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This Is What You Came For – Calvin Harris invited Radio 1 to LA for a first play of his new single with Rihanna

29 Apr 2016

Hear Calvin Harris answer questions from Grimmy and Ellie Goulding - and his new single with Rihanna

We went to LA for New Music Friday to hear a first play of Calvin Harris' new single!

It's New Music Friday, and Grimmy was in LA for an exclusive first play of Calvin Harris's new banger on his Breakfast Show this morning. It's called "This Is What You Came For", features none other than Rihanna - and John Newman, who scored a No 1 with Calvin in 2014 with "Blame", has called it "one of the best songs ever".

But first, there was some time for some table tennis and snacks.

It's been hard keeping "This Is What You Came For" a secret. "You just don't talk to anyone," said Calvin.

He describes the song as being the result of going in a more cinematic direction. "I try to fuse real feeling, emotion and texture - the sort of thing you feel in rock and pop - and making that in dance, because it felt like dance was a little bit 2D. The end effect is you have something that is more emotional, and sounds that conjure memories."

From the listeners' reactions, he's succeeded in doing just that...

Calvin also talked about what it was like to work with the one and only Rihanna - the two stayed up until 8am in the studio finishing the song. He couldn't praise her enough: "She's got that iconic voice, she's an icon within herself."

Rihanna's got that iconic voice, she's an icon within herself

Calvin only played the finished "This Is What You Came For" to Rihanna two weeks ago - in a trailer at Coachella. She was into it: "I'll never forget sitting in the trailer and seeing the vibe hit her," he said.

Calvin's got quite a history with Radio 1 - indeed, he talked to Grimmy about growing up in Dumfries listening to Pete Tong and Judge Jules playing "amazing house music" on Radio 1 in the '90s.

And remember when Greg and Huw Stephens interviewed him backstage at the BRITs in 2013? Calvin was nominated for Best British Male Solo Artist, but insisted Olly Murs should win: "It should be a personality, all-singing, all-dancing." In the event, though, Ed Sheeran took home the gong.

It's not the first time Calvin and Rihanna have paired up, of course. He's known for collaborating with some of the biggest names around, from Kelis to Tinie Tempah to Florence - but he produced one of RiRi's biggest ever hits, "We Found Love", in 2011. Remember how hyped it got Greg James and Edith Bowman during Calvin's T 2012 set?

Let's have it, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Three!

Greg, Edith, and the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Three crew go crazy during Calvin Harris' massive set at T 2012

Calvin Harris at the BRITs

Greg and Huw chat to Calvin Harris backstage at the BRIT Awards.

And, of course, Calvin's gone down a storm over the years at Radio 1 festivals - why not take a trip down memory lane with highlights from the Hackney Weekender in 2012 and the Big Weekenders in 2013 and 2014?

Calvin Harris - Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend

A highlights compilation of Calvin Harris' set at Radio 1's Hackney Weekend.

Calvin Harris - Radio 1's Big Weekend highlights

Highlights of Calvin Harris' set at Radio 1's Big Weekend 2013

Calvin Harris highlights

Highlights of Calvin Harris' set at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Glasgow 2014