Uncontroversyville! The last place a Trey Songz wants to end up…
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[6.43]
Kat Stevens: It’s hard to strike that balance between giving a partner space to make their own decisions and putting in enough effort/interaction that it’s clear that you still give a shit; this whole song is like a suggested answer to a Captain Awkward letter. Trey’s vocal is so lovely though, that I’m almost convinced he has my best interests at heart.
[7]
Brad Shoup: As ever, Trey’s voice is a husky quiver; it’s stacked on itself until you think that maybe he means it. The track’s outfitted like Marvin’s bachelor pad: purple and plush perpetually twilit.
[7]
Thomas Inskeep: I don’t trust Trey Songz on uptempo songs; he sounds too smarmy. But the pleading tone in his voice — more Joe than Keith Sweat — lends itself nicely to ballads and midtempo cuts. So when he says that he just wants “what’s best for you,” I tend to believe him. It doesn’t hurt that he’s aided by highly sympathetic, plush production, and that Songz is singing a song he wrote himself. Much of Trigga is R. Kelly-esque sex songs, so it saddens me that this is tacked on as a “bonus track” on the album’s deluxe edition, because it’s much more personal and real-sounding than the majority of the album.
[7]
Alfred Soto: He’s got a supple voice, and he’s a comer. Why is he so dull? It isn’t that he’s immune to irony — he’s immune to subtlety. As decent as “What’s Best For You,” the sentiments aren’t so much warm as paternalistic.
[5]
Micha Cavaseno: “What’s Best For You” is a showcase of what makes Songz fascinating: a dorky earnestness that’s full-steam saccharine, an unusual dip into harmony walls that can seem schizophrenic in the way they slide in and out of arrangements. The ambition is always there, even if there isn’t necessarily the… skillset. These are the hallmarks of Trey “#YEUUUUP!” Songz; a cornball whose confidence and goofiness makes it easy to write him off as a meathead. But deep inside there’s a tender heart. (*soap opera audience chimes in with an “Awwwww!”*)
[6]
Patrick St. Michel: Some songs are built for a hyper-specific situation, and do so well in that space they deserve praise for that. “What’s Best for You” exists to be put on please-forgive-me mixes, nothing more or less, but really nails what it sets out for.
[7]
Scott Mildenhall: It’s literally your decision! Honestly, don’t feel swayed, Trey is simply acting with best intentions. He’s a great guy. A really great guy. So much so, he’s letting you make your own mind up on this, which is really nice of him. Unsurprising though, because he’s such a great guy, and would never want you to hesitate in turning him down. Yes, those strings are placed right at the stomach of the mix, neatly replicating those feelings he used to give you down there, but if they’re gone, that’s fine! Protesting too much can still proffer decent results.
[6]