A quick scroll through his TikTok profile reveals a plethora of videos soundtracked by “Favorite Song.” He’s reposting clips of elementary students belting the song at the top of their lungs, surprising fans with shopping sprees, teasing remixes, collaborating with big-name TikTokers, and putting his own spin on the majorette dance trend that took over the app this year. Kyle Denis: To put it simply: Toosii never gave up on the song.
Why do you think it’s been able to grow so consistently over that period?
While “Favorite Song” first went viral months ago, it only reaches the Hot 100’s top five this week, in its 14th frame. Straightforward love songs aren’t ever likely to dominate the pop charts like they did in the 20th century again - which is fine, pop’s more interesting with a variety of subjects and perspectives - but you gotta give the kids a good one every once in a while, as Toosii is showing us this year.Ģ. On the other hand, the lack of vulgarity and toxicity in the lyrics (regardless of the Future remix, but more on that later) offers a genuinely compassionate outlook on love and relationships that more listeners can appreciate.Īndrew Unterberger: Have we had a great young-love song this high on the charts since Ella Mai’s “Boo’d Up” a half-decade ago? Maybe, but it certainly doesn’t feel like there have been many. Heran Mamo: It’s not a cookie-cutter “rap song.” Living in the South helped Toosii develop a country twang in his singing that can be heard on “Favorite Song,” which has a supple, slowed R&B beat thanks to the sample of Tatiana Manaois’ “You Might as Well.” So sonically, he offers a little bit of everything for different audiences. Toosii has scored a crossover hit by catering to both an old-school hit-making sensibility and a next-gen sense of virality - the perfect combo for a top 5 hit in 2023. “Favorite Song” makes sense as a TikTok smash turned mainstream hit, because the verse, pre-chorus, chorus and sampled intro/outro contain singularly memorable flourishes that help the song stand out in 10-second snippets, as well as in the middle of a radio block. Jason Lipshutz: The hooks upon hooks upon hooks. Still, the sample built around “You Might As Well” was a clever flip for his non-traditional audience. The only crossover records having this much steam with the youth in the previous few years were “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Old Town Road.” The lyrics are simple yet meaningful and have resonated with the TikTok audience. Toosii’s penchant for R&B spiked records (“Love Cycle” and “Heartaches”) isn’t far-fetched. The variation in the song’s arrangement allows it to traverse different segments of listeners - the melody fits nicely alongside most popular Top 40 hits, Toosii’s delivery is unmistakably hip-hop, and there’s even a touch of country in the guitar. Most importantly, audiences have been on a journey with “Favorite Song.” From a snippet uploaded to TikTok just seven days into 2023 to new remixes with Khalid and Future, audiences have seen this song grow and built a connection with its narrative and its artist along the way.Ĭarl Lamarre: The kids. Sonically, slightly gloomy piano and guitar infuse Toosii’s latest hit with the intimate warmth of the Manaois sample while still finding space to highlight more traditional hip-hop production elements. Kyle Denis: “Favorite Song” is a really tender love song, and we have not gotten many of those from hip-hop lately. Toosii makes effective use of the song’s sample - the chorus of Tatiana Manaois’ “You Might As Well” - and constructs a sweet lyrical narrative in which he describes the perfect man for his significant other (*plot twist* he’s singing about himself). What about “Favorite Song” has allowed it to resonate with audiences like it has? Why has “Favorite Song” succeeded in such a slow period for hip-hop on the charts? And will we be hearing more from him on the Hot 100 from here? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.ġ. Toosii has managed something precious few rappers have yet this year - scoring an actual breakout crossover hit. Did Taylor Swift's Dominant 2023 Need a Chart-Conquering Week to Match?
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