"I Really Like You" was written by Jepsen, Jacob Kasher Hindlin and Peter Svensson, and produced by the latter. According to Jepsen, the song's lyrics are about "that time in a relationship when it's too soon to say 'I love you,' but you're well past, 'I like you' and you're at the 'I really, really like you' stage."
Composition
of The Washington Post characterized "I Really Like You" as a synth-pop song, musically reminiscent of Jepsen's previous album Kiss, 1980s music and Solange Knowles' 2012 EP True. The Verges Emily Yoshida noted elements of 1980s and new wave. Ryan Reed of Rolling Stone described the track as a "dance-pop number". Musically, the song is written in the key of F major, with a tempo of 122 beats per minute. Jepsen's vocals span from G3 to D5.
Critical reception
Jason Lipshutz of Billboard called the song "really fun" and "a breathless 80's banger that comes back to "Call Me Maybe's" fixation on ultra-crisp percussion and blurted-out flirtation". Idolator's Bianca Gracie described "I Really Like You" as "mind-blowing, fantastic, catchy-as-hell pop".
Commercial performance
In Canada, "I Really Like You" debuted at number 14 on the Canadian Hot 100 issued for 21 March 2015, marking Jepsen's seventh top 40 hit in Canada. In the United States, "I Really Like You" debuted at number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 21 March 2015, selling 38,000 copies in its first week. It peaked at number 39 on 2 May 2015, marking Jepsen's third top 40 hit in the United States. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted and peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart on 3 May 2015 ― for week ending date 9 May 2015 ― a position it maintained for two consecutive weeks.
Music video
The music video was directed by Peter Glantz. Jepsen filmed part of the song's music video on 16 February 2015, in front of the Mondrian Hotel in Manhattan alongside Tom Hanks, Justin Bieber and a troupe of dancers. Also making cameo appearances in the video are Rudy Mancuso and Andrew B. Bachelor, well-known users of the short-form video sharing application Vine. The video was released on 6 March 2015. CBC Music's Nicolle Weeks described it as "a more affable version" of the music video for The Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony". The music video has been rated as one of 10 Best Music Videos of 2015 by the readers of Billboard.
Live performances and covers
Jepsen performed "I Really Like You" live on Good Morning America on 2 March 2015, followed by a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on 5 March 2015 and Sunrise on 11 March 2015. She also performed the song on Saturday Night Live, Castle, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Dancing with the Stars, Much Music Video Awards, Ellen DeGeneres Show. On Friday, 21 August 2015, Jepsen performed this on The Today Show as part of their Toyota Summer Concert Series. On 21 March 2015, Internet personality Bart Baker made a parody of this, featuring various YouTubers. In April 2015, British group The Wombats covered the song on BBC Radio 1.
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