Songfacts®:

• There are love songs, and then there are love songs with breakfast orders. "Little Things," the lead single from Ella Mai's fifth EP, 3, is one of the latter. Released on November 3, 2024 - her 30th birthday - the track sees Mai celebrating the details of her romance with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, from love notes tucked into luggage to precisely how he prefers his eggs in the morning. (For the record, scrambled, with pancakes, bacon, and orange juice on the side).
• "Little Things" references Jayson Tatum's life on the road and the kind of doting attention one might lavish upon a partner who is frequently sprinting up and down a basketball court for a living. While Mai and Tatum have kept their romance relatively private, this musical tribute is a more public acknowledgment of their connection.
• The three tracks on the EP offer fans a glimpse into Mai's union with Tatum, which has been ongoing since around 2020. The 3 title is a not-so-subtle nod to Tatum's jersey number; both he and Mai have even cemented their commitment with matching tattoos of the number three behind their ears.
• Musically, "Little Things" reunites Mai with her longtime collaborators Mustard (who produced the track alongside Gylttryp) and songwriter Charles Hinshaw, also known as Prince Charlez.
  
  If you've ever tapped your foot to Usher's "More," nodded along to Beyoncé's "Ring Off," or been momentarily convinced you could sing thanks to Mary J. Blige's "Love Yourself," then you've already encountered Hinshaw's handiwork. Mai has worked with him before, most notably on "DFMU," the lead single from her 2022 album Heart on My Sleeve.
  
  And then there's Mustard. The producer - born Dijon McFarlane - has been instrumental in Mai's career since signing her to his label, 10 Summers Records, in 2015. He was the mastermind behind her breakthrough hit "Boo'd Up," executive-produced her debut album, and has continued to collaborate with her ever since. Given their longstanding musical partnership, we assume he knows exactly how she likes her eggs in the morning.