What’s the song you’ve been listening to the most lately? The one you hit on repeat? For many of us, since last Friday, it’s Silk’s Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open”, right? Silk Sonic is Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, a track that’s been steadily climbing over the last few days because it’s good but also … really, really, really funny. If there was ever a song that could represent what the best sex should be like, it’s “Leave the Door Open”. And by that I mean smooth and sensual and stimulating, obviously, but also really, really, really fun. Like you’re feeling it the way you should feel it in the places where the feeling is and also laughing throughout because it’s a good f-cking time, literally!
That’s “Leave the Door Open”. It’s hot and comedic. It’s lusty and hilarious. And it’s intended to be that way, you can tell, because of how Bruno and Anderson perform it in the video. Look at their facial expressions – these two aren’t taking themselves too seriously, they’re not brooding at the camera, this whole vibe is a wink, for the express purpose of getting a giggle out of you, maybe followed by a feigned eyeroll, before you come back for more.
And you can also tell it’s intentional in the lyrics. I lose it right off the top, the moment when Bruno croons “shut your trap”, LOL, and it doesn’t stop from the there. By the time Anderson’s singing about how clean his house is (which is SO important! Thank you, Anderson!) you should be both horny and in hysterics at the same time. And then when he tells you in the second verse that if you’re hungry, he can bring in the “filets”, that’s it, you done. Over the last seven days, I’ve probably listened to this song at least a hundred times, if not more, and it hasn’t stopped being delightful and amusing. I am obsessed – and I can’t be alone. Because we need this mood right now! Here in North America, spring is on the way, and the air smells different and the days are getting longer and I can hear birds in the morning and something frisky is on the way, and this is the song for that moment!
Which is why, of course, Bruno and Anderson will be performing it at the Grammys on Sunday, after “begging” the Recording Academy all week for an invitation. I put that in quotes because there is no way the Grammys wouldn’t want them there, Bruno in particular, given his success at the Grammys in years past. So, sure, this thing was a ruse from the beginning but does it matter when the two of them played it so well on social media? Here’s how it started last Sunday:
#LetSilkSonicThrive @RecordingAcad pic.twitter.com/Ze5nuZQnvi
— Bruno Mars (@BrunoMars) March 7, 2021
My favourite part of that is “I promise we won’t be extra” because, well, again, check the video because it’s impossible for these two to NOT be extra.
Speaking of extra, then they brought in the BTS ARMY. As we all know by now, ARMY can make anything go viral.
#LetSilkSonicThrive @RecordingAcad pic.twitter.com/Ze5nuZQnvi
— Bruno Mars (@BrunoMars) March 7, 2021
You’re right. I got excited we were trending for a while today. I’m sorry I let you down. I hope you & BTS go on to do great things. 😞 https://t.co/kjpiGQdylP
— Bruno Mars (@BrunoMars) March 8, 2021
Important to note though that BTS’s fanbase isn’t that easily exploited. They don’t bite for everyone. But Anderson actually has some established ARMY cred – his son, Soul, is deep into BTS, a member of ARMY himself:
.@AndersonPaak’s son: I am a Korean ARMY.
— bora (rest) (@bora_twts) March 26, 2020
So cute 🥰 @BTS_twt #BTS #방탄소년단 pic.twitter.com/mqVZkicLuc
Anderson and his wife, Jaylyn, are raising their two sons, Soul and Shine, to speak both Korean and English. So the social media promotion this week with the BTS tags wasn’t totally out of nowhere. And that was just part it – Anderson and Bruno continued to bicker over social media and angst about whether or not the Grammys would return their call until, naturally, the Recording Academy picked up:
Dear @RecordingAcad we humbly accept your invitation to reunite on your grand stage. Thank you! We swear we won’t do the most. ♥ï¸#SilkSonic https://t.co/tVEk2s9FS4
— Bruno Mars (@BrunoMars) March 10, 2021
Won’t do the most? They’ve already done the most. They can only do MORE with “Leave the Door Open” on Sunday. That’s what the people want, isn’t it? It’s definitely what I want. Give me all the filets! And, this year, give us more Andersoon .Paak. His fifth album is expected some time this year, one of the most highly anticipated new works. Everyone in the industry knows him, so many people have worked with him, but he’s been hovering at the level just before superstardom, big name recognition, for a while now. Feels like we’re almost there. Like by this time next year and maybe even before, everyone will know.
For more on Anderson, Esquire just released a new profile today. Now, because it’s Friday, and we all need this energy, “Leave the Door Open” all day.