Rita ZimmermanSean Paul is having a moment. Following the success of his Sia collaboration “Cheap Thrills,” he’s now climbing the charts as a featured artist on “Rockabye,” the latest hit by British group Clean Bandit. According to the “Rather Be” hitmakers, the reggae star completely “transformed” the song when he added his verse.
“We met him about five years ago,” Clean Bandit’s Grace Chatto tells ABC Radio says of Sean Paul. “We went backstage at his show and played him our CD and we’ve been kinda waiting ever since [to work with him].”
“After ‘Rather Be’ came out, he came over [to the U.K.] and wanted us to do some production on his new album,” Grace adds. “And while he was in the studio, we played him ‘Rockabye’ and there and then, [he] wrote his verse and just…transformed the song into something totally new.”
While “Rockabye” is only now becoming a big hit in the U.S., it was absolutely massive in the U.K., remaining at #1 for nine weeks, and topping the chart in 20 other countries as well. British singer Anne-Marie is the featured vocalist on the song, which is about the struggles of single mothers.
“I think it’s kinda become more than the sum of its parts,” says Clean Bandit’s Jack Patterson, explaining the song’s success. “It’s like, the contrast of the kind of uplifting, quite feelgood beat, Sean Paul’s amazing kind of flow and energy, and then also with the message in the lyrics. I think that combination is quite unusual.”
“Rockabye” will be on Clean Bandit’s forthcoming album, due later this year. The Grammy-winning group will be taking their new music on the road starting March 31 in Seattle. Their U.S. tour is mapped out through May 2, and will feature opening acts Zara Larsson and Starley.
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