"Sensational" is a song by American singer

Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...

from his eleventh studio album ''

11:11 11:11, 11-11, or 11/11 may refer to: * 11:11 (numerology) *''Eleven Eleven'', the literary journal of California College of the Arts *11.11, also known as Singles Day, a day for unmarried people, popular among Chinese youth *Double eleven (11.11) s ...

''. The song was released as the album's second single on October 20, 2023, under CBE. It features guest vocals from Nigerian singers

Davido David Adedeji Adeleke (born November 21, 1992), popularly known by his stage name Davido, is an American-Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. His music blends traditional African elements with global mainstream pop. Davido is widel ...

and

Lojay Lekan Osifeso Jnr. (born 28 April 1996) popularly known as Lojay, is a Nigerian musician, singer, songwriter and performing artist. He peaked at number 8 on the '' billboard U.S. afrobeats songs chart'' with his song ''Monalisa'', in which he ...

. The song was written by Chris Brown,

Sean Kingston Kisean Paul Anderson (born February 3, 1990), better known by his stage name Sean Kingston, is an American-Jamaican singer and rapper. He is known for his hit songs " Beautiful Girls", "Fire Burning", " Take You There", and his collaboration wit ...

, Davido and Lojay, while its production was handled by DJ Hardwerk. "Sensational" is an

Afrobeats Afrobeats (not to be confused with Afrobeat or Afroswing), or Afro-pop or Afro-fusion (or Afropop or Afrofusion), is an umbrella term to describe popular music from West Africa and the diaspora that initially developed in Nigeria, Ghana, and ...

song, featuring

romantic Romantic may refer to: Genres and eras * The Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement of the 18th and 19th centuries ** Romantic music, of that era ** Romantic poetry, of that era ** Romanticism in science, of that e ...

lyrical content. Critical reception towards the song was positive, with critics complimenting the artists' performances and its production. "Sensational" marked Davido and Lojay's first entry on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and Brown's 117th. Its accompanying music video was released alongside the song, and was directed by videographer Child. The song has been nominated for Viewers Choice Awards at the BET 2024 Awards.

Background and release

On October 13, 2023, Brown posted pictures of a then-upcoming music video on his

Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...

account, teasing on the caption the release of "sensational new music". Four days prior to the song's release, on October 16, Brown unveiled it as the second single from ''11:11'', along with its title, featured artists and release date, posting a video on his Instagram account where he performs a choreography for it with his dancing crew. Brown and

already worked on several songs together prior to "Sensational", including " Blow My Mind", "Lower Body", " Under the Influence", "Shopping Spree" and "Nobody Has to Know". The song also marks the second collaboration between Brown and

, following the 2022 remix of the latter's single "Monalisa".

Composition

"Sensational" is an

song, produced by DJ Hardwerk, featuring guest appearances from Nigerian singers

and

. The song was written by its performers alongside Jamaican singer

. "Sensational" features a "percussion-driven" production, and its "romantic" lyrical content contains "words of reassurance and affection to their beloved". Kayla Sandiford of '' Renowned for Sound'' described the song's composition as "jumpy lightheartedness". According to ''

Revolt Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

'', the track is characterized by "Brown’s infectious harmonies and straight-to-the-point subject matter". ''

HotNewHipHop ''HotNewHipHop (HNHH)'' is an online publication that covers daily news about hip hop and pop culture, including streetwear, sports, and sneakers. In addition to its editorial content, HotNewHipHop also produces the video serieses; ''How to Roll ...

'' noted that the song "features tropical vibes".

Critical reception

The single received positive reviews. '' Essence'' highlighted the song, calling it an "impressive single". ''Billboard'' defined the track as a "sugary anthem", saying that "Sensational" is the type of song that "made hris BrownR&B’s ultimate casanova". Mya Singleton of ''

Yardbarker Yardbarker is a digital media property focused on the publishing of sports and entertainment news and information. Founded in 2006, the property distributes content on Yardbarker.com, social media platforms and via third party syndication partne ...

'' stated that the song features the singer "in pure Breezy form". Edward Bowser of ''

Medium Medium may refer to: Science and technology Aviation *Medium bomber, a class of war plane * Tecma Medium, a French hang glider design Communication * Media (communication), tools used to store and deliver information or data * Medium of ...

'' called "Sensational" the best Afrobeats track on ''11:11''. ''

NotJustOk NotJustOk is a Nigerian music download website created in June 2006 by Ademola Ogundele. With over 1.2 million viewers per month, from 183 countries, it is one of the most visited websites in Nigeria. History Coined from Seth Godin's book '' Pur ...

'' praised the artists' performances and DJ Hardwerk's production, calling the song "an auditory delight that fully lives up to its name, as it showcases the musical prowess and synergy of these three remarkable acts". ''

P.M. News ''P.M. News'' is a daily newspaper published in Lagos, Nigeria, by the Independent Communications Network Limited (ICNL). The company also publishes the weekly ''TheNEWS'' magazine and ''Tempo'', a tabloid. ''The News'' was founded in 1993 by B ...

'' defined it a “truly remarkable” collaboration, stating that the featured artists on "Sensational" “deliver scorching verses that elevate the song to new heights.”

Music video

On October 20, 2023, Brown released "Sensational" along with its music video, directed by videographer Child. ''

Rap Radar Elliott Wilson (born January 14, 1971) is an American journalist, television producer, and magazine editor. He is the founder and CEO of ''Rap Radar''. In the past, he has worked as editor-in-chief of ''XXL Magazine''. While there, he became known ...

'' described it as “elegant”, praising Brown's “striking dance moves”.

Accolades

Commercial performance

On January 30, 2024, "Sensational" debuted at number 96 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, serving as Davido and Lojay's first entry on the chart, and Brown's 117th. On February 20, 2024, the single re-entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at 94. On the chart dated March 16, 2024, "Sensational" topped ''Billboard''’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, marking Brown's 19th number-one on the chart.

Charts

References

{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Music Video 2023 singles 2023 songs RCA Records singles Chris Brown songs Davido songs Lojay songs Songs written by Chris Brown