CALVIN HARRIS DROPS “POTION” WITH DUA LIPA AND YOUNG THUG
Finally, Calvin Harris has released his new single “Potion” with Dua Lipa and Young Thug! This is the first single from Calvin’s forthcoming and highly anticipated summer album, ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2’ and marks the second time Harris has collaborated with both artists. Calvin previously worked with Dua Lipa on their smash hit “One Kiss”, which topped charts around the world and was the biggest selling single of 2018 in the UK. In 2017, Harris worked with Young Thug on the first installment of the Funk Wav Bounces project on the single “Heatstroke” (which also features Pharrell and Ariana Grande).
The original Funk Wav Bounces album was a bit of a left turn for Calvin back in 2017, trading the festival-ready big room production he built his name on for something warmer and groovier, packed with guest features instead of drops. It ended up being one of the most quietly influential records of his career, and “Potion” picks up right where that sound left off. Dua Lipa brings the same effortless top-line energy that made “One Kiss” a generational pop-dance crossover, while Young Thug slides into the pocket with the kind of laid-back, melodic flow that made “Heatstroke” such a fan favorite in the first place. Pairing the two of them together on a single track, rather than keeping them on separate songs, is a smart move that plays to everyone’s strengths at once.
Production-wise, Calvin has said in interviews around this era that he was chasing a rawer, less polished sound this time around, wanting the grit and imperfection of classic soul records rather than a pristine studio sheen. That mindset comes through clearly on “Potion,” which feels loose and live in a way a lot of modern pop-dance crossovers don’t bother attempting anymore.
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The psychedelic music video for “Potion”, directed by Calvin’s longtime creative collaborator, Emil Nava, re-introduces the energy of Funk Wav Bounces setting the tone for a big summer for Calvin. The visuals lean into swirling, kaleidoscopic colors and retro-tinged imagery that mirror the record’s vintage soul influences, giving the whole rollout a distinct visual identity right out of the gate.
“It’s an honour to work with Dua and Thug again. They’re both such dynamic artists who have contributed so much to today’s musical landscape,” says Calvin.
With “Potion” now out in the world, all eyes turn to the rest of ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2’, which is shaping up to be one of the year’s most star-studded dance-pop records. If this lead single is any indication, Calvin is once again proving why he’s one of the most versatile hitmakers in the game, equally comfortable behind a mixing board full of A-listers as he is headlining a festival mainstage. Stream “Potion” above and get ready to hear it everywhere this summer.
