Normani x Calvin Harris is a joint EP by American singer Normani and Scottish producer Calvin Harris. It was released on October 22, 2018, containing two songs: "Checklist" (featuring Wizkid) and "Slow Down".[1][2][3]

Normani x Calvin Harris
EP by
ReleasedOctober 22, 2018 (2018-10-22)
RecordedJune 2018
Genre
Length6:14
Label
ProducerCalvin Harris
Normani chronology
Normani x Calvin Harris
(2018)
Dopamine
(2024)
Calvin Harris chronology
Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1
(2017)
Normani x Calvin Harris
(2018)
Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2
(2022)

No singles were released from the EP, however, the song "Checklist" peaked at number one on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart, and also charted in Ireland and in the United Kingdom; while the song "Slow Down" reached the top 40 on the Billboard's Dance/Electronic Songs chart.

Background

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According to Normani, Harris reached out to her for the collaboration; she said: "he was like 'yo, what do you think of this?' I was like, 'this sh*t is fire!' I am a huge fan of his."[4] The pair recorded and finished the songs in June 2018.

News of the collaboration was revealed in June 2018.[5] Normani teased the project at the 2018 American Music Awards, saying a song was to be released "in the next few days".[6] Normani also posted a short clip online of herself writing "Oct. 22" on a piece of red tape before a voice off-camera tells her to "drop the pen".[7]

Music

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The EP features two songs, "Slow Down" and "Checklist" (featuring Nigerian singer Wizkid). The former has a groovy, house-styled production in which Normani pleads with a lover to return her feelings.[8][9] Wandera Hussein of The Fader praised Normani's vocal performance by saying the singer sings "heavenly" on the song's hook.[8] "Checklist" features a danceable beat with heavy influences of Afrobeats and dancehall music.[10] On it, Normani delivers some rapid, half-rapped flirty lines.[9]

Complex noted that the two tracks feature a production style similar to Harris's 2017 album Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1, "although featuring a more reggae-inspired edge".[2] Rolling Stone called the songs "clubby R&B with tropical tinges", saying Normani hits a "bouncy pop stride" on "Checklist", and noting "Slow Down" "does exactly the opposite of what the title teases: it's a slow jam that builds up to a house-y dancefloor burner for the verses".[11]

Track listing

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Both songs were produced by Calvin Harris

Normani x Calvin Harris track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Checklist" (featuring Wizkid)2:49
2."Slow Down"
3:25
Total length:6:14

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "Checklist"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[21] Gold 20,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Gilke, Chloe (22 October 2018). "[LISTEN] Normani X Calvin Harris Release A Mini-EP Of Club-Ready Beats". Uproxx. Archived from the original on 22 October 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b Price, Joe (22 October 2018). "Normani and Calvin Harris Release 2 New Songs Together". Complex. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Calvin Harris And Normani Drop Two-Song Project 'Normani X Calvin Harris'". Entertainment Tonight. 22 October 2018. Archived from the original on 22 October 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Calvin Harris to release new single with Normani". www.officialcharts.com. Archived from the original on 2019-08-23. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  5. ^ "Normani and Calvin Harris Collaboration Dropping October 22nd | Billboard News". Billboard. 19 October 2018. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  6. ^ White, Jack (10 October 2018). "Calvin Harris to release new single with Normani 'in the next few days'". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Normani and Calvin Harris' Collab Has A Release Date". MTV UK. 19 October 2018. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  8. ^ a b Hussein, Wandera (22 October 2018). "Normani and Calvin Harris share two-song project Normani X Calvin Harris". The Fader. Archived from the original on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  9. ^ a b Nied, Mike (22 October 2018). "Normani Links Up With Calvin Harris On 'Checklist' & 'Slow Down'". Idolator. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  10. ^ "Wizkid Teams Up With Normani and Calvin Harris on 'Checklist'". OkayAfrica. 2018-10-22. Archived from the original on 2019-09-03. Retrieved 2019-09-03.
  11. ^ Spanos, Brittany (22 October 2018). "Normani, Calvin Harris Team on New Club-Bangers 'Slow Down,' 'Checklist'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  12. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  13. ^ "Normani x Calvin Harris featuring Wizkid - Checklist". Dutch Top 40 (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Normani x Calvin Harris feat. Wizkid - Checklist". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  15. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 5 November 2018. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  16. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 44. týden 2018 in the date selector. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  17. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  18. ^ "World Digital Song Sales: November 3, 2018". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  19. ^ "Calvin Harris Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  20. ^ "R&B Digital Song Sales: November 3, 2018". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  21. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Normani x Calvin Harris feat. WizKid – Checklist" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved November 5, 2021.