Kristinia DeBarge, Goodbye | 1 Hit WONDERful

In the second edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2026), we highlight “Goodbye,” the top 15 one-hit wonder by Kristinia DeBarge.

It only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy 💯! On 1 Hit WONDERful, we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician.  It is possible that the artists appearing on this list earned a minor hit or two, BUT for the most part, that ONE hit earned them recognition. So, in the second edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2026), we dive into “Goodbye”, the one-hit wonder by Kristinia DeBarge.

It’s safe to say that Kristinia DeBarge reps that “single girl swag” hard.  If the last name sounds familiar, it’s because Kristinia is a member of the renowned musical family (James DeBarge is her father). “Goodbye” is the fourth track from her 2009 debut, Exposed.  It samples the hook and riff from the beloved 1969 Steam classic, “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”. Unlike her family, “Goodbye” was DeBarge’s sole pop hit, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2011, which is worth celebrating.  Also worth celebrating is the fact that “Goodbye” is a surefire earworm, no cap! Damon Thomas, Adonis, Paul Leka, Dale Frashuer, Antonio Dixon, Gary DeCarlo, and Eric Dawkins penned it.

What makes “Goodbye” a bop? It begins with alluring, bright, synth-driven production.  Babyface (b. 1959) and The Pentagon. The stomping beat brings a mad attitude that gasses up Kristinia. DeBarge’s vocals keep the same energy as the accompaniment.  She brings it with assertive, confident lead vocals. She easily brings the tuneful melodies to life the verses, and especially the chorus and post-chorus.  Beyond handling the melody like a champ, she serves up some sweet ad-libs. She also gets terrific support from the background vocals. In the verses, thematically, the focus is moving on from this lame boy! In the second verse, she asserts, “Thinking of changing up how I ride / No more on the passenger’s side / Too bad you missed out on the way that I drive it.” Ooh-wee! In the pre-chorus, Kristinia has determined, “Baby, I’m gone,” leading into the totally over it chorus excerpted earlier.  The Steam classic is loud and clear, and fully appropriate in the post-chorus:

“Na-na-na-na (Hey)

Na-na-na-na (Hey)

Hey, hey, hey, goodbye (Goodbye).”

While Kristinia DeBarge didn’t strike gold beyond “Goodbye”, it’s an undeniable pop/R&B banger. The attitude-laden vocals, the electronic sound palette, and the infectious chorus, even if interpolated, carry lots of weight.  A bop to the nth degree approaching two decades later!

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Kristinia DeBarge » Exposed » The Island Def Jam Music Group » 2009

Kristinia DeBarge, Goodbye: 1 Hit WONDERful No. 2 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; The Island Def Jam Music Group; Alexa Popovich, cottonbro studio, ds rexy, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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