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Swalla

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"Swalla"
Single by Jason Derulo featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign
from the album Nu King
ReleasedFebruary 24, 2017 (2017-02-24)
Recorded2016
Genre
Length3:36
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriters
ProducerRicky Reed
Jason Derulo singles chronology
"Kiss the Sky"
(2016)		 "Swalla"
(2017)		 "If I'm Lucky"
(2017)
Nicki Minaj singles chronology
"Run Up"
(2017)		 "Swalla"
(2017)		 "Make Love"
(2017)
Ty Dolla $ign singles chronology
"Ain't Nothing"
(2017)		 "Swalla"
(2017)		 "It's a Vibe"
(2017)
Music video
"Swalla" on YouTube

"Swalla" is a song by the American singer Jason Derulo featuring Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj and fellow American singer Ty Dolla Sign with recently credited additional background vocals from American singer Madison Beer, released on February 24, 2017, by Warner Bros. Records. The song was written by the artists alongside LunchMoney Lewis, Robert Diggs, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Russell Jones. and producer Ricky Reed.[2] The song was originally intended to be the first single from Derulo's album, titled 777, however the album was never released.[3] It was later included on his fifth studio album Nu King (2024).

Background and release

[edit]

Derulo previewed "Swalla" in a video posted in August 2016.[4] He officially announced it as a single on January 2, 2017.[4] "Swalla" premiered on February 23, 2017,[5] and was released for download on iTunes Store the next day.[6] While talking about the song on the red carpet of the 59th Grammy Awards, Derulo said:

"I never believe in forcing a collaboration. You know, I’m a fan of both of theirs and I thought that they fit the track perfectly. It’s one of those ones that’ll get you up and doing your thing. I feel like it’s gonna stick out on the radio. There’s nothing that sounds like it."[5]

Parts of the chorus are created as an interpolation of Ol' Dirty Bastard's song "Shimmy Shimmy Ya".[7]

On May 12, 2017, the trio released "Swalla (After Dark Remix)", a slow-paced acoustic remix of the original song.[8] In an interview with The Fader, Derulo said about the remix: "It was so nice we had to do it twice! The original version is the ultimate club track, so the idea was to give people the flip side of the song. The subject matter and melody is so sexy, but you might miss the 'sexy' in all the fun of 'Swalla'. So, 'After Dark' is on the opposite side of the spectrum and is SURE to set the mood."[8]

Critical reception

[edit]

Justin Ivey from XXL wrote that Minaj "comes through to close out the track with bars that steal the show".[9] Joshua Espinoza of Complex wrote that "Jason and Ty handle their verses nicely, but Nicki is definitely the star", also saying that the song "definitely has potential".[10] Rap-Up also praised Minaj's verse saying that she "anchors the track with a third and final verse that many will likely assume is another thinly-veiled jab at Remy Ma".[11] Hilary Hughes from MTV News wrote that this is a "steamy number that has all three chiming in over a wobbly beat that would feel right at home on the floor of a beach club in the Caribbean".[12] Kat Stevens of Freaky Trigger described the song as "[r]idiculous robo-dancehall with a Men At Work piccolo hook and the stupidest drum pattern I've heard in ages", adding: "It certainly stands out when played in the middle of a swamp of Ed Sheeran."[13]

Music video

[edit]

On February 24, 2017, the official lyric video for "Swalla", directed by Alex Lockett, was uploaded to Derulo's YouTube channel.[14] The music video premiered on March 17, 2017.[15] As of August 2025, the music video has received over 1.8 billion views on YouTube.

Live performances

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Derulo and Ty$ performed the song live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on April 6, 2017.[16] Derulo and Minaj performed the song at the Billboard Music Awards on May 21, 2017. Derulo performed the song at the Opening Ceremony of Pakistan Super League 2018 on February 22, 2018. On April 12, 2018, Derulo performed the song live during a medley with "Tip Toe" and "Colors" at the German Echo Music Prize.[17]

Other appearance

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This song is featured in Blackpink's In Your Area World Tour as the group member Lisa's solo dance number in Asia, North America and Europe setlist.

"Swalla" appeared as a dance evaluation song in Episode 6 of the South Korean idol survival show Produce X 101 as one of the dance evaluation songs alongside "Believer" by Imagine Dragons and "Finesse" by Bruno Mars and Cardi B.

Track listing

[edit]
  • Digital download
  1. "Swalla" (featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign) – 3:36
  • Digital download
  1. "Swalla" (Wideboys Remix) (featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign) – 3:16
  • Digital download
  1. "Swalla" (After Dark Remix) (featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign) – 4:32

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications and sales for "Swalla"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[99] 3× Platinum 210,000‡
Austria (IFPI Austria)[100] 2× Platinum 60,000‡
Belgium (BRMA)[101] Platinum 20,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[102] Diamond 250,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[103] 6× Platinum 480,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[104] Platinum 90,000‡
France (SNEP)[105] Diamond 233,333‡
Germany (BVMI)[106] 2× Platinum 800,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[107] 3× Platinum 150,000‡
Netherlands (NVPI)[108] 3× Platinum 120,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[109] 3× Platinum 90,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[110] 2× Platinum 100,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[111] 2× Platinum 20,000‡
Spain (Promusicae)[112] 3× Platinum 120,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[113] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[114] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ↑ "Jason Derulo Shares 'Swalla' Featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign «". Radio.com. February 24, 2017. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Jason Derulo to release new music in doses". The List. September 2, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Jason Derulo announces 2018 UK tour". Retrieved August 18, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Jason Derulo Taps Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign for New Single 'Swalla'". Rap-Up. January 2, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  5. 1 2 "Jason Derulo Taps Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign for 'Swalla': Listen". Billboard. February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Swalla (feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign) - Single by Jason Derulo". iTunes. February 24, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Jason Derulo interpolates an Ol' Dirty Bastard classic on his new single Swalla". Genius. February 24, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Jason Derulo Reunites With Nicki Minaj And Ty Dolla $ign For After Dark Remix Of "Swalla"". The FADER. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign Join Jason Derulo for "Swalla"". XXL. February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Jason Derulo Enlists Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign for His New Track "Swalla"". Complex. February 24, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  11. ↑ "New Music: Jason Derulo, feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign – 'Swalla'". Rap-Up. February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Jason Derulo, Nicki Minaj, And Ty Dolla $ign Made The Baskin-Robbins Of Dance Tracks". MTV. February 23, 2017. Archived from the original on February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  13. ↑ Stevens, Kat (June 26, 2017). "Halfway House 2017". Freaky Trigger. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Jason Derulo – Swalla ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign (Lyric Video)". Singersroom. February 24, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Jason Derulo's 'Swalla' Video With Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign Is a Candy-Coated Party: Watch". Billboard. March 17, 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Jason Derulo & Ty Dolla $ign Perform On Jimmy Fallon's "Tonight Show" (Watch Now)". Headline Planet. April 6, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  17. ↑ Schmidt, Axel (April 12, 2018). "Skandal bei Echo 2018: Außenminister Maas meldet sich zu Wort – Farid Bang in Schlägerei verwickelt?". Tz. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Top 20 Anglo Argentina – Del 19 al 26 de Junio 2017". charts monitorLATINO (in Spanish). July 7, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Jason Derulo feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign – Swalla". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Jason Derulo feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign – Swalla" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Jason Derulo feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign – Swalla" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Jason Derulo feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign – Swalla" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  23. ↑ "RANKINGS - Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Brasil. Internet Group. Retrieved July 4, 2017.[dead link]
  24. ↑ "Архив класации" (in Bulgarian). PROPHON.
  25. ↑ "Jason Derulo Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Nicki Minaj Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Charts – TopHit – Highway to Airplay". TopHit. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Top 100 Colombia" (in Spanish). National-Report. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  29. ↑ "ČNS IFPI – CZ Radio – Top 100 – 15. týden 2017" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  30. ↑ "ČNS IFPI – CZ Singles Digital – Top 100 – 15. týden 2017" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  31. ↑ "Jason Derulo feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign – Swalla". Tracklisten. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Charlie Puth – Chart history". Billboard Euro Digital Songs for Jason Derulo. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Jason Derulo: Swalla (Feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  34. ↑ "Jason Derulo feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign – Swalla" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  35. ↑ "Top de la semaine". Retrieved June 20, 2017.
  36. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
  37. ↑ "Airplay Chart" (in Greek). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  38. ↑ "Greece Digital Songs - Artist History". billboard.com. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
  39. ↑ "Monitor Latino – Top 20 General – Paraguay – Del 3 al 10 de Julio, 2017" (in Spanish). monitorlatino.com. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
  40. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  42. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  43. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved June 9, 2017.