"So Excited" is a song recorded by American singer

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...

, featuring guest vocals from rapper

Khia Khia Shamone Finch ( ; ' Chambers; born November 8, 1976)''U.S. Public Records Index'' Vol 1 (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), 2010. is an American rapper, songwriter, singer, media personality, and record producer. She is best known ...

, for Jackson's ninth studio album '' 20 Y.O.'' (2006). The song was written by Jackson,

Jermaine Dupri Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ. Early life Jermaine Dupri Mauldin was born on September 23, 1972, the son of Tina (Mosley) and Michael ...

, James Phillips, Johntá Austin, James Harris III, Terry Lewis and Khia Chambers, with

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he hel ...

Michael Beinhorn Michael Beinhorn is a North American record producer, composer, author and musician. He has produced albums for Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Hole, Violent Femmes and Marilyn Manson. Career 1977-1983: Early Years, Material, Herbie Hancock ...

and

Bill Laswell William Otis Laswell (born February 12, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and record label owner. He has been involved in thousands of recordings with many collaborators from all over the world. His music draws from funk, ...

also receiving songwriting credits for sampling Hancock's 1983 song " Rockit". Production for "So Excited" was handled by Dupri, LRoc, Jam, Lewis and Jackson. "So Excited" is musically a hip hop and dance song which lyrically expresses submission from a woman to her lover. It was released on August 28, 2006, by

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a worldw ...

as the second single from ''20 Y.O.'' It received mixed reviews from

music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...

, with some considering the song the highlight from ''20 Y.O.'' while others found it disappointing. "So Excited" performed poorly on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, reaching number 90, but managed to become Jackson's 17th number-one dance hit in the country. It was a moderate success in Europe, reaching the top ten in Finland and top 40 in selected regions. The

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...

for the song, directed by Joseph Kahn, depicts Jackson's clothes disappearing through a complex dance routine. After Khia was given a minor role in the music video, she criticized Jackson online. Jackson performed the song on ''

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'', the 2006

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, and the 2008

Rock Witchu Tour Rock Witchu Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson, in support of her tenth studio album ''Discipline'' (2008), and her first in nearly seven years, following a total blacklist of the singer's music, due to th ...

Background and composition

In 2005, Jackson started working on her ninth studio album, '' 20 Y.O.'', with her then partner, record producer

, who was commissioned as the

executive producer Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights ...

. The discussion between the producers turned to how Jackson was feeling at the time her third studio album '' Control'' (1986) was recorded. "I started asking questions like, 'What was the feeling of life when you were 20?' I was so intrigued with what was going on in her life then that I just thought her album should be called that", Dupri commented. Jackson wanted to maintain a R&B sound from her most recent albums, but with an emphasis on

dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded danc ...

. In June 2006, rapper

was confirmed on a song titled "So Excited". However producer Dupri said she would be not rapping on the track,

"Khia's on the record because I'm a producer and I heard a sound that I wanted. She don't actually rap on the record, I'm giving you the exclusive. It’s something that I did with her voice. I mean, a lot or people who hear it, they might not even realize that it's her. I use textures when I do records and I just wanted her voice texture on this record, and she really made this song. Now she's been complaining saying she's been taken off the record, I don't know where that came from. She's really foolish to be out here talking ike this I'm still gonna keep her on the song because she ain't know what she was doing".

"So Excited" was written by Jackson, Jermaine Dupri, James Phillips, Johntá Austin, James Harris III, Terry Lewis and Khia Chambers; and was produced by Dupri, LRoc, Jam, Lewis and Jackson. The song is a hip hop and dance track which samples the drum break and turntable scratches from

's 1983 song " Rockit", with Hancock,

and

also receiving writing credits. In "So Excited", Jackson promises submission for her lover, singing, "I'll open my spot for you / Anytime you want me to".

Critical reception

"So Excited" received mixed reviews from

. Thomas Inskeep from

Stylus Magazine ''Stylus Magazine'' was an American online music and film magazine, launched in 2002 and co-founded by Todd L. Burns. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog. Addi ...

criticized ''20 Y.O.'', but enjoyed the track, calling it a "sticky ear-candy" song. He further commented that the "sexed-up" number carries a "throwaway contribution from Khia to, if not ultimate satisfaction, ives the listenerat least a half-decent orgasm". Miles Marshall Lewis from ''

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'' was also positive, saying that Dupri "girds 'So Excited' with 'Rockit' scratches, coaching guest-rapper Khia to sound like

Da Brat Shawntae Harris-Dupart (born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she began her career in 1992, the year she signed with So So Def Records. Her debut album ''Funkda ...

on the naughty hook. Serviceable enough, it's surprisingly the highlight" of the album. Spence D. from IGN felt that "So Excited" was like a "glorious slice of radio ready '80s churban soul" wrapped up and delivered for a current audience. Glenn Gamboa, writer for ''Newsday'', commented that "So Excited" was a "good indicator of what to expect from the current incarnation of Jackson. It's streetwise, lighthearted and easily digestible". Sasha Frere-Jones, writer from ''

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'' was enthusiastic with the song, calling it a "loud dance tune that is reminiscent of the songs on ''Control''", although she criticized some lyrics. For Don Baiocchi from

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, the song was not "the flawless dance floor anthem" her fans were hoping for. Chuck Taylor from ''

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'' called it disappointing, and felt it was bland and lacked innovation. Similarly, Evan Serpick, writing for ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...

'', stated, "Almost all of the tunes here (particularly 'So Excited') try to replicate Jackson's early work, with diminishing returns".

Commercial performance

"So Excited" debuted at its peak of number 90 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart dated October 5, 2006. It debuted on the

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

at number 75, eventually peaking at number 34, becoming her 39th top-40 single on the chart. On the

Dance Club Songs Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as ...

chart, "So Excited" became Jackson's 22nd consecutive top-ten single and her 17th number-one hit on the chart. In Belgium, "So Excited" debuted at its peak of number 14 on the

Ultratip Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium. Ultratop is a non-profit organization, created on the initiative of the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA), the Belgian member organization of ...

chart in Flanders, while peaking at number five on Ultratip in Wallonia. In Finland, "So Excited" debuted at its peak of number nine, after which it fell to number 14 and then left the chart in its third week. In Spain, it peaked at number 13.

Music video

The accompanying

for "So Excited" was directed by Joseph Kahn, with choreography done by

Gil Duldulao Gil Duldulao (born April 8, 1979) is an American dancer, choreographer and creative director. He has worked with artists such as Tina Turner, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, Demi Lovato and is best known for his longtime collaborations with Janet Jack ...

; it premiered on September 13, 2006, on BET's ''

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''. A group called X1FX handled VFX visual effects for the video. In the video, Jackson's clothes disappear through a complex dance routine with her female dancers. Also, occasional skeleton people appear in an

X-ray X-rays (or rarely, ''X-radiation'') are a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. In many languages, it is referred to as Röntgen radiation, after the German scientist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who discovered it in 1895 and named it ' ...

effect, and on the 2 minute mark, Jackson is seen inside a yellow sports car eating a strawberry. The video received positive reviews from critics, who considered it a departure from the video for her previous single, but some scenes were criticized. They were also surprised with Jackson naked in the video, after her

Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy The Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show, which was broadcast live on February 1, 2004, from Houston, Texas, on the CBS television network, is notable for a moment in which Janet Jackson's breast—adorned with a nipple shield—was expo ...

in 2004. After Khia was given a diminished role in the music video, she went to her MySpace account to say she was not pleased with her scenes being displayed in a TV during the music video, and criticized Jackson. Despite that, Khia said years later that the situation was calmed down, and wrote a song with Jackson in mind. However, she did not regret the feedback she gave the singer, stating, "I don't say anything that I don't mean. I meant every word that I said. People mix the truth with hate, but no I didn't appreciate her putting me on the television. A lot of people blew that out of proportion like, 'Oh my god, Khia's hating on Janet,' but she called me and we were okay. It's just me voicing the situation to my fans".

Live performances

On September 9, 2006, Jackson went to France to perform "So Excited" at

NRJ NRJ (NRJ is an acronym read as Nouvelle Radio Jeune, or ''énergie'' in French, pronounced , literally "energy") is a private French radio station created by Jean-Paul Baudecroux and Max Guazzini in June 1981, and was widely popularized than ...

's Back to School concert, along with past single "

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" (1986). While on ''

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'', she was interviewed and performed both tracks again, with this being the first time a performance of "So Excited" was broadcast on television. The show aired on September 25. On December 4, 2006, Jackson opened the 2006

with a medley of past song " The Pleasure Principle" and "So Excited", with " Control" serving as an introduction to the number. She was accompanied by white, black and red-clad dancers. The song was included on the setlist for the

in 2008. She was dressed in a gold and black glam hip hop-inspired track suit, and one gold glove. It was used as an interlude on the Unbreakable World Tour in 2015–2016. "So Excited" was also used as a part of the DJ Intermission for Jackson's State of the World Tour in 2017 and was performed live on the final date of the first leg of the tour. Jackson also included the song on her 2019 Las Vegas Residency Janet Jackson: Metamorphosis.

Track listings

UK CD 1 # Album Version – 3:19 #"Call on Me" (Luny Tunes Main Mix) – 3:42 UK CD 2 # Album Version – 3:19 #

Junior Vasquez Junior Vasquez (born Donald Gregory Mattern, August 24, 1949) is an American DJ, record producer and remixer. He has been referred to as one of the only DJs of his time to gain international attention. Career Mattern moved to New York City a ...

Club Mix – 7:17 # Bimbo Jones Club Mix – 7:13 # Enhanced Video US / European promo CD single # Album Version – 3:17 # Radio Edit – 3:16 # Album Instrumental – 3:15 US 12" promo single # Album Version – 3:15 # Radio Edit – 3:15 # Album Instrumental – 3:15 # Album A Cappella – 3:12 US promo CD single # Junior Vasquez Club Edit – 7:22 # Junior Vasquez Dub Edit – 7:13 # Junior Vasquez Mix Show Edit – 5:10 # Junior Vasquez Radio Edit – 3:18 # Bimbo Jones Club Edit – 6:45 # Bimbo Jones Dub Edit – 6:48 # Bimbo Jones Radio Edit – 3:10 # Album Version – 3:14 US 12" single # Junior Vasquez Club – 7:17 # Junior Vasquez Instrumental Dub – 7:13 # Bimbo Jones Club – 6:45 # Bimbo Jones Instrumental Dub – 6:48

Credits and personnel

–

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or witho ...

songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...

producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

– songwriter, producer, mixing, additional vocals * James Phillips – songwriter, producer * Johnta Austin – songwriter * James Harris III – songwriter, producer, additional music * Terry Lewis – songwriter, producer, additional music * Khia Chambers – vocals, songwriter *

– songwriter *

– songwriter *Phil Tan – mixing * Debbie McGee - magician's assistance * Ian Cross –

recording A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, r ...

at Flyte Tyme Studios,

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coa ...

*John Horesco IV –

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

at Flyte Tyme Studios, Santa Barbara, California *Josh Houghkirk – engineer, mixing assistant Credits adapted from ''20 Y.O.'' album liner notes.

Charts

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2006 singles 2006 songs Janet Jackson songs Khia songs Music videos directed by Joseph Kahn Song recordings produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis Song recordings produced by Jermaine Dupri Song recordings produced by Luny Tunes Songs written by Janet Jackson Songs written by Jermaine Dupri Songs written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis Songs written by Johntá Austin Virgin Records singles