Candy Crush Saga is giving a disco classic a fresh spin.
According to Rolling Stone, the mobile puzzle giant is kicking off its annual Music Season by bringing new life to Diana Ross’ 1980 hit “Upside Down”—with help from Grammy-winning artist and producer Thundercat.
The song, long cemented as one of Ross’ most iconic releases, now arrives in a reimagined form meant to be played, swiped, and listened to inside the candy-colored universe of the game.
“Upside Down” originally appeared as the lead single from Ross’ album Diana, written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic. Upon its release, it soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four straight weeks and also topped the Disco and Soul charts.
The track also achieved global success, reaching No. 1 in countries such as Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, and Australia. It marked Ross’ biggest solo hit in the U.K. since 1971, earned her a silver disc from the British Phonographic Industry, and secured her ninth career Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
Thundercat (real name Stephen Lee Bruner) steps in to reinterpret the track for Candy Crush Saga’s 2025 Music Season.
Known for his distinct blend of jazz, funk, and experimental sounds, Thundercat’s version keeps the upbeat essence of Ross’ original while layering in his own musical signature, particularly his standout bass lines.
In a statement about the collaboration released to Rolling Stone, he said, “Music has always been about freedom and play for me. Working with Candy Crush to rework ‘Upside Down’ let me push that idea even further, turning sound into something people can interact with.”
The rework debuts alongside the launch of the new Music Season, which runs from Nov. 3 to Dec. 7.
Per an official release from Xbox, each year, Candy Crush Saga transforms for a limited time with themed visuals, challenges, and unlockable rewards.
This season centers on a new storyline: Jelly Queen, Yeti, and Mr. Toffee overslept, leaving the stage unprepared for a major concert. Players must progress through the Saga map to awaken the band, gather instruments, and prepare everything for the concert.
One of the key features this year is a music-making mechanic. As players complete event levels, they unlock layers of sound—beat, harmony, and melody. At certain milestones, they select one of three variations of each layer.
Completing all three elements produces a custom cassette-style track. With 27 possible final combinations, players can replay the event to create and collect every version. These homemade soundtracks can unlock special rewards, including a headphone-themed profile frame and limited-edition avatar cosmetics.
A new seasonal blocker, called Music Medley, also appears throughout the event. It functions similarly to the Color Cluster blocker but has been reskinned with music-themed visuals and is introduced through a brief in-level tutorial.
The Candy Crush team is also releasing a first-of-its-kind interactive music video tied to Thundercat’s version of “Upside Down.” The video can be experienced as a standard animated visual or as a playable version where users progress through the clip by swiping matches of three. As matches are made, bursts of color and timed visual effects appear in sync with the music.
To round out the rollout, Candy Crush Saga is offering a limited-edition bone-conduction lollipop in the U.S., which allows fans to “feel” the song’s vibrations through the jaw while eating. Supplies are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Music Season is now live in Candy Crush Saga on iOS, Android, and browser platforms.