With U

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title: "With U" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2000s-ballads", "2006-singles", "janet-jackson-songs", "songs-written-by-johntá-austin", "songs-written-by-manuel-seal", "songs-written-by-jimmy-jam-and-terry-lewis", "songs-written-by-janet-jackson", "songs-written-by-jermaine-dupri", "song-recordings-produced-by-jimmy-jam-and-terry-lewis", "song-recordings-produced-by-jermaine-dupri"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_U" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

FieldValue
nameWith U
coverJanet Jackson With U.png
borderyes
typesingle
artistJanet Jackson
album20 Y.O.
released
recorded2006
* Flyte Tyme Studios (Santa Monica, CA)<ref name"auto"
* Studio Atlantis (West Hollywood, CA)<ref name"auto"/
genre
length* 5:04 (album version)
labelVirgin
writer*Janet Jackson
producer*Janet Jackson
prev_titleSo Excited
prev_year2006
next_titleFeedback
next_year2007
::

::callout[type=note] the Janet Jackson song ::

| name = With U | cover = Janet Jackson With U.png | alt = | border = yes | type = single | artist = Janet Jackson | album = 20 Y.O. | released = | recorded = 2006 | studio =

"With U" is a song recorded by American singer Janet Jackson for her ninth studio album 20 Y.O. (2006). It was written by Johntá Austin, Jackson, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal Jr., James Harris III, and Terry Lewis, with production handled by the latter five. It was serviced exclusively to urban contemporary radio on December 11, 2006 as the third single from 20 Y.O. by Virgin Records.

"With U" was considered a follow-up to Jackson's single "Let's Wait Awhile" (1986), in which two characters postpone intimacy. However, "With U" takes place after the act, resulting in "romantic confusion". The song received positive reviews from most music critics, being called "smooth and lushly". It peaked at number 65 on US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

Background and development

Following the release of her eighth studio album Damita Jo (2004), Jackson began recording a new album project the next year. Her then-fiancé, record producer Jermaine Dupri, was eventually commissioned to executive produce the project. Producer Jimmy Jam revealed Jackson became more confident with her writing ability during recording, doing the bulk of the album's writing. He commented: "We're all kind of back in there doing it again together, which I really enjoy. It's the physical nature of sitting in the same room and really hashing it out. It's like, 'You're not going to leave until we have a lyric,' so it's fun". Jackson further commented about working with Dupri, Lewis and Terry, saying: ::quote

"It was really a collaborative effort, and that's what made it so nice. Jermaine would run into the studio and talk about the songs Jimmy and Terry had done on someone's album. Then Jimmy would start playing the song, and Jermaine would say, 'You know what? Let's do something kind of along those lines as a base.' He understood them, he understood me and vice versa." ::

Music and lyrics

|filename = Janet Jackson - With U.ogg |title = "With U" |pos = left |description = A 28 second sample of "With U". "With U" was written by Jackson, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal Jr., Johntá Austin, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, while production was handled by Jackson, Dupri, Seal Jr., Jam and Lewis. A mid-tempo R&B song, it was described as "the follow-up to 1986's 'Let's Wait Awhile'", where two people postpone intimacy. "With U" takes place after the act, which results, according to Jackson, in "romantic confusion".

Critical reception

The song received generally positive reviews from most music critics. Andy Kellman of AllMusic picked "With U" as one of the album's highlights. Jon Pareles from The New York Times called it a "lushly harmonized ballad," while Don Baiocchi of Blogcritics named it "a stripped-down ballad that recalls the forgotten beauty of 1990's "Come Back to Me" with a modern sound that Mariah should be jealous of." Johnny Loftus writing for Metro Times wrote that on "With U", Jackson "sounds like Mariah Carey covering classic Michael Jackson."

Chuck Arnold from People magazine also enjoyed the ballad, describing it as "a smooth and creamy ballad that plays like a sequel to Control's 'Let's Wait Awhile'." Spence D. of IGN commented that the song "continues the strange intersection where Janet sounds like Michael on the verses and then gets her voice obviously treated for the choruses, dipping into the feminine whirl that she's so famous for." Glenn Gamboa, writer for Newsday, expressed a positive reaction, calling it "a nice quiet-storm ballad." Adversely, Angus Batey of Yahoo! Music wrote that Jackson "sounds disturbingly like her most famous sibling" and "seems oblivious" on the track.

Commercial performance

"With U" debuted at number 74 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart the week ending December 30, 2006; it later peaked at number 65. However, unlike previous singles from 20 Y.O., it failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100.

Live performance

For the very first time, Jackson included the song on her 2024 tour Together Again Tour. Jackson featured the song on the setlist for her Janet Jackson: Las Vegas show in 2024-2025.

Track listings and formats

;U.S. digital single

  1. "With U" (Radio Edit) – 3:57
  2. "With U" (Instrumental) – 5:02

;US 12" single

  1. "With U" (Album Version) – 5:03
  2. "With U" (Instrumental) – 5:02
  3. "With U" (Radio Edit) – 3:57
  4. "With U" (A Cappella) – 4:11

;US promo CD single

  1. "With U" (Radio Edit) – 3:57
  2. "With U" (Album Version) – 5:03
  3. "With U" (Instrumental) – 5:02

Charts

::data[format=table title="Weekly chart performance for "With U""] | Chart (2007) | Peak position | |---|---| ::

Release history

::data[format=table title="Release dates and formats for "With U""]

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.United States
December 19, 2006Digital downloadVirgin
January 16, 200712-inch vinyl
::

References

References

  1. Kellman, Andy. "Janet Jackson – 20 Y.O.".
  2. "Janet Jackson - 20 Y.O. | Entertainmentafrica Mobile". Entertainment Africa.
  3. Kellman, Andy. "allmusic ((( 20 Y.O. > Overview )))".
  4. "Janet Ready To Dance Again On New Album". [[Billboard (magazine).
  5. Baiocchi, Don. (October 4, 2006). "Music Review: Janet Jackson - 20 Y.O. - Page 2". [[Blogcritics]].
  6. Loftus, Johnny. (October 4, 2006). "Metro Times: Record Review: Janet Jackson / 20 Y.O.". [[Metro Times]].
  7. Arnold, Chuck. (October 2, 2006). "Picks and Pans Review: Janet Jackson". [[People Magazine]].
  8. D., Spencer. (September 26, 2012). "Janet Jackson - 20 Y.O.". [[IGN]].
  9. Glamboa, Glenn. (September 26, 2006). "Janet Jackson - 20 Y.O. (Review)". [[Newsday]].
  10. "Janet Jackson 20 YO Album Review, New album reviews and latest album releases on Yahoo! Music". [[Yahoo! Music.
  11. "20 Y.O. - Janet Jackson : Awards : Allmusic". [[Allmusic]].
  12. "Janet Jackson Setlist at Resorts World Theatre, Las Vegas".
  13. "With U". Virgin Records.
  14. "With U". Virgin Records.
  15. "With U – Single by Janet Jackson". [[Apple Music]].
  16. "With U [Vinyl]". [[Amazon Music]].

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

2000s-ballads2006-singlesjanet-jackson-songssongs-written-by-johntá-austinsongs-written-by-manuel-sealsongs-written-by-jimmy-jam-and-terry-lewissongs-written-by-janet-jacksonsongs-written-by-jermaine-duprisong-recordings-produced-by-jimmy-jam-and-terry-lewissong-recordings-produced-by-jermaine-dupri