Sweetest Pie

"Sweetest Pie" is a bold and unapologetic anthem of female empowerment, sexual liberation, and self-confidence. The song uses the central metaphor of a "sweetest pie" as a euphemism for female sexuality, which Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa present as a desirable, powerful, and controlled offering. The lyrics are a celebration of owning one's sexuality and asserting dominance in relationships. Both artists reject passive roles, instead portraying themselves as confident women who are in control of their bodies and their pleasure. Megan's verses are filled with braggadocio and clever wordplay, demanding respect and asserting that men are willing to change their ways for her. The song challenges traditional gender dynamics where men are the pursuers; here, the women decide who gets a "bite" and on what terms. The collaboration itself is a display of female solidarity and power in the music industry.

The song begins with Dua Lipa offering a tantalizing invitation, comparing the experience to a heavenly, once-in-a-lifetime ride. She tempts the listener with a metaphorical "bite of the sweetest pie," suggesting an irresistible and delightful encounter. This chorus establishes the central theme of indulgence and pleasure, blending driving metaphors with dessert imagery. She promises a fast-paced, exhilarating experience where she is in control, emphasizing the lasting and unique "flavor" she possesses.

Megan Thee Stallion enters with her first verse, immediately establishing her dominance and self-worth. She describes herself as cold and desirable, boasting about her physical attributes, like her "booty like a pillow." She asserts her independence, warning her suitor not to be possessive or insecure. She flips the script on traditional power dynamics, stating that even a known "player" would be devoted solely to her. Her confidence is palpable as she declares her body is like "cake" and she knows he wants a piece.

The chorus repeats, reinforcing the song's core message of seductive power and control. Dua Lipa's smooth vocals offer the promise of an unforgettable journey, a taste of something uniquely special that she might bestow upon her chosen partner.

In her second verse, Megan continues with bold and clever wordplay, using snack food brands like "Nutty Buddy" and "Fudge Round" as explicit sexual innuendos. She makes it clear that she is not someone to be taken lightly or controlled, stating she has never had to chase a man in her life. The verse culminates in a powerful reference to "Hansel and Gretel," inviting her partner to "eat me up," but with a twist. This allusion reframes the fairy tale, positioning her not as a victim but as the one who holds the power in the dynamic, luring the man into her world on her terms.

The bridge, sung by Dua Lipa, shifts the atmosphere slightly. She speaks of being on "another altitude," high above everyone else, both literally and figuratively. This reinforces her elevated status and confidence. She has a space on her cloud for her partner, but it's an exclusive invitation to join her on her level.

The song concludes with repeated refrains of the chorus, driving home the central metaphor of the "sweetest pie." The final lines are a confident, alluring declaration of the unique and powerful experience the two women offer, leaving no doubt as to who is in charge of this seductive encounter.

The idea for a collaboration between Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa originated organically from fan interest. In June 2021, Megan expressed her admiration for Lipa after seeing viral online mashups of their songs, particularly her track "Fkn Around" with Lipa's "Levitating". Lipa responded enthusiastically on Instagram. Megan, wanting the track to be perfect, waited until she received the right beat from producer OG Parker. She felt the beat was a great fit and the two mutually agreed it was "greatness". The collaboration was teased in February 2022 when Lipa sent Megan a pie for her birthday, addressing her as "thee sweetest pie". The song was formally announced on March 6, 2022, with promotional images of their faces on cakes, and released on March 11, 2022, as the lead single from Megan's second studio album, Traumazine. The writing credits include Megan Pete (Megan Thee Stallion), Dua Lipa, OG Parker (Joshua Isaiah Parker), Nija Charles, Clarence Coffee Jr., Sarah Hudson, and Stephen Kozmeniuk, among others. Megan mentioned that she rewrote her verses multiple times after hearing Dua's vocals to ensure her lyrics matched the song's quality.

"Sweetest Pie" is a pop-rap track with a driving, danceable rhythm set at a tempo suitable for clubs. The song follows a standard verse-chorus structure. Dua Lipa's chorus features a simple, memorable rhyme scheme that emphasizes the hook, making it catchy and easy to sing along to. Her vocal melody follows the upbeat synth-pop rhythm, creating a light, airy feel. In contrast, Megan Thee Stallion's verses showcase a more complex rhythmic flow. Her rapping style is characterized by a confident and precise delivery that plays with the beat, sometimes landing directly on it and at other times syncopating against it to create tension and interest. Her rhyme schemes are intricate, often using internal rhymes and multisyllabic rhymes to showcase her lyrical dexterity. The rhythmic interplay between Dua's smooth, melodic pop sections and Megan's percussive, rhythmically complex rap verses is a key element of the song's dynamic and appeal.

"Sweetest Pie" combines Megan Thee Stallion's signature rap style with Dua Lipa's pop sensibilities, creating a genre-blending track. The song's production is built on an upbeat, synth-heavy instrumental with a chugging electric bass and hints of horns, creating a sound that is both buoyant and driving. Dua Lipa's vocal delivery in the chorus is smooth and airy, with melodic flourishes that emphasize the enticing nature of the lyrics. Megan's rap verses are characterized by a confident, assertive flow and rhythmic precision. Her delivery is energetic and filled with personality. The song employs a call-and-response dynamic between Lipa's pop-oriented chorus and Megan's hard-hitting rap verses, a common and effective structure in pop-rap collaborations. Lyrically, the song is rich with literary devices, primarily extended metaphors (the "pie") and sexual innuendos, often using commercial products for comedic and explicit effect (e.g., "Nutty Buddy," "Fudge Round"). The use of allusion, specifically to the "Hansel and Gretel" fairy tale, adds a layer of narrative depth and symbolic meaning to the song's theme of female empowerment.

"Sweetest Pie" was a significant cultural event, marking the first collaboration between two of music's biggest stars, Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa. The song achieved notable commercial success, debuting at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was Dua Lipa's highest-ever debut on that chart. It became a top 20 hit in several countries, including Canada and Ireland. The song was certified Platinum in the United States by the RIAA. The music video, with its high-concept fantasy and horror themes inspired by "Hansel and Gretel," garnered significant media attention and praise for its visuals and symbolism. The song was performed live on Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia Tour and at major events like the iHeartRadio Music Awards and Coachella, further cementing its place in the pop culture landscape of 2022. The track is often cited as an example of Megan's ability to successfully navigate genres outside of hip-hop and as a powerful anthem of female empowerment.

"Sweetest Pie" is built around a central, extended metaphor of female sexuality as a delicious and tempting dessert. This is a classic euphemism, but the artists use it to convey power and control rather than simple objectification.

• The Sweetest Pie: This primary metaphor represents the artists' sexuality and allure, presented as an irresistible treat that they have the power to grant or withhold. It’s a desirable prize that puts them in a position of power.
• Hansel and Gretel: Megan explicitly references the fairy tale with the line "That Hansel and Gretel, let him eat me up." This subverts the original story. Instead of being victims lured to their doom, the women are the powerful, witch-like figures who use their allure (the gingerbread house/sweetest pie) to draw men into their domain, completely flipping the power dynamic. The music video, a concept created by Megan herself, expands on this, showing the duo luring men into their lair to ultimately devour them.
• Food and Dessert Imagery: The lyrics are peppered with food-related puns and imagery. Megan refers to her body as "cake" and uses brand names like "Nutty Buddy" and "Fudge Round" as explicit sexual innuendos, grounding the song's playful yet confident sexuality in familiar, everyday treats.
• Witchcraft and Rising from the Ashes: The music video visually connects this female power to witchcraft, a historical accusation used to persecute powerful women. After being burned at the stake by men in the video, they rise again, stronger. Megan confirmed this symbolism, stating it represents how "when men come for me I eat they ass up every time and even when y’all go on y’all’s witch hunts attacking women... we still rise from the ashes stronger than ever."

The most significant recurring element in the song is the lyrical motif of the "sweetest pie." This phrase is the central hook of the chorus and is repeated extensively throughout the track, reinforcing the song's main theme of empowered female sexuality. The phrase "ride of your life" also recurs in the chorus, connecting the dessert metaphor with an experience of excitement and pleasure where the women are in control, as in driving a car. Another recurring idea is the power dynamic reversal. Phrases like "he a player, but for Megan, he cuttin' the whole team" and "I ain't ever had to chase d*** in my life" appear in the verses, consistently reinforcing the motif of female dominance and desirability. The entire concept of offering a "bite" or a "slice" is a recurring invitation that underscores their control over the situation. The music video visually reinforces this with recurring imagery of sweets, a fantasy forest, and the witch-like lair the artists inhabit.