Uh Huh

"Uh Huh" is the second single released by Julia Michaels. She wrote it along with Justin Tranter and duo Mattman & Robin, while the latter produced it.

The song is a battle between head and heart, as Michaels' fiery feelings for her new man overpower her rational desire to take it slow.

Despite being the follow-up for her breakthrough hit single "Issues", "Uh Huh" did not get
as much attention as expected.

## Background

The song came from an experience Michaels had with somebody, where she desperately, really wanted him to make the move and they were both so nervous.

It is described on Julia Michaels' official site as follows: "Slipping from acoustic guitar into a rush of electronic production and a chantable chorus, the track captures a fleeting and fiery moment."

## Critical reception

Mike Wass of Idolator called it "brighter, bolder and more instant" than her previous single "Issues", as well labeling the chorus as "obscenely catchy". He also claimed "it doesn't sound like anything else on radio, which is quite an achievement given that her sparse, emotional approach is being imitated by everyone from songwriting clients to random copycats." Madeline Roth from MTV called it a loved-up earworm that finds her crazy in lust with a special someone. "Michaels takes us to a bright, playful, and super sexy chorus." Raisa Bruner of Time stated "the singer-songwriter behind 'Issues' now brings us second single 'Uh Huh', a more up-tempo modern pop tune with an acoustic scratchiness and unexpected vocal kick. Michaels is making her mark on the pop landscape with her ability to keep coming up with songs that sound completely different from other charting tunes."

While reviewing Nervous System, Katherine St. Asaph from Pitchfork referred the track as "perhaps the most shambolic song released to pop radio in 2017, and sounds nothing like its company—but its form perfectly matches its crushed-out, breathless subject matter."

Chris Willman of Variety compared the song to Kesha's 2009 smash hit "Tik Tok", commenting that Michaels' voice gives the song a playful and taunting lift that resembles the former. He also praised Mattman & Robin's production on the album, adding: "They do a superb job of combining contemporary beats with non-amplified piano and guitar; "Uh Huh" opens with a whole verse’s worth of acoustic picking-and-strumming before the electronics kick in, but it sounds like pop music from the first note."

## Lyrics

[Verse 1]

It's electric how my lipstick

Makes its own way right into your kiss, and

It's pathetic how we both get

Kinda fucked up, hanging on each other

We're ahead now, should we slow down?

Should we slow down now?

[Pre-Chorus]

'Cause I'm getting some kind of shake without you

[Chorus]

Uh-huh! I think you're movin' in too close

But I think that it's my body wanting it the most, like

Uh-huh! I don't know what it is I feel

But I know it's my emotions going in for the kill, like

[Hook]

Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!) Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!)

But I know it's my emotions going in for the kill, like

Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!) Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!)

But I know it's my emotions going in for the kill

[Verse 2]

It's electric how symmetric

We both get when you lay beside me

It's phonetic how our mouths grip

Almost too tight to the words we're sayin'

We're in deep now, should we slow down?

Should we slow down now?

[Pre-Chorus]

'Cause I'm getting some kind of shake without you

[Chorus]

Uh-huh! I think you're movin' in too close

But I think that it's my body wanting it the most, like

Uh-huh! I don't know what it is I feel

But I know it's my emotions going in for the kill, like

[Hook]

Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!) Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!)

But I know it's my emotions going in for the kill, like

Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!) Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!)

But I know it's my emotions going in for the kill

[Post-Chorus]

Goin' in for the kill

Goin' in for the kill

[Bridge]

It's rare when the panic in my mind

Feel so damn good

Woo!

[Chorus]

Uh-huh! I think you're movin' in too close

But I think that it's my body wanting it the most, like

Uh-huh! I don't know what it is I feel

But I know it's my emotions going in for the kill, like

[Hook]

Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!) Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!)

But I know it's my emotions going in for the kill, like

Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!) Uh-huh! (Uh-huh!)

But I know it's my emotions going in for the kill

[Outro]

Goin' in for the kill

Goin' in for the kill

Uh-huh!

## Personnel

* **Composition** - Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, Mattias Larsson and Robin Fredriksson.
* **Lyrics -**Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, Mattias Larsson, Robin Fredriksson
* **Production** - Mattman & Robin
* **Mixing** - Mark "Spike" Tent.
* **Engineering** - Sam Holland, Cory Bice
* **Background vocals** - Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter
* **Assistant mixer** - Michael Freeman
* **Assistant recording engineer** - Jeremy Lertola
* **Bass, Clapping, Drums, Guitar, Percussion, Piano, Programmer, Synthesizer, Tom Tom Drums** - Mattman & Robin

Source: Tidal

## Videos

Julia Michaels - Uh HuhJulia Michaels - Uh Huh (Audio)Julia Michaels - Uh Huh (Lyric Video)Julia Michaels - Uh Huh (Stripped) (Vevo LIFT)Julia Michaels - Uh Huh (Live On The Today Show)Julia Michaels - Uh Huh (Live) - VevoHalloweenJulia Michaels - Uh Huh LIVE HD (2017) Los Angeles Grammy Museum
## Trivia

* A day before the release of the song, Julia uploaded to Instagram a handwritten copy of the song lyrics.
* Sometimes while singing live, Julia replaces "Kinda fucked up" for "Kinda messed up" for censoring reasons.

## References

<references>

1. ↑ About Julia Michaels.
2. ↑ "Julia Michaels' 'Uh Huh' Is Every Bit As Catchy As 'Issues' - Idolator". Idolator.
3. ↑ "There Are No 'Issues' With Julia Michaels's New Song 'Uh-Huh' - MTV". MTV.
4. ↑ "LISTEN: Julia Michaels, Halsey, Jaymes Young, Riz La Vie - Time.com". Time.
5. ↑ "Julia Michaels: Nervous System Review". Pitchfork.
6. ↑ Album Review: Julia Michaels' 'Nervous System'. Variety.