I do the same thing I told you that I never would
I told you I'd change, even when I knew I never could
I know that I can’t find nobody else as good as you
I need you to stay, need you to stay, hey (Oh)
[Verse 1: The Kid LAROI]
I get drunk, wake up, I'm wasted still
I realize the time that I wasted here
I feel like you can't feel the way I feel
Oh, I’ll be fucked up if you can't be right here
[Pre-Chorus: The Kid LAROI]
Oh, ooh-woah (Oh, ooh-woah, ooh-woah)
Oh, ooh-woah (Oh, ooh-woah, ooh-woah)
Oh, ooh-woah (Oh, ooh-woah, ooh-woah)
Oh, I'll be fucked up if you can't be right here
[Chorus: The Kid LAROI]
I do the same thing I told you that I never would
I told you I'd change, even when I knew I never could
I know that I can't find nobody else as good as you
I need you to stay, need you to stay, hey
I do the same thing I told you that I never would
I told you I'd change, even when I knew I never could
I know that I can't find nobody else as good as you
I need you to stay, need you to stay, hey
When I’m away from you, I miss your touch (Ooh)
You’re the reason I believe in love
It's been difficult for me to trust (Ooh)
And I’m afraid that I'ma fuck it up
Ain't no way that I can leave you stranded
'Cause you ain’t ever left me empty-handed
And you know that I know that I can't live without you
So, baby, stay
[Pre-Chorus: Justin Bieber, The Kid LAROI & Both]
Oh, ooh-woah (Oh, ooh-woah, ooh-woah)
Oh, ooh-woah (Oh, ooh-woah, ooh-woah)
Oh, ooh-woah (Oh, ooh-woah, ooh-woah)
I'll be fucked up if you can't be right here
[Chorus: The Kid LAROI with Justin Bieber]
I do the same thing I told you that I never would
I told you I'd change, even when I knew I never could
I know that I can't find nobody else as good as you
I need you to stay, need you to stay, hey
I do the same thing I told you that I never would
I told you I'd change, even when I knew I never could
I know that I can't find nobody else as good as you
I need you to stay, need you to stay, hey
Woah-oh
I need you to stay, need you to stay, hey
About
“STAY” is a collaboration between The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber which details LAROI’s wish for his lover’s forgiveness and Bieber’s admiration for his significant other.
The song was first previewed on LAROI’s Instagram story in September 2020 and the following month in a Rolling Loud-conducted Twitch interview hosted by DJ Scheme. LAROI also performed the song during his Genius Live concert in November 2020. On May 31, 2021, the track leaked in its entirety.
In a text conversation screenshot posted by LAROI’s then-manager Lil Bibby in April 2021, it was revealed that the track is likely to make an appearance on his upcoming project. With LAROI’s heavy teasing of the track, it was widely speculated to drop as a single beforehand, which he confirmed in a July 2021 Instagram post, revealing its release date.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
The Kid LAROI:
I’ve had “Stay” for about a year now. I was over at my friend Blake’s [Slatkin] house. It was me, Blake, my boy Omer [Fedi] and Charlie Puth. We were all just hanging out, and Charlie went over to the keyboard and just started playing stuff…and what he played was the “Stay” [melody], and I was like, ‘What’s that?’ and he’s like, ‘Oh, no, I’m just fucking around.’ And I’m like, ‘No, no, no. Pull up a Pro Tools session, record this shit, this shit’s fire.’
It was probably the most organic way of making a song I’ve ever done – ever. It reminded me of the first time [I got to] get into a studio and stuff. We didn’t plan for the song to happen. We never planned a studio session or anything like that, so it was crazy.
One day I was just listening to it and was like, fuck, Justin [Bieber] would sound perfect on this, so I actually pulled up to the studio that he works at, and I just came with the fucking file. I was like, ‘You ready?’ and he was like, ‘Yup’. And he just did it. He just went into the booth and just freestyled the shit off top; it was the craziest shit. I was like, ‘Yo, this guy’s out of his mind.’
He’d be like, ‘Yo, do you like this? Is this good?’ And I’d be like, ‘Just keep going. Keep fucking going. Just shut up and keep fucking going,’
—via NME
This track marks the second official collaboration between the pair, following their March 2021 collaboration, “Unstable.”
- 2.Better Now
- 4.In da Club
- 6.Regulate
- 7.Stir Fry
- 8.All Star
- 9.Mi Gente
- 10.bad guy
- 11.Born This Way
- 12.Thunder
- 15.Old Town Road
- 17.Blah Blah Blah
- 18.Mud On the Tires
- 19.Bodak Yellow
- 20.Call Me Maybe
- 21.Clocks
- 23.Don’t Start Now
- 24.The Message
- 27.Hot in Herre
- 31.The Middle
- 32.Me Too
- 33.Stressed Out
- 35.Take On Me
- 36.The Sign
- 37.Rehab
- 39.Sin Pijama
- 40.Satisfaction
- 41.Summertime Magic
- 42.GDFR
- 43.The Man
- 45.For An Angel
- 46.Temperature
- 47.Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff
- 48.Dance Monkey
- 49.Blinding Lights
- 51.My Prerogative
- 52.Hot Stuff
- 54.Tongue Tied
- 56.Tusa
- 59.Eyes
- 60.Any Man of Mine
- 61.Bust a Move
- 62.a lot
- 64.Ironic
- 65.1 Thing
- 66.Kings & Queens
- 67.Venus
- 68.Loco Contigo
- 69.Lips Like Sugar
- 70.A Little Respect
- 71.Bring Me to Life
- 72.Trap Queen
- 73.Unforgettable
- 75.Rock Your Body
- 76.What Ifs
- 79.Starships
- 80.Get Busy
- 82.Linger
- 87.Can I Kick It?
- 88.Yo Perreo Sola
- 89.Jolene
- 90.All The Stars
- 91.Lady Marmalade
- 94.O.P.P.
- 96.Happy
- 98.Push It
- 100.Bring Em Out
- 101.Time for Crime
- 102.Sequence Her
- 103.Daniel Wiggy
- 105.Summer Hair
- 109.I Gotta Feeling
- 117.Adore You
- 118.Inside Out
- 119.Maps
- 120.Man of tHe Year
- 122.Mask Off
- 123.Counting Stars
- 124.Cradles
- 126.Juice
- 127.Buddy Holly
- 128.Life Is a Highway
- 129.Apache (Jump on It)
- 130.Gravel Pit
- 131.Feel So Good
- 132.Unbelievable
- 133.Low
- 135.WHATS POPPIN
- 136.XO Tour Llif3
- 139.Circles
- 140.Tubthumping
- 141.Murder She Wrote
- 143.Whine Up
- 144.Take You Dancing
- 145.Happier
- 147.Mood
- 148.Baby, I’m Jealous
- 149.Higher
- 150.New Rules
- 151.Young Dumb & Broke
- 152.Mr. Brightside
- 153.Let’s Love
- 154.Kiss and Make Up
- 156.Me Gusta
- 157.Golden
- 158.Too Much
- 159.Poison
- 160.BOP
- 161.Con Calma
- 163.My Head & My Heart
- 164.Where Them Girls At
- 166.Seven Nation Army
- 167.Fire Burning
- 168.Red Lights
- 169.I Melt with You
- 172.Sandstorm
- 175.Sour Candy
- 176.Self Esteem
- 177.Among the Living
- 178.No Role Modelz
- 179.Latch
- 180.Therefore I Am
- 181.Tainted Love
- 182.Friday I’m in Love
- 183.Days Go By
- 184.What Is Love?
- 185.Dreams
- 186.Maneater
- 187.Follow You
- 188.my ex’s best friend
- 190.Head & Heart
- 192.The Business
- 194.Walking on Sunshine
- 195.She Drives Me Crazy
- 197.Pi De Limón
- 198.Lights
- 199.Renegades
- 200.Smoke on the Water
- 202.Shook Ones Part II
- 203.Hip Hop Hooray
- 204.Super Freak
- 205.Low Rider
- 206.Levitating
- 207.STAY
- 208.Rumors
- 209.Savage