I Took a Pill in Ibiza

Album: The Truth (2015)
Charted: 1 4
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Originally an Americana acoustic guitar-based tune, this became a hit on the European continent after it was remixed by the Norwegian duo SeeB. The revamped version was released in the United States on July 24, 2015 as the lead single from Mike Posner's The Truth EP.
  • The song finds Mike Posner reflecting on his career as a musician, and the nature of his fame. He explained in a Genius annotation:

    "People from Detroit think that 'fame' is just one thing, but it's a continuum - I have friends that I have written songs for or whatever that are way more famous than me and they can't go anywhere. If I walk down the street, people don't really recognize me. If someone does it will be one or two people who want a picture, and that is cool, and then I can go on about my day. Which I actually really enjoy. The sort of mystique of fame that we all sort of grow up with a lust for - I no longer possess it, having worked in this industry and having had some of that myself."
  • The song starts off with a lyric when Posner recalls a time when he was on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza with Avicii. The American singer was watching the Swedish DJ spinning some discs at his show when he was offered a pill.

    Posner recalled: "I would go back and forth between the backstage and the VIP area and then where the actual kids were. And most people didn't know who the f--k I was in Ibiza except for this one guy who recognized me. He was like, 'Are you Mike Posner?' and he was all excited. He holds up this little bag of pills and is like, 'You want one?' And drunk Mike Posner was like, 'F--k it, yeah.' So I took one and I had never done that before, and I felt amazing. Then when I came down I felt ten years older."
  • Asked by Billboard magazine how Avicii reacted to being mentioned in the song, Posner replied: "He's one of the first who heard it. He even gave me a quote for the press junket. We talked about him producing the song, but I thought, 'Nah, I got to do this on my own.'"

    Avicii told the magazine: "Mike's a good friend, so I took it as an honor. And I agree - parties can be amazing, but it's very easy to become too attached to partying in place like Ibiza. You become lonely and get anxieties. It becomes toxic."

    A year after the song was released, Avicii stopped touring, as the lifestyle was too much for his mind and body to take.
  • The lyrics describe Posner's downward career trajectory following his breakthrough success with "Cooler Than Me" and "Please Don't Go." He explained to NME: "I made two records on RCA that got shelved and remain on my laptop. In the industry, my career was generally considered over, and people were calling me a one-hit wonder.

    With that song, I was just trying to be honest about coming down from the mountaintop of success; people's ascent to the top is always very well-documented and everybody wants to write about it, but I was interested in what it's like to come back down again. I had to live that, and it was a great experience for me - it made me a much better person.

    I guess it's ironic that a song containing a line like, 'I'm just a singer who already blew his shot' has actually given me another shot. I find that hilarious."
  • The psychedelic video dramatizes the song's storyline to make it funnier and darker. Posner said: "That video is really the baby of (director) Jon Jon Augustavo - I had little to do with it, other than being in the room when he came up with the idea. Even the guy who's wearing the head in the video isn't me. So yeah, it's mostly Jon Jon's thing - and definitely not accurate!"
  • Not everyone is fond of this song. According to Posner, the Ibiza Tourism Board didn't take kindly to the lyrics promoting drug use. The Mediterranean island is trying to shake off its hedonistic reputation, so he understands why they didn't approve of his hit tune.

    "I portrayed their island as this party culture, which is part of it, but I'm sure there's much more and I don't know about it, Posner told TMZ - it's just what happened to me when I was there, I did when I was there."

Comments: 1

  • Siahara Shyne Carter from United StatesHaha Thats cool I would say No if I'm the one who get offered, lol

    If you come in my house I will Recognize you in One look lol Woow! Mike Posner xD Let's make a music together?? hehe
    I love your songs dude especially
    "Bow chika wow wow"
    I never heard Mike Posner after I took a pill in Ibiza What Happened? yeah because I don't follow Artists on thier page because there's 50% It's other people Who is managing thier Pages. I prefer Face to Face too



see more comments

Editor's Picks

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse Pop

He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss): A History Of Abuse PopSong Writing

Songs that seem to glorify violence against women are often misinterpreted - but not always.

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.

Daryl Hall

Daryl HallSongwriter Interviews

Daryl Hall's TV show is a hit, and he's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - only one of these developments excites him.

Angelo Moore of Fishbone

Angelo Moore of FishboneSongwriter Interviews

Fishbone has always enjoyed much more acclaim than popularity - Angelo might know why.