Keep Going Up

Album

Single

Label

Mosley Music Group

Genre

Dance-pop

Composer(s)

Timbaland;Justin Timberlake;Nelly Furtado;Brandon Cordoba;Brandon Stewart;Chris Gaspin;Chris Godbey;Edgar Ferrera;Jennah Bayyan;Jordan Hollywood;Kenyon Dixon;Khyelle Anthony

Entered Chart

Sep 16, 2023

Peak Date

Sep 16, 2023

Released

September 1, 2023

Recorded

Not Listed July 2023

Here, Timbaland joins forces with Canadian singer Nelly Furtado and American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake, reigniting a dynamic trio that had been dormant since their 2007 chart-topper "Give It To Me." Timbaland is the mastermind behind Nelly Furtado's game-changing 2006 Loose album, which features the hit songs "Promiscuous," "Maneater" and "Say It Right." For Justin Timberlake, Timbaland was the sonic architect responsible for shaping his signature sound and crafting some of his career-defining hits. Their collaboration has spawned iconic tracks on albums like FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006) and The 20/20 Experience (2013). "Keep Going Up" marks Timbaland's first official solo single since "Don't Get No Betta" (featuring Mila J), recorded for his 2015 mixtape, King Stays King. The song is also the producer's debut under the partnership between his own Mosley Music Group and Def Jam Recordings. He released it as the lead single from his EP Textbook Timbo on September 1, 2023. The track kicks off with Timbaland's nostalgic nod to the opening lines of "Promiscuous," his hit duet with Nelly Furtado. How you doing young lady, does the feeling still drive you crazy? Then, Furtado takes the reins and updates us with the first verse: I been workin' on my gains lately I been lovin' myself on the daily When it's Timberlake's turn, he jumps into the chorus alongside Furtado. It is a chant of determination and resilience. I keep goin', I keep goin', I keep goin' up I keep goin', I keep goin', I keep goin' up As Timberlake dives into the third verse, he's on a mission to reaffirm he's still at the top of his game and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I've been addin' commas on my new statements Yeah, I've been on new energy, it's contagious I could try to hide it, but can't contain it This life keeps goin' up and I can't explain it "If people want the 2006 back, I think we did it justice," Timbaland told Entertainment Tonight. "I think we gave it a song with meaning. Meaning, it can relate to you or your friends. 'I keep going up, if you keep going up.' Like no matter what you go through, Imma be here for you. You know what I'm saying? And that's what that song is. It has all different meanings, and you still dance to it. You still jam to it." Timbaland, Timberlake and Furtado wrote the song with Kenyon Dixon, Jordan Hollywood, Jennah Bayyan, Chris Gaspin, Khyelle Anthony, Chris Godbe, SkipOnDaBeat, and Last Trip to the Moon. Timbaland and Timberlake co-produced the sprightly track with SkipOnDaBeat and Last Trip To The Moon. "Keep Going Up" sprang to life within the creative realm of Beatclub, the Timbaland-founded music creator platform. One of its members, Last Trip to the Moon, (Brandon Stewart and Brandon Cordoba) came up with an ear-catching hook, so they played it to Timbaland. The superstar producer saw its potential and joined them for a session. He added his hallmark groove-centric R&B production style, and as the pieces came together, Timbaland sensed the magic brewing. He convinced Nelly Furtado to rearrange her vacation plans, enticing her to lay down some vocals, and got Timberlake into the studio. "It started with Tim and JT. Tim texted me like, 'Yo, I've got a track for you, it's a dance vibe, for a trio,' and I was like, You mean with JT?' And he was like, Yes,'" Furtado recalled on Emily Ratajkowski's High Low podcast about a phone call she had with her two former collaborators. "Him and JT have been working on music for like a year already, separately from me, so they just had an idea and they wanted me to woman the ship a little in my direction so they could feed off that. We just cooked it up. I think energetically it's very positive. For me, the lyrics and everything are very real to me right now."

I keep goin', I keep goin', I keep goin' up
How you been, young lady?
Does the feelin' still drive you crazy?
Uh, how you been, young lady?
Does the feelin'-

I been workin' on my gains lately (yeah)
I been lovin' myself on the daily (uh)
Had to cut some people off, they were drainin' (say what?)
I'm no longer settlin', I'm upgradin', ayy, ayy

My new life's much better than the old one
I look around, you're not around (gone now)
Now I'm laughin', remember I was broken
I look around, you're not around (gone now, say what?)

I keep goin', I keep goin', I keep goin' up
I keep goin', I keep goin', I keep goin' up

I've been addin' commas on my new statements (say what?)
Yeah, I've been on new energy, it's contagious (yeah)
I could try to hide it, but can't contain it (uh)
This life keeps goin' up and I can't explain it (ayy, what you say, JT?)
I'm a top-notch dresser, one-two stepper (yeah)
Still got the belt, don't buckle under pressure (uh)
Champ and still reignin' (yeah, yeah)
No, I ain't gotta tell you, you heard him sayin' it
But just in case y'all have forgot, you know who you playin' with, oh

My new life's much better than the old one
You look around, I'm still around, yeah
Now I'm laughin', remember I was broken
You look around, I'll be around, and I

I keep goin', I keep goin', I keep goin' up
I keep goin' up, yeah, hey, ooh
I keep goin', I keep goin', I keep goin' up
Been goin' up, up
I keep goin', I keep goin', I keep goin' up
I keep goin' up, yeah, we keep goin' up, ooh
I keep goin', I keep goin', I keep goin' up
Goin', goin' up, goin', goin' up (break it down now)

I feel some kind of way, I'm goin' up
I feel some kind of way (tell me what you're feelin', baby)
I feel some kind of way, I'm goin' up, yeah (yeah, uh)
And they feel some kind of way
We up