User:Lips Are Movin/sandbox

"Lips Are Movin/sandbox"
Song

Background

For her second studio album Thank You, Trainor had recorded doo-wop tracks which she felt progressed her sound into the funk genre, though her label Epic Records and management advised her afterward to pursue better-written material with a sound that would not be expected from her. Moreover, Epic chairman L.A. Reid felt that the album lacked a proper lead single which he wanted to be more sassy than Trainor's previous releases. Trainor recalled: "I told him I'm not going to write 'All About That Bass' 2.0. — I'm not going to give you another one of those. He was like, 'I'm not asking for that, I promise, but I know you as a songwriter can do better and I know if I push you, you will do better.'" She left the meeting angry, but motivated and subsequently texted producer Ricky Reed to arrange studio time with him that afternoon. Reed agreed as one of his sessions happened to be cancelled that day, and recruited songwriter Jacob Kasher to join them for the session.

Writing and inspiration

"Obviously we wanted that '90s feel that everybody loves and recognizes and misses. I generally miss that on the radio. I wanted it to feel hard, as if Missy Elliott could be on it."

– Meghan Trainor

When Trainor arrived at the studio, she told Reed that she wanted to develop an angry song that was more hip hop and "urban"-sounding than what she had recorded up to that point. However, Reed advised that instead of working on a lead single they would do casual studio session to help her feel better. "No" stemmed from this session, specifically Reed telling Trainor: "You need to let it go"—a lyric used in the song's hook. Although the trio did not plan a specific sound for the track it began with a rhythm influenced by dancehall. "The fact that it somehow evolved into what it is now is still a thing of mystery. Unlocking that sound was like opening a Pandora's box", Reed recalls. "No" was written and recorded from scratch that day in about seven hours.

With the song, Trainor wanted to "break every rule [they] could find", prompting several last-minute changes to it. The original track had a drum intro which she felt too expected and faceless, scrapping it in favor of doo-wop and a subsequent breakdown which they felt was more bizarre. Trainor explained: "When you hear the song without that intro, it was too much, 'Who is this? Who is this new artist?' So I thought, let's give them a taste of what they know..." Among other "random" additions, synth-like guitar lines were added to the verses when the song was almost complete. Although the track was initially written to appease Reid, it developed into a women's anthem for Trainor and inspired her to change the direction for the album. At first, Trainor was nervous about playing "No" to Reid so the two drank tequila beforehand; he ended up playing the song 29 times. In an interview for The Associated Press, Trainor said: "It was such a relief, like I could sleep at night knowing I finally found the single. That's like the biggest stress for an artist, especially [for] album No. 2."

Composition

"No" is composed in the key of C♯ minor and in the simple time signature of ⁴
₄ with a slow, free tempo of 73 beats per minute. The track follows a basic chord progression of A–G♯–C♯m–B, while Trainor's vocals range from the note G♯₃ to C♯₅. It is a dance-pop and R&B song, with elements of hip hop, pop rock and bubblegum pop. The song begins with a throwback doo-wop and crackle intro similar to the sound of Trainor's 2015 album Title. However, this sound comes to a sudden stop before the first chorus (0:15) where Trainor sing-raps in a defiant manner: "My name is no / My sign is no / My number is no / You need to let it go." The production here becomes more buoyant and indebted to early 2000s R&B, pop and dance, aided by a crunching and synth-like guitar line.

According to Trainor, "No" is "a big eff-you song", and an anthem about girl power" and female independence. The lyrics are a new direction for Trainor, favoring a more direct and honest approach than that of her previous tracks. The song details a lesson about consent where a man persistently flirts with a woman in a nightclub, but is unable to realize that his advances are being rejected. Although the lyrics refers to unwarranted advances in a club, they were not written from Trainor's personal experiences because she does not go clubbing often and when she does, she goes with her brother who other men mistake as her boyfriend. In an interview for Elle magazine, Trainor explained the importance of the song's message:

"Well, for me, I want to be better at being single, and I want to be better at feeling okay about being single. I don't need a boyfriend. It's a big anthem for helping young teens, young girls, who are growing up and need to know that it's okay that you don't need a man. You can go out with your girls and have just as much fun."

Release

Trainor first announced "No" as the lead single from Thank You in a post shared on Twitter on January 29, 2016. The singer then unveiled the single's accompanying cover art on March 1, 2016, featuring her sporting a green sequined top and auburn hair. "No" leaked online hours before its digital release on March 4, 2016. The song received its official premiere on On Air with Ryan Seacrest that morning with iHeart Radio stations playing it on an hourly rotation the same day.

Critical reception

"No" received generally favorable reviews from music critics. Jeneé Osterheldt of The Kansas City Star said the song was catchy with good reason, praising its feminist message and deeming it "the ultimate right of refusal anthem". Gerrick D. Kennedy writing in the Los Angeles Times felt the track had "a lot more fire" than Trainor's previous releases, highlighting its "punchy" message and dance-indebted production. Joe Lynch of Billboard magazine opined that Trainor was confident on "All About That Bass", but "entirely in charge" on "No", noting that the song's "Neptunes-esque beat" defied expectations of an "'All About That Bass' 2.0.". Katie Atkinson, also writing for Billboard, regarded "No" as a sassy single and a welcome change for Trainor, likening it to early 2000s releases. Carolyn Menyes of the Music Times thought it was a bold single, comparing it to the sound to Britney Spears' 2003 album In the Zone and NSYNC's 2000 single "It's Gonna Be Me". Menyes went on to say that it "may be the defiant (dare we say feminist) Trainor song that fans have been looking for" and "the sort of anthem that women have been looking for". Nolan Feeney of Time magazine found the song surprising and very empowering for women, noting a dramatic departure from the retro pop sound of Trainor's previous singles "Dear Future Husband" and "Lips Are Movin", instead likening it to songs by Spears, NSYNC and TLC. Ailbhe Malone of The Irish Times viewed it as a return to form for Trainor, and described it as "Britney meets Darkchild-produced Destiny's Child" and "truly excellent". Amy Davidson from Digital Spy said the track was "so gloriously '90s" and "almost enough to win over the naysayers".

In a negative review, Sam Wolfson of The Guardian was skeptical of its consent and empowerment message, dismissing it as "scrawled crayon feminism" and "a vague apology" for the anti-feminism criticism "All About That Bass" and "Dear Future Husband" received. Rachel Brodsky of Spin magazine found the track polarizing. Chris DeVille from Stereogum called "No" mediocre and "processed cheese", criticizing Trainor rap cadence and concluding that the song "contributes to that unshakeable 'ugh' sensation that's been building in parallel with Trainor's career".

Chart performance

"No" debuted at number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 dated March 26, 2016, and at number two on the US Digital Songs chart, selling 113,000 copies and registering 3.3 million streams in its first week. It also entered the US Radio Songs chart at number 21 with a first-week audience of 46 million, marking the highest debut on the chart since Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" (2011).

Music video

Background and synopsis

The accompanying music video for "No" was directed by Fatima Robinson. It was shot on March 4, 2016. For the music video, Trainor wanted it to be darker, more sexually appealing and very different than that of her previous videos to match the different sound she opted for with "No". She aimed for it to be of the standard of her music video for "All About That Bass", but with completely the opposite feel. The video included several choreographed routines with a dance move for each lyric; Trainor said it was the most she had danced in her life. Trainor's stylist, Maya Krispin, chose 1990s pop-inspired outfits for the singer that were comfortable enough for her to dance in. Trainor was particularly drawn to metallic gold coat designed by Isabel Marant which was light and aided great movement. Other outfits chosen included a black sequined blazer by Veronica Beard and a customized crimson outfit by Michael Costello. Krispin custom designed the rest of Trainor ensemble: a black jumpsuit with a bedazzled bra, and fishnet bodysuit. Although Trainor wanted the video to be sexier, she opted to wear bodysuits that fully covered her body because she felt insecure about showing her cleavage, particularly her arms. Trainor first shared a still from the clip on Instagram on March 16, 2016. The music video was released on YouTube and Vevo on March 21, 2016.

The music video begins with Trainor walking through an abandoned warehouse filled with smoke and old industrial machines. A troupe of women are shown running to a location in the warehouse where they meet Trainor to perform a choreographed dance routine after the song's intro. Trainor is also shown in individual scenes kneeling on a floor while throwing her hair back and forth, and standing in front of a high-powered fan. She later proceeds to dance on a platform in the warehouse, accompanied by the troupe. In another segment, Trainor is seen on a couch intertwining her legs with other women and touching theirs and her own cleavage. Throughout the video, there are black and red silhouette shots of a woman dancing with torch flames. Near the end, she appears dancing with open flares.

Reception and analysis

The music video for "No" was well received by critics. Lynch likened Trainor's styling to early 2000s music videos by Spears, and late 1990s videos by Madonna, adding: "It's a much sexier look than we're used to seeing from Trainor, but she owns it, looking as comfortable in the vaguely Erotica-esque outfits of the "No" video as she did in the Easter pastels of her 'All About That Bass' clip." Lorena Blas of USA Today highlighted Trainor's choreography and her growth from "All About That Bass", comparing it to choreography by Missy Elliott and Janet Jackson, and Destiny's Child's music video for "Jumpin', Jumpin'" (2000). Atkinson complimented Trainor's "tough-and-sexy look" and found the video "very Y2K-leaning", likening it to a number of late 1990s and early 2000s music videos. Sasha Geffen from MTV News shared this view, writing that the "No" video "brings back some major '90s pop vibes — think TLC, Destiny's Child, and Britney Spears — and even seems to nod to those early iPod commercials with its black and red silhouette shots". Joey Nolfi of Entertainment Weekly highlighted its change from the subdued style of Trainor's music video for "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" (2015), commenting that she was "confidently stomping through" and pursuing "genuine pop star choreography". John Paul Stapleton of The Boston Globe opined that the video "shows a more sultry side" of the singer and "recalls Janet Jackson in her prime". Jordan Simon from Idolator complimented Trainor's edgier image, noting that she "gracefully avoids the sophomore slump" with the video. Jennifer Davis of InStyle wrote that the clip showed Trainor in a whole new light, and deemed the singer "unapologetic" and her dancing "fierce".

Osterheldt found the song better than the music video, but said the video's sexiness strengthened the message of "No" and praised it for "normalizing a woman's right to say no, [...] in a sexy way", reasoning: "Too often men think a woman's clothes or demeanor mean that she is asking for it, that they are entitled to her body." In less enthusiastic reviews, Brodsky said Nicki Minaj "did the underground dominatrix thing better" with her music video for "Only" (2014), while Dennis Hinzmann of Out magazine criticized Trainor's dancing, writing: "Unfortunately for her the pros show her up and make her look for the most part noncommittal. If you're going to pop, lock, and head snap, you have to feel it in your soul [...]."

Usage in media

In March 2016, "No" was used in the commercials for the Skechers Originals sneaker collection.