"OTW" (an acronym for "on the way") is a song by American singers Khalid, Ty Dolla Sign, and 6lack. The artists wrote the song with Brian Alexander Morgan, Idan Kalai and producer Nineteen85. It was released by RCA Records on April 20, 2018, as a stand-alone single, and also added as a bonus track to the vinyl of Khalid's EP Suncity (2018).

Release On March 31, 2018, Khalid posted a snippet of the song on Twitter. He officially announced the single during the nominations announcement for the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

Composition "OTW" is a dark and melodic R&B song with '90s influences. It features a "silky smooth" and "mellow" production, backed by "a trap-infused R&B beat". A booty-call theme channels throughout the track, as the artists sing about meeting up with a love interest.

Critical reception Michael Love Michael of Paper regarded the song as "a refreshing slice of smooth, radio-ready, but throwback '90s R&B". He praised the song's "undercurrent of bittersweet melancholy characteristic of the genre's most forward-thinking productions", describing it as "an addictively rhythmic tune". MTV News' Ross McNeilage wrote: "The slick and sultry track is a nice extension from the sound of his debut album, and 6LACK and Ty Dolla $ign complement the song perfectly." Devin Ch of HotNewHipHop praised Khalid's songwriting talents, writing that "all performers adhere to the general 'vibe' of the song". Lauren O'Neill of Noisey described the song as a destined summer track, writing that it "feels most like a head massage you'll hear all week". He complimented Khalid's ability to produce a "relentlessly catchy but also somehow extremely laid back hook".

Music video The music video for "OTW", directed by Calmatic, premiered via Khalid's Vevo channel on July 3, 2018.

Credits and personnel Credits adapted from Tidal. Nineteen85 – production Denis Kosiak – mix engineering, record engineering Chris Athens – master engineering Andy Barnes – record engineering JT Gagarin – record engineering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2018) Peak positionUS Hot R&B Songs (Billboard) 6

Year-end charts Chart (2018) Position Australia (ARIA) 96 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 96 Portugal (AFP) 162 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 74 Chart (2019) Position US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard) 35

Certifications

Release history Region Date Format Label Various April 20, 2018 RCA United States June 5, 2018 Urban contemporary radio

References