American Boy

"American Boy" is about one of Estelle's previous relationships with, you guessed it, an American boy. She told Giantmag: "It's based off my ex, ex-boyfriend. I met him during the first album and he got me pretty excited about American boys (laughs)." Estelle is British but spent time in America recording her 2004 debut album, The 18th Day.

Kanye West features on this track. He was there when Estelle met John Legend, who signed her to his HomeSchool Records and released "American Boy" on her second album, Shine, which he executive produced. Legend was signed to West's GOOD Music label and released his debut album in 2004. They were eating at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles when Estelle came in and saw them. She told the story to Giantmag: "I was in LA in this little crap session with a producer who was trying to jerk me and I didn't want to take part in the session anymore. So I went to get some food. I walked in there and I was like, 'That looks like Kanye West,' so I said, 'thank you, Jesus' (laughs). I was a big fan of his and John Legend, because I had heard his voice and it was amazing and I wanted to work with him. So I was speaking to this guy with Kanye for a long time, and this is before I realized it was him [John Legend]. So while talking to Kanye I asked him about John Legend because I wanted to meet him and Kanye was like 'he's right there.' So I was like oh, okay. He was cool about it though and we exchanged info and kept in touch over the years. He actually helped me write a few tracks on [her debut album] The 18th Day. When he'd come to the UK and Europe we'd do work and when I came over here [the US] he'd help too."

"American Boy" was produced by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, who was doing a lot of work with Kanye West and John Legend around this time. A number of critics noticed that the song uses the same beat as will.i.am's "Impatient" from his 2007 Songs About Girls album. Estelle told Giantmag.com what happened: "He played me the beat and before the track ['Impatient'] came out I had already recorded 'American Boy' with him. But when he played the beat for me, I was like I love it and I want to use it. But, I heard his track and I was like didn't you play that track for me? But, I think it was just one of those things were his album came out first and our lines got crossed up. But I'm not hating; there's no beef or anything like that. It worked out for both of us so I'm not mad."