Songfacts®:

• The Weeknd joined forces with Brazilian singer-songwriter Anitta for this provocative track that blends The Weeknd's dark, atmospheric R&B style with Anitta's Brazilian funk influences. It marked the Canadian artist's first foray into Brazilian funk.
• The song kicks off with a rather eyebrow-raising interpolation: Anitta borrows a line from Brazilian funk pioneer Tati Quebra Barraco's infamous anthem "Bota na Boca Bota na Cara." The lyric translates something like, "Put it in your mouth, put it in your face, put it wherever you want."
  
  Provocative? Absolutely. But for Anitta, these lyrics are just another day in the life, delivered with that typical Brazilian boldness, all in Portuguese.
• Then in swoops The Weeknd, leaning into his usual theme of turbulent love and relentless desire. The song morphs midway through into something more unnerving. In the second part, The Weeknd takes on the role of an onlooker as he observes this woman's reckless, slightly terrifying exploits.
• "São Paulo" was first performed live by The Weeknd and Anitta on September 7, 2024, during The Weeknd's special one-night-only show at Estádio MorumBIS in São Paulo, Brazil, which was also livestreamed. The appearance was a surprise performance as Anitta emerged on stage, initially disguised as one of the Weeknd's dancers.
• Mike Dean, The Weeknd, and Sean Solymar produced "São Paulo." It originated from a vocal recording Anitta sent to Dean to complement The Weeknd's performance during his São Paulo show. The collaboration impressed The Weeknd so much that they turned it into a full-fledged song.
  
  Anitta told Billboard Brazil, "I wrote some verses as a joke and never imagined they would become serious. Suddenly, I received the finished song. I loved it! I felt very honored and flattered. I've always been a big fan of his and his work. I never imagined this would happen, and now it's a dream come true. It's a little more Brazilian funk, as promised, around the world."
• "São Paulo" was released on October 30, 2024, as a single from The Weeknd's sixth album, Hurry Up Tomorrow.
  
  The Weeknd gushed to Billboard Brazil, "Anitta is a great friend. What she sent was so awesome that we created the song. We knew it was too special to just play on stage. We saw great potential in the song and found the beat, which is the heart of the show."
• By naming the song after the city where their collaboration began and where it was first performed, The Weeknd and Anitta pay homage to São Paulo's role in bringing their distinct styles together.
• The creepy and bizarre music video was directed by the visionary multimedia artist Freeka Tet and released in time for Halloween. The dark visuals see Anitta portray a pregnant character who is walking the streets at night in nightmarish scenes. Just when you think it can't get stranger, her "baby" starts lip-syncing to The Weeknd's verse, mouth positioned right over her belly button.