Deja Vu (Post Malone song)

"Deja Vu" is a song by American musician Post Malone featuring Canadian singer Justin Bieber. It was released through Republic Records, as the fourth single from the former's debut studio album, Stoney (2016). The first collaboration between the two artists, they wrote the song alongside Matthew Tavares, Kaan Güneşberk, FKi 1st, Louis Bell, Carl Rosen, Julkeyz, and producers Frank Dukes and Vinylz.

Upon its release, the single charted at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. It also topped the New Zealand Heatseekers charts, and made charts in Canada, France, the Netherlands, Scotland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, peaking within the top 20 in Sweden. It would later be certified 2x Platinum in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and was certified Platinum in the United States.

Before collaborating, Malone opened for Bieber on the Purpose World Tour, to support Bieber's fourth studio album, Purpose (2015), which led to the two artists developing a friendship.^[1] Malone was halfway through recording Stoney producer Frank Dukes played him an unfinished instrumental that he had come up with. In January 2016, Bieber visited Malone in the studio, in which he heard the beat and wanted to get on the song. Bieber immediately took to the beat and ended up recording his vocals, what would become the finished version of "Deja Vu" in the booth, with him and Malone going back and forth with ideas. After Bieber finished, Malone put the song together with the help of Bell and the others who were involved. Bell referred to the session as a high-pressure situation that "kept [him] on [his] toes" while he engineered and recorded the track.^[2][3] "Deja Vu" leaked online a day before its official release.^[4]

"Deja Vu" is a laid-back pop song with a deep R&B groove involving "wistful, detuned guitar riffs".^[5][6][7][8] It opens with a church organ that backs the track.^[1][9] Several critics made comparisons to Drake's "Hotline Bling" in regards to the song's sound. In particular, The Fader's David Renshaw said it "has an almost 'Hotline Bling'-esque tempo", while Madeline Roth of MTV News, Danny Schwartz of HotNewHipHop, and Billboard's Colin Stutz noted similarities between the two with the song's start.^{[5][7][8][10]} In a different comparison, Dana Getz of Entertainment Weekly wrote that it "features a slow fizz, cha-cha inflected beat akin to a drowsier take on Drake's 'One Dance'".^[11]

"Deja Vu" is about an on-and-off-again love where "Malone helms sluggish, lovesick verses".^[9][11] An echoed coo accompanies Malone and Bieber as they sing the hook, with the latter repeating before delivering his verse: "Tell me is that deja vu? / 'Cause you want me and I want you."^[1][7][12]

In the United States, the single charted at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 29 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart, and peaked at number 25 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It was additionally certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for equivalent sales of 1,000,000 units in the United States. In Australia, although the single did not chart, it was certified 2x Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for equivalent sales of 140,000 units in the country. In Canada, the single charted at number 43 on the Canadian Hot 100, and was certified 2x Platinum by Music Canada (MC) for equivalent sales of 160,000 units in the country. In Denmark, although the single did not chart, it was certified Gold by IFPI Danmark for equivalent sales of 45,000 units in the country.

In France, the single charted at number 151 on the French Singles Chart. In the Netherlands, the single charted at number 30 on the Dutch Single Top 100 chart. In New Zealand, the single topped the New Zealand Heatseekers charts, its highest position on any chart it made. It was also certified 2x Platinum by Recorded Music New Zealand (RMNZ) for equivalent sales of 60,000 units in the country. In Portugal, although the single did not chart, it was certified Gold by Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa (AFP) for equivalent sales of 5,000 units in the country. In Scotland, the single charted at number 44 on the Scottish Singles Chart. In Sweden, the single charted at number 14 on the Sweden Heatseeker chart. In the United Kingdom, the single charted at number 63 on the UK Singles Chart and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for equivalent sales of 400,000 units int the country.

• Lyrics of this song at Genius