<P> "Say Something" is an upbeat country rock ballad that blends the electronic structures of Man of the Woods previously released songs "Filthy" and "Supplies" with Stapleton's country blues styles . The song comprises elements of gospel, pop, acoustic soul and jazz . Timberlake and Timbaland previously incorporated country sounds such as twangy guitars on tracks like "What Goes Around...Comes Around". The song features lyrics about reflection and regret, meditating on social pressure to have something to say and being unsure if you really do . Nashville Scene writer Stephen Trageser intrepreted the lyrics as: </P> <P> "...recognizing that someone with the degree of celebrity Timberlake has can do more good by taking up less space . As in, realizing that weighing in on issues of public concern can easily turn into an event focused on him and his image instead of actually serving the cause at hand ." </P> <P> Directed by Arturo Perez Jr. and produced by La Blogothèque, the video was filmed using a technique known as "continuous motion" and shot in one take at the Bradbury Building in Los Angeles--famous for its appearance in the 1982 cult science fiction film Blade Runner--with elevators, balconies, and stairs that "personified the labyrinth" the concept required . The crew included 17 musicians and a 60 - person choir, in order to record the video and audio live in only one take . The video starts with Timberlake alone in a room creating beats and effects on an MPC sampler . The camera follows him as he straps on an acoustic guitar and ascends up an elevator . Stepping out, he encounters Stapleton on a nearby staircase . The music video on YouTube has received over 200 million views as of May 2018 . It received nominations for Video of the Year and Collaborative Video of the Year at the 2018 CMT Music Awards . </P> <P> Lauren Tingle of CMT gave the song a positive review, writing "it definitely sounds like it could have been born in Timberlake's musically rich home state of Tennessee . The pop singer's high tenor and Stapleton's gravely melisma accent the song's driving acoustic rhythm guitars, horns and syncopated percussion ." In Billboard, Natalie Maher stated the climax of the song occurs "as the two are joined by a full choir, and added band, and then slowly comes down off itself with the line, "maybe it's greatest to say nothing ." " Stephen Trageser of Nashville Scene deemed the track "an anthemic tune about something ostensibly honorable," and went on to interpret the lyrics . Cillea Houghton of Taste of Country called the song a "jam" where the singer "trade lines on an upbeat, genre-less track that could easily nestle into country radio ." Emily Yahr of The Washington Post said the song "has a guitar - driven sound that could theoretically fit into the modern country world ." </P>

Say something (ft. chris stapleton) justin timberlake