Hitmakers of the Month: Toosii, Tatiana Manaois and Producer Adelso Tell How They Joined Forces for This Summer’s ‘Favorite Song’

variety.com:

A.D. Amorosi When listeners look back at what was their favorite late-spring/early-summer 2023 anthem, for many, it will surely be New York rapper and vocalist Toosii’s warmly embraceable “Favorite Song.” A spare, banging ballad with a gorgeous, sinewy melody, a subtly contagious chorus and a positive, romantic message (“You look good without no make-up, no lashes, even better when you wake up”), it has spent 15 weeks on the Billboard chart to date, most of that in the Top 10.

Along with reaching No. 5 on the Hot 100, “Favorite” hit No. 1 on the Rap Streaming Songs Chart, the Hot Rap Songs Chart and the R&B/Hip-Hop Chart, all with 400-million-plus combined global streams.

To go with its platinum-certified victory, “Favorite Song” has also accumulated over 61 million YouTube video views, and is currently the centerpiece of “Naujour” Toosii’s just-released debut album. “Though cohesive, there’s a separate story to, and feel behind, every track on my new album,” said Toosii, via Zoom, about his first full-length album. “But ‘Favorite Song’ definitely stands alone as an anomaly.

Definitely has its own story.” Part of this Toosii track’s unique vibe and hitmaking swagger comes from how “Favorite Song” was put together from its start, by Rhode Island-based producer Adelso, with the use of Tatiana Manaois’ gentle 2022 acoustic guitar-strewn ballad “You Might as Well” as the introduction to Toosii’s new summer anthem.