Boo'd Up

"Boo'd Up"
Single by Ella Mai
from the EP Ready and the album Ella Mai
Released20 February 2018 (2018-02-20)
RecordedJanuary 2017[1]
GenreR&B[2][3]
Length
  • 4:16 (EP version)
  • 3:59 (album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Ella Mai singles chronology
"Naked"
(2017) 		"Boo'd Up"
(2018) 		"Trip"
(2018)
Music video
"Boo'd Up" on YouTube

"Boo'd Up" is the debut commercial single by English singer Ella Mai from her third extended play, Ready. Serving as the lead single for the EP, the song peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.[4] It was a minor hit in her native UK, peaking at 52 whilst peaking within the top 50 in Australia and Canada. A remix featuring Nicki Minaj and Quavo peaked at number 8 in New Zealand. The song was written by Mai, Joelle James, Dijon "Mustard" McFarlane and Larrance Dopson of 1500 or Nothin', and produced by the latter two. It was nominated for Song of the Year and won Best R&B Song at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.[5]

Background and release

American singer-songwriter Joelle James first wrote "Boo'd Up" in 2014 originally for herself. She later looked for an artist to give the song to, eventually giving it to Ella Mai after feeling that "synergy of it would be perfect for her."[6]

Mai originally released the song in February 2017 as part of the Ready EP. "Boo'd Up" rose in popularity on social media as well as in nightclubs over the next few months,[7] notably in the Bay Area and later in Dallas, Texas. After Mai served as the opening act on Kehlani's tour, her music reached a bigger audience and the song grew on radio airplay in the spring of 2018.[8] The song became her first top 10 song in the US in the following month, deeming it her "breakthrough hit".[9] Rolling Stone wrote that the single is "one of the biggest singles by a breakout female R&B singer in the past 10 years."[10]

In support of the song and its commercial success, Mai announced a US concert tour titled after the song, during the month of August.[11]

Critical reception

In December 2018, Billboard magazine ranked "Boo'd Up" as the third best song of the year.[12] Rolling Stone listed "Boo'd Up" among the 100 best R&B songs of the 21st century, commenting that "it has a piano refrain reminiscent of Stevie Wonder’s “These Three Words.” But it also sounds wholly contemporary. Mai settles into the music with a warm and inviting voice and treats romance as a source of domesticated bliss. As she rhapsodizes about her partner, she confirms that yes, zoomers need love, too."[13]

Music video

An accompanying music video for the song, directed by Nick Walker, premiered via Mai's Vevo channel on 26 April 2018.[14] It features cameo appearances from singer Khalid, rapper Kamaiyah, and YouTube personality Alissa Ashley.[15][16] Model Donnell Blaylock Jr. plays Mai's love interest in the video.[17]

As of August 2021, the music video has over 460 million views.

Remixes

American rappers T-Pain, Fetty Wap, Plies, Fabolous, Dave East, Vado, and Young Dro released remixes to the song.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]

Live performances

On 17 November 2018, Mai performed the song on Saturday Night Live, with Jezebel describing Mai as "Pure '90s R&B Heartthrob".[26] It comes on the heels of Ella Mai’s critically acclaimed performance at the BET Awards 2018.[27][28]

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[41] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[42] Gold 20,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[43] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[44] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[45] 8× Platinum 8,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Worldwide 22 February 2017 Digital download (along with Ready EP)
[46]
SiriusXM The Heat 4 February 2018 Rhythmic/R&B Hits
United States 20 February 2018 Rhythmic contemporary [47]
Urban contemporary [citation needed]
10 July 2018 Contemporary hit radio [48]

Nicki Minaj and Quavo remix

"Boo'd Up (Remix)"
Single by Ella Mai, Nicki Minaj and Quavo
Released4 July 2018 (2018-07-04)
Recorded2018
Genre
Length3:37
Label
Songwriter(s)
Nicki Minaj singles chronology
"Bed"
(2018) 		"Boo'd Up (Remix)"
(2018) 		"Fefe"
(2018)
Quavo singles chronology
"Ghostbusters"
(2018) 		"Boo'd Up (Remix)"
(2018) 		"No Brainer"
(2018)

A remix of "Boo'd Up" with rappers Nicki Minaj and Quavo was released 4 July 2018.[49]

The remix version of the song features newly added verses and lyrics by both Quavo and Minaj and marks the second collaboration between the two. Its music was also slightly modified with several parts being reorganized and changed.[50]

Composition

The music of "Boo'd Up" is mostly kept the same as the original, with the sound being slightly altered and several parts reorganized. The remix also contains a reference to Minaj's 2011 hit, "Super Bass".[51] Migos member Quavo drops an ad-libbed verse of his own. The remix comes to a close with a faux recorded phone conversation between Quavo and Minaj. She asks him to be picked up from somewhere but he's actually already outside.[52]

Track listing

Digital download – Official Remix[53]
No.TitleLength
1."Boo'd Up (Remix)" (with Nicki Minaj and Quavo)3:37

Charts

Chart (2018) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[54] 12
Belgium Urban (Ultratop Flanders)[55] 12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[56] 8

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[57] Gold 15,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Worldwide 4 July 2018 Digital download
[53]

References

  1. ^ "How Ella Mai Created 'Boo'd Up' | Billboard | How It Went Down". YouTube.
  2. ^ "Ella Mai's "Boo'd Up" marks the return of female R&B singers". Rolling Stone. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  3. ^ Billboard Staff (19 October 2023). "The 500 Best Pop Songs: Staff List". Billboard. Retrieved 10 February 2024. An addictive, punch-drunk R&B love song with a brain-sticking, near-nonsense-sounding chorus...
  4. ^ "Ella Mai Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  5. ^ "61st GRAMMY Awards: Full Nominees & Winners List". 7 December 2018.
  6. ^ Gore, Sydney (23 May 2018). "How Joelle James wrote "Boo'd Up," the surprise hit of the summer". The Fader. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  7. ^ Howard, Jackson (2018). "Ella Mai's Slow Burn". The Fader. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  8. ^ Johnson, Cherise (15 June 2018). "How Ella Mai's Unlikely 'Billboard' Hit 'Boo'd Up' Exploded In Popularity A Year After Its Release". Uproxx. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  9. ^ Zellner, Xander (30 May 2018). "Ella Mai Scores First Top 10 on Billboard Hot 100 With 'Boo'd Up'". Billboard. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  10. ^ Leight, Elias (23 May 2018). "'Boo'd Up': How Ella Mai Is Leading Female R&B Singers Back Onto the Charts". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  11. ^ Penrose, Nerisha (13 June 2018). "Ella Mai Announces Boo'd Up Summer Tour". Billboard. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Billboard's 100 Best Songs of 2018: Critics' Picks". Billboard. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  13. ^ "The 100 Greatest R&B Songs of the 21st Century". Rolling Stone. 3 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Ella Mai, Kamaiyah And Khalid Free Their Inner Youth In "Boo'd Up" Visual". Vibe. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  15. ^ "Watch Ella Mai's New Music Video for "Boo'd Up" f/ Cameos by Khalid and Kamaiyah". Freshest FM. Retrieved 5 July 2018.[permanent dead link]
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  18. ^ Goddard, Kevin (12 June 2018). "Fetty Wap Tackles Ella Mai's "Boo'd Up" For His Latest Remix". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  19. ^ Arevalo, Lydia (13 June 2018). "Fetty Wap's Remix Of Ella Mai's "Boo'd Up" Gives Us A Lot Of Feelings". Vibe. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  20. ^ "Vado & Dave East – Boo'd Up Remix Lyrics". Genius. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  21. ^ "Young Dro Remixes Some Of The Hottest Tracks On "Adderall Flow" Mixtape". HotNewHipHop. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
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  23. ^ "T-Pain Serves Best "Boo'd Up" Remix Yet". HotNewHipHop. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
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  25. ^ "T-Pain Dropped the Best Remix of Ella Mai's "Boo'd Up"". Complex. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
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