Psycho (Dixie D'Amelio song) explained

Psycho
Cover:Dixie D'Amelio - Psycho.png
Artist:Dixie D'Amelio featuring Rubi Rose
Type:single
Released:July 23, 2021
Recorded:2021
Genre:Pop
Length:2:30
Label:Craft Recordings
Producer:Cooper Holzman
Chronology:Dixie D'Amelio
Prev Title:Fuckboy
Prev Year:2021
Next Title:The Real Thing
Next Year:2021

"Psycho" is a song by American social media personality and singer Dixie D'Amelio featuring rapper Rubi Rose. The song was released on July 23, 2021. It was produced by Cooper Holzman.

Background and composition

"Psycho" is a pop track influenced by Dua Lipa.[1] The music video was released at midnight on August 5, 2021.[2] The video was directed by Steven Gomillion.[3] [4] [5]

D’Amelio explained that the inspiration for the song comes from a friend's experience with a cheating boyfriend.  In an interview with American radio DJ Zach Sang, she said:

“I kind of wrote it about other people’s relationships and what I have seen…  I have a friend who was dating this guy, and the guy was texting girls off the girl’s phone. So, [texting them] off his girlfriend’s phone and deleting the messages. But like, ‘Hey, I wanna hang out. All three of us should hang out.’ All that stuff.”[6]

When describing the collaboration between D’Amelio and Rose, record producer L.A. Reid said:

“The chemistry between Dixie and Rubi is undeniable. Psycho’ represents what happens when two dynamic female stars from their own lanes come together and make a real statement record. I know their fans are going to go crazy for it!”[7]

Marketing

When D’Amelio first released the demo of the song on TikTok, listeners heard a mispronunciation of the word "psycho", sounding like "shyco". D’Amelio explained the reasoning behind releasing a demo including the mispronunciation was to orchestrate an elaborate publicity stunt, claiming she has used this tactic previously when launching other songs.

At the "Psycho" music video's premiere party, D’Amelio was quoted as saying the mispronunciation was caught before the release of the demo, but it was kept in the song in an attempt to garner attention. She asserted, "I just know how the internet works a little bit. Like, I kind of know what I’m doing…. And y'all just keep falling for it [the publicity stunts]."

Despite the revision of the mispronunciation for the final cut, D'Amelio and producer Holzman chose to include it at the end of the song.[8]

Charts

Chart performance for "Psycho"!Chart (2021)!Peak
position
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[9] 25

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Haylock. Zoe. 2021-07-23. Dixie Gets 'Psycho' in Her New Single With Rubi Rose. 2021-08-06. Vulture. en-us.
  2. Web site: Cantor. Brian. 2021-08-06. Dixie D'Amelio & Rubi Rose Release Music Video For "Psycho" As Song Gains Airplay At Pop Radio (Watch Now). 2021-08-06. Headline Planet. en-US.
  3. Web site: Avila. Daniela. August 6, 2021. Dixie D'Amelio on Drawing Inspiration from Her Life for 'Psycho' Music Video: 'Special FBI Talent'. 2021-08-06. People. en.
  4. Web site: Samhan. Jamie. 2021-08-07. Dixie D'Amelio Says 'Psycho' Mispronunciation Was 'Part Publicity Stunt', 'Y'all Just Keep Falling For It'. https://web.archive.org/web/20210807233211/https://etcanada.com/news/807791/dixie-damelio-says-psycho-mispronunciation-was-part-publicity-stunt-yall-just-keep-falling-for-it/. dead. August 7, 2021. 2021-09-03. ET Canada. en-US.
  5. Web site: Dixie D'Amelio addresses inspiration for new track 'Psycho'. 2021-09-03. www.geo.tv. en.
  6. Web site: 2021-07-27 . Dixie D'Amelio's new song 'Psycho' was inspired by a jaw-dropping cheating story . 2022-03-05 . Dexerto . en.
  7. Web site: 2021 . DIXIE D'AMELIO'S NEW SINGLE 'PSYCHO' IS OUT NOW! . 2022-03-05 . ITP Live.
  8. Web site: 2021-08-06 . Dixie D'Amelio admits 'Psycho' lyric mixup was partly a "publicity stunt" . 2022-03-05 . Dexerto . en.
  9. Pop Airplay Chart: Week of September 18, 2021. Billboard. September 14, 2021.