It’s one of the biggest songs of the summer, and Diplo says it wasn’t what he intended.

The chart-topping Major Lazer track “Lean On,” was actually first offered to both Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. The producer and creator of the EDM group explained in an interview with TIME magazine that track “nearly wasn’t a hit at all.” Diplo says that the song was originally written with Mo as a slow reggae cut.

Considering the simplicity going into the project, it’s not surprising to hear MØ’s vocals on the hook. “MØ sounds better than anybody was going to sound on that record,” he continued. “All we want to do is make the records feel like classics, even though they’re feeling progressive and strange to a normal ear.”

Now in hindsight Diplo considers the rejection as a “blessing in disguise.” No argument there.