Shaggy and Robin Thicke Release ‘Looking Lovely,’ Reimagining Bill Withers Classic

Shaggy and Robin Thicke dropped a new single titled "Looking Lovely" that draws from Bill Withers' 1977 hit "Lovely Day." The two musicians became friends over the past few years, which sparked this project.

Shaggy shared with ABC Audio that he'd been tinkering with this track for quite some time. "It's such an iconic track … I've been, you know, messing with for a while," he said. When he connected with Robin and their friendship grew, Shaggy knew who belonged on this record. "Once Robin and I had connected and there was this friendship between him and I, I said, 'Yo, you'd be perfect for this.' I think his vibe that he's on, he sings about ladies, and me, I'm 'Mr. Lover Lover.'"

He laughed, "I just think the whole thing is sexy, man!"

Robin Thicke wasn't sure at first. Taking on such a famous track felt risky. "As soon as the music kicked in, I was like, 'Oh, I don't wanna touch this,'" he told ABC Audio. Then something clicked. "But then I heard his voice, and I was, like, his voice makes it fresh. It brings into a new audience into a fresh, youthful feeling. And so it just made it sound brand-new to me. And I was like, 'O.K., with his voice, it makes [sense].' If it was just me, I wouldn't do it."

Shaggy spent the last several years collaborating with Sting on various projects. Fans know him best for massive hits like "It Wasn't Me" and "Angel."

The pair performed "Looking Lovely" on TV shows like Live with Kelly & Mark. Could a tour happen? Thicke left the door wide open. "Well, it's just the beginning, and we're both tour junkies," he said. "We both love being out on the road and doing our thing, so we'll see where the rest of the year takes us, but we're open to it."