“Bang Bang,” the new track from British popster Jessie J, featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj, is a bullet train of pop power that will head straight to the top of the charts.
The song, which leaked Monday night, hours before its Tuesday release, is a fast-paced track that relies just as much on a ferocious drum beat as the three leading ladies” performances.
Though it is nominally Jessie J”s single, she generals shares the spotlight. The track opens with a rush similar to Pharrell Williams” “Happy,” and with a fair amount of hand-claps and similarly up-tempo yelps, it could have the same successful trajectory. The tune also has the same lightness as Grande”s current smash, “Problem,” if that song were on speed. And for good reason: Max Martin with Savan Kotecha and Ilya produced both songs.
Jessie J opens the song, but quickly hands the mike over to Grande. However close to the 2-minute mark, Minaj comes in to lay down a rap in which she threatens both Jessie and “Ari” if they get in her way. It”s a busy track- voices, raps, drums, girl-group harmonies, guitars all overlap, but the chaos is totally intentional as the ladies are all about breaking hearts.
“Bang Bang” is the lead single from Jessie J's fall album and will also appear on Grande's album, “My Everything.”
What do you think? We say it will be No. 1 by Labor Day.