“Powerful” by Major Lazer featuring Ellie Goulding & Tarrus Riley

"Powerful" was meant to lead off Peace Is the Mission, Major Lazer's third album, until "Lean On" took the job, so it became the second official single instead, with English singer Ellie Goulding and Jamaican reggae man Tarrus Riley on vocals. It's a sharp turn away from the dancehall bounce the project made its name on: an EDM power ballad with soul, pop and R&B in its blood, which critics picked out as one of the album's most radio-friendly moments.

Diplo produced it with the Picard Brothers, who play guitar alongside Skrillex; Skrillex and David Taylor added production, and Taylor mixed it with Manny Marroquin. James Slater directed the video, in which Goulding and Riley sing their parts while using telekinesis to wreck a small diner.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.