Songfacts®:

• "Hide & Seek" is an inward-facing song where Stormzy muses on how to re-ignite a dying relationship. He stills loves his romantic partner.
  
  Oh, girl, you're shining
  You know you're my diamond
  
  Stormzy perceives his girl needs some space to heal and realign. He will always be a safe haven for her, whether or not she wants to reengage.
  
  Seeking and hiding
  You know where to find me, babe
• "Hide & Seek" features vocals from the London-based R&B-soul singer-songwriter Ayanna, along with the Nigerian singers Oxlade (of "Ku Lo Sa - A Colors Show" fame), and Teni. Oxlade croons the chorus, Ayanna sings from the perspective of the girlfriend on the bridge, and Teni adds additional vocals.
• Don't wanna fight no more
  Keep me where I belong
  I've tried and I've tried
  But I just can't hide from your love
  
  In August 2019, Stormzy split from his long-term girlfriend, TV personality Maya Jama, after a four-year romance. He's not had a public relationship since. Is Stormzy reflecting on his struggles to move on from her after their breakup?
• Stormzy and Ayanna wrote "Hide & Seek" with Tems. The Nigerian R&B and Afrobeats singer-songwriter rose to prominence in 2021 when she featured on Wizkid's hit single "Essence" and Drake's Certified Lover Boy track "Fountains."
• PRGRSHN, Owen Cutts and P2J produced the soulful song. All three producers have worked with Stormzy before: PRGRSHN on Heavy Is The Head's "Don't Forget to Breathe (Interlude)," Owen Cutts on Heavy Is The Head's "One Second," and P2J on Gang Signs & Prayer's "Bad Boys." P2J also co-produced Wizkid and Tems' "Essence."
• Stormzy released "Hide & Seek" as the lead single from This Is What I Mean. He laid down the album on Osea Island, a tiny island in the estuary of the River Blackwater, Essex, East England. Music producer Nigel Frieda owns the island and has set up a fully equipped recording studio there where Rihanna and Charli XCX have also made music.
• This Is What I Mean is Stormzy's third album. The slow and contemplative "Hide & Seek" differs from the rapper's previous two leadoff tracks. "Big For Your Boots" and "Vossi Bop" were both uptempo, hard-hitting singles.
• The Meji Alabi-directed video finds Stormzy reminiscing on his relationship with his former lover, played by actress Saffron Hocking (Lauren in the Netflix show Top Boy). Is it coincidence that Hocking resembles Maya Jama?
• Stormzy dropped a remix featuring Flo on January 6, 2023. The new version features additional vocals by the R&B duo, including loads of "doo-doo, doos."
  
  "He just asked us if we wanted to do it," Flo's Renée Downer told Billboard. "And we were like, 'Yeah, let's do it.' "But we didn't get in the studio with him. It was a bit different, because we've never been featured on somebody else's track - so we really had to get into a different vibe and think how we can add to that song. It was a nice vibe to experiment with."