Elsewhere, the song also reached number one in Croatia and the top ten in 24 additional countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, becoming Doja Cat's first mainstream hit and her pop radio breakthrough.

[12][13][14][11] Celebrities such as Dua Lipa,[12] Laura Dern,[15] Charli D'Amelio,[16] Mackenzie Ziegler,[17] and Sofia Wylie[17] posted their own videos of themselves performing the dance, ultimately helping it become "a go-to challenge for TikTok users".

[35][36] During a Twitter Q&A on May 8, 2020, as part of #SaySoRMXParty, Minaj first sparked rumors of her potential pregnancy with her husband Kenneth Petty,[37][38][39] before formally announcing that she was pregnant with her first child only two months later.

[41] The song's eventual commercial success saw several music critics disturbed by what they described as the "comeback" of Dr. Luke, following the series of lawsuits filed against him by singer Kesha in 2014.

[57] The song is composed in 44 time and in the key of D major, with a moderately fast tempo of 111 beats per minute (BPM) and a ii–V–I (two-five-one) chord progression of Em7–A7–Dmaj7.

[58] The song is built around a "retro",[51] "grooving"[59] funk guitar riff,[60] an "iridescent" synthesizer,[61] syncopated handclaps,[41] "groovy" 808s,[62] and a funk-inspired walking bassline.

[16][61][64] Writing for Clash, Erin Bashford noted that the song "nods to the funk and grooves of the '70s with a modernised almost-house beat, all tied together with Doja's always perfect vocal performance".

"[67] Following the second chorus, Doja Cat breaks into a "steamy",[60] "swaggering"[68] rap verse and notably asks the person to admit their feelings to her and not to "beat around the bush".

[71] Minaj makes a number of references to Naomi Campbell, Cassie, and Lauryn Hill by means of name-dropping,[72] while also alluding to the COVID-19 pandemic which was ongoing as she recorded her verse.

[73] Produced by Dr. Luke, the instrumental is nearly identical to the original with additional 808s and a mix in the note progression for Minaj's part,[74][41] ultimately "turning the song's disco pulse into a spitting trap beat".

[4] Writing for Rolling Stone, Jon Dolan described "Say So" as "a high-gloss bit of Chic-biting retro disco, light and evanescent like the sun glistening off the ocean",[75] while David Renshaw of The Fader deemed it "a slinky ode to seizing romance in the moment".

[60] Nerisha Penrose of Elle noted that the song "offers a healthy dose of nostalgia as Doja's hushed, airy voice floats over a bed of iridescent synths and a funky bassline".

"[51] Rachel Epstein of Marie Claire drew comparisons between "Say So" and the works of American pop singer Gwen Stefani,[77] while Heran Mamo of Billboard noted the resemblance between Gibbs' engineered chorus guitar sound on "Say So" and Nile Rodgers' guitarwork in the 1979 single "Good Times" by Chic.

[62][41] Writing for Rolling Stone, Rob Sheffield also compared the song to the works of British new wave bands such as Kajagoogoo, Naked Eyes and Spandau Ballet.

[78] Justin Curto of Vulture deemed the song "an undeniable throwback" and praised both its "grooving guitars" as well as Doja Cat's "breathy vocals that recall early Donna Summer".

[59] Mamo described the song an "effortless dance floor-filler",[62] while Lucy Shanker of Consequence called it a "traditional pop hit" in her review of Hot Pink.

"[73] Similarly, Aaron Williams of Uproxx wrote that the song opened "the floodgates [...] for long-thwarted female rappers to traipse right up to the top of the Hot 100.

"[84] In a more negative review, Chris Molanphy of Slate wrote that Minaj's "deftly delivered boasts feel about as organically integrated into the track as a Post-it note".

[111][85] "Say So" became Doja Cat's first proper mainstream hit, and her second internationally charting single after "Candy" had reached modest peaks in Australia, Ireland, Canada and Greece in late 2019.

[129][130] In the United States, "Say So" became Doja Cat's first track to be certified both platinum and multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), in April 2020 and August 2020, respectively.

[137] Elsewhere, "Say So" has been certified diamond in France and Mexico,[138][139] quadruple-platinum in New Zealand,[140] triple-platinum in Poland,[141] double-platinum in Canada,[142] and platinum in Norway,[143] Belgium,[144] and Switzerland among other territories.

[145] The music video for "Say So" was filmed during the basis of January 23–24, 2020 and was later released on February 27, 2020, when it premiering alongside a live performance of the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

"[17] The video was directed by Hannah Lux Davis and stars actor Josué de La Vega as Tony, Doja Cat's love interest.

[148] It was filmed at the Sheats–Goldstein Residence in Beverly Crest, Los Angeles,[149] and features cameo appearances from TikTok stars Donté Colley and Haley Sharpe, the latter of whom created the viral dance for the song.

[157][68][17] The video alternates between this scene and one where she dances in front of the Los Angeles skyline in a full-length dress with rhinestones, which Margaret Blatz of Elite Daily compared to Marilyn Monroe's gown from her 1962 performance of "Happy Birthday, Mr.

[154][53] Writing for Teen Vogue, Allie Gemmill pointed out her familiarity with Doja Cat's "dynamic, playful" music videos, but noted that this one "might just be the best one yet".

[17] Shortly after the premiere of the song's music video, Doja Cat performed "Say So" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on February 26, 2020.

[146] The performance features Doja Cat dressed in a baby pink bodysuit, along with two backup singer/dancers who execute disco-influenced choreography, which incorporated some of the dance moves from the viral TikTok routine.

[193][194] At the 2020 MTV Europe Music Awards, Doja Cat performed a metal version of "Say So", where she re-created the scene of Samara Morgan crawling out of a television in the horror film The Ring (2002).

[197] Regarding the alleged plagiarism, Plini stated "the lack of prior communication about it or proper credit upon release is disappointing but not particularly surprising in a sector of the industry that is usually more interested in clout than creativity.