Say So

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Within the narrative of Doja Cat's career, "Say So" represents a pivotal shift toward embracing funk and disco influences. Doja Cat said the melody came about before the lyrics and that she was "noodling around" at her mother's home when it started coming together. She told MTV: "When I got that beat I went home and I locked myself in my room, and I was like: 'Let me just open this up on Logic.' I opened it up, I thought, I mumbled it, that's how I began, and it just fell together really nicely, lyrically I feel like. [...] I naturally write 70's kind of more vintage-y, funk-y music. I feel like that's kind of my bag and I love it so much." The song gained popularity "out of nowhere" on TikTok due to a viral dance challenge created by user Haley Sharpe (@yodelinghaley). Celebrities such as Dua Lipa, Laura Dern, Charli D'Amelio, Mackenzie Ziegler, and Sofia Wylie posted their own videos performing the dance, 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 2020. The song's 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.

In Their Own Story

The song's remix with Nicki Minaj came together "very last minute," according to mixing engineer Clint Gibbs. Minaj's vocal engineer, Aubry "Big Juice" Delaine, sent Gibbs her vocals before the record label even told Gibbs the remix was happening. While mixing, Gibbs constantly received newer and updated versions of Minaj's vocals. He 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 (Dr. Luke) 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. Following rumors of the collaboration preceding its official announcement, the original version of the remix leaked online. Minaj later said this leaked version was an earlier demo 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. Minaj performs an additional verse in the outro in which she raps: "Why you talkin' 'bout who body fake? / With all them fillers in your face, you just full of hate." Following major speculation, Minaj disclosed the verse was not directed at television personality Wendy Williams. Fans continued to speculate it 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 she was pregnant with her first child two months later.

Reader's Guide

The track is composed in 4/4 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 span between the low note of F♯3 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 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. American recording engineer Clint Gibbs used Pro Tools to mix both the solo and Nicki Minaj versions, aiming to recreate the chorus guitar sound used by American musician Nile Rodgers from the R&B band Chic. 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.

Did You Know?

• The song was written by Doja Cat with her manager Lydia Asrat, Yeti Beats, and Dr. Luke, who produced it under the pseudonym Tyson Trax.
• The viral TikTok dance was created by user Haley Sharpe (@yodelinghaley), and celebrities like Dua Lipa, Laura Dern, and Charli D'Amelio posted their own videos.
• The remix featuring Nicki Minaj gave Doja Cat her first number 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100, while Minaj had previously topped the chart with 'Super Bass' and other collaborations.