Say Something

The story of *Say Something* is a fascinating example of how a song can find its way to recognition. Originally, Ian Axel recorded it for his 2011 solo album, *This Is the New Year*, with vocal collaboration from Jenny Owen Youngs. However, it was its use in a key moment of the tenth season of *So You Think You Can Dance*, in a choreography performed by eventual winner Amy Yakima, that truly sparked the flame. This television appearance triggered a chain reaction, reaching Christina Aguilera. According to members of the duo A Great Big World, someone from their team shared the song with Aguilera’s team, and soon they received a call: she wanted to collaborate. What followed was a lightning-fast recording session in Los Angeles; the duo, who consider Aguilera to possess "one of the best voices in the world," recorded it with her in just two hours.

The version that catapulted *Say Something* to global fame was released on November 4, 2013, shortly after the duo’s original version, published on September 3 of that same year by Epic Records. This piano ballad, with a slow tempo, addresses the pain of a breakup. The lyrics present someone begging their partner to say something, amid the singer’s imminent surrender, conveying feelings of humility, sadness, and regret. In the duet version, Aguilera takes on the role of a kind of echo of the beloved, accompanying the lead voice. The song did not initially have a major commercial impact, but after an emotional performance by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera on *The Voice*, it debuted at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. It eventually reached number four and has sold over six million copies in the United States alone. Its reach extended internationally, topping charts in Australia, the Flanders region of Belgium, and Canada, in addition to ranking in the top 5 in countries like Austria, Israel, and the United Kingdom. The song was recognized with a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.