Netta is a Mother F*cking ‘CEO’
Last month, international superstar Netta dropped her new single “CEO,” a powerhouse punch of sultry pop that is quickly becoming a global anthem for self-empowerment. She also released “DUM,” a counterpart of sorts to “CEO” and a pulsing spiral into the giddy ways we lose ourselves when Cupid strikes.
This is Netta’s first solo music in over a year.
Exclusively talking with OFM, she says “I was feeling a little bit powerless, and COVID was at its peak. It was like all my plans were washed away with acid rain, and everything seemed very vague. I don’t like not being in control, so I searched for an empowering motto for me to summon power back into my life. I felt it needed to happen.”
According to the artist, inspiration for “CEO” came after she changed her phone number.
“My mother taught me that I needed to sing my numbers in order to remember them,” she explains. “I started singing 9-7-8, and I became obsessed not really understanding why. It was like a trance. I called my producer and said, ‘we need to get this in a track,’ and we wrote “CEO.” ‘I’m a motherfucking CEO’ was an answer to that craving for a motto. I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe that everything happens for a reason; I am a very spiritual girl. So, I decided to look it up.
“We found out that 9-7-8 is an angel number that signifies control and leadership,” she continues. “If you accidentally bump into these numbers, it means that you could have accidentally neglected your duty as a leader. It was very accurate to what I was feeling. Seven is an unstoppable force number, eight is stability, and nine is crisis, so it kind of creates an inevitable circle to motivate and make decisions as a leader of my team. So, “CEO” is about gaining control.
Regarding “DUM,” Netta describes it as the embarrassing uncle for “CEO.”
“It’s about losing control,” she says. “They felt like a pair to me, and that is why I released them together. I am very proud of this release.”
Both singles have received positive reviews and millions of streams.
As a trailblazing quirk pop innovator in modern music, Netta has turned the genre into a colorful funhouse of fizzy experimentation. She discovered her passion for singing and music when she was a child.
“I have been a very intuitive musician my entire life,” she says. “I like sitting and writing, and music is a way to express myself and vent what I am feeling. It has always been very freeing. I do not remember myself never not singing. However, I am not a big music listener because when I listen to music, it takes my entire attention and body. It’s an intense experience. Whenever I am at a party or in a crowded place, people find it very hard to talk to me because I am very into the music. It’s almost exhausting.”
View this post on Instagram
Although Netta was already making strides in the music industry, she became known worldwide after her song “Toy” won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018. It currently has over 157 million views on YouTube alone.
“Eurovision was about being part of something that is much bigger than me,” she says. “I love to create, and music is about connecting, making people feel happy, and helping them through life. The bad side of Eurovision is the fact that it’s a competition and you have to compete with other people. I don’t believe in comparison, but thanks to Eurovision, I was able to reach out to so many people and touch so many hearts. It was fun.”
“Toy” had a moment of resurgence last year after it became a trending sound on TikTok, which drew in a new demographic of listeners.
“It was like, oh my God, it’s back! Then it was like, oh my God, it’s back,” Netta jokes. “It was like passing the sixth grade than being forced to go back. My crowd has grown massively because of “Toy,” I have seen growth in social media and YouTube, and many more people have been exposed to my music. I am so blessed by all these new people. Seeing people dance to “Toy” on TikTok has made me laugh a lot, and I am happy it is still bringing people joy. I hated TikTok at first because I did not understand it and kind of feared it, but I have found it to be fun and liberating to make stupid little videos. I am starting to find my voice inside it, which is cool.”
Since winning Eurovision, Netta’s video for “Basa Sababa” notched over 200 million views on YouTube, she dropped her Goody Bag EP, was a guest on Switched on Pop discussing her personal journey as an artist and what it takes to make the perfect Eurovision song, and performed on Billboard, among many other accolades.
“CEO” and “DUM” is only the first bite of what she has planned for us over the next few months.
“I made a lot of promises before COVID,” she says. “COVID came and threw up on all my plans, so I made a promise to myself not to make promises anymore. I don’t want to jinx them. However, I can say, I have at least 60 written songs currently in my drawer. They are all special in their own way, and they need to come out. So, expect big things.”
Stay up-to-date and connect with Netta by following her on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
Photos Courtesy of Eran Levi
What's Your Reaction?
