"Need to Know" | ||||
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Single by Doja Cat | ||||
from the album Planet Her | ||||
Released | August 31, 2021 | |||
Genre | Trap | |||
Length | 3:30 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Dr. Luke | |||
Doja Cat singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Need to Know" on YouTube |
"Need to Know" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat, from her third studio album, Planet Her (2021). Written by Doja Cat and producer Dr. Luke, the song was initially released through Kemosabe and RCA Records on June 11, 2021, as the sole promotional single from the album, and impacted American rhythmic contemporary radio stations on August 31, as the third single. A melodic trap song characterized by raunchy lyrics and atmospheric instrumentation, it received critical acclaim for Doja Cat's versatility in her vocal delivery.
"Need to Know" was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. Commercially, the song reached the top 10 in eight countries, including the United States and Australia, where it has been awarded triple platinum certifications from both the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The accompanying music video explores the futuristic environment of the fictional "Planet Her" and features cameo appearances from Grimes and Ryan Destiny.
In April 2021, the song was confirmed after being mentioned during a cover story interview with Billboard . [1] On June 9, 2021, Doja Cat officially announced the release of "Need to Know" via a futuristic teaser on her Instagram, with the faint melody of the song briefly heard in the short clip. [2] [3] Shortly after the teaser was published, Doja Cat noted in a tweet that the song "isn't even the next single" and it was "just some shit before the next more important single comes out for you to enjoy". [4] [5] The song was officially released to streaming platforms at midnight local time on June 11, 2021. [6] [2] Shortly before the song's release, Doja Cat had officially announced the release of the parent album Planet Her, and revealed its track listing and album art. [7] In August 2021, she performed the song in a pre-recorded video for Vevo. [8] "Need to Know" impacted rhythmic contemporary radio in the United States, as the album's third single on August 31, 2021. [9]
"Need to Know" is a trap-pop [10] song with elements of bass-heavy R&B, [11] and disco. [12] Written by Doja Cat and its producer Dr. Luke, [13] the song was described as a "grinding sex jam", [14] driven by a "crisp" [15] rhythm of "trap snares", and "sharp" drums, [15] over "a hard-knocking bass" [16] and atmospheric, "neon-lit", futuristic synthesizers. [15] [17] [18] [19] Doja Cat delivers her "usual blend of ethereal vocals and melodically harsh raps", as well as "shrill" background vocals. [20] Lyrically, she explores her pursuit of a new love interest or sexual partner whilst trying to determine if they have mutual agreement and understanding. [21] A celebration of sexuality, Doja Cat fantasizes about her sexual desires. [22]
[14] She recalled to have been inebriated while writing the song in studio. [23]
The song was considered distinguishable by its "raunchy" lyrics in which the rapper describes her "bedroom antics". [21] Some critics described the track as "seductive" and "fiery", noting that Doja Cat "turns up the heat" and "takes it to the bedroom". [24] [25] Paris Close of iHeartRadio commented that she delivers "a salvo of erotic verses nonstop, only stopping to catch her breath in soft, sensual whispers and climactic coos". [26] Jon Blistein of Rolling Stone noted that Doja Cat's rap verses "lean into delightfully lurid punchlines". [15] Imogen Lawlor of Vinyl Chapters wrote that her "triplet flow is layered over... disco production, segueing seamlessly into a[n]... electronic UFO melody". [12]
"Need to Know" was released to widespread critical acclaim. Vulture crowned "Need to Know" as the best song of 2021 and deemed it "the best showcase of all the talents [Doja Cat]'s possessed for years", praising her "vocal contortionism" and "overflowing charisma". [10] In an album review for Uproxx, Bianca Gracie crowned "Need to Know" as the best song on Planet Her and described it as "an otherworldly joyride driven by the mad scientist that is Doja Cat", whom she proclaimed was "in true alien form" as she simultaneously channeled "a raunchy freak, cooing baby, helium sucker, and frantic spitter over a galaxy of ice-cold trap melodies." [27] Meaghan Garvey of Billboard said that the song celebrates Doja Cat's femininity and revels in her sense of humor. [28] Writing for the same magazine, Jason Lipshutz noted that "Need to Know" is "rife with thinly veiled innuendos and sexual demands" and it "features one of Doja Cat's most liberated vocal performances -- singing, rapping, pleading, crooning, remaining singular in her delivery and utterly fearless on the microphone". [29] In Billboard's review of the album, Billboard staff deemed the song "a prime example of how Doja doesn’t solely rely on the shock value of her lyrics to make her songs click; the theatricality of her delivery and vocal performances are what truly carry this song and the rest of Planet Her.". [30]
In 2021, "Need to Know" was nominated for the MTV Video Music Award for Song of the Summer. [31] The following year, the song received a nomination at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Melodic Rap Performance. [32]
As a promotional single, "Need to Know" debuted at number 38 on the US Billboard Hot 100, falling 17 spots to number 66 the following week. In November 2021, the song rose to the top 10 of the Hot 100 for the first time, reaching number 9 and giving Doja Cat her fourth top 10. [33] It peaked at number eight the following week, [34] re-peaking again at that position on the chart dated January 18, 2022. [35] That month, the song also became Doja Cat's fourth song to top Billboard's Rhythmic radio chart in 2021, surpassing Drake as the artist with the most number ones that year. [36] It also topped the Pop Airplay chart in February 2022. [37] In July 2022, the song was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for amassing 3,000,000 certified units in the US. [38]
Elsewhere, "Need to Know" peaked at number nine in the ARIA Singles Chart in Australia, [39] where it is certified triple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). [40] In the United Kingdom, "Need to Know" debuted at number 37 on the UK Singles Chart in its opening week, becoming her seventh top 40 hit. [41] The song peaked at number 11 and had sold over 278,618 units in the country by October 2021, [42] and later earned a platinum certification in the country from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in November 2022. [43]
Having been teased in the prior social media announcement, [2] the accompanying music video was uploaded to YouTube soon after the song was released on streaming platforms at midnight local time on June 11, 2021. [44] [45] It was recorded over the course of a day and was directed by duo Miles Cable & AJ Favicchio with support from their production company SixTwentySix Productions. [46] [47] The video takes place in the futuristic city environment of the fictional "Planet Her", [48] and follows a blue-tinted alien Doja Cat alongside a group of female alien friends played by actresses Jazelle Straka-Braxton and Josephine Pearl Leewhich, with cameo appearances from Canadian musician Grimes and American actress Ryan Destiny. [49] [50] [51] Ana Diaz of Polygon compared Doja Cat's alien persona to Aayla Secura from the Star Wars franchise. [47]
The video opens with the camera flying through a 3D-animated, futuristic cityscape, before settling on a scenic shot of Doja Cat playing video games on a PlayStation 5 in her underwear while drinking and lounging around with her group of friends in a 1970s-inspired apartment. [52] [50] [53] The scene then changes to the group inside a flying "self-driving convertible pod" Uber. [51] [54] [55] [50] They arrive at a private, underground club hosting a variety of cyborgs and aliens, where the group dances and take shots of smoky vapor-like alcohol. [54] [50] [51] Doja Cat begins to flirt with a man (played by Cameron Saffle) whom she shares a dance with before giving him a lap dance in a private room. [46] [26] While later parting ways outside the club at the end of the video, she whispers something into his ear which makes his eyes light up. [56] Heran Mamo from Billboard posed the question, "Is he an alien? Or is he human?", [51] to which Doja Cat indirectly responded on Twitter that he was a cyborg pretending to be human. [57]
Miles & AJ revealed that Doja Cat and her team came up with the concept for the video and maintained creative control. [47] [46] Referring to Grimes, The A.V. Club noted that "given the futuristic nature of the music video, it only makes sense to bring in an artist who seems like they're from another planet". [50] Grimes revealed that she agreed to take part in the video without even asking what it was beforehand, [58] writing that the shoot was "insanely fun". [5] Doja Cat and her directors used Blade Runner (1982) and The Fifth Element (1997) as reference points while creating the music video. [46] The set for the music video was built by production designer Jonathan Chu, as opposed to the conventional usage of a green screen. [46] Doja Cat's creative team hired Melissa Stearn as part of a team of approximately twenty artists to handle prosthetics for the video, [46] while the animators led by visual effects artist Daichi Sakane used Unreal Engine 4.26 to render the cityscape sequences. [47] [53] The art direction team for the practical scenes was led by John Richoux, with assistance from production designer Jonathan Chu. [53]
Weekly charts | Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [109] | 4× Platinum | 280,000‡ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [110] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [111] | 3× Diamond | 480,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [112] | 2× Platinum | 160,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [113] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [114] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [115] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
Mexico (AMPROFON) [116] | Platinum | 140,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [117] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [118] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [119] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [120] | Platinum | 10,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [121] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [122] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [43] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [123] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece (IFPI Greece) [124] | Platinum | 2,000,000† |
Sweden (GLF) [125] | Gold | 4,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | June 11, 2021 [a] | [30] | ||
United States | August 31, 2021 | Rhythmic radio | [9] |
Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, known professionally as Doja Cat, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she began making and releasing music on SoundCloud as a teenager. Her song "So High" caught the attention of Kemosabe and RCA Records, with whom she signed a recording contract prior to the release of her debut extended play, Purrr! in 2014.
The discography of Doja Cat, an American rapper and singer, consists of four studio albums, one extended play (EP), 44 singles, 33 music videos, and nine promotional singles. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Doja Cat has sold 34 million certified albums and singles in the United States as a lead artist. Doja Cat self-released her debut single, "So High", before releasing her debut extended play (EP), Purrr! (2014). Following the release of Amala (2018) and a viral success of the song "Mooo!" in August of that same year, all of these songs such as "Candy", "Tia Tamera", and "Juicy" became sleeper hits, prompting Doja Cat to release the deluxe edition of Amala in early 2019. Capitalizing on her growing popularity, her second studio album, Hot Pink (2019), ultimately charted in the top ten on the US Billboard 200; as well as the top 20 of countries such as Australia, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands and New Zealand. Hot Pink spawned the breakthrough single "Say So", and a remix featuring Nicki Minaj became Doja Cat's first number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Hot Pink is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Doja Cat. It was released on November 7, 2019, by Kemosabe Records and RCA Records. A departure from the sound of her debut album Amala (2018), Hot Pink is a pop, hip hop, and R&B record containing elements of funk and soul. The album features production from Doja herself, Yeti Beats, Tyson Trax, and others, with guest appearances from Smino, Gucci Mane, and Tyga.
"Say So" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her second studio album, Hot Pink (2019). The song was written by Doja Cat with her manager Lydia Asrat, Jamie Parker, 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.
"Like That" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat featuring fellow American rapper Gucci Mane. It was written by both artists along with Theron Thomas, Lydia Asrat, David Sprecher, and producers Dr. Luke and Mike Crook. Originally included as a track on Doja Cat's second studio album Hot Pink (2019), it became a single on May 12, 2020, following a viral dance challenge using the song on the app TikTok.
"Streets" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her second studio album, Hot Pink (2019). She wrote it with David Sprecher and Lydia Asrat, alongside its producers Dominique and Darius Logan. In "Streets", an R&B ballad with elements of trap music, Doja Cat sings and raps about her desire to return to a former romantic partner. Some critics who reviewed Hot Pink praised the song for demonstrating her versatility as a musical artist.
"In Your Eyes" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd and the third single from his fourth studio album, After Hours (2020). The song was released to contemporary hit radio on March 24, 2020, by XO and Republic Records. It was originally released four days before, alongside the rest of its parent album. The Weeknd wrote and produced the song with Max Martin and Oscar Holter, with Belly receiving additional writing credits. The original studio recording of the track features Wojtek Goral on alto saxophone, while the live version and remix of the song features Kenny G on soprano saxophone.
"Boss Bitch" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat, featured on the Birds of Prey soundtrack Birds of Prey: The Album (2020). It was released as the soundtrack's third single on January 23, 2020. The song was written by Doja Cat alongside Ashnikko and producers Sky Adams and Imad Royal.
"34+35" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande, released on November 3, 2020, by Republic Records as the second official single from her sixth studio album Positions (2020). Written by Grande, Albert Stanaj, Courageous Xavier Herrera, Scott Nicholson, Steven Franks, Tayla Parx, Victoria Monét, and its producers Peter Lee Johnson and Tommy Brown, the song has a title and chorus that both reference the 69 sex position, while the rest of its lyrics feature several sexual puns, double entendres, and sex jokes.
"Best Friend" is a song by American rapper Saweetie featuring fellow American rapper and singer Doja Cat, released on January 7, 2021 as the third single from Saweetie's upcoming debut studio album Pretty Bitch Music. The song was written by the two performers along with Asia Smith, Kaine, Theron Thomas, and producers Dr. Luke and Rocco Did It Again!.
Planet Her is the third studio album by American rapper and singer Doja Cat. It was released on June 25, 2021, by Kemosabe Records and RCA Records. The album, titled after a fictional planet created by Doja Cat, is an amalgamation of pop, hip hop, and R&B styles. Lyrically, the album touches on femininity, solitude, romance, and sexuality, among other topics.
"Get Into It (Yuh)" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her third studio album Planet Her (2021). Doja co-wrote the track with its producers, Y2K and Sully. It was released through Kemosabe and RCA Records alongside the parent album as an album track. Following the album's release, it entered various international music charts due to going viral on the video-sharing app TikTok. Following premiere of the music video on January 31, 2022, the song was released to radio as the album's fifth and final single on March 11, 2022.
"Kiss Me More" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat featuring American singer SZA from the former's third studio album Planet Her (2021). It was released on April 9, 2021, as the album's lead single through Kemosabe and RCA Records. "Kiss Me More" was written by the artists alongside producers Yeti Beats and Rogét Chahayed, as well as Tizhimself and Carter Lang, who both provided additional production, and Lukasz Gottwald. It has been described as a disco or rap influenced pop song.
"You Right" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat and Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, from Doja Cat's third studio album, Planet Her. It was released through Kemosabe and RCA Records on June 25, 2021, as the second single of the album, which was released on the same day. The song officially impacted American contemporary hit radio and rhythmic contemporary radio on June 29. The track received acclaim from music critics. Commercially, the song reached the top 15 in eleven countries and reached number 12 on the Billboard Global 200 chart.
"Woman" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her third studio album Planet Her (2021). It has been described as a fusion of Afrobeats, pop, and R&B, with the lyrical themes of divine femininity and feminism. After gaining popularity in Europe, where it entered the top 10 in countries like Greece, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Lithuania and Portugal, the song impacted Italian radio airplay as the album's fourth single on October 1, 2021. It was sent to American mainstream and rhythmic contemporary radios on December 14, 2021. The song was a sleeper success, spending several months on the charts before slowly climbing to the top 10. For the chart dated May 7, 2022, the song reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, nearly a year after it debuted. "Woman" received three nominations at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards including Record of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Music Video.
"Ain't Shit" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her third studio album Planet Her (2021). It was released through Kemosabe and RCA Records alongside the parent album as an album track. Originally under the title "Niggas Ain't Shit" and "N.A.S.", the song was teased and anticipated months prior after being previewed by Doja Cat on an Instagram livestream in early April 2020.
"Freaky Deaky" is a song by American rappers Tyga and Doja Cat. It was released on February 25, 2022, as the intended lead single of the former's upcoming eighth studio album. Written by the performers alongside Alyssa Cantu and producers Brandon Hamlin, Dr. Luke, Mike Crook, and Ryan Ogren, it is a pop-driven track featuring a lullaby-like hook built around an interpolation of the 1987 song "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega, who received a songwriting credit. The track sees rappers discussing their sexual preferences over a catchy and upbeat tune. Conceived around two years before the release, the single marks the second collaboration between the rappers since 2019, when Tyga was featured on the remix of Doja Cat's "Juicy".
"Vegas" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat. It was released through Kemosabe Records and RCA Records as the lead single from the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic, Elvis, on May 6, 2022. The official music video for the song was released on June 2, 2022. It became Doja Cat's seventh top-ten single on the US Billboard Hot 100 and received a nomination at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance and a nomination at 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards for Best Song.
"I Like You (A Happier Song)" is a song by American rapper and singer Post Malone featuring fellow American rapper and singer Doja Cat. The song was written by the artists alongside Billy Walsh and producers Louis Bell and Jasper Harris. It was sent to US contemporary hit radio as the third single from Malone's fourth studio album, Twelve Carat Toothache, on June 3, 2022. The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Malone his eleventh top-10 hit on the chart and Doja her sixth. It was also nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 65th Grammy Awards.
"Doja" is a song by British rapper and songwriter Central Cee. It was released as a single on 9 June 2022, Produced by LiTek and WhyJay. It went viral on TikTok for its lyrics, including references to its namesake, American rapper and singer Doja Cat. The song samples Eve's 2001 song featuring Gwen Stefani, "Let Me Blow Ya Mind". It debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart and number one in New Zealand and Greece. With a video produced by Lyrical Lemonade, this release made Central Cee the first UK artist to have a video directed by Cole Bennett.
celebrating her femininity and reveling in her sense of humor on tracks like "Need To Know." ("I heard from a friend of a friend/That d--k is a 10 out of 10!")
Released as the first promotional single for Planet Her
and "Need to Know" is nominated in the Best Melodic Rap Performance category.