"Let Me Love You" is a song by American singer

Mario Mario (; ) is a Character (arts), character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Ja ...

, released by

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on October 4, 2004, as the lead single from his second studio album, '' Turning Point'' (2004). The song was written by then-unknown American singer

Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo ( ), is an American singer and songwriter. Regarded as a leading figure of Contemporary R&B#2000s, 2000s R&B music, he is the recipient of numerous accolades, includi ...

, Kameron Houff, and Scott Storch, while production was handled by the latter. The song garnered Mario a

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nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2006 and became a top-10 hit worldwide, reaching number one in the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. "Let Me Love You" is considered to be Mario's

signature song A signature (; from , "to sign") is a depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. Signatures are often, but not always, handwritten or styliz ...

, as well as a prominent track in 2000s R&B music. In 2008, the song was ranked number 45 on ''Billboard''s All-Time Top 100 Hot 100 singles, during the first 50 years of the chart. It was the eighth most successful single of the decade according to the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Songs of the Decade chart released in December 2009. In 2013, it was ranked at number 53 on ''Billboard''s All-Time Top 100 Hot 100 singles during the first 55 years of the chart. The

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of the song, also produced by Storch, contains rapped verses from

Jadakiss Jason Terrance Phillips (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Jadakiss (, ), is an American rapper who began his career in the 1990s and formed the hip hop trio the Lox alongside Styles P and Sheek Louch in 1994. The group signed w ...

and

T.I. Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. (born September 25, 1980), known professionally as T.I. or Tip, is an American rapper and singer raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Harris is credited as a pioneer of the hip hop subgenre trap music, along with fellow Georgi ...

Background and composition

"Let Me Love You" was written by Kameron Houff,

, and Scott Storch, who also produced the track. Ne-Yo talked about the making of the song: "So my manager gets me down to Miami.

torch A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end which can be used as a light source or to set something on fire. Torches have been used throughout history and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggl ...

just happens to be working for Mario that week. We did, I think, three songs. And 'Let Me Love You' was the second song that we did. At the time we knew it was something special, but we had no idea that it was going to do what it did". Mario spoke about the song's creation to ''

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 advertis ...

'': "I was working with Scott Storch for about two weeks in Miami. There were parties every night, and girls everywhere… anything you can imagine in a Scott Storch movie, mixed with my newfound fame, was there. So most of the records on 'Turning Point''are uptempo club records. When Ne-Yo came in, we were like, 'We actually need to make some R&B songs for the ladies.'" Ne-Yo revealed during a 2024 interview that he didn't think that Mario was the right performer for "Let Me Love You", because he considered the song's content too mature for an 18-year-old singer. Speaking about giving "Let Me Love You" to

, Ne-Yo said that "at the time that I wrote it I wasn’t trying to be an artist, I was completely content with just being a song writer but I think back on that song and I look back and think had I been trying to be an artist at the time that’s definitely one I would

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held on to". Speaking on the commercial success of the track, Mario said "Going from a child star to being a young adult is a very hard transition, and 'Let Me Love You' introduced me to the world as a young man", "I didn’t know it would touch so many people, but it was an emotional song and those records last forever." Ne-Yo said that writing "Let Me Love You" led him from being exclusively a songwriter into the beginning of his career as a singer. "Let Me Love You" is a mid-tempo R&B

love song A love song is a song about love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. Love songs can be found in a variety of different music genres. They can come in various formats, from sad and emotion ...

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, centered around the progression C minor / G minor / F major. It is written in

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. ''

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'' described its instrumental as a "mechanized melodic backbeat with sturdy, clap-heavy drum track and some lost, wandering ’80s-style synth-pillows". The song's lyrical content focuses on the singer's desire to have a romantic relationship with a girl whose current significant other cheats on her. On "Let Me Love You", Mario was noted for portraying "a classic nonthreatening nice-guy type" character, with a

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

-inspired vocal performance.

Critical reception

Contactmusic.com critic Tareck Ghoneim called "Let Me Love You" an "excellent track that oozes smooth soul, genuine feel good vibes and sing along sentiment as well. The beats have a lazy hip hop beat with soulful bass and seductive keys. It provides a nice and smooth backline for Mario to show what he’s made of and he delivers his soulful vocals with conviction and genuine serenity." Caroline Sullivan, writing for ''

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'' found that the song's "silky exterior encloses a core of smut that's all the more compelling for the Alpine purity of Mario's voice." ''

'' ranked the song at number seven in their "Top 50 Love Songs of All Time" list. ''

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'' commented that the track "does away with any flashy elements, sticking to a classic R&B formula with Mario’s vocals leading the way. This one could have been a hit in any decade". In her review of parent album ''Turning Point'',

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's Denise Boyd wrote: "The stand out track "Let Me Love You" has already tugged at the heart strings of the R&B audience, becoming a club, party and car stereo anthem on both sides of the Atlantic. Its smooth and soulful narrative sets the tone for much of this album." Jon Pareles from ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' commented that "Let Me Love You" "looks back to another 1980s blockbuster, lifting its keyboard sound from

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...

's ' What's Love Got to Do with It'." ''

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'' defined the track a "blockbuster hit" and "a passionate plea to take on an elevated role in his crush's life".

Accolades and nominations

In 2004, "Let Me Love You" was nominated for a Vibe Award for Best R&B Song and two

Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards were an annual awards show that aired on the Fox television network between 1999 and 2019. The awards, based on a popularity vote that could be overridden by the producerswho reserved the right to choose the winnerscovered ...

, Choice Love Song and Choice R&B/Rap Track, but it failed to receive any awards. In 2005, it received nominations for ''Billboard'' Music Awards, including "Hot 100 Single of the Year", "Hot 100 Airplay Single of the Year", "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year", and "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Single of the Year", winning in both of the R&B/Hip-Hop categories. It was also nominated for an MTV Europe Music Award for Best R&B Single, a Viewer's Choice award at the

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, Best Single at the

MOBO Awards The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and Ba ...

, and Best R&B/Soul Song at the

Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards ceremony which honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the production company of '' Soul Train'', the program from which it takes its name, and ...

. In 2006, Mario was nominated for a

for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance with "Let Me Love You". He also received an MTV Australia Awards nomination for Best R&B music video for "Let Me Love You".

Commercial performance

"Let Me Love You" debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 the week of October 23, 2004, at number 97. The song went on to hold the number-one position on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart for nine consecutive weeks from January to February 2005, and, as of , is Mario's biggest single. It also reached number one on the

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

chart. Internationally, it reached the number-one position on the singles charts in Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and in the continental chart European Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart (held off the top spot by "

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"), making it Mario's biggest hit to date in the UK. The single also holds the honor of being one of the highest-selling ringtones with 1.6 million downloads.

Music video

The "Let Me Love You" music video was filmed at studios in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

in September 2004. It was directed by Little X. The video starts with the singer talking with his friends about his new haircut. The video then transitions into a room with a red and white graffiti of two

samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...

s, where Mario is by himself doing

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. He then sees through the room's window the girl he's attracted to being upset with his boyfriend. The video continues with different scenes of Mario dancing, alone or with backup dancers, on various sets. The clip ends with scenes of the singer dancing passionately with his love interest.

Track listings

US 7-inch single :A. "Let Me Love You" (radio version) – 4:16 :B. " How Could You" (radio version) – 3:59 US 12-inch single :A1. "Let Me Love You" (album version) – 4:16 :A2. "Let Me Love You" (instrumental) – 4:17 :B1. "Let Me Love You" (album version) – 4:16 :B2. "Let Me Love You" (acappella) – 4:03 US 12-inch single (remix) :A1. "Let Me Love You" (remix—album version featuring

and

) – 4:29 :A2. "Let Me Love You" (remix instrumental) – 4:27 :B1. "Let Me Love You" (album version) – 4:16 :B2. "Let Me Love You" (remix—acappella featuring Jadakiss and T.I.) – 4:02 UK CD1 and European CD single # "Let Me Love You" (album version) – 4:09 # "Let Me Love You" (MaUVe remix edit) – 4:04 UK CD2 # "Let Me Love You" (album version) – 4:09 # "Let Me Love You" (remix featuring Jadakiss and T.I.) – 4:29 # "Let Me Love You" (MaUVe remix extended) – 7:42 # "Let Me Love You" (video) UK 12-inch single :A1. "Let Me Love You" (remix featuring Jadakiss and T.I.) – 4:29 :A2. "Let Me Love You" (remix instrumental) – 4:17 :A3. "Let Me Love You" (remix—acappella featuring Jadakiss and T.I.) – 4:02 :B1. "Let Me Love You" (MaUVe remix) – 7:42 :B2. "Let Me Love You" (album version) – 4:09 Australian CD single # "Let Me Love You" (album version) – 4:09 # "Let Me Love You" (remix featuring Jadakiss and T.I.) – 4:29 # "Whiz" – 4:08 # "Let Me Love You" (video)

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the UK CD1 liner notes. Studios * Recorded Soundvilla Studios (

Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean an ...

, Florida) * Mixed at Larrabee North (

North Hollywood North Hollywood is a neighborhood and district in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, El Portal Theater, several art galleries, and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Th ...

, California) Personnel * Scott Storch – music and lyrics, production * Kameron Houff – music and lyrics, recording * Ne-Yo – music and lyrics (as Shaffer Smith), vocal production (as Nio) * Mario – vocals * Mike Tyler – guitar * Conrad Golding – recording *

Manny Marroquin Manny Marroquin (born September 21, 1971) is a Guatemalan-American record mixing engineer. He has been credited on albums for high-profile pop, R&B, hip hop and rock acts. He has worked with artists including Rihanna, Kanye West, Katy Perry ...

– mixing * Alli – art direction * Marc "Poppa" Baptiste – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

All-time charts

Certifications

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Release history

Anniversary edition

In 2020, Mario announced that he had re-recorded his vocals for the remastered version, celebrating the 15-year anniversary of the song. The anniversary edition was released on February 14, 2020.

Covers

* Dutch producer Dastic sampled the song and released his own

tropical house Tropical house, also known as trop house, is a subgenre of house music, and a derivation of tropical music, with elements of dancehall and Balearic house. Artists of the genre are often featured at various summer festivals such as Tomorrowland. ...

version featuring vocals from singer CADE. The version charted on the Belgian Dance and Ultratip Bubbling Under charts.

Samples

* In 2021, American artists

Ghostface Killah Dennis David Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang ...

and Shaun Wiah sample the song in the track ''Let Me Touch Ya''.

References

{{Authority control 2004 songs 2004 singles 2005 singles 2000s ballads Mario (singer) songs J Records singles Contemporary R&B ballads Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles Music videos directed by Director X Number-one singles in Germany Dutch Top 40 number-one singles Number-one singles in New Zealand Song recordings produced by Scott Storch Songs written by Scott Storch Songs written by Ne-Yo Torch songs