LISA has claimed the highest first-day music-video viewing total of 2026 with SaWaDiKa, which recorded 70.8 million views in its first 24 hours. The Thai star released the track as the lead single from her forthcoming PRESS PLAY mini-album. LISA, whose full name is Lalisa Manobal, thanked the production team and fans after the release. Record first-day figures The reported 70.8 million views surpassed the 33.3 million first-day views achieved this year by BTS's Swim. SaWaDiKa is also said to be the second most-viewed solo artist music-video debut in its first 24 hours in global music history. It trails only LISA's own 2021 single LALISA, which reached 73.6 million views over the same period. The video reached between 30 million and 35 million views within its first 10 to 12 hours, before passing 50 million after 15 hours. That made it the fastest music video to reach 50 million views in a single day for several years, since Shakira and Bizarrap's Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53 in 2023. In an Instagram post, LISA wrote: "It has been one day since SaWaDiKa was released for people around the world to hear. From Thailand to Korea and LA, bringing this project to life required everyone's collaboration." She added: "Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone involved. And thank you to all the Lilies for supporting and loving SaWaDiKa. I really could not have done this without you." A Thai greeting with a stylised spelling The title is intended to be read as sawasdee ka, the polite Thai greeting commonly used by women, rather than pronounced as English words. However, neither LISA nor her label, LLOUD, has explained the spelling SaWaDiKa or its alternating capital letters. Thai elements feature throughout the song and its wider project, including Bangkok scenes, Muay Thai, tuk-tuks, the baht and the phrase keng mak, meaning "very good". EP, documentary and Las Vegas dates PRESS PLAY is due for release on 23 October and follows LISA's February 2025 debut record, Alter Ego. Rolling Stone has reported that the six-track EP explores her Thai roots more deeply and takes a more personal approach to her solo work. LISA promoted the release through the Hello Sawadika global campaign, including a website displaying "Hello" in 11 languages and billboards around Bangkok. Her documentary Always Lalisa premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival from 10 to 20 September. She will then begin her first concert residency, VIVA LA LISA, at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on 13, 14, 27 and 28 November. Join the discussion? 6 September 2026
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