Don't Play
by Anne-Marie (featuring KSI)

Album: Therapy (2021)
Charted: 2
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Anne-Marie is fed up with her lover playing games with her heart. The dude is not devoting enough time to her and not speaking the truth. She warns him in this song, telling him every game he's playing she's played before and won them all.
  • KSI raps from the guy's point of view. He responds by recalling early days of their romance when they played games on the Xbox 360 together and he used to sneak from his school to spend time with her. Now, Anne-Marie is spending all her time online and isn't communicating with him. KSI tells the songstress he still cares for her and isn't ready to "wrap" their relationship.
  • Nick Gale, aka Digital Farm Animals, supplied the garage-pop production. It is the first time he teamed up with Anne-Marie, but the producer previously collaborated with KSI on his hit single "Really Love."
  • Anne-Marie, KSI and Digital Farm Animals wrote the song with:

    Andrew "PopScar" Murray, who started his career writing some major hits in Germany for X Factor/The Voice winners including a 2013 #2 hit with Andreas Kummert's "Simple Man."

    Sam "S-X" Gumbley, who is a frequent KSI collaborator. He co-executive produced the rapper's 2020 debut album Dissimulation and featured on his hit single "Down Like That."

    Richard Boardman and Pablo Bowman, who are both members of the Manchester songwriting collective The Six. Their other credits include Louis Tomlinson's "Back to You" and Marshmello (featuring Anne-Marie)'s "Friends."

    The production duo Mojam (Mustafa Omer and James Murray). They are known for their work with Emeli Sandé ("Next To Me"), Naughty Boy ("La La La") and Aitch ("Buss Down"). They co-produced this track with Digital Farm Animals.
  • Both the artists have combat skills. Anne-Marie is a black belt in Shotokan karate, and the winner of three gold medals at the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association World Championships. KSI fought two high-profile boxing bouts versus American YouTuber Logan Paul. Utilizing their fighting backgrounds, the Troy Roscoe-directed video shows a bullied Anne-Marie being trained to box by KSI. Digital Farm Animals helps out by tossing tennis balls to the duo.
  • Speaking on BBC Asian Network's Yasser, KSI said he based his lyrics on a true-life experience where somebody broke his heart.
  • KSI included this on his All Over The Place album.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Movie Stars In Music Videos

Movie Stars In Music VideosSong Writing

Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis and John Malkovich are just a few of the film stars who have moonlighted in music videos.

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Thomas Dolby

Thomas DolbySongwriter Interviews

He wrote "She Blinded Me With Science" so he could direct a video about a home for deranged scientists.

Petula Clark

Petula ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Petula talks about her hits "Downtown" and "Don't Sleep In The Subway," and explains her Michael Jackson connection.

Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues

Justin Hayward of The Moody BluesSongwriter Interviews

Justin wrote the classic "Nights In White Satin," but his fondest musical memories are from a different decade.

Mac Powell of Third Day

Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews

The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.