Be Right There — Diplo & Sleepy Tom
Diplo, Canadian producer Sleepy Tom, an uncredited Priscilla Renea and a line from Jade: how “Be Right There” became a UK top ten future house hit in 2015.
- Released on 28 August 2015 by Diplo and Canadian producer Sleepy Tom, on Mad Decent and Because Music.
- Uncredited vocals by Priscilla Renea (Muni Long); lyrics drawn from Jade’s “Don’t Walk Away” (1992).
- No. 8 in the UK; certified Platinum in the UK and the US.
“Be Right There” by Diplo and Sleepy Tom is a 2015 future house record with a 1990s R&B hook. It started life on a film soundtrack, picked up an uncredited singer on its way to the charts and ended up in the UK top ten.
Who is Sleepy Tom?
Sleepy Tom is Cameron Tatham, born in Squamish, British Columbia, and based in Vancouver. Active since 2009, he released his first EP, The Currency, on Fool’s Gold in March 2013, and remixed tracks for Zeds Dead, Martin Solveig and Diplo himself. On “Be Right There” the two are credited as producers, with Thomas Pentz (Diplo) and Tatham among the writers.
A line from Jade
The hook goes back to 1992. “Be Right There” incorporates lyrics from “Don’t Walk Away” by Jade, and that song’s writers, Vassal Benford and Ronald Spearman, share the credit. The new vocal was sung by Priscilla Renea, the songwriter now known as Muni Long, who is not credited on the release. The track is filed as future house and runs 3:57.
Soundtrack, charts and video
The single came out on 28 August 2015 on Mad Decent and Because Music, as part of the soundtrack to The Warriors Gate, a Chinese-French action-adventure film. Mad Decent premiered the video on its YouTube channel on 17 December 2015.
It did best in Britain, peaking at No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 2 on the UK Dance Chart, and reached No. 34 in Australia. In the US it climbed to No. 8 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs and No. 7 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. It is certified Platinum in the UK and the US, 2× Platinum in New Zealand and Gold in Belgium and Denmark.
In 2016 it was nominated for Dance Recording of the Year at the Juno Awards in Canada, and it appeared on the soundtrack of the video game Forza Horizon 3.
In the mix
“Be Right There” sits alongside other mid-2010s house records that took an R&B vocal into the charts, such as “I Got U” by Duke Dumont. For more future house from the same years, read about Don Diablo.
FAQ
Who sings on Be Right There?
Priscilla Renea, now known as Muni Long. Her vocals are uncredited.
What song does Be Right There borrow from?
It incorporates lyrics from “Don’t Walk Away”, the 1992 song by Jade. Its writers, Vassal Benford and Ronald Spearman, share the credit.
How did Be Right There chart?
No. 8 in the UK, No. 2 on the UK Dance Chart, No. 34 in Australia and No. 8 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. It is certified Platinum in the UK and the US.
