "Say So" is one of eight songs co-written by Asrat on the parent album, Hot Pink, and is one of five produced by Trax. A&R executives at RCA Records said that they "immediately" knew the song had hit potential, with Keith Naftaly stating: "A retro disco-pop song with sweet vocals and flirtatious lyrics? …That song right there is gonna make you a global pop star." On the creative process of the song, Doja Cat said that the melody came about before the lyrics and that she was "noodling around" at her mother's home when it started coming together.The song was originally included as an album track on Doja Cat's second studio album Hot Pink. During late 2019 and early 2020, it gained popularity "out of nowhere" on TikTok due to a viral dance challenge which featured the song and was created by TikTok user Haley Sharpe. Celebrities such as Dua Lipa, Laura Dern, Charli D'Amelio, Mackenzie Ziegler, and Sofia Wylie posted their own videos of themselves performing the dance, ultimately helping it become "a go-to challenge for TikTok users". "Say So" would later end up becoming the fifth most-used song on TikTok throughout the year 2020. As a result of its initial traction, the song officially impacted contemporary hit radio on January 28, 2020, rhythmic contemporary radio on February 4, and hot adult contemporary radio on March 23, in the United States. Despite being the fifth single from the record, "Say So" was only the second single to be promoted to radio.
Remix
Doja Cat announced a remix of the song featuring Nicki Minaj a day before its release on May 1, 2020. Tunji Balogun, an A&R executive at RCA Records, organised her feature on this remix. Having expressed her admiration for Minaj, Doja Cat has said that the pairing for the remix came naturally. The release of the track was received by fans as the end of a supposed feud between the two rappers, which Doja Cat later simply deemed a misunderstanding. Following rumors of the collaboration preceding its official announcement, the original version of the remix leaked online. Minaj later said that this leaked version was an earlier demo of the remix and that the officially released version was the "correct, updated" one. Due to high demand by fans online, the leaked version was later officially released on May 8, 2020. While no official music video was made for the Nicki Minaj version, a dance visual featuring three performers was posted to Minaj's official YouTube channel on May 2, 2020.Minaj performs an additional verse in the outro of the song in which she raps the lyric: "Why you talkin' 'bout who body fake? / With all them fillers in your face, you just full of hate". Following major speculation, the rapper disclosed that the verse was not directed at television personality Wendy Williams. However fans continued to speculate that the verse was directed at Beyoncé, which Minaj later denied. During a Twitter Q&A on May 8, 2020, as part of #SaySoRMXParty, Minaj first sparked rumors of her potential pregnancy with her husband Kenneth Petty, before formally announcing that she was pregnant with her first child only two months later.
Mixing
American recording engineer Clint Gibbs, Dr. Luke's chief engineer and occasional mixer under the latter's publishing company Prescription Songs, used Pro Tools to mix both the solo and Nicki Minaj versions of "Say So". Gibbs aimed at recreating the chorus guitar sound used by American musician Nile Rodgers from the R&B band Chic. He revealed that the Minaj remix came together "very last minute," and that her vocal engineer, Aubry "Big Juice" Delaine, sent him her vocals before the record label even told Gibbs that the remix was taking place. While mixing, he would constantly be getting newer and updated versions of Minaj's vocals, and revealed that on "the day before the remix was supposed to come out, someone wanted to change the beat underneath her vocals. All of a sudden there was an emergency!". Tyson Trax sent Gibbs the newer instrumental for Minaj's part, and he had only an hour to mix it before its release only a few hours later. His final rough mix included nearly 100 tracks.Dr. Luke controversy
The song's eventual commercial success saw several music critics disturbed by what they described as the "comeback" of Dr. Luke, following the series of lawsuits filed against him by singer Kesha in 2014. Despite the fact that Doja Cat does not disclose the details of their relationship, she has previously liked tweets pointing out that she had signed with Dr. Luke before the lawsuits were issued. Dr. Luke's multiple Grammy Award nominations for the song using a pseudonym faced further criticism from singer Fiona Apple, who called for the boycott of the award ceremony entirely.A number of writers from American music magazine Billboard shared their opinions on the matter. Andrew Unterberger described the song as one of "the year's best floor-fillers," but highlighted that " who Doja's sharing the floor with on 'Say So', an uncomfortable fact that shouldn't be ignored." Denise Warner argued, "how does one support the success of 'Say So' without marginalizing Kesha's accusations or story?" Gab Ginsberg stated, "If Doja has her own reasons for wanting to work with Luke, I don't have to like it, but that's her deal. I do wish there was a way to support Doja and not Luke, but the fact is he helped her make a hit, and I do enjoy it," while Unterberger opined, "it's something we have to keep reminding ourselves and each other about—and to continue to ask Doja and other present and future collaborators about—to make sure that everyone stays informed about Gottwald's resumed presence in pop's mainstream, and can respond and demand general accountability accordingly."
Composition and lyrics
"Say So" is a pop rap, and disco song. It features elements of 1970s funk, and bubblegum pop. The song is composed in time and in the key of D major, with a moderately fast tempo of 111 beats per minute and a ii–V–I chord progression of Em7–A7–Dmaj7. Doja Cat's vocals on the track span between the low note of F3 and the high note of D5, giving the song one octave and eight tones of vocal range. The song is built around a "retro", "grooving" funk guitar riff, an "iridescent" synthesizer, syncopated handclaps, "groovy" 808s, and a funk-inspired walking bassline. It is characterized by Doja Cat's floaty vocals and her rich, breathy harmonies. Writing for Clash, Erin Bashford noted that the song "nods to the funk and grooves of the '70s with a modernised almost-house beat, all tied together with Doja's always perfect vocal performance". One critic wrote that its "psychedelic-rock vibe" complemented both her singing and rapping, while another wrote that Doja Cat's "playful" delivery helps keep TikTok dancers on rhythm despite the absence of a conventional bass-heavy beat.Lyrically, the song is about flirting and "swapping gazes" with a person with whom you feel a connection. On its origins, Doja Cat told MTV, "It's about when you go somewhere and you see someone and they don't approach you, but you're looking at each other and you both feel like there's something there." Following the second chorus, Doja Cat breaks into a "steamy", "swaggering" rap verse and notably asks the person to admit their feelings to her and not to "beat around the bush". On her remix, Nicki Minaj adds a "slick", "high-energy" and "playful" rap verse, while Doja Cat adds "sexy" background vocals. Minaj makes a number of references to Naomi Campbell, Cassie, and Lauryn Hill by means of name-dropping, while also alluding to the COVID-19 pandemic which was ongoing as she recorded her verse. Produced by Dr. Luke, the instrumental is nearly identical to the original with additional 808s and a mix in the note progression for Minaj's part, ultimately "turning the song's disco pulse into a spitting trap beat". Minaj is credited as an additional co-writer on the remix.