"Leave the Door Open" is the debut single by the American super-duo Silk Sonic, consisting of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, from their studio album An Evening with Silk Sonic (2021). The song was written by the artists alongside Brody Brown and Dernst "D'Mile" Emile II, who produced it with Mars. It was released on March 5, 2021, by Aftermath Entertainment and Atlantic Records for digital download and streaming. A Philadelphia soul, R&B, and pop song, it is influenced by quiet storm. The lyrics are humorous and describe a "detailed erotic invitation".
"Leave the Door Open" received widespread critical acclaim, with many critics praising both singers' vocals, as well as the song's composition. The song was a commercial success as it topped various charts. In the United States, the track reached the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and was certified two times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Furthermore, it also peaked at number one in Israel, Malaysia, and New Zealand. The song entered the top ten of several countries such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, and Portugal. It was certified double platinum by Recorded Music New Zealand (RMNZ) and three times platinum by Music Canada (MC).
The accompanying music video, directed by Florent Dechard and Mars, was released along with the song. It depicts Mars and .Paak, as Silk Sonic, performing the song in a vintage studio as several women dance to it. To promote "Leave the Door Open", Silk Sonic performed it at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. The song was praised for its simplicity and the performance was compared to a 70s Soul Train telecast. The duo also performed the song at the BET Awards 2021 and 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards. The song received several nominations and awards, winning Song of the Year at the 2021 Soul Train Music Awards, as well as Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Performance, and Best R&B Song at the 64th Grammy Awards.
Background and release
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak met in 2017, while touring together on the European leg of Mars' 24K Magic World Tour (2017–18). The two were in the studio working with Nile Rodgers and Guy Lawrence of Disclosure. In late February 2021, Mars and .Paak announced on social media the formation of their new band, Silk Sonic, and revealed the artwork for their debut studio album, titled An Evening with Silk Sonic (2021). They also announced the release of the first single on March 5, 2021.
In an interview with New Zealand radio DJ Zane Lowe for the Apple Music podcast Beats 1, Paak said the song required a lot of "patience and delicate". He added, "A lot of meat went into this song." Mars lamented the lack of live performances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding, "While I'm writing songs, that's a part of my whole thing... I can't wait till people hear this." On August 18, 2021, during an interview with Rolling Stone, Mars confessed that the bridge of the song "almost broke the band up. But it wasn't right, and we all felt it." He added, "Andy played this thing, and he knew where the groove had to go, but for some reason I kept screaming, 'Man it sounds like books falling!' I was like, 'We gotta turn it down'." In an interview with Songwriter Universe, D'Mile explained that Mars had the idea and the song title, and knew the "concept he wanted"." He said they tried "different versions and ideas", removed pieces, and rebuilt the song several times until everyone was satisfied.
On March 5, 2021, "Leave the Door Open" was released by Aftermath Entertainment and Atlantic Records as the album's first single via digital download and streaming services in various countries. "Silk Sonic Intro" was also issued on the same day, featuring the album's special guest Bootsy Collins. "Leave the Door Open" was released to US contemporary hit radio stations on March 9, 2021, by Atlantic Records. On March 8, 2021, Atlantic Records sent the track to various categories of American adult contemporary radio stations. Warner Music Group issued the track for radio airplay in Italy on March 12, 2021. On April 1, 2021, a live recording of the single was released for digital download and streaming, using audio from the 2021 Annual Grammy Awards performance with added narration from Collins. On the same date, two CD singles, the original version and the live version, of "Leave the Door Open" were released in various countries.