"One in a Million" is a song by American singer Bebe Rexha and French record producer David Guetta. The song was written by Rexha, Burns, Martin Coogan, Scott Dittrich, Timofey Reznikov, Sarah Solovay and Ido Zmishlany, and produced by Burns, Reznikov, and Guetta, all three of whom also wrote the song. The fifth collaboration between Rexha and Guetta, it was released for digital download and streaming in various countries by Warner on August 4, 2023. The EDM and pop song samples Guetta's 2009 single "When Love Takes Over". In its lyrics, Rexha marvels at the existence of her significant other.
In April 2023, Rexha shared a brief snippet of "One in a Million" on the social media platform TikTok.[1]Warner released it for digital download and streaming in various countries on August 4, 2023.[2] Produced by Timofey Reznikov, Guetta and Burns, the song was written by the latter two along with Rexha, Martin Coogan, Scott Dittrich, Timofey Reznikov, Sarah Solovay and Ido Zmishlany.[3] The song marks the fifth collaboration between Rexha and Guetta following their songs "Hey Mama" (2015), "Say My Name" (2018), "Family" (2021) and "I'm Good (Blue)" (2022).[4] Inspired by house music,[5] "One In A Million" is an EDM and pop song that samples Guetta's collaboration with American singer Kelly Rowland "When Love Takes Over" (2009).[6][7] The song's lyrics are a homage to love, wherein Rexha marvels at the existence of a significant other,[5][8] placing emphasis on the exploration of profound connections.[6][9] Exploring the essence of trust, Rexha conveys her emotions through lines such as, "You're my one, one, one in a million. It's like someone picked you outta the sky. Maybe I met you for a reason."[6][9]
Reception
Upon its release, "One in a Million" garnered a positive reception from music critics. Chris Vuoncino from We Rave You highlighted the song for its quality that encapsulates the "iconic" collaboration between Rexha and Guetta.[6] He also acclaimed its "timeless" melody and lyrics, Rexha's "radio-friendly" vocal delivery and Guetta's "pristine" production quality.[6] Emily Zemler for Rolling Stone commended the collaborative effort as "buoyant", acknowledging its "anthemtic and club-ready" qualities.[8] Juan Ignacio Herrero of Los 40 positioned the song as a potential "summer anthem" and labeled it a "sequel" to Guetta's previous song, "When Love Takes Over".[4] Isidora González also from Los 40 identified the song's distinctive features, describing them as a "pure expression" with "stimulating" beats, "powerful" vocals and "cheerful" melodies.[10] Jovi Marques for Papelpop complimented the song's dynamic progression and Rexha's "electrifying" vocals.[11] A critic from NRJ hailed the collaborative evolution between the artists on their success with "I'm Good (Blue)", noting that the song "seamlessly continues" the path set by its predecessor.[7] Furthermore, the song secured the sixth position on BuzzFeed's list of Best Underrated Songs of 2023 and was included on Billboard's 30 Best Dance Songs of the year.[12][13] Representing Rexha's fourth and Guetta's 13th nomination to date,[14] the song garnered a nomination in the inaugural category of Best Pop Dance Recording at the 66th edition of the Grammy Awards.[15][16][17]
"One in a Million" made its debut at number 9 on the US BillboardHot Dance/Electronic Songs chart in the issue dated August 19, 2023.[18] In the United Kingdom, the song reached number 79 on the UK Singles Chart, while achieving a higher position at number 30 on the UK Dance Singles Chart.[19][20] Reaching the top 30 in Belgium and the Netherlands,[21][22][23] it peaked at number 41 in Slovakia,[24] number 55 in the Czech Republic,[25] number 57 in Poland, number 58 in the Croatia, number 105 in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and number 122 in Russia.[26][27][28] Furthermore, Billboard showcased "One in a Million" in its annual compilation of the top Hot Dance/Electronic songs for 2023.[29]
Promotion
An official music video for "One in a Million" premiered to Rexha's official YouTube channel on September 26, 2023.[30] A cyberspace and futuristic-themed video, it was directed by Corey Wilson and produced by Erica Gould.[30][31][32] The video commences with a camera glide from Rexha's shoulder, capturing her interaction with a phone displaying the video.[30] The visual then advances as the camera transitions into virtual environments, presenting Rexha within a turquoise setting illuminated by ascending laser lights.[30] This is followed by a scene in a black environment where she is surrounded by descending laser lights of various colors.[30] The narrative unfolds further as the camera introduces Guetta throughout a digital projection in a dark backdrop, engaging in a performance complemented by synchronised white lines moving in harmony with the beat.[30][31] The visual narrative persists with interspersed shots depicting Rexha within the aforementioned settings, accompanied by dynamic transitions in the colors of the lights.[30] Tomás Mier from Rolling Stone cited the video as an exploration of "love in cyberspace" and noted its resonance following the substantial success of "I'm Good (Blue)".[31] André Luiz of Papelpop highlighted the futuristic theme, where Rexha exudes confidence and "showcases her beauty" across various scenes.[32] On November 19, 2023, Rexha and Guetta premiered their collaboration "One in a Million" for the first time at the Billboard Music Awards.[33][34][35] Another live rendition from both artists occurred at the closing ceremony of the FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.[36]
^Bain, Katie; Denis, Kyle; Leight, Elias; Lipshutz, Jason; Renner Brown, Eric; Rodriguez, Krystal; Unterberger, Andrew (15 December 2023). "The 30 Best Dance Tracks of 2023: Staff Picks". Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
^ ab"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 39. týden 2023 in the date selector. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^ ab"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 39. týden 2023 in the date selector. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
^Griffiths, George (3 August 2023). "New releases". Official Charts Company (OCC). Archived from the original on 4 August 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
