Singer Paul Russell Quits Job, Wrote “Say Cheese” to Celebrate

Today, rising rapper singer-songwriter Paul Russell is sharing new track “Say Cheese” out now via Arista Records. The official video will make its broadcast premiere on Wednesday, January 31st across MTV Live, mtvU, MTV’s Biggest Pop and the Paramount Times Square billboards.

Russell’s signature feel good drive is written all over this one. On the inspiration behind it, he shares,“I wrote ‘Say Cheese’ on my birthday, a couple weeks after I quit my job and started traveling the world as a full-time artist. The song is meant to feel like a celebration – of life and of the fact that anything can happen. Take more photos so you can treasure those moments forever. So, ‘Say Cheese!’”

“Say Cheese” follows Russell’s highly acclaimed track “Lil Boo Thang” which Billboard raved, “it is impossible to sit still when this infectious ditty comes on” and selected it on their 100 Best Songs of 2023: Staff Picks list. The song has been streamed over 250 million times globally, currently sits in the Top Twenty on Billboard’s Hot 100 and has been performed live across the world including appearances on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Today Show, Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve, France’s NRJ Music Awards and more. On the radio end, the song landed at an impressive No. 5 at Top 40 Radio and was the No. 3 most played song across all radio formats in 2023. In the words of PopDust, “the Ivy League grad now has a hit on the Billboard charts and a career that’s taking off.”