"''Say Something''" is a song by Australian recording artist

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...

, taken from her fifteenth studio album ''

Disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

'' (2020). It was released as the album's lead single on 23 July 2020, by

BMG Rights Management BMG Rights Management GmbH (also known simply as BMG) is an international music company based in Berlin, Germany. It combines the activities of a music publisher and a record label. BMG was founded in October 2008 after Bertelsmann sold its ...

and Minogue's company, Darenote. Minogue co-wrote the song with Ash Howes and its producers Jonathan Green and Richard Stannard. Say Something is a

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

song with

synths A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and f ...

, drum crashes, a

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

guitar, and a choir. Its lyrical content addresses themes of seeking love and calling for unity. "Say Something" received widespread praise from music critics for its production values and sound. Some critics regarded it as one of the album's highlights and among Minogue's best work. Commercially, it peaked at number 56 on the UK Singles Chart and was in the top 20 on Minogue's native Australia, provided by

Radiomonitor Radiomonitor is a British music company that tracks the worldwide airplay of songs, with the information given to record labels and radio stations. They have established partnerships with several international companies located in Ireland, Austra ...

and ''

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'' respectively. Elsewhere, "Say Something" charted in Belgium, Hungary, New Zealand, and Scotland, as well as on component charts in the United States. Additionally, the song was certified gold by Pro-Música Brasil for sales over 20,000 in Brazil. Long-time collaborator Sophie Muller directed the accompanying music video for "Say Something," which was shot in London, England. It depicts Minogue travelling through space on a golden horse sculpture while adhering to social distancing measures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. To promote the single, a limited 7" vinyl was released on Minogue's website, and she performed it several times, including appearances on " The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "

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Background and composition

After wrapping up promotion for her fourteenth studio album ''

Golden Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershir ...

'' and subsequent tour, Minogue began work on her new album in 2019. While on tour, she was inspired by a segment was influenced by

aesthetic and

Studio 54 Studio 54 is a Broadway theater and a former disco nightclub at 254 West 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Operated by the Roundabout Theatre Company, Studio 54 has 1,006 seats on two levels. The theater was ...

, and felt her creative direction was "heading straight back to the dance floor" with a disco-influenced album. Minogue began planning new music with long-time collaborators Ash Howes, Jonathan Green, and Richard Stannard during the early stages of production. Being one of the first tracks recorded for the album, the collaboration in making "Say Something" "dropped from the sky" after experimenting with certain beats and all of them singing into a microphone. The track was recorded

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

, England. Musically, "Say Something" experiments with a variety of genres. It begins with a

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...

intro, and progresses into a track influenced by

dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...

electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...

, and

synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...

. Instrumentally, the track incorporates "thick" synths, drum crashes, a funk guitar, and a choir. Lyrically, the song addresses themes of seeking love and calling for unity; Minogue commented, "is about all of our eternal quest for love" and searching for "something or someone out there that you can relate to." Minogue sings lines such as "Love is love / It never ends / Can we all be as one again?" and uses whisper vocals on the chorus. '' Rolling Stones Claire Shaffer commented that the lyrics "feel pertinent for our quarantine days". Similarly, Katie Bain from ''Billboard'' wrote that the track sees Minogue "hitting the topical nail on the head", and Joshua Martin from ''MTV News Australia'' described the song as a "call for unity".

Release and promotion

On 21 July, media outlets reported that Minogue was preparing to release her fifteenth album ''Disco'' in the second half of 2020; alongside unveiling the album's cover, outlets also reported that a new single titled "Say Something" was due for imminent release. Minogue announced the album release and the single release on 21 and 22 July 2020, respectively. "Say Something" was released as the album's lead single on 23 July 2020, by BMG Rights Management and Minogue's company, Darenote. It was formatted as a digital release and limited edition 7" vinyl, that was released on Minogue's website. It premiered on 23 July at 08:30 BST on

BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...

, during '' The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show'', and subsequently uploaded to YouTube on the same day, and a lyric video was released the following day. Furthermore, "Say Something" was also used as

Channel 4 F1 ''Channel 4 F1'', commonly abbreviated to ''C4F1'', is a British television programme dedicated to the coverage of Formula One motor racing and has been aired by the British broadcaster Channel 4 since 2016. Prior to 2019, half of the season's p ...

's outro for

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and Netflix's '' Never Have I Ever''.

Critical reception

"Say Something" received widespread acclaim from most music critics. Joey Nolfi of '' Entertainment Weekly'' called it a "mirrorball anthem", and said that the song is "more than an ode to the lust for human connection in dark times, it's a poetic, surprisingly deep step forward" for Minogue. '' The Guardian'''s Kate Solomon described "Say Something" as a "quasi-disco bop with a slightly saccharine post-quarantine sentiment" that Minogue "carries perfectly". Similarly, writing for '' The Independent'', Roisin O'Connor described the song as a "disco banger" with "grinding guitar licks and funky beats". In his review for '' Variety'', Jem Aswad viewed that "Say Something" is one of the "best disco songs in recent memory". He wrote that it has an "irresistible chorus" and a "driving rhythm", as well as "perhaps unintentionally relevant lyrics". Mike Wass of ''

Idolator An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry. Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books *''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music * Idolator (website), an American music blog * ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...

'' compared the song to those of Scissor Sisters and

St. Vincent Saint Vincent may refer to: People Saints * Vincent of Saragossa (died 304), a.k.a. Vincent the Deacon, deacon and martyr * Saint Vincenca, 3rd century Roman martyress, whose relics are in Blato, Croatia * Vincent, Orontius, and Victor (died 305) ...

, and commended its "majestic,

serotonin Serotonin () or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Its biological function is complex and multifaceted, modulating mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory, and numerous physiological processes such as vomiting and vas ...

-raising chorus". "Say Something" received positive feedback as one of the highlights of its parent album, ''Disco''. Writing for AllMusic, Neil Z. Yeung selected the track is a standout. He stated that the song "is not only a peak on ''Disco'', it's also one of Minogue's best songs to date, a rapturous anthem that unifies with its urgent plea of "Love is love/It never ends/Can we all be as one again?." Katherine St. Asaph from '' Pitchfork Media'' said it was "is the strongest and also the least disco," while also commending its lyrical content and Minogue's emotional delivery in the track. In a mixed review, Sal Cinquemani from

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...

said that whilst the track as single, was a "deceptive introduction" to the record, he stated "the track ..works better as a momentary respite among ''Disco''’s otherwise frenetic middle stretch." Furthermore, "Say Something" was ranked at 95th on '' Billboard's'' The 100 Best Songs of 2020 list. The song was shortlisted for Song of the Year by

APRA Music Awards The APRA Music Awards in Australia are annual awards to celebrate excellence in contemporary music, which honour the skills of member composers, songwriters, and publishers who have achieved outstanding success in sales and airplay performan ...

in Australia, but did not garner a nomination.

Commercial performance

Commercially, "Say Something" performed moderately. It debuted at number 82 on the UK Singles Chart, marking her first chart appearance since "

Stop Me from Falling "Stop Me from Falling" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released on 9 March 2018 by Minogue's own company Darenote Limited and licensed to BMG Rights Management, as the second single from her fourteenth studio album ''Golden (Ky ...

" in 2018. It ultimately peaked at number 56. Moreover, it peaked at number nine and 11 on the UK Singles Downloads and Sales Chart, respectively. According to the Official Charts in the UK, "Say Something" became her biggest airplay hit in the UK since " Get Outta My Way" (2010). By February 2021, "Say Something" has sold over 75,555 units in the country. The track performed moderately elsewhere. "Say Something" did not chart on the ARIA Charts in her native Australia, but it did peak at number 5 on the

Airplay Chart and number 5 on the Australian Digital Songs Chart by ''

''. It also spent a sole week on the

New Zealand Hot Singles Recorded Music NZ (formerly the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ)) is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell recorded music in New Zealand. Membership of Recorded Mus ...

chart at number 40, one of Minogue's lowest charting efforts in the country. In the United States, it debuted at number three on ''

''s Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales. According to Nielsen Music/MRC Data the track generated 429,000 US streams and 3,000 downloads in its first week.

Music video

The music video for "Say Something" was directed by Sophie Muller. It was filmed at the Black Island Studios in London, England whilst adhering to social distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the video features only Minogue and a dancer, Kaner Flex. The fishnet

catsuit A catsuit is a one-piece form-fitting garment that covers the torso and the legs, and frequently the arms. They are usually made from stretchable material, such as lycra, chiffon, spandex (after 1959), latex, or velour, but may use less elasti ...

and black and white dress featured in the video were designed by Ed Marler; the crystal mesh bodysuit was by Gucci, and latter costume was inspired by an image of Marisa Berenson that Minogue and Muller found during research into

. Portraying Minogue as a Space Age

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

actress, the " inter-galactic" video was inspired by 1970s psychedelia and '' The Great Gatsby'' (1925). It depicts the singer travelling through the universe whilst mounted upon a golden horse sculpture, shooting lasers from her hands and flying on a hovercraft.

Live performances

On 17 September 2020, Minogue performed the song for the first time on '' The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''. The performance was filmed remotely and recorded on a 1980s-era BBC News television camera, providing a "vintage VHS tape filter" aesthetic according to ''

'', while Minogue wore a vintage Antony Price dress from 1983. On 19 September 2020, Minogue performed an acoustic version of "Say Something" during the charity live concert ''I Love Beirut'', organized by Lebanese singer

Mika Mika is a given name, a nickname and a surname. Notable people and fictional characters with the name include: People known just as Mika * Mika (singer) (born 1983), Lebanese-born British singer-songwriter Michael Penniman, Jr. * Mika (footbal ...

, to raise funds for victims of the

2020 Beirut explosion On 4 August 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut in the capital city of Lebanon exploded, causing at least 218 deaths, 7,000 injuries, and United States dollar, US$15 billion in property damage, as well as lea ...

. On 1 November, the performance from the then-upcoming concert special 'Infinite Disco' was aired on ''The Sound''. On 6 November, she performed again on '' The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show'' and ''

''. On 7 November, she performed the song accompanied by the members of The House Gospel Choir on her live stream concert ' Infinite Disco'.

Track listing

Digital download / streaming #"Say Something" – 3:32 Digital download / streaming – acoustic version #"Say Something" (acoustic) – 3:15 #"Say Something" – 3:32 Digital download / streaming – Syn Cole remix # "Say Something" (Syn Cole remix) – 3:00 7-inch vinyl #"Say Something" – 3:32 #"Say Something" (acoustic) – 3:15

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. *

– lead vocals, writer, backing vocals and vocal production * Louis Lion – programming * Jon Green – writer, backing vocals, producer, guitar, keyboards * Duck Blackwell – additional producer, keyboards, mixing engineer * Dick Beetham – recording engineer *

Richard "Biff" Stannard Biffco is a music production and songwriting team from Brighton, England, formed by Richard "Biff" Stannard, Julian Gallagher, Ash Howes. The group have worked with a number of high-profile artists, including Kylie Minogue, One Direction, Atomi ...

– writer, backing vocals, producer, keyboards * Ash Howes – writer, programming * Adetoun Anibi – backing vocals

Charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Kylie Minogue songs 2020 singles 2020 songs BMG Rights Management singles Dance-pop songs Disco songs Electropop songs Kylie Minogue songs Music videos directed by Sophie Muller Music videos shot in London Songs written by Ash Howes Songs written by Kylie Minogue Songs written by Richard Stannard (songwriter) Synth-pop songs