When “Bang Bang” hit the airwaves on July 28, 2014, the collaboration between Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj became an instant success. The track reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100, was certified Diamond and even earned the trio a Grammy nomination. What most fans don’t know, however, is that the song was never written for Jessie J.
More than a decade after the song’s release, Jessie J is spilling the behind-the-scenes details on how the iconic triad of vocalists came together to create pop perfection on Toby Gad‘s “Songs You Know” podcast. In a sneak peek of his interview with the “Domino” singer, shared exclusively with Parade, Jessie J reveals that the song was originally meant to be a vehicle for Grande.
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“I think it was an Ariana song,” Jessie J remembers. “And then I heard it, and I was like, ‘Maybe I could do it with her.’ Then she stayed on the second verse.”
“We did it as a duet, and Nicki Minaj was asked to be on it, and it just was so quick,” she says of the recording process. “It was so much fun. I felt like I’d won a competition. I literally felt like the kid that had entered a competition to sing with Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande. I still feel like that now. I look back and go, ‘That’s me!'”
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“Bang Bang” remains Jessie J’s best performing song in the US although she has since had hits with “Burnin’ Up” and “Flashlight.” She is currently preparing to release a new, still untitled album later this year with lead single “No Secrets” currently available to stream and “Living My Best Life” dropping on May 16.
As a part of her promotional cycle, Jessie J stopped by the “Songs You Know” podcast to discuss not only the making of “Bang Bang” but also the highlights of her career, including performing at the Olympics with Queen and taking the stage at Wembley Stadium with a broken ankle.
On “Songs You Know,” Gad chats with musicians about the creative process behind some of the world’s biggest hits. Past guests include Victoria Justice, Keke Palmer and Aloe Blacc.
Jessie J’s episode of “Songs You Know” is available to stream May 13.
