Tommy Richman’s breakout single “Million Dollar Baby” has consumed TikTok and Instagram this summer. Unless you’re a hermit, scrolling through your feed is bound to result in this very catchy track behind thousands of videos. But who is Tommy Richman, and what is it about “Million Dollar Baby” that makes it so irrepressibly catchy?
Tommy Richman started writing music independently and uploading it online, especially to SoundCloud and Spotify, back in 2016. He was born in 2000, and it wasn’t long before he skyrocketed to fame by releasing singles and EPs spanning across genres such as R&B and punk rock. It wasn’t until this summer that Richman made his real breakthrough with “Million Dollar Baby,” a groovy party anthem tailor-made for the short-form viral video format on TikTok. Clips of people dancing and lip-syncing to the song went flying, which made streams and sales of the official release through the roof. “Million Dollar Baby” debuted at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, catapulting the 24-year-old Richman into the mainstream.
What is it about “Million Dollar Baby” that’s so undeniably addictive? Right from the opening bars, you’re hit with a ridiculously bouncy bassline that drives the song. Vocals by Richman are layered on top of that, which he stacks on himself cleverly in melodic and harmonic textures, delivering the verses in a half-rapped flow.
Working off pointers from Memphis rap and ’80s funk, it just reeks of some sort of retro inspiration. Yet, with the slick synth tones and modern production flourishes, it bangs up to date. Sounds that are classic get made over for a polished sheen in a way that assures “Million Dollar Baby” never feels dated, even as it capitalizes on nostalgia.
It’s something, as a listener, you’re pulled into immediately, feeling it’s something you never want to end. At just two and a half minutes, “Million Dollar Baby” leaves you wanting more while achieving maximum replay value. Its brevity enhances the euphoric rush as you hit that repeat button to relive those fleeting moments once more. Lyrically, it just keeps things simple, focusing on self-love and appreciation over a flexing rap.
Before “Million Dollar Baby,” Richman floated under the radar as an independent artist finding his voice. With this breakout hit, however, he shows off his extraordinary talent for making exceptionally catchy music. He’s a wizard at layering textures that beg to be listened to—especially his multitracked vocals and intricately stacked instrumentation. “Million Dollar Baby” instantly shuttles one away to a zone of happiness and escape; it’s musical brain candy.
If some smashes had to rest on huge collaborations or elaborate rolling releases, “Million Dollar Baby” proved a diamond in the rough can shine bright with only the help of a stellar song and viral video platform. Tommy Richman catapulted himself into the sphere of mainstream pop royalty simply by doing what he said he was going to do: making an irresistibly fun, uplifting track that’s impossible not to bop along to. Its success proves that a perfect pop confection can still rise organically when people just can’t stop sharing, singing, and dancing to it.
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