"Without You" is a song by American recording artist

Monica Monica may refer to: People *Monica (actress) (born 1987), Indian film actress *Monica (given name), a given name (including a list of people and characters with the name) *Monica (singer) (born 1980), American R&B singer, songwriter, producer, ...

. It was written by India Boodram, Kesia Hollins, Jamal Jones, Jazmyn Michel, and Mansur Zafr, with production helmed by her cousin Polow da Don, along with Zafr, for her seventh studio album, '' New Life'', released in 2012. A dedication to her husband,

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

basketball player Shannon Brown, "Without You" is a ballad which features a thunderous beat and light synth riffs. The fourth single from ''New Life'', it was serviced to rhythmic US radio on May 8, 2012 and reached number 91 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Background and composition

"Without You" was written by Jamal "Polow da Don" Jones, Mansur Zafr, India Boodram, Jazmyn Michel, and Kesia Hollins, with production by Polow da Don and Zafr, and recorded at No Excuses Studios in Santa Monica, California. It was mixed by Manny Marroquin with further assistance from Erik Madrid and Chris Galland. The track, along with Jermaine Dupri-crafted album cut "Amazing", was specifically written and dedicated to Monica's husband,

basketball player Shannon Brown, and brought to her by da Don. "I think for him, he wanted to help me find and create a song that would say exactly how I feel about my husband," she noted in an interview with Yahoo! Music. Speaking with ''

Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...

'', the singer further explained the importance of the song for her. “It was an important song to me on the album because it was the song that I did specifically for

hannon Hannan and Hannon are Irish people, Irish surnames. People People with the surname Hannan or Hannon include: * Albert James Hannan (1887–1965), South Australian Crown Solicitor * Brian Hannon (born 1936), Church of Ireland clergyman * Chick Han ...

” she said. “ olowwas able to make a song that was a true testament to the love I have for my husband now.”

Critical reception

"Without You" received mainly mixed to positive reviews from music critics. In her review of ''New Life'', Erika Ramirez of ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' said: "Monica ..adds some throbbing synths and twinkling piano on another "I love my man" cut. Remains solidly in the R&B vein, however, lacking the pop touch that made "

Why I Love You So Much "Why I Love You So Much" is a song by American R&B singer Monica, composed by Daryl Simmons for Monica's debut studio album, ''Miss Thang'' (1995). The ballad was released as the album's fourth and final single on a double A-side with " Ain't Nobo ...

" or " Angel of Mine" cross over in their heyday. Generally critical of the album itself, Jonathan Keefe of

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...

wrote: "The melody of "Without You" allows Monica to show off the breadth of her range, but with its reverb-heavy percussion line, the track's production immediately recalls—and pales in comparison to —

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

's " Halo" and Kelly Clarkson's " Already Gone." But while it's both a dated knockoff and a phoned-in effort from Polow da Don, the song is still one of the better tracks on a messy, underwhelming set." '' Boston Globe'' noted that "showing off her vocal range on "Without You," Monica reminds us why she's still relevant."

Format and track listing

*;Digital download # "Without You" – 4:09

Credits and personnel

* Composer - Jamal Jones, Mansur Zafr, India Boodram, Jazmyn Michel, Kesia Hollins * Production – Polow da Don, Mansur Zafr * Keyboards, strings, bass, piano – Brian Kennedy * Bass – Dan Rockett * Recording – Jay Stevenson * Mixing – Manny Marroquin * Mixing assistance – Erik Madrid, Chris Galland

Charts

Release history

References

{{Monica songs 2012 singles Monica (singer) songs RCA Records singles Songs written by Polow da Don 2012 songs 2010s ballads Contemporary R&B ballads Pop ballads