| "I Need You" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byN-Dubz | ||||
| from the albumAgainst All Odds | ||||
| B-side | "I Need You" (Red Top Mix) | |||
| Released | 9 November 2009 | |||
| Length | 3:20 | |||
| Label | All Around the World | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers |
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| N-Dubz singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "I Need You" onYouTube | ||||
"I Need You" is a song performed, written and produced by Englishhip hoptrioN-Dubz. The song was written by all the group members:Dappy,Fazer andTulisa. Dappy and Fazer have been noted as the track's producers. Released throughAll Around The World on 9 November 2009, "I Need You" acted as the group's eighth official single as well as the lead single from theirPlatinum-certified second album,Against All Odds.
The song was written by all the members of the group, and produced by membersDappy andFazer. "I Need You" is ahip-house[citation needed] song that usesclubsynthesisers andsirens that were described byDigital Spy as "Hawkish."[1] Among the influences in the song include:R&B,pop,house andBritish hip hop. The track is composed in the key of A-minor with a tempo of 130 beats per minute.[2] The track has a vocal structure of intro - verse - chorus - verse - chorus - bridge - chorus - outro. The intro and outro use lines from the chorus where Dappy sings and ad-libs, the outro however combines ad-libs of both Dappy andTulisa. The first verse andchorus is sung andrapped in call-response by Dappy. The second verse is sung in call-response by Tulisa, who then joins in on call-response with Dappy in the second and final choruses. Fazer raps the song's bridge. Ad-libs are sung throughout the song by Dappy with Tulisa contributing to the ad-libs in the final chorus.
In an interview, Dappy described the song as being "up-tempo, fast, party music" as well as being "Up-to-date and aboutFacebook and stuff."[3] The song lyrics follow a theme of infatuation and disappointment with each member describing their own personal experience of how they met someone they thought was 'The one' and how the person left before they were able to get the phone number. References by Dappy include how he searched on Facebook for the woman he never got a phone number from. Tulisa's story includes how she wore a "LBD" and "Bang bang shoes" when leaving her date for a moment to go to the ladies bathroom at a club and on return discovering he left her without his phone number. Despite the lyric in the song referring to searching for someone you are in love with on Facebook, in an interview withHollyoaks, Dappy said that that is not something he does:
If I want to get in touch with someone, I'll just ring them, man. A lot of girls might be trying to find me on Facebook, but they won't. They'll find a fake one.[4]
The single made A-list rotation onBBC Radio 1 on 21 October - making it the trio's second single to be A-listed on the station after "Strong Again" which was A-listed in early 2009. The song garnered commercial success for the group in both theUnited Kingdom andIreland, where it reached peaks of #5 and #22. The song became the group's most successful single and first top ten hit as solo artists. A modern, club-scene inspiredmusic video directed by Rage, to "I Need You" was released on 21 September 2009. N-Dubz promoted the single by performing it on varioustelevision andradio shows. Of which included:GMTV,Live Lounge andT4's Stars of 2009.
David Balls ofDigital Spy gave the song a positive review: "Unafraid to drop a line like "My name's Shaniqua and what?", it was only a matter of time beforeN-Dubz turned their large underground following into mainstream success. Now, having shifted over 500,000 copies of debut discUncle B and reached No.1 alongsideTinchy Stryder, theCamden trio are aiming to become leaders of the Brrap pack with second albumAgainst All Odds. Reflecting their move uppop's pecking order, this trailer single is their biggest, most bombastic moment yet. It's gothawkishsirens and loads of clubbysynths - evidently inspired byFraser T Smith's production on the Tinchy album - but N-Dubz haven't lost their usual quirky charm, dropping in oh-so-relevant references toFacebook and LBDs (that's "little black dress", fellas). With an appeal that extends far beyond the back of the bus, 'I Need You' is – to borrow a word from the inimitableDappy - probably best described as a "smasher"."[1] Alt-Uk.net reviewed the track: "I Need You is an absolute fun-packed single from N-Dubz, and whilst listening to this one it really is difficult not to start singing along. N-Dubz once again demonstrates here a great knack for penning a perfect pop song, and this group certainly seems to know what it's doing when it comes to making the music as infectious as possible."[5] Fraser McAlpine of theBBC Chart Blog also positively reviewed the song, mentioning: "It's this kind of bonkers happenstance which I love. I basically do internal bogglejumps whenever they do something like that. Pop songs are so safe, and N-Dubz seem to wander over the lines of acceptable behaviour almost as if they don't realise they are there."[6] The Chemistry Is Dead described the single as being "much more mainstream" as well as something that would "appeal to their old fans and new fans alike."[7] Inside Gossip labelled "I Need You" as a "club banger that has set the standards and told the world that they are here and that they are not one hit wonders."[8]
"I Need You" debuted and peaked at #22 on theIrish Singles Chart issued for 12 November 2009. It dropped five places to #27 the following week and on 26 November 2009 it dropped eight places to #35. The single dropped four places to #39 in its final week of charting on 3 December 2009. It spent a total of four weeks in the chart and is the group's most successful single on this chart as solo artists.[9]
On 15 November 2009, "I Need You" debuted and peaked at #5 on theUK Singles Chart with sales of 49,615,[10] it is the highest entry forN-Dubz on theUK Singles Chart. The single was released in theUK in a week which saw various other big-name artists competing for a position in the top ten, includingLeona Lewis who debuted at #2 with her single "Happy".N-Dubz managed to outsellBritney Spears who debuted at #7 with her single "3" as well asSugababes who debuted at #8 with their single "About a Girl." The following week, on 22 November, "I Need You" dropped four places to #9, selling 31,349 copies for that week,[11] and in its third week on the chart, the single dropped four places to #13. On 6 December 2009 the song dropped fourteen spots to #27 before falling a further seven spots the week after to #34. For the chart issued for the week ending 26 December, the single fell ten places to #44 on its sixth week of charting. After theChristmas period of 2009 and upon the new year into 2010, the single started rebounding on the chart - climbing a place to #43 in week seven and then climbing a further seven places to re-enter the top forty at #36 in week eight. Its ninth week on the chart saw it drop out of the top forty for the second time to #47. "I Need You" has spent a total of nine weeks within the chart and has sold an estimate of over 145,000 copies.[12] "I Need You" is N-Dubz's highest charting single as a solo artist outpeaking previous record holder, "Papa Can You Hear Me?"'s peak of #19.
In an interview withRWD Mag,Tulisa explained how she felt about the single reaching #5 on the charts:
Yeah, it was wicked but we might have gone to No.1 if it wasn't for [...]X Factor. You work so long and then someone comes up after five minutes and you feel like 'You don't deserve it like we do.' That sounds bad but that's how I feel...[13]
Themusic video for "I Need You" was filmed on 13 September 2009. It was produced byLuti Fagbenle who has produced music videos for the likes ofCraig David andMr Hudson. The video was directed byAmerican directorDale "Rage" Resteghini and edited by John Holloway.[14] The official music video premiered on4music on 20 September 2009.Rage also directed the group's music video for previous single "Wouldn't You". The music video begins with the "N-Dubz" logo appearing onscreen. The group is then shown arriving at the (Battersea)London Heliport in an atmosphere of stormy weather.Dappy arrives in a personalizedhelicopter also with the N-Dubz logo on,Fazer arrives on a 2004 Yamaha R1 with race fairings, andTulisa arrives in a whiteLamborghini Gallardo SE. The three members then come together as a group and start performing the song at the Heliport in front of the modes of the transport they came in. This scene is continuously in a call-and-response with the scene in the nightclub. In this Dappy wears a blackhoodie underneath a whiteAdidas pullover and black sunglasses. Tulisa sports a new hairstyle from previous music videos, with straight hair and a fringe which is tied up in this scene. She is wearing tight black pants and a blue sweater over a white shirt. Fazer is seen wearing a black leather jacket lined in white on the bottom ends, black sunglasses and a black beanie. The group are then arrive together at the Vendome nightclub inMayfair London and cuts back to the roof throughout the video. In this scene Dappy is seen wearing his characteristic headpiece, coloured in red for the video to contrast with its black-red colour theme, he wears a red hoodie that is striped with black lines. Tulisa is seen wearing a 'LBD' and 'bang bang shoes,' with her hair untied and made-up with red lipstick. Fazer has a red hoodie on with a matching red cap. Each member is seen singing to a partner in the club, where when they leave to go somewhere and come back their partner disappears. Dappy's scene takes place on a red sofa, Tulisa's in a secluded white room and Fazer's on the dancefloor. After the group members' partners left them, they can all be seen sitting on a sofa in the dancefloor area of the nightclub singing. In one scene Dappy can be seen accessingFacebook to find his missing partner - contrasting with the song's lyric 'I've been searching all over Facebook but I can't seem to find you'. Tulisa in another scene can be seen taking a picture of herself and her partner with a mobile phone. Prominent flashing lights and neons are visible throughout the video, of which take on a red colour in the nightclub and a white colour on the rooftop and at the Heliport. The music video ends with the members walking away from the camera which then cuts to a view of city lights.
Digital Spy said of the video: "They have really upped their game and splashed the cash. One scene sees Dappy flying a personalised helicopter. He had to fly it himself with an instructor by his side and he was very nervous".[15] In an interview with Digital Spy, Dappy described the music video as being "Big and phat" and despite the director, Rage, being American, "It still feels veryBritish".[16]
"I Need You" was performed by the group on 24 October onTMi.[17] 4 November 2009 saw the trio do a mini interview and performance of the single onGMTV.[18]The threesome also performed the track at a Shaw and Crampton school where they took part in an anti-bullying campaign.[19] On 12 November,N-Dubz performed "I Need You" onBBC Radio 1 show,Live Lounge[20] which also saw the group cover "The Man Who Can't Be Moved", the signature song and hit single byIrish bandThe Script.[21] On 29 November, "I Need You" was performed onT4's Stars of 2009 atEarl's Court inLondon, also at the event wereKasabian,La Roux,Calvin Harris andTinchy Stryder.[22]On 5 December, N-Dubz performed the track in a set-list which included the group's other singles: "Number 1," "Papa Can You Hear Me?," "Playing With Fire" and "Strong Again" as part ofClubland 3 promotion at theHammersmith Apollo alongside the likes ofCascada,Agnes andMini Viva. On 5 December, N-Dubz performed the single alongside the likes ofLady Gaga,JLS andThe Saturdays atCapital FM'sJingle Bell Ball.[23]
Airplaywise, "I Need You" was strongly promoted and a great success. On 30 September 2009, it was playlisted ontoBBC Radio 1 C-list.[24] On 7 October it moved up to B-list rotation after just one week of airplay.[25] The single remained on B-list rotation for another week on 14 October.[26] "I Need You" was then moved up to A-list rotation on 21 October,[27] giving N-Dubz their second A-list single after "Strong Again" was A-listed on the station in early 2009. The song spent a total of five weeks on the A-list, its last week on the playlist being the one of 18 November.[28]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[36] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
