"No" | ||||
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Single by Meghan Trainor | ||||
from the album Thank You | ||||
Released | March 4, 2016 | |||
Recorded | 2015 | |||
Studio | Ricky Reed's Studio (Elysian Park, Los Angeles) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:33 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Ricky Reed | |||
Meghan Trainor singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"No" on YouTube |
"No" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her second major-label studio album, Thank You (2016). Ricky Reed produced the song and wrote it with Trainor and Jacob Kasher Hindlin; Epic Records released it as the album's lead single on March 4, 2016. A dance-pop song inspired by 1990s pop music and R&B, "No" has lyrics about sexual consent and empowerment, encouraging women to reject unwanted advances from men.
Music critics praised "No" as a showcase of Trainor's confident and mature side and deemed it an improvement from her earlier songs. In the United States, the song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It also reached the top 10 in Australia, Canada, Austria, Israel, Latvia, South Africa, and Scotland, attaining multi-platinum certifications in the former two and Poland.
Fatima Robinson directed the music video for "No", which features Trainor performing choreographed dances in a warehouse and entwining her arms with accompanying female dancers. Critics compared it to the visuals of various 1990s female recording artists and praised her creative evolution, particularly the choreography. In further promotion, Trainor performed "No" on television shows such as the iHeartRadio Music Awards, The Ellen DeGeneres Show , and the Billboard Music Awards, and included it on the set list of her 2016 concert tour, The Untouchable Tour.
Meghan Trainor signed with Epic Records in 2014 and released her doo-wop debut single, "All About That Bass", to commercial success. [1] [2] She initially recorded music in a similar vein for her second major-label studio album, Thank You (2016). L.A. Reid, the chairman of the label, encouraged Trainor to go back to the drawing board because she lacked a proper lead single for the project: "You don't have your bullet. You don't have that big song," a behavior that Trainor described as typical of him. [3] Determined not to write "All About That Bass 2.0", [4] she booked studio time with producer Ricky Reed that afternoon. Reed recounted that they "never set out to specifically go after any particular sound", beginning the session with the idea of a dancehall-inspired rhythm. [5] They texted Jacob Kasher Hindlin to cancel his other session and join them. [3]
Reed considered it impossible to complete the lead single that day and said, "Let's just blow off some steam, fuck around, have a good time." [5] Trainor was determined to write "a big eff-you song, an anthem about girl power that sounded like nothing on the album", and asked Hindlin and Reed to "do a beat that no one expects Meghan Trainor to do". [3] [6] "No" was written within seven hours. [7] Reed described the swift evolution of the song as "a thing of mystery", likening it to opening Pandora's box. [5] When Reid heard it, he jumped up and said "That's what I'm talkin' about!", playing it 29 times in succession. [3] Ultimately, "No" changed the direction of Thank You, as the three started experimenting with new musical styles and produced six more tracks. [4]
In December 2015, Trainor stated that she had almost completed her upcoming album, describing the material as "something that's not on the radio" and disparate. [8] In a Fuse interview published in February 2016, Trainor confirmed the lead single's title as "No" along with a March 2016 release date, calling it an anthem for women about telling a man they are fine by themselves: "No no no. I don't need your hands all over me. I'm good. I'm gonna dance on my own with my girls." [9] On March 1 she unveiled the artwork for the song on her social media accounts. [10] [11] Epic Records digitally released it three days later, along with the preorder for the album. [11] [12] In the United States, the label promoted "No" to adult contemporary radio stations on March 7, and to contemporary hit radio stations the next day. [13] [14] BBC Radio 1 selected the song as the "Track of the Day" on March, while Epic Records solicited it to radio airplay in Italy four days later. [15] [16]
"No" is three minutes and 33 seconds long. [17] Reed played keyboards, piano, and produced and programmed the song. Ethan Shumaker engineered it at Reed's studio in Elysian Park, Los Angeles, Chris Gehringer mastered it at Sterling Sound in New York, and Manny Marroquin mixed it at the Carriage House studio in Nolensville, Tennessee. [18]
"No" is inspired by 1990s music and R&B. [19] [20] [21] Billboard 's Joe Lynch described the song as a "dance-y pop anthem". [7] Trainor opens it by singing doo-wop vocals over retro style music reminiscent of her debut major-label studio album, Title (2015), which transitions into crisp guitar instrumentation and a beat that recalls The Neptunes. [7] [22] Trainor intended for the transition to surprise listeners who may be expecting "No" to sound like her usual music: "Yeah, you think this is Meghan Trainor? Here we go, drop the beat." [7] Fuse's Emilee Lindner compared Trainor's flow on the song to Mýa's 2003 single "My Love Is Like ... Wo", noting that the chord progression in the chorus is akin to the work of Max Martin. [23] Spin 's Brennan Carley and Time's Nolan Feeney compared its melody and guitar squeals to early Britney Spears and NSYNC songs. [5] [20] The instrumentation of "No" also makes use of whistles, described by Isabella Biedenharn of Entertainment Weekly as "a catchy sundae of whistles and sassy quips". [24] Knoxville News Sentinel 's Chuck Campbell called the song a "clubby/girl-group rumbler". [25]
"No" has lyrics about sexual consent and women's empowerment. [21] [26] The song discusses men who approach women and are unable to accept it when their advances are rejected. [4] During its chorus, Trainor repeats the word "no" several times to emphasize the eternal nature and decisiveness of the word: "My name is no, my sign is no, my number is no." [23] She proceeds to decline an assertive male counterpart's offer to dance with her and asks him to back off. [24] [27] Trainor affirms that she could court a man if she intended to, but it is not her priority. [21] When asked about her inspiration for "No", she stated that she wanted to be better at being single, and wanted the song to help young women and teenagers realize they do not need a suitor, and that they "can go out with [their] girls and have just as much fun". [28]
Music critics viewed "No" as a departure from Trainor's earlier work, showcasing her confident and mature side. [7] [23] [27] Lindner called the song an improvement from the problematic lyrics on "All About That Bass" and Trainor's 2015 single "Dear Future Husband". [23] Lynch stated that Trainor was more confident on it than her debut single, and proved that she has more to offer than what listeners expect. [7] Carley thought Trainor gave up her "sock-hopping persona" in favor of straightforward free-spokenness on "No". [5] MTV News's Lucy Bacon praised the empowering lyrics and catchy chorus, foreseeing greater success than "All About That Bass" for the song. [26] Chris Conaton of PopMatters wrote that though it strays from the "doo wop and early girl group-inspired songs" that popularized her, it fits her area of expertise. [29] Writing for Spin, Dan Weiss stated that with its TLC-influenced chorus, "No" alleviates the soft-hued trauma from "All About That Bass", calling the end result faultless and magnificent. [30] The Los Angeles Times 's Gerrick D. Kennedy thought that the song was way more suitable for clubs than others by Trainor. [4] Glenn Gamboa of Newsday described it as Trainor's version of "the usual club tale", on which she was inspired by Destiny's Child to create an empowering song so memorable it would be difficult to escape. [31]
Writing for ABC News, Allan Raible stated that though "No" is well-intentioned, it comes across as neoteric and is a diluted version of the Destiny's Child and En Vogue songs that precede it by several years. [32] In a negative review, Slant Magazine 's Alexa Camp likened the song to a suffragette's anthem and said it pretends that dismissing an uninvited admirer is the unsurpassed assertion of a woman's agency. [33] Carvell Wallace of MTV News accused Trainor of appropriating the African-American accent, which she clarified was inspired by her father. [34] [35]
Billboard named "No" the 100th best song of 2016, writing that Trainor decimates the entitled male ego on it. The magazine noted that the song encapsulates the drivel a woman has to put up with before finding a husband. [36] On the other hand, Time named it the eighth-worst song of 2016, noting that it appeared to be a corrective measure for criticism she had received for "espousing anti-feminist messages" in the past, but was insubstantial, unimaginative and repetitive. [37]
Trainor's highest debut, "No" entered at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 issued for March 26, 2016. The song debuted at number 21 on the Radio Songs chart, the highest entry since Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" (2011). [38] On April 9, 2016, it moved from number 12 to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Trainor's fourth top 10 entry. [39] "No" peaked at number three in its fourth week on the chart. [40] The Recording Industry Association of America certified the song 2× Platinum, which denotes two million units based on sales and track-equivalent on-demand streams. [41] On the Canadian Hot 100, it reached number 10 and was certified 3× Platinum by Music Canada. [42] [43]
"No" debuted at number 59 on the UK Singles Chart issued for March 11. [44] Following Trainor's performance of the song on The Graham Norton Show , it rose from number 23 to its peak of number 11 on April 15. [45] The British Phonographic Industry certified it Platinum. [46] In Australia, "No" reached number nine and was certified 4× Platinum in 2023. [47] [48] The song peaked at number 18 in New Zealand and was certified Gold. [49] [50] It charted within the top 20 of national record charts, at number one in Latvia, [51] number two in South Africa, [52] number three in Israel, [53] number seven in Austria, [54] number eight in Scotland, [55] number 12 in the Czech Republic, [56] Germany, [57] Hungary, [58] number 13 in Argentina, [59] number 15 in Spain, [60] and number 20 in Ireland. [61] "No" received a 2× Platinum certification in Poland, [62] Platinum+Gold in Mexico, [63] Platinum in Spain, [64] Sweden, [65] and Gold in Belgium, [66] Denmark, [67] Germany, [68] Italy. [69]
Fatima Robinson directed the music video for "No", which was filmed on March 4, 2016. [20] [70] It premiered on Trainor's YouTube and Vevo accounts on March 21. [71] To represent the new musical direction she took with the song, she wanted its video to be darker and more sexually charged than her previous works. [72] Trainor aimed for it to be converse of her bright and colorful music video for "All About That Bass". [20] She told Billboard during rehearsals that she danced "more than [she had] ever danced in [her] life" in the video. [7] Trainor's stylist, Maya Krispin, picked outfits that Trainor could comfortably dance in, including a light metallic gold coat designed by Isabel Marant, a black sequined blazer by Veronica Beard, and a customized crimson outfit by Michael Costello. Krispin designed the rest of Trainor's ensemble: a black jumpsuit with a bra top and a fishnet bodysuit. [72]
In the music video, Trainor walks in an abandoned warehouse filled with smoke and old machines. [76] [77] Dressed in a metallic silver jacket, she performs a choreographed dance routine with female backup dancers. [73] Black and red shots of a female silhouette are interspersed with the routine, which MTV News's Sasha Geffen deemed reminiscent of 1990s iPod commercials. [75] In another scene, Trainor, in a fishnet bodysuit, entwines her arms with the dancers, and brushes her cleavage; Evan Real of Us Weekly compared it to Spears' music video for "I'm a Slave 4 U" (2001). [71] [74] Trainor proceeds to sway her hair in front of a high-powered fan. [71] It concludes with all previous scenes meshed with shots of women holding open flares. [77]
Critics compared the music video to artists including Spears, [73] Destiny's Child, and Janet Jackson. [75] [78] [79] John Paul Stapleton of The Boston Globe opined that it shows Trainor's seductive side, reminiscent of Jackson in her heyday. [79] Geffen thought the video features substantial 1990s pop overtones redolent of TLC. [75] Lynch compared its atmosphere to 2000s Spears and 1990s Madonna videos, and Trainor's outfits to those the latter wore while promoting her album Erotica (1992). [73] Lorena Blas of USA Today likened the choreography to the work of Missy Elliott, and Destiny's Child's music video for "Jumpin', Jumpin'" (2000). [78]
Some reviewers directed praise towards the video for representing a change from Trainor's earlier work. Lynch thought it marked a shocking transition from the light colors and old-world adorable tone featured in Trainor's early videos, describing it as a sultrier look for her. [73] Real thought the video recalled "killer choreography and coordinat[ed] outfits" popular in the early 2000s, which was new territory for Trainor. [74] Joey Nolfi of Entertainment Weekly noted that unlike her video for "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" (2015), Trainor attempted legitimate pop star dancing in it. [76] Billboard's Katie Atkinson described Trainor's look as stern and seductive, and found the video "very Y2K-leaning". [80] Nick Maslow of People called the dance moves keen and Trainor's hair in it worthy of becoming a popular GIF. [71]
Writing for The Kansas City Star , Jeneé Osterheldt preferred the song to its music video but said Trainor's choice to be sexual in the latter strengthened the song's message: "Too often men think a woman's clothes or demeanor mean that [...] they are entitled to her body." [81] In a less enthusiastic review, Spin's Rachel Brodsky found the visuals endearing but thought Nicki Minaj played the underground seductress better in her music video for "Only" (2014). [82] Dennis Hinzmann of Out was critical of Trainor's dancing, noting the background dancers upstaged Trainor and made her look evasive. [83]
Trainor performed "No" live at the 3rd iHeartRadio Music Awards on April 3, 2016; Lynch ranked it as the seventh best performance of the night, complimenting her vocal delivery but noting she looked uncomfortable executing the dance sequence. [84] On April 8, she reprised the song on The Graham Norton Show. [45] Trainor sang it on The Voice UK 's fifth season finale on April 10, [85] and The Ellen DeGeneres Show ten days later; she accompanied both performances with one-armed choreography. [85] [86] On May 22, 2016, she performed "No" at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, [87] in a multihued and spangly dress while strolling through the crowd; Rolling Stone was critical of the performance, deeming it one of the night's worst, it stated that Trainor failed to "sell her hit onstage" and was upstaged by the celebrities in the audience and their glowing wristbands. [88] Trainor reprised the song for Today's Citi Concert series on June 21, 2016. [89] She included it as the last song on her setlist for The Untouchable Tour (2016), during the encore. [90] [91]
A cappella group Pentatonix released a cover version of "No" via their YouTube channel in April, which Trainor praised on Twitter. [92] On April 7, Allison Iraheta and other contestants covered the song during the season 15 finale of American Idol . [93] It is featured in an episode of the second season of American television series Superstore . [94]
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Thank You. [18]
The song was recorded and engineered at Ricky Reed's Studio in Elysian Park, Los Angeles. Audio mixing was done at The Carriage House in Nolensville, Tennessee, and mastering at Sterling Sound in New York City.
Weekly charts | Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA) [48] | 4× Platinum | 280,000‡ |
Belgium (BEA) [66] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [131] | Diamond | 250,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [43] | 3× Platinum | 240,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [67] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [132] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [68] | Gold | 200,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [69] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
Mexico (AMPROFON) [63] | Platinum+Gold | 90,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [50] | Gold | 7,500* |
Poland (ZPAV) [62] | 2× Platinum | 40,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [64] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
Sweden (GLF) [133] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [46] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [41] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | March 4, 2016 | Digital download | Epic | [134] |
United States | [12] | |||
March 7, 2016 | Adult contemporary | [13] | ||
March 8, 2016 | Contemporary hit radio | [14] | ||
Italy | March 11, 2016 | Radio airplay | [16] |
Meghan Elizabeth Trainor is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She rose to prominence after signing with Epic Records in 2014 and releasing her debut single "All About That Bass", which reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold 11 million copies worldwide. Trainor has released six studio albums with the label and has received various accolades, including the 2016 Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
"All About That Bass" is the debut single of American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, released on June 30, 2014, through Epic Records. The song was included on Trainor's debut extended play (EP), Title (2014), and her debut studio album of the same name (2015). Written by Trainor and producer Kevin Kadish, "All About That Bass" is a bubblegum pop, doo-wop and hip hop track. Trainor, who as a teenager struggled with her negative body image, was inspired to write the song to promote self-acceptance.
American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor has released six studio albums, two extended plays (EP), two live albums, 39 singles, 34 music videos, three independent albums, and 26 promotional singles. She self-released the albums Meghan Trainor (2009), I'll Sing with You (2011), and Only 17 (2011); they were pulled from circulation after she signed with Epic Records in February 2014. Trainor's debut single, "All About That Bass", was released on June 30, 2014, and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks. The single became the longest-reigning number-one by an Epic recording artist in the United States, surpassing the seven-week record held by Michael Jackson's songs "Billie Jean" (1983) and "Black or White" (1991). It topped the national charts of 58 countries and became one of the best-selling singles of all-time. As of 2015, it had sold over 11 million units internationally. "All About That Bass" was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and preceded Trainor's debut EP, Title (2014), which peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200 in September 2014.
Title is the debut major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was released on January 9, 2015, by Epic Records. Initially a songwriter for other artists in 2013, Trainor signed with the label the following year and began recording material she co-wrote with Kevin Kadish. They were dissatisfied with the electronic dance music predominant in contemporary hit radio and drew influence from retro-styled 1950s and 1960s music.
"Lips Are Movin" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, taken from her debut major-label studio album, Title (2015). It was written by Trainor and the album's producer, Kevin Kadish. Epic Records premiered the song on MTV News on October 15, 2014, and released it to the United States contemporary hit radio stations on October 21, as the second single from Title. A retro-tinged doo-wop and pop song with girl-group harmonies and bubblegum pop hooks, "Lips Are Movin" was inspired by Trainor's conflict with her record label. However, critical commentary has described it as a song about Trainor leaving her significant other after discovering he is cheating on her.
"Dear Future Husband" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was included on Title, her 2014 extended play, and later on her 2015 studio album of the same name. Trainor wrote the song with its producer, Kevin Kadish. Epic Records released "Dear Future Husband" as the album's third single on March 17, 2015. A doo-wop and pop song, it has lyrics about chivalry and dating. In the song, Trainor lists things a potential romantic suitor needs to do to win her affection.
"Like I'm Gonna Lose You" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her debut major-label studio album Title (2015), featuring guest vocals from John Legend. Trainor wrote the song with Justin Weaver and Caitlyn Smith, and produced it with Chris Gelbuda. Epic Records released it as the album's fourth single on June 23, 2015. A soul love ballad, "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" is about savoring moments spent with loved ones and not taking them for granted.
"Marvin Gaye" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth featuring fellow American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, from his third EP, Some Type of Love (2015). It later served as the lead single for his debut studio album, Nine Track Mind (2016). Puth co-wrote it, with Julie Frost, Jacob Luttrell and Nick Seeley, and produced it. Artist Partner Group released it as a single on February 10, 2015. The doo-wop and soul song is named after singer Marvin Gaye, whose name is used as a verb in the lyrics.
"Better When I'm Dancin'" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor for the soundtrack to the film The Peanuts Movie, based on the popular comic strip of the same name created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. Trainor co-wrote it with Thaddeus Dixon and co-produced it with her brother, Justin. Epic Records released it on October 14, 2015, as the first and only promotional single from the soundtrack. Backed by an instrumentation of salsa-inspired drums, the tropical song has house influences and optimistic lyrics that were inspired by Trainor's fans.
"Boys Like You" is a song by American singer Who Is Fancy, featuring singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor and singer Ariana Grande. Fancy co-wrote it with J.R. Rotem, Jason Gantt, and Bob DiPiero, while the former of the three handled production. Republic Records released the song for digital download and streaming as a single on November 23, 2015. The doo-wop and pop song has a beachy vibe and lyrics about Who Is Fancy, Trainor and Grande attempting to court the men they desire.
Thank You is the second major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Epic Records released it on May 13, 2016, after a week of exclusive streaming on Apple Music. Trainor wrote most of its material with songwriter Jacob Kasher Hindlin and the album's producer Ricky Reed. Influenced by various genres including dance, hip hop, funk, and Caribbean music, Trainor conceived the album to showcase her versatility. It features guest appearances by Yo Gotti, LunchMoney Lewis, Trainor's mother, and R. City.
"Better" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor featuring American rapper Yo Gotti released as the third and final single from Trainor's second major-label studio album Thank You (2016). Trainor, Gotti, Taylor Parks, Travis Sayles, Eric Frederic, Tommy Brown and Steven Franks wrote the song, and the latter three produced it. Initially released as a promotional single, the track was released on August 29, 2016, as the third single from the album. It was well received by critics who considered it a different direction for Trainor.
"Me Too" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her second major-label studio album, Thank You (2016). Trainor wrote the song with Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Jason Derulo, Peter Svensson, and its producer, Ricky Reed. Epic Records released it as the album's second single on May 5, 2016. An electro and R&B song with a minimalistic musical bed of a synth bassline, finger snaps, and popping mouth sounds, "Me Too"'s lyrics concern self-love, as Trainor asserts confidence in her looks.
"No Excuses" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, released on March 1, 2018, as the lead single from her third major-label studio album, Treat Myself (2020). Trainor co-wrote it with Jacob Kasher Hindlin and Andrew Wells, who produced it as well. The track was announced in February 2018 along with its official single artwork. The pop song, with country and R&B influences, has lyrics against sexism. The song received acclaim from music critics, some of whom noted that it was a return to the sound of Trainor's album Title (2015).
"Let You Be Right" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was written by Trainor, Andrew Wells and Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and produced by Wells. "Let You Be Right" was announced on May 8, 2018, along with its official single artwork the day after. Epic Records released it on May 10, 2018, along with "Can't Dance". Both songs were intended to be part of Trainor's third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020), but did not make it to the final cut. Lyrically, the midtempo throwback disco and pop song sees Trainor trying to reach a compromise with a feuding lover.
"Can't Dance" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was written by Trainor, Andrew Wells and Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and produced by Wells. "Can't Dance" was announced on May 8, 2018, along with its official single artwork the day after. Epic Records released it on May 11, 2018, a day after "Let You Be Right". Both songs were intended to be part of Trainor's third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020), but did not make the final cut. Lyrically, the pop and dance song sees Trainor asking a shy male to join her on the dance floor.
"Nice to Meet Ya" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her third major-label studio album, Treat Myself (2020), featuring the Trinidadian-born rapper Nicki Minaj. Trainor and Minaj wrote it with the songwriter Scott Harris and Raul Cubina and Mark Williams from its production duo, Ojivolta. Epic Records released it as the album's third single on January 31, 2020. Backed by an instrumentation of tingling drums and a hip hop beat, the pop and R&B song has feel-good and characteristically confident lyrics.
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"Mother" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from the deluxe edition of her fifth major-label studio album, Takin' It Back (2022). She co-wrote the song with Sean Douglas and its producers, Gian Stone and her brother Justin. Epic Records released it to US hot adult contemporary radio stations as the deluxe edition's lead single on March 27, 2023. A pop song with doo-wop influences, it interpolates the Chordettes' single "Mr. Sandman". Inspired by men who said Trainor's pregnancy would end her career, the song is about women's empowerment; in its lyrics, she asks the male subject to stop mansplaining and to listen to her.
"Been Like This" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor and singer and rapper T-Pain from the former's sixth major-label studio album, Timeless (2024). They co-wrote the song with Kurt Thum, Trainor's brother Ryan, and its producers, Gian Stone and Grant Boutin. Epic Records released it as the album's lead single on March 14, 2024. A doo-wop song with contemporary influences, it incorporates a jazz intro and trumpet melody and has lyrics about confidence.