When I first heard 24kGoldn and Iann Dior’s song “Mood” a few months ago, I knew from the moment I heard the first hook that it was an absolute banger that would take the world by storm. Little did I know that it would go number 1 on Billboard and remain in the top spot for weeks and even months on end. They’ve ridden high on the song’s success, understandably, and have even taken their talents to live performances on massive outlets like Jimmy Kimmel Live!, spreading the word about this unbelievable hit with all the charisma and enthusiasm they know how.
I honestly don’t think the fun is ever going to stop with this song, thankfully, and I’m not complaining whatsoever. Luckily, they’re continuing their joyride with the release of a remix for the record, getting Justin Bieber and J Balvin, two world-renown artists who need no introduction, to join them for some new additions. After seeing this track teased on social media for the past week or so, I couldn’t have been more anticipatory, and now that it’s in our hands, the wait and all the hype surrounding the release is undoubtedly well worth it.
Starting out, the hook remains the same, of course, because if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. However, there is one slight change that takes place right before it as Goldn’s distanced vocals sing the letters J and B a couple of times, shouting out the two conveniently named additions to the track. Justin takes the first verse this time around, beginning with a similar cadence to that of Goldn’s, yet his words are as angelic and melodious as only Bieber knows how to sing. While his main vocals are smooth and even-keeled, there are background layers that are sung at a higher pitch that come into the picture only at times, complementing the main layer and adding even more depth to the somewhat surface-level yet relatable lyrics he’s reciting.
Although I’m sad to say that Iann’s original verse was omitted, his bridge is kept in its place which plays a pivotal role in the song, so I can’t complain too much. Aside from this, we’re given a brand-new verse from Goldn which is something I’m extremely grateful for considering many remixes just utilize the original version and don’t switch things up, so seeing this change keeps things even fresher than I imagined. Here, he brags about the two massive features they got for this remix, the original song going number 1, and offers additional bars about the struggles he has in his relationships, further embellishing the narrative that was spoken of in the first version. He also adds some reinvigorated energy, allowing his bubbly disposition to shine through as his bars are sung in a highly vigorous, lively fashion that I dare say is even more captivating than the first version.
J Balvin finishes the song up with one final verse, and although it’s not shocking that he’s singing in Spanish, I’m not entirely sure what he’s talking about. After doing a rough translation, he goes into topics like not being valued by his significant others, not wanting to deal with some of the women in his life, and how he wants to stop fighting and just have a good time. These themes are complemented by some calm, candid, and honest notes that are sung effortlessly by the Latin superstar before one final hook by Goldn leads us out of the track.
Often times, I feel like remixes lack a lot when compared to the massive success that a lot of the original songs achieve, but I can say fairly confidently that this isn’t the case for the “Mood” Remix. Both Justin and J Balvin bring such diverse styles to the Poppy song and their differentiation is as welcomed as it is appreciated. I was so excited as well to see a new verse from Goldn, and it’s hard to compare it to the original because that was pretty perfect in my opinion, but this fresh addition was definitely something that can only add to the lore of the record itself. A few months ago, The Kid LAROI teased a remix of his own so I was really looking forward to that because I know he would absolutely body a verse on this hit, but maybe that’ll come out of the woodwork eventually, so we’ll just have to wait and see. Either way, you’re definitely going to be hearing the “Mood” remix now featuring Justin Bieber and J Balvin everywhere moving forward, so you might as well check out what’s going to be all over the radio right now.