What You Saying

Album: released as a single (2024)
Charted: 27 12
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • At the heart of "What You Saying" is a problem as old as romance itself: the difficulty of falling for someone who speaks an entirely different language. Lil Uzi Vert turns this potential obstacle into the song's thesis, building a story of romantic pursuit complicated by language barriers and cross-cultural attraction.
  • The voice that floats through the refrain belongs to French singer Indila, sampled from her 2014 single "Love Story." When it was released, Indila's song was a commercial disappointment, peaking at just #57 in France. Years later, however, TikTok resurrected it, transforming the track into a global earworm and, eventually, the backbone of Uzi's song.
  • Uzi's use of the sample is sly. When the rapper shrugs, "I don't even know what she said 'cause she foreign," the line is made literally true because the sampled vocals are sung entirely in French. We are placed in the same position as the narrator: emotionally engaged, linguistically lost.
  • Translated into English, Indila's refrain reads like a miniature melodrama:

    He's not a fool, he loves her, that's all
    He sees her everywhere, waits for her, standing
    A rose in hand, nothing holds him back anymore
    In his love story
  • MCVertt's production is rooted in Jersey club. MCVertt previously co-produced Uzi's 2022 hit "Just Wanna Rock," which played a key role in popularizing Jersey club in mainstream hip-hop.
  • The song features full string orchestration arranged and conducted by Larry Gold, whose resumé also includes Kanye West's "Welcome to Heartbreak" and Rosalia's "Hentai."
  • The music video was directed by Charlotte Wales and creatively steered by Uzi alongside Ava Nirui. Rather than opting for a standard performance clip, the visual unfolds as a mock fashion show, with Uzi unveiling his designer brand, UZI, on a runway that blurs the line between music video and couture spectacle. Supermodel Adriana Lima appears as the show's star, joined by cameos from designer Marc Jacobs, agent Kyle Hagler, stylist Law Roach, and artist Lola Leon.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.

Zac Hanson

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.

Maxi Priest

Maxi PriestSongwriter Interviews

The British reggae legend tells the story of his #1 hit "Close To You," talks about his groundbreaking Shabba Ranks collaboration "Housecall," and discusses his latest project with Robin Trower.

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.

Graham Parker

Graham ParkerSongwriter Interviews

When Judd Apatow needed under-appreciated rockers for his Knocked Up sequel, he immediately thought of Parker, who just happened to be getting his band The Rumour back together.

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)Songwriter Interviews

Chad tells tales from his time as drummer for Nirvana, and talks about his group Before Cars.