Versace on the Floor

The harmony is the song's foundation, not its showpiece. A four-chord major-key loop in Db keeps the progression uncluttered, placing all expressive responsibility on Mars's vocal performance and the lush orchestral-R&B arrangement. That restraint is deliberate — the 1990s slow jams the song consciously recalls (Boyz II Men, early Michael Jackson) succeeded through emotional directness rather than harmonic complexity, and 'Versace on the Floor' follows the same logic.

Mars began developing the song during the 24K Magic sessions, after the commercial peak of 'Uptown Funk' (2014) with Mark Ronson. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he walked through six conceptually distinct versions: the original demo carried what he called a 'poolside' feel — lyrics about flying 'through a storm on a unicorn' and making love on a mountain — but that lightness conflicted with the sweeping ballad he wanted the album to include. Version after version, the team rebuilt the melody and lyrics from scratch. The final recording, which Mars called the 12th version, landed on the Boyz II Men-style anthem that appears on the album.

Released as the third official single from 24K Magic in June 2017, 'Versace on the Floor' is Bruno Mars at his most patient — a deliberately paced slow jam that reaches back to the 1990s R&B tradition while keeping the production sleek and contemporary. Mars and Shampoo Press & Curl went through twelve versions before landing on a climactic hook that satisfied him. The music video, starring Zendaya, arrived in August 2017 and gave the song a second wave of attention.