"You're the One I Love" is a song by English singer Shola Ama, released as the first single from her debut album, Much Love (1997), in 1996. On the first single release, it reached number 81 on the UK Singles Chart, but after her successful cover version of "You Might Need Somebody" in 1997, it was re-released in August of that year and peaked at number three, becoming her highest-charting hit in the UK. Elsewhere, the single charted in France, the Netherlands and New Zealand.
British magazine Music Week rated the song four out of five, adding, "Seventeen-year-old Ama shows maturity beyond her years with a classy, soulful performance on this debut single."[1] Paul Elliott wrote, "You're The One I Love is a precocious big-league debut. Written and produced by Shaun Labelle, one of America's fastest-rising new producer's, the track is smooth and streetwise and Ama's performance is super-confident."[2] A reviewer from Sunday Mirror said after the re-release of the single, following "You Might Need Somebody", "She could have been a one-hit wonder but on this showing young Shola has got legs. Good to see a Brit teaching the Yanks a thing or two about funky soul."[3]Bobbito Garcia for Vibe concluded, "It's a slammin' song. I couldn't understand why it didn't do well in the States."[4]
A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Randee St. Nicholas.[5] It takes place in a restaurant. In the beginning, Ama arrives at the place, meeting her friends. Occasionally she is also seen singing as she peeks out through one of the windows. She notices a man in the street. He also enters the restaurant and sits down with his friends. These two start looking at each other. Halfway through the video, the man leaves for unknown reason. Apparently sad by this, Ama lights up again when he suddenly reappears on the other side of the window, looking at her. As the video draws to a close, the singer is left alone after her friends leave. The man who until now has been sitting at the other end of the room walks towards her and sits down with her. As the video ends, they sit and talk in the restaurant.[6]
