Direct From Hollywood With Ryan Seacrest: 'What It Is' Was Actually Written for Another Superstar

Can you imagine Doechii’s breakout hit 'What It Is' not sung by the queen herself? Turns out 'What It Is' was actually intended for another superstar. Can you guess who? Find out here!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Direct from Hollywood.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Well, in some ways, an artist's number one hit will
always be their most important because it kicks open the door,
introducing themselves to the world in the industry and giving
them the platform for every other song to come.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
And for Doci, that first.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Smash was undoubtedly What it Is block Boy featuring Kodak Black.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
But it turns out it almost wasn't hers.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
One of the Hook's primary songwriters, Bianca Blush Atterbury, revealed
on her social that the song was actually made specifically
for Normani. She was hired as part of a team
by RCAA Records to write for Normani's debut album, and
Blush says, out of the six songs she and her
friends dreamt up, they all knew that What It Is
would be a hit, but ultimately Normani and her team

(00:46):
passed on it, which Blush took no offense to, understanding
it didn't fit the vision. But a few years later
it made its way to DOCI, and Blush adds that
as soon as she heard that version, she said to herself, Wow,
Doci was born to be a star, and the rest
is history. Doci's latest Anxiety is out now that's

Speaker 1 (01:07):
Direct from Hollywood.