"Satellite" is a song by American singer and songwriter

Bebe Rexha Bleta Rexha (; born August 30, 1989), known professionally as Bebe Rexha ( ), is an American pop singer and songwriter. After signing with Warner Records in 2013, Rexha received songwriting credits on Eminem's single " The Monster" (which later ...

and rapper

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

from her third studio album, ''

Bebe Bebe, Bèbè, Bebé, Bébé or BeBe may refer to: People and fictional characters * Bebe (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname * Bebé, footballer Tiago Manuel Dias Correia (born 1990) * Bebé (f ...

'' (2023). It was written by the artists along with Sam DeRosa, Joe Janiak, Kunfetti and Maya Kurchner, with the production by Janiak. The song was released as the third

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

from the album for digital download and

streaming Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content it ...

Warner Warner can refer to: People * Warner (writer) * Warner (given name) * Warner (surname) Fictional characters * Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner, stars of the animated television series ''Animaniacs'' * Aaron Warner, a character in ''Shatter Me s ...

in various countries on April 19, 2023. A 1970s-inspired

love song A love song is a song about romantic love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. A comprehensive list of even the best known performers and composers of love songs would be a large order. ...

celebrating the 4/20 culture, it 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 ...

and pop song with

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 ...

and

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 ...

elements, telling the story of a moment of getting high and being sent to an alternate universe. Upon release, "Satellite" earned acclaim 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 w ...

for its music, lyrics and the artists collaboration. The song reached the top 40 in Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Romania. The

animated Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...

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 promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

, with references to

cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images ...

s from the

1960s File:1960s montage.png, Clockwise from top left: U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War; the Beatles led the British Invasion of the U.S. music market; a half-a-million people participate in the 1969 Woodstock Festival; Neil Armstrong and Buzz ...

and

1970s File:1970s decade montage.jpg, Clockwise from top left: U.S. President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office following the Watergate scandal in 1974; The United States was still involved in the Vietnam War i ...

Hanna-Barbera Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...

and

, premiered on Rexha's

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

channel on April 20.

Background and composition

On February 8, 2023, Rexha announced her third studio album ''

'' (2023) and the forthcoming release of "Satellite" in collaboration with American rapper Snoop Dogg at a listening event in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. Ahead of its debut, the singer teased the song by posting its cover art and a video, showcasing a moment between the artists smooking together, on her social media channels. Characterising the collaboration as a "dream", she elaborated that it commenced with her sending the song to the rapper through Instagram. Following his prompt response and integration of his verse, she conveyed her enthusiasm for the resulting positive outcome. Ultimately on April 19,

released "Satellite" for digital download and

as the second single from the album. Joe Janiak produced the song and wrote it along with Rexha, Snoop Dogg, Sam DeRosa, Kunfetti and Maya Kurchner. A

-inspired

, it blends

and pop music with

and

elements. Celebrating the 4/20 culture, the song tells the story of a moment of getting high and being sent to an alternate universe. Lyrically, it portrays Rexha's sensation of soaring through the sky like a satellite to the

Milky Way The Milky Way is the galaxy that includes our Solar System, with the name describing the galaxy's appearance from Earth: a hazy band of light seen in the night sky formed from stars that cannot be individually distinguished by the naked eye ...

, with Snoop Dogg sharing his own perspectives.

Reception

Following its release, "Satellite" earned acclaim from

. Jordi Bardají from ''

Jenesaispop Jenesaispop, also known as JNSP, is an online Spanish independent news and reviews website focused on pop music, although it is also dedicated to films, TV series, books and comics. It was founded in 2006 by nine friends, including various jour ...

'' applauded the song's diverse influences across pop history, citing nods to

Chic Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Pronounced Chick. Etymology ''Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English dictiona ...

Daft Punk Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in dance music history, they achieved popularity in the late 1990s as p ...

Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor ( née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (1978), " Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), " I Am What I Am" (1983), and her version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" ( ...

and a polished finish reminiscent of

Dua Lipa Dua Lipa ( , ; born ) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, she is known for her signature disco- pop sound. Lipa has received numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards, three Gramm ...

's second studio album ''

Future Nostalgia ''Future Nostalgia'' is the second studio album by English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa, released on 27 March 2020 by Warner Records. Lipa enlisted writers and producers such as Jeff Bhasker, Ian Kirkpatrick, Stuart Price, the Monsters & Strange ...

'' (2020). Bardají also underscored the appeal of the "glorious" chorus beyond the summer and commended Snoop Dogg's rap. Joe Lynch of ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' marked the song as a "buoyant" song, where Snoop Dogg demonstrates remarkable agility, possibly attributed to Rexha's "effortless aplomb" in infusing a party-ready atmosphere. Kyann-Sian Williams for ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' labeled the song as a "4/20-friendly stoner anthem". While reviewing ''Bebe'', Neil Z. Yeung of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

hailed the song as an "irresistible jam", identifying it as an "effervescent" homage to

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...

, marked by sparkling strings akin to Swedish group

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's ...

. Jeffrey Davies from ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

'' emphasised Snoop Dogg's appearance as a refreshing standout, notably in contrast to the perceived fatigue in guest vocals from American singer

Ty Dolla Sign Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born April 13, 1982), known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign (stylized as Ty Dolla $ign or Ty$), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He first gained major recognition in 2010 for his feature on Ameri ...

on Rexha's preceding album ''

Better Mistakes ''Better Mistakes'' is the second studio album by American singer Bebe Rexha, released on May 7, 2021, by Warner Records. It serves as the follow-up to her debut studio album, '' Expectations'' (2018) and contains guest features from Travis Bark ...

'' (2021). Gary Gerard Hamilton for ''

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

'' highlighted the collaborative effort, while distinguishing the song as the "only other feature for the fun" on the album. Ryan Bulbeck of ''

Renowned for Sound ''Renowned for Sound'' is an Australian online magazine An online magazine is a magazine published on the Internet, through bulletin board systems and other forms of public computer networks. One of the first magazines to convert from a pri ...

'' described it as a "sweet and heady" anthem, encapsulating the euphoria of getting high, with Snoop Dogg's intro completing the overall "throw-back feel". Commercially, "Satellite" reached number 19 in Romania, number 20 in Poland, number 25 in Croatia, number 38 in Hungary and number 162 in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Music video and promotion

for "Satellite" was published on Rexha's official

channel on April 20, 2023. Inspired by classic

s produced by American companies

and

in the

and

, the animation draws from works such as ''

Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century ''Duck Dodgers in the th Century'' (spoken as "twenty-fourth-and-a-half") is a 1953 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. The cartoon was released on July 25, 1953, and stars Daffy Duck as space hero Duck Dodgers, P ...

'' (1953), ''

The Jetsons ''The Jetsons'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. It originally aired in prime time from September 23, 1962, to March 17, 1963, on ABC, then later aired in reruns via syndication, with new episodes produced f ...

'' (1962) and ''

Josie and the Pussycats Josie and the Pussycats (sometimes simply known as The Pussycats) are a fictional girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense i ...

'' (1963). Additionally, ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'' (1966) contributed to specific details, encompassing outfit design, ship interconnections and the teleportation effects. Directed by Juan M. Urbin of Venturia Animation, the creation process spanned over a month from its commencement. Employing a variety of tools, the creative process involved pen and paper for concept drawings, as well as the utilisation of software applications such as

Adobe Photoshop Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe Inc. for Microsoft Windows, Windows and macOS. It was originally created in 1988 by Thomas Knoll, Thomas and John Knoll. Since then, the software has become the indu ...

for background creation and

Toon Boom Toon Boom Animation Inc. is a Canadian software company that specializes in animation production and storyboarding software. Founded in 1994 and based in Montreal, Quebec, Toon Boom develops animation and storyboarding software for film, televi ...

for animating sequences. The video opens with a conversation between Rexha and Snoop Dogg in a "groovy" described indoor setting. Responding to her desire to venture into

outer space Outer space, commonly shortened to space, is the expanse that exists beyond Earth and its atmosphere and between celestial bodies. Outer space is not completely empty—it is a near-perfect vacuum containing a low density of particles, pred ...

within the "Bebeverse", the rapper guides the singer into an animated cannabis leaf-shaped space ship operated by buds of

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...

. He then delivers the directive, "Screw your wig on tight, put your seat belt on, and get ready for the ride of your life, 'cause I'm gonna take you to a whole 'nother dimension." From the moment Snoop Dogg exhales a cloud of smoke, the video undergoes a transformative animation of the entire video. With the onset of the music, Rexha adopts a visual style reminiscent of ''The Jetsons'', lying on a couch with a dog by her side engaging in smoking. Subsequently, the video transitions to depict the singer piloting a spaceship through space, arriving at a space station where she encounters Snoop Dogg, joining him on her journey. Following this, it showcases Rexha performing in a concert for

alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...

s, characterised by their unique resemblance to piles of sticky icky. The video ends with her being transported back to her initial setting, lounging on a couch. On May 1, Rexha premiered "Satellite" for the first time on the American talk show ''

Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...

'', performing in a glittering green cannabis leaf-shaped costume. Furthermore, the release of the song was accompanied by a remix from German disc jockey

Alle Farben Frans Zimmer (born 5 June 1985), better known by his stage name Alle Farben (meaning ''All Colours'' in German) is a German DJ and producer. Since 2014 Zimmer is signed to the record label Guesstimate/b1 Recordings and the publishing house Budde ...

published on July 7.

Track listing

*Digital download and streaming #"Satellite"3:28 *Digital download and streamingRemixes #"Satellite" (

Remix)3:24

Charts

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2023 singles 2023 songs American disco songs Animated music videos Bebe Rexha songs Snoop Dogg songs Warner Records singles Songs written by Bebe Rexha Songs written by Snoop Dogg Songs about cannabis Songs written by Joe Janiak