"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.
The solo version of "Say So" initially peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, before two remixes featuring rapper Nicki Minaj propelled the song to number one. 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-one song in the US. Elsewhere, the song reached the top ten in 25 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 fivefold platinum from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).
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's list of the Best Pop Songs of All Time, although many critics were polarized by its success and described it as a comeback for its producer and co-writer Dr. Luke, following the 2014 Kesha v. Dr. Luke lawsuits.
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. Although uncredited, 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 (2019). 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 (@yodelinghaley). 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, and rhythmic contemporary radio on February 4, in the United States. Despite being the fifth single from the record, "Say So" was only the second single to be promoted to radio.