Neo-noir

Neo-noir (English: New-black; from the Greek neo, new; and the French noir, black) is a style often seen in modern motion pictures and other forms that prominently use elements of film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements or media that were absent in film noir of the 1940s and 1950s.

History

The term film noir (French for "black film") was coined by critic Nino Frank in 1946, but was rarely used by filmmakers, critics or fans until several decades later. The classic era of film noir is usually dated to a period between the early 1940s and the late 1950s. Typically American crime dramas or psychological thrillers, films noir had a number of common themes and plot devices, and many distinctive visual elements. Characters were often conflicted antiheroes, trapped in a difficult situation and making choices out of desperation or nihilistic moral systems. Visual elements included low-key lighting, striking use of light and shadow, and unusual camera placement.

Baby I

"Baby I" is a song recorded by American singer Ariana Grande for her debut studio album, Yours Truly (2013). It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Antonio Dixon and Patrick "J. Que" Smith and produced by the first two. The song was released by Republic Records on July 22, 2013, as the second single from the album.

Background and release

In an interview with Complex, Grande reveals that "Baby I" was originally written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds for Beyoncé. Grande also stated that it was actually Mac Miller who picked "Baby I" to be the second single for her album.

Grande opined that "Baby I" was more "sophisticated" and "mature" and showed off her musicality and vocals more than her previous hit single "The Way", which was part of what made her excited to release the song. She was revealing snippets of the song days before its release. The single was released to the digital retailer iTunes on July 22, 2013.

Composition

"Baby I" is an uptempo pop and R&B song that runs for a duration of three minutes and seventeen seconds. "Baby I" is set in common time at a tempo of 102 BPM in the key of C♯ major, and D Major after the bridge. It was written and produced by Babyface, Tony Dixon and j.Que. A writer from Rap-Up describes the track as a "summertime record" which features Grande's "big vocals" over a "breezy beat". Several critics noted the '90s R&B music influence demonstrated in "Baby I", which will also be musically present on the rest of her album, Yours Truly. Additionally, '70s disco energy is also present in the song, with PopCrush describing it as "Mariah Carey gone retro".