About Laxed (Siren Beat)

Jason Derulo has come under fire for sampling a piece of music by rising New Zealand musician Joshua Stylah (aka Jawsh 685), whose “Laxed (Siren Beat)” has become TikTok’s most explosive viral track — to the tune of over 750,000 TikToks a day and more than 43 million total views as of this writing — without giving proper credit or gaining official clearance. The melody’s popularity comes partly from some famous co-signs, like influencers Addison Rae and Tony Lopez, and Hollywood stars like Jessica Alba, but also millions of regular TikTokers who connected with the song’s understated island vibe. Stylah, a 17-year-old high school student from Auckland, salutes his Samoan and Cook Island heritage with the song by referencing “685” midway through (the calling code for Samoa) which has sparked users to post “Culture Dance” videos in which they celebrate their heritage by dancing to the song and wearing costumes reflecting their roots.

The instrumental is what’s called a “siren jam” and Stylah’s unique sound comes from a New Zealand/Pasifika trend of creating beats to play through siren speakers, usually attached to cars or bikes. The island sound commonly draws from dembow and reggae music, and Stylah shared many other “siren jam” tracks prior to his TikTok smash blowing up. Reminiscent of Jamaica’s dancehall scene and Latin America’s embrace of reggaeton, it’s a musical point of pride.