LaLa

## Single by Alicia Keys featuring Swae Lee

### **Songwriter(s)**

Alicia Keys, Darryl Ellis, Khalif Brown, Michael Len Williams II, Paul Richmond, Ruben Locke

### **Producer(s)**

Alicia Keys, Mike WiLL Made-It

"**LaLa**" (stylized in all caps) is a song by Alicia Keys, featuring vocals from Swae Lee. The single was released through RCA Records on September 9, 2011, accompanied by its visualizer video. They made their debut live performance at the MTV Video Music Awards on the September 12, in New York City. It serves as the lead single from Keys' eighth studio album in its second part, *Keys* (Unlocked).

## Background

In an interview with Apple Music 1, Keys told Ebro Darden on R&B Now Radio that she reached out to Swae and Mike WiLL Made-It because of her husband, Swizz Beatz. She recalled, "I actually always wanted to connect with Swae because I just think that he has a personality in his music that's fresh. He has a thing. And his spirit is... It's so bright. [...] We were in the Bahamas, it was a good vibe, and it came through and the LALA and bang, the LALA."

The song was first teased on September 1, where she posted the cover artwork and a snippet of the song with the caption, "New music. Timeless vibes. #LALA 9/9."

## Composition

The song was co-written with Khalif Brown and Michael Williams II, interpolating Tyrone Davis' "In the Mood". Keys shared to *BET*:

> I loved the song because it felt like you were right there with the incense and [you are able to] lose any tension. You can just allow yourself to be lost in the LaLa. There's kind of this dream state of being [that describes] exactly what *KEYS* feels like, being in this world where you're welcome here and you're welcome to be fresh.
>
> You're welcome to be 'cold, like on the rocks,' which is one of my favorite lines that Swae said. It's just a G thing because here we are making it beautiful and getting lost in all the things that feel good for you. I love the voices, the guitars, the keys, [and] the whole feeling like you're floating [on the track].
>
>

## Music video

The music video premiered over YouTube on September 23, 2021, directed by Sylvia Zakhary and Sing Lee. It is set in a glamorous ballroom, and includes cameo appearances from the likes of Swae Lee, Snoop Dogg, Lucky Daye, Khalid, Swizz Beatz, Russell Westbrook, and Gunna.

## Lyrics

Lyrics
[Intro: Alicia Keys]

*(EarDrummers)*

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Ooh, ooh

La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la (Ooh, ooh)

*(Mike WiLL Made-It)*

[Chorus: Swae Lee, *Alicia Keys*]

Light the incense (Incense), not to mention (Mention)

Skin like whiskey (Whiskey)

She's cold like on the rocks (Rocks)

*La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la*

Eyes still low, smokin' zaza

*Light the incense, lose the tension, feel like heaven*

*Lust mixed with a vodka*

*La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la*

*Feelings get lost in the lala* (Here we go, haha, we in business)

[Verse 1: Swae Lee, *Alicia Keys*]

Happy but you're unhappy (We in business)

Shorty, you're so valid

I'm ready when you're ready (Ready)

Don't you know eyes can be so deadly?

*I try not to think, but you made me*

*It's just a G thing, baby* (Baby)

*Now all in my satin sheets, you're layin*' (Layin')

Walk through the door, there you were

Bought you Louis, Fendi, et cetera

Woman, you should've told me you were dangerous

Woman, you should've told me you were medicine (Here we go)

[Pre-Chorus: Alicia Keys, *Swae Lee*]

Put it on me like you said you would

Fell so hard like you said you would

Love out of this world, out of this nebula

*It's best to just put you on my schedule*

[Chorus: Swae Lee, *Alicia Keys*]

Light the incense (Incense), not to mention (Mention)

Skin like whiskey (Whiskey)

She's cold like on the rocks (Rocks)

*La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la*

Eyes still low, smokin' zaza

*Light the incense, lose the tension, feel like heaven*

*Lust mixed with a vodka*

*La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la*

*Feelings get lost in the lala* (Here we go, haha, we in business)

[Verse 2: Alicia Keys, *Swae Lee*]

Listen, healthy indecision (*We in business*)

Trying to fight it would be so ridiculous (Yeah)

I'm ready when you're ready

Someone watchin' would be so jealous

*I try not to think, but you made me*

*It's just a G thing, baby (Baby)*

*All in my satin sheets, you're layin' (Here we go)*

[Pre-Chorus: Alicia Keys]

Put it on me like you said you would

Fell so hard like you said you would

Love out of this world, out of this nebula

It's special, put you on my schedule

[Chorus: Swae Lee, *Alicia Keys*]

Light the incense (Incense), not to mention (Mention)

Skin like whiskey (Whiskey)

She's cold like on the rocks (Rocks)

*La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la*

Eyes still low, smokin' zaza

*Light the incense, lose the tension, feel like heaven*

*Lust mixed with a vodka*

*La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la*

*Feelings get lost in the lala* (Here we go, haha, we in business)

[Outro: Alicia Keys]

Ooh, ooh-ooh

Ooh, ooh

La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la

Ooh, ooh-ooh

Ooh, ooh

La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la

## References

1. ↑ "Alicia Keys: 'I'm definitely an animal and I definitely have a crazy drive inside of me'". December 13, 2021.
2. ↑ "Alicia Keys". September 1, 2021.
3. ↑ Scott Croker. "Alicia Keys Teases Her Return With "La La"". *Idolator*. September 2, 2021.
4. ↑ Alexis Reese. "Alicia Keys Is At Her Most Centered On Her Latest Studio Album 'KEYS'". *BET*. December 10, 2021.
5. ↑ Jon Powell. "Alicia Keys and Swae Lee live it up in "LALA (Unlocked)" video". *Revolt*. September 23, 2021.