Never Leave You

"Never Leave You" is a midtempo alternative hip hop-Europop song with grime influences. The song was originally picked to be Stryder's first single from his album Catch 22, but "Number 1" was chosen instead. The song was Amelle's first solo release outside of the Sugababes.[6] The song became Stryder's second number 1 single from Catch 22. It also became Amelle's first number one single as a solo artist making her, to date, the only member of the Sugababes to achieve a number one single outside of the group.

On the surface ‘Never Leave You’ is about Stryder telling a girl how he’s going to be with her forever, but beneath the surface its sentiments are directed towards his original fans, his East London roots, to grime music and to memories of growing up in his neighbourhood.[7] According to the producer Fraser T Smith, "it's a song about success and staying true to yourself."[7]

"Never Leave You" received positive reviews from music critics. David Balls from Digital Spy said: "Rewind eight months and the name Tinchy Stryder would have been met with blank expressions by all but a core of grime fanatics in East London. Now, having bypassed the critics and trend-setters, the rapper has become one of the year's biggest success stories thanks to a winning combination of pop hooks and hip-hop rhymes. Building on the momentum of his recent chart-topper 'Number One', Stryder's back with summer smash-in-waiting 'Never Leave You'."

"It finds him sticking to the Europoppy sound of his previous singles, but this time he's drafted in his starriest sparring partner yet - Sugababes singer Amelle Berrabah. He powers through the verses in his distinctive London twang, she croons the glorious chorus, and Fraser T Smith keeps the production as fresh and sharp as a grapefuit breakfast. Stryder may have started the year as the so-called "Prince of Grime", but... wait for it... he's fast establishing himself as the King of the Charts." and he gave the song four out of five stars.[8]

Stryder and Amelle performed the song together for the first time at BBC Sound. The pair performed the song together on, T4 on the Beach in July 2009, on stage alone side many other artists. In August 2009 the pair were still promoting the song, still singing it on shows like TMF Sessions, Live Lounge. The song was performed together at 95.8 Capital FM. Tinchy performed the song himself at times, as Amelle and her commitment to girl-group Sugababes, like he did at Ghana, at Lush! in Kellys Nightclub, Portrush, in October. The pair sang the song at Party in the Park, they also sang the song on high streets, in big shopping centres. After promoting the song, the song shot to number 1 in the UK. The biggest promotion was at T4 on the Beach 2009, thousands of people went, it was also filmed and put on television, known to be on T4, E4, E4+1. Amelle toured with Stryder on his promotional tour.

• List of number-one singles from the 2000s (UK)
• List of number-one R&B hits of 2009 (UK)

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics